A gas or charcoal grill handles fast direct-heat searing, a smoker or kamado owns low-and-slow barbecue, and a Blackstone flat-top griddle wins for breakfast, smash burgers, and high-volume cooking.
Three cookers, three completely different jobs — and the honest answer on which one fits you comes down to what you actually cook most weekends. Buy a grill when chicken, burgers, and steak on a hot grate is the default. Buy a smoker when brisket, pork shoulder, and ribs are the point. Buy a Blackstone when you’re feeding a crowd breakfast, fried rice, or a dozen smash burgers at once.
Here’s how the three categories differ, what each costs in 2026, and who should skip the others entirely.
What Each Cooker Actually Does Best
A grill cooks with direct or indirect heat over an open grate; a smoker holds low temperatures over many hours; a griddle cooks on a broad, flat, even surface with no grate at all. Those physical differences decide everything — flavor, speed, and what food works.
Weber’s 2026 lineup splits cleanly along those lines. The Genesis Smart Gas Grill starts at US$999 for three-burner models, and Spirit Smart Gas Grills start at US$599 in three- and four-burner sizes. Both are available in liquid propane and natural gas, with the updated Genesis Smart Gas Grill arriving Spring 2026.
On the charcoal side, the 2026 Performer Charcoal Grill runs from US$449 for the base model up to US$799 for the premium smart version. Those are still grills — direct heat, open grate, classic searing.
Kamado cookers sit in the middle. Weber’s Summit Kamado E6 is a charcoal cooker listed at US$1,399 with 452 square inches of cooking area, a dual-walled porcelain-enameled steel bowl and lid, a hinged cooking grate, and an ash catcher. The Summit Kamado S6 jumps to US$2,399 with the same 452 square inches and a 24-inch grate diameter. Both bridge grilling and smoking because the ceramic-style walls hold heat steadily.
Blackstone is a different animal entirely. Its current line is flat-top griddles, not traditional grills: 17-inch, 22-inch, 28-inch, and 36-inch models, plus electric and combo units. A 22-inch tabletop griddle starts at US$179, a 28-inch with hood runs US$399, and a 36-inch griddle anchors the full-size end of the range.
Pick One By What You Cook
The fastest way to choose is to name the meal you make most. Steaks, chicken breasts, and grilled vegetables lean grill. Brisket and ribs lean smoker. Eggs, pancakes, hibachi-style rice, and smash burgers lean griddle.
| Cooker Type | Best For | Typical 2026 Price |
|---|---|---|
| Gas grill (Weber Spirit, Genesis) | Weeknight searing, lid-down roasting, fast meals | US$599–$999+ |
| Charcoal grill (Weber Performer) | Classic charcoal flavor, direct-heat grilling | US$449–$799 |
| Kamado cooker (Weber Summit Kamado) | Grilling and smoking with steady heat retention | US$1,399–$2,399 |
| Flat-top griddle (Blackstone 22″) | Breakfast, smash burgers, high-volume flat cooking | US$179–$349 |
| Flat-top griddle (Blackstone 28″–36″) | Family cooking, parties, full griddle meals | US$399–$599+ |
| Electric tabletop griddle | Balconies, small patios, no propane | US$199–$379 |
Mistakes That Cost People Money
The most expensive mistake is buying a griddle expecting grill results. A Blackstone’s flat surface is built for even-contact cooking, not open-grate charcoal searing — you won’t get the same char or smoke flavor. If you mainly want steakhouse sear, buy a grill.
Second mistake: assuming every model ships with the same fuel type or cart. Weber explicitly separates liquid propane from natural gas on the Genesis Smart Gas Grill, and Blackstone’s griddle families vary widely on hoods, hard covers, Flexfold legs, air-fryer combos, and electric versus propane. Check the exact configuration before you buy.
Third mistake: confusing categories. Weber’s Summit Kamado listings are charcoal cookers with smoking capability, not gas grills. Pricing them against a Genesis is comparing two different tools.
If you’ve settled on a grill and want to compare specific models before committing, our tested roundup of the best grills breaks down what’s actually worth buying.
One more caveat: manufacturer prices on Weber’s and Blackstone’s official sites reflect list pricing. Retailers run promotions and sales that shift both price and availability throughout the year, so confirm the current number at checkout.
Who Should Skip Which
Skip the smoker if you won’t commit four to twelve hours to a cook — it’s a hobby tool, not a weeknight machine. Skip the kamado if the US$1,399–$2,399 price feels excessive for how often you’d use it. Skip the gas grill if charcoal flavor is non-negotiable for you. Skip the Blackstone if you rarely cook breakfast foods or flat-top meals; you’ll use it twice a season.
Plenty of households eventually own two cookers — a gas grill for weeknights and a griddle or smoker for weekends. That’s a normal place to land, not a failure to choose.
FAQs
Can I smoke meat on a regular gas grill?
Yes, but with limits. A gas grill can hold low indirect heat with one burner off and a smoker box of wood chips, giving you light smoke flavor on ribs or chicken. It won’t replicate a dedicated smoker’s long, steady holds for brisket or pork shoulder, so treat it as a shortcut, not a replacement.
Is a Blackstone griddle worth it if I already own a grill?
Often yes, because they cook different foods well. A griddle excels at eggs, pancakes, fried rice, and smash burgers — meals that would fall through grill grates. If you cook those regularly, a 22-inch Blackstone starting around US$179 adds real value. If not, it’ll sit unused.
Which is cheaper to run, propane or charcoal?
Propane usually costs less per cook and heats faster; charcoal costs more per session and takes longer to light. Charcoal delivers flavor propane can’t match, which is why many people keep both. For quick weeknight dinners, propane wins on convenience and total fuel cost.
References & Sources
- Weber. “Weber 2026 New Product Release.” Source for 2026 Genesis, Spirit, and Performer pricing and Spring 2026 availability.
- Blackstone. Blackstone Products Official Site. Source for current griddle model line and configurations.
- Blackstone. “36” Griddle.” Product page showing full-size griddle specs and features.
