CosmoGrill Outdoor XXL Smoker

Is the CosmoGrill Outdoor XXL Smoker worth buying?

Yes, the CosmoGrill Outdoor XXL Smoker is worth the £212.44 if you cook for 20 or more at a time and want one charcoal fire to cover the lot, and 551 owners rate it 4.5. Two cast iron grills give 3,024 cm² between them, enough for more than 15 patties and 15 sausages at once, with a stainless steel warming rack above for whatever comes off first.

It is the wrong buy for anyone who wants to wheel the barbecue out on their own every Saturday. The frame runs 142 cm across, 48 cm deep and 111 cm tall, and the whole thing weighs 33 kg, so it earns its place on a patio and stays there for the season. If that sounds like a fixture rather than a habit, a smaller drum makes more sense.

How much grate does £212.44 actually buy?

3,024 cm² is the number to hold on to, because that is the cooking surface you pay for, spread over two cast iron grills at roughly 1,512 cm² each. Put against the £212.44, each pound buys about 14 cm² of grate, which is the lowest return of the charcoal smokers it sits among.

What that area buys in practice is a single full sitting: over 15 burger patties and 15 sausages, or the same space used as two heat zones, one running hot for steaks and one gentler for chicken and vegetables. The height-adjustable coal tray moves the fire closer or further from the food, and the lid thermometer plus the chimney let you read and steer the chamber without lifting the lid.

What comes in the box and how is it to live with?

The box holds the smoker itself, two cast iron grills, a stainless steel warming rack, two castor wheels, the foldable side tables and a 600D Oxford cover that is UV and dust resistant. That cover matters more than it sounds, because this is a unit built to sit outdoors all year and a bare steel frame will not thank you for a wet winter.

Assembly is required, and 33 kg of powder-coated steel is not a one-person lift up a step or over gravel, even with the castors rolling on flat ground. Once built, the footprint is a genuine 48 cm deep by 142 cm wide, so measure the patio before ordering. CosmoGrill covers it with a one year manufacturer warranty.

Where does the CosmoGrill Outdoor XXL Smoker fall short?

It is heavy and it is wide. At 33 kg with two castors, it rolls on paving and stops dead on grass or gravel, and the 142 cm span rules out a small terrace. Budget for two people whenever it has to move, and a dry corner of the garden for the winter.

The second limit is value at this price. Every pound here returns about 14 cm² of grate, so you are paying for the cast iron, the frame and the cover rather than for surface area, and cheaper charcoal smokers in the same size class give more grill per pound. The third is the layout: one level of two grills, with the warming rack as the only second tier, so anyone used to stacking food over three or four levels will miss the room.

The one year warranty is also the shortest you will find on a charcoal smoker at this money, compared with the five years Tower offers on its 2-in-1.

How does the CosmoGrill Outdoor XXL Smoker compare with other charcoal smokers?

Against the Masterbuilt 710 WiFi Smoker, the CosmoGrill keeps its money in steel rather than electronics. The Masterbuilt costs £211.65, £0.79 less, and spreads 4,587 cm² across four racks in a vertical cabinet, which is 1,563 cm² more cooking space, but it needs a socket and stops at 275°F. Buy the CosmoGrill for charcoal flavour and cast iron heat retention; buy the Masterbuilt if you want to set a temperature and walk away.

Against the SUNLIFER Large Coal Barrel, the difference is £117.69. The SUNLIFER costs £94.75 and offers 5,160 cm², which is 2,136 cm² more grate, and it cooks for 24 burgers, while the CosmoGrill brings the included 600D cover, the two cast iron grills and the wider, heavier frame. The CosmoGrill suits a household that wants one substantial piece of kit for large garden parties; the SUNLIFER suits anyone who would rather spend the difference on charcoal.