Pit Boss Platinum KC Combo Review
- Grills
- BBQ Gear Reviews
- Combo Grills
- Pit Boss Platinum KC Combo Review
- by David Gafford
- January 20, 2020
- Grills, BBQ Gear Reviews, Combo Grills
- 73
The Pit Boss Platinum KC Combo Grill is the first grill on the market that’s half pellet smoker and half propane griddle. Today we’re going to find out if it’s good enough to be your next grill.
The KC Combo is a triple threat when you remove the propane griddle and replace it with a set of grill grates to turn the right side into a gas grill. To compare this grill to other units that are out there on the market, you’d have to purchase two separate grills, so a direct comparison is difficult. With the Platinum series KC Combo grill, here’s what you’d be working with.
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Grill Dimensions
The grill measures 69 inches wide and 26 inches deep. From floor to the top of the unit, we measure just over 51 inches in height. If you’re used to a 3 burner propane gas grill or a smaller pellet smoker, this grill has a much larger footprint. The grill weighs in at just a shade under 257 pounds as well, so if you’re going to put this up on a raised deck, make sure your deck is built to handle the weight.
Pellet Grill
Even though we’re talking about a single grill, we’re really talking about two separate cooking areas here. Here’s what we’re working with on the pellet side of the grill. The pellet grill boasts 562 sq. in. of cooking area on the main cooking grate and the warming rack above. That translates into 20”x22” of cooking surface on the pellet side. The bottom grate brings 439 sq. in. of cooking space to the party while the warming rack brings an additional 123 sq. in.
Propane Grill
The propane grill/griddle side brings another 439 sq. in. of cooking space, which translates to 321 sq. in. when using the griddle attachment instead of the propane grill grates. The griddle measures 19”x18”.
In total, you’re looking at just over 1,000 sq. in. of cooking space on the Platinum KC Combo between the two sides.
Check Price at Walmart.com
Combo Grill Features
The grill is made of cold rolled steel, and there’s a combination of textures on the exterior that give it a nice look. The three doors on the unit all appear to be molded with a texture finish that the rest of the grill doesn’t have. It’s finished in a grey or silver color while the rest of the grill is painted in high temp black paint.
The doors are heavy compared to the doors on some of the other pellet grills we have here at The Barbecue Lab. Instead of being a single thickness of metal, the door to each side is double walled with some space in-between giving it a stronger feel and more substantial look. Each door is made of 12 gauge metal while the grill itself is 14 gauge. The doors are embossed as well, which gives them a unique look. There’s a textured powder coat finish on each door that makes them stand out from the rest of the unit.
The bottom of the grill serves as a shelf or storage rack that runs the entire width of the grill unit. The shelf isn’t made of expanded metal like you might see on an Oklahoma Joe’s Highland. This shelf is made of cold rolled steel and will hold a significant amount of accessories if you plan on keeping the grill in one place.
There are two lights on the KC Combo, and they’re found on the back wall of both the pellet and griddle side. The button to turn the lights on and off is on the face of the digital controller, and they make cooking in the dark much easier.
There are two shelves on the KC Combo. The first is a folding front shelf located right in front of the pellet grill. The shelf folds up into place and locks, creating a sturdy surface to work on. At 21”x7”, there’s alot of space to work with. There is a release on each side of the shelf that allows you to store the shelf for a smaller overall footprint, and we like that it takes two releases to get the shelf to go down. This way, there’s no accidental releasing while you’re in the middle of a cook.
The second shelf on the unit is the side shelf, and it’s a really good size. Measuring in at 20”x12”, this is the place where we tended to keep everything we were working with during a cook. It’s a solid shelf, easily supporting the weight of anything we’d need while cooking.
The legs are also made of the same cold rolled steel, and are fashioned into an L shape. We’ve moved this grill all around the garage, driveway and patio, and it’s solid. If you tighten the screws well when you’re doing the assembly, this grill feels like an extremely solid unit.
There are four wheels on the KC Combo, and two are lockable to keep your grill in place. The casters roll easily across solid and even surfaces, but if you need to navigate your way up a lip from the driveway to the garage, prepare for a workout. Since the grill weighs over 250 pounds, we’ve found the best way to get up a lip is to attack it from a 45 degree angle 1 wheel at a time. Straight on at a 90 degree is way harder, so learn from our early mistakes and save yourself some effort.
We really like how easy it is to lock and unlock the casters on this unit. With some of the other grills on the market, you almost have to get down on your knees to lock and unlock the wheels. That’s not the case on this grill. You can easily set the casters to lock with just the flick of your foot. It’s a great upgrade from what we’ve seen on many other smokers.
A grill cover is optional, but if you’re planning on keeping this unit outside, we would highly recommend protecting your investment with a cover. As this unit is half computer controlled pellet grill, keeping the electronics from the elements will inevitably help extend the life of the grill.
Pellet Smoker
The pellet hopper can hold 26lbs of wood pellets, which is a large amount for a pellet smoker of this size. We can often go 3-4 cooks without needing to load more pellets into the hopper. On smaller pellet grills, you can find a pellet hopper half this size or less, so we love that there’s ample pellet storage on the KC Combo.
One of our favorite features on this grill is the new pellet clean out system. A welcome change from pellet grills of the past, the built in pellet clean out tray and brush simplify cleanup. Pull back and forth on the handle to brush pellet waste into the ash drawer at the end of a cook. No more pulling out the shop vac between sessions to vacuum out the grill. This is how pellet grills should be.
We were really pleased with the door seal fit on the KC Combo. For many smokers on the market today, we recommend sealing the doors with gasket seal to keep smoke in the cooking chamber. On this unit, the doors seal quite well, and we aren’t seeing smoke escaping through the door seal.
There’s also a feature on the smokestack cap that allows you to set how much ventilation is available through the smokestack. By simply tightening or loosening the stack cap, you can leave more smoke in your cooking chamber by tightening the cap down all the way.
Check Price at Walmart.com
Digital Controller
One of the things that we’re the most excited about with this new series of Pit Boss grills is the new digital control board. We’ve used quite a few Pit Boss grills in the past, and we’ve even outlined some of our issues with previous control interfaces. On this new PID controller, Pit Boss solved many of our past issues in this current interface. The controller is able to utilize the fan to create smoke, which is something that we all love in a smoker.
Let’s walk through the control interface. The first thing that grabs our attention is the large digital readout for the temperature of the pellet grill. There’s only one dial on the face, and adjustments are made by simply pushing the button and changing your desired temperature.
There’s a display light for the auger, which lights up whenever the auger is turning and feeding pellets into the pellet cup. A light for the Igniter is next, and it simply tells you when the igniter is powering the hot rod to light your pellets. Next is a fan light, which will stay lit whenever the fan is running. The fan is a variable speed fan, which means that it’s not just on and off with the Platinum series. When operating the grill, you’ll hear varying levels of fan output as the grill goes through each portion of the cook. The last light on this row is a pellet light that tells you when you’ve run out of pellets. The light triggers when the grill loses fire, helping you know if there’s a pellet dam or if you’ve simply run out of fuel.
There’s a prime button on the controller that allows you to override the auger and force it to feed pellets into the pellet cup. This is useful when you want to fill the auger with pellets the first time you use the grill. It’s also handy when you run the grill out of pellets and need to reload. Just hold down the button until you hear a pellet drop into the pellet cup and you’re good to cycle on the grill like your normally would.
The KC Combo is one of the first grills from Pit Boss that features a PID controller. If you’re new to pellet grill controller types, a PID controller means that it employs a closed loop system to continuously obtain temperature information from the cooking chamber to instruct the auger on how to operate.
Older controllers for pellet grills have operated with rules like “auger runs for 10 seconds and holds for 45 seconds” to achieve a specific temperature. A PID controller continues to adapt to the temperature found in the cooking chamber and adjusts its settings to create a much more consistent internal cooking temperature. In short, a PID controller is what you want in your next pellet grill.
There are a ton of temperature settings available on the KC Combo that range from a smoke setting all the way up to 500 degrees. The smoke setting is set for a temperature between 180-200 degrees, and uses the variable speed fan to generate maximum smoke. Above the smoke setting, you’ll see 180 and 200. From 200 up to 450 is available in 25 degree increments, and high will land you on 500 degrees.
There are two probes that are included with each unit, and they show you the temperature of your food right on the digital controller. One of the more unusual design features on the KC Combo is that the probe ports aren’t located on the front of the grill like we’re used to seeing from almost every pellet grill manufacturer. On the KC Combo, the 1/8in. Jacks are located inside the lid of the pellet hopper. We love that there’s a probe port on the side of the pellet grill and on the hopper to keep probe cables out of the lid to keep that seal nice and tight.
Smoke IT
The last feature that you’ll find on the controller is the Smoke IT capability. Pit Boss has included Bluetooth functionality with each Platinum grill, and it works within the Pit Boss app for both Apple and Android.
If you’re like us, and you go looking for the Smoke IT app on the store, you won’t find it. The functionality that you’re looking for is inside of the Pit Boss app itself. Download and open the Pit Boss app and click the grill icon in the upper right corner of the screen. It will walk you through connecting your grill to your phone so you can enjoy the benefits of knowing what’s happening outside while you’re indoors watching the game.
You can turn the temperature of the grill up or down, turn off the grill, check probe temperatures and more all from within the app. About the only thing you can’t do from the app is start the grill, but you’ve got to go outside and take the cover off anyway, right?
Sear Ability
One of the biggest complaints you’ll hear from pellet grill owners is that there’s not really a great way to get a sear on a steak with a pellet grill. You’ll see people using cast iron pans with their pellet grill on high or using another grill entirely to get a good sear.
The KC Combo gives three different ways to sear, and we’re loving it. Arguably the best sear you can get is to expose the entire side of a piece of meat to blazing hot metal. The griddle gives the best sear in our opinion on this grill. Crank the griddle up to high and watch it sear your steak in quick order. If it’s flame searing that you’re after, there are two options with the KC Combo. You can use the propane side and replace the griddle with grill grates and flame on. On the pellet side, you can use the flame broiler adjusting bar to open up the fire pot to the grill grates and sear on the pellet side. That’s 3 distinct ways to get a sear on a single grill. Consider us impressed.
Gas Grill
The gas grill side of the KC has three knobs to control each burner and an igniter button. The knobs on the propane side are weighty, and feel really solid in comparison to the plastic-y knobs that are found on so many grills these days.
The griddle itself is HEAVY, and it will hold heat very well with that much metal when it’s hot. The griddle plate comes unseasoned, and you’ll find it to be a light gray color when you take it out of the box. One of the first things to do before you cook anything on the griddle side is to season your griddle. If you’d like to see a video on how to season your Pit Boss griddle, click the card right up here or using the link in the description below.
Delivery and Assembly
Fedex really beat up our grill in transit, and even stuck another pallet on top of the grill at some point it looks like. When we saw the box, we thought for sure there was going to be damage to the grill, but kudos to the Pit Boss design team for packing this the right way. Even with the bottom of the box seeing major damage, the grill arrived in perfect condition.
The grill comes pretty much assembled, meaning that the pellet grill, gas grill and the pellet hopper are all bolted together and needing a cart. The cart assembly is the first step in the process, but getting the large pre-assembled unit will definitely require a second person to lift the grill in place. Once the pre-assembled portion is set on top of the cart, this is where some flexibility is required. We cut out a piece of the cardboard box to lay on so we could get to all of the screw holes that were needed in the next 60 minutes of assembly. From opening the box to fully assembled took us about 2 hours.
Our Thoughts
Overall, this grill is very easy to use and brings a ton of options to your outdoor cooking arsenal. We love cooking on both sides at the same time. It’s not uncommon for us to have a brisket on the pellet grill side for dinner while we’re cooking breakfast and lunch on the griddle. French toast and bacon for breakfast, fried rice and hibachi vegetables for lunch and a smoke brisket for dinner is a great weekend all on one grill.
If you’re looking for a combo grill that does it all, it’s hard to argue that there’s any grill on the market that has the versatility of the KC Combo. If you like to smoke, grill, griddle, saute and you’re looking for a grill that will keep up with you, there’s really no need to look any further. The KC Combo was designed to give you maximum options in a single sturdy unit.
The Pit Boss Platinum KC Combo is priced $747 and is only available through Walmart and Walmart.com. While buying this grill directly in the store can save you a bit of cash on shipping costs, in my opinion, having it delivered directly to your driveway is priceless. I can’t even imagine how I would have transported a grill of this size and weight home from the store without a couple of buddies helping. I say save yourself the hassle and let someone else do all the heavy lifting. Walmart also has the custom fit cover available specifically for the KC Combo so if you plan on storing this grill outside, you’ll definitely want to pick that up as well to protect your investment.
Check Price at Walmart.com
Are you thinking about picking up the KC Combo? Let us know in the comment section below why the KC Combo is calling your name.
Life’s too short to be saddled with bad bbq gear, so come on back and let us do the testing for you before you buy.
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David Gafford
David Gafford is the founder of The Barbecue Lab, a YouTube channel and website focused mainly on reviewing outdoor cooking and outdoor living gear. David puts his analytical and teaching skills to work, helping viewers make fully educated decisions on the equipment they purchase for their patios.But helping people get geared up in the backyard is only part of his passion. David’s real mission is to equip 500,000 people to gather their tribe and experience community by creating unforgettable experiences around food and fire.
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Article Comments
Rod Bell
April 13, 2020 2:10 amReply
Great review, is there any place set up within the grill to place the propane tank? i see you show it setting on the side, it appears as though that is the only option, but wanted to make sure.
David Gafford
April 13, 2020 2:16 amReply
Great question Rod. There is an arm that holds the tank in place on the KC Combo so it can be rolled around with the propane tank attached to the grill. There’s a little notch that the bottom of the tank fits into and an swivel arm that comes down to latch on to the top of the tank to hold it securely. Best wishes!
Erin
April 14, 2021 1:08 amReply
I am dissatisfied with my kc platinum. The pellet side needs to have a way to add more pellets to add more smoke if on a higher temp.o
Victor Alexander
April 14, 2020 3:50 amReply
I really like this grill but the one thing I can’t find anything about it the quality of the bluetooth. Most grills with phone control have wifi. Bluetooth has more of a range in my limited understanding. Have you been able to test the range/signal of the bluetooth? Does it work well or do you have to be next to the grill to make it work which would render it useless. I would like to be able to monitor the grill from anywhere even when I leave the house but I’m not sure about the reality of that. Can you give any feed back on this aspect of the grill?
David Gafford
April 15, 2020 10:47 pmReply
With the bluetooth connectivity on the Platinum KC Combo, I’m able to stay connected in my home without any problems. I use my grills in the driveway, and my driveway is on the side of my house, opposite my office. Most of the time when I’m using the pellet grill side of the KC Combo, I’m in my office getting work done and connected to the grill on the app. I haven’t had any problems at that distance, which is a garage, dining room, hallway and office away. I hope that helps!
Mark
June 18, 2023 4:32 amReply
I love all of the options here and the price point, as getting both of these separately doesn’t seem cost or space efficient.
My question is – do you think this could be built in to an outdoor kitchen? Secondly, do you think it could convert to natural gas?
Sorry, still learning a lot here. Thanks for the great review!!David Gafford
June 18, 2023 4:30 pmReply
Hi Mark, I’m not sure that Pit Boss planned on this unit being used for an outdoor kitchen, but I’m sure that people have found ways to build around the KC Combo for an outdoor kitchen inclusion. As far as converting to natural gas, I get that question quite a bit, but the only answer I’ve heard from Pit Boss on the subject is that they don’t have any plans for this model to have a natural gas solution. All the best!
Andy
April 15, 2020 8:49 pmReply
Does the shelf on the right side of the grill come attached to the unit or will I have to put it on? The reason I ask is , I’m hoping to put the side shelf from my current gas grill on the Pit Boss so I can have a side burner. I know I’ll probably have to do some slight modification to attach it.
Thanks
David Gafford
April 15, 2020 10:44 pmReply
The side shelf didn’t come pre-assembled on the unit, it was something that we had to bolt on during the assembly. Good luck getting your side burner attached. Let us know how it goes!
Frank Wodziak
April 21, 2020 7:37 pmReply
I was one of the unlucky early adopters for the Weber SmokeFire. Got it in early February and am already sending it back. Of the 15 meals, 6 went as planned. The grill would flame out, wild temperatures fluctuations, and couldn’t keep the temperature constant for longer then 4-6 hrs. I had taken it apart three times to clean or fix jams. Weber sent three parts that needed to be added after it arrived. Firmware fix is scheduled for ??? Stay away from the SmokeFire until they fix their, rush to market, issues.
The Pit Boss looks like a great grill, thanks for the excellent review. I believe it will be on my deck this summer.
Edward Sirois
April 3, 2021 12:25 amReply
Planning on getting the KC grill, I am new to pellet grills, think this would be a good start?
David Gafford
April 3, 2021 12:31 amReply
Hi Edward, congrats on jumping into the pellet smoker/grill market! If the KC Combo is what you’re feeling like is a good fit for you, then there’s something to that. I think Pit Boss made this grill to cover as much ground as possible in a single unit. With the option of gas direct grilling that can be converted to a griddle, and a pellet smoker with direct flame access, it’s truly one of the only machines on the market that can do it all. The downside is that even though this grill is really large in size, both halves are small when compared to their full size counterparts. If you are thinking about using a griddle, and a 36″ feels like the right size for you, the KC Combo will feel small. If you walk up to a pellet smoker that has over 1,000 sq. in. of cooking space and that feels right, the KC will feel small. In trying to do everything in a single unit, the concession is that both sides are undersized if you’re expecting the lone experience of a single purpose unit. If they feel the right size for you, then you’re good to go. All the best!
EJ
May 24, 2020 5:30 pmReply
I have ordered the Combo and will pick it up this week. I found that Sams Club has a similar grill from Members Mark for a bit less money. I chose the Pit Boss based on your review. Thanks.
David Gafford
May 26, 2020 2:14 pmReply
Thanks for the heads up EJ. I’ll have to be on the lookout for that next time I’m in Sams. Happy cooking!
Jonathan Castro
May 25, 2020 1:09 amReply
Is the KC Combo able to be converted from propane to natural gas?
Thank You
Jonathan
David Gafford
May 26, 2020 2:14 pmReply
I have to admit that I’m not sure if it can be converted to natural gas or not. That’d be a great question for Pit Boss support. I’d give them a call and chat with them about it. I know you’d need to change the orifice at a minimum, but that’s something they’ll have to directly answer for you. Best wishes!
Gary
May 25, 2020 7:58 amReply
thank you for a great review and listing the dimensions, my question is do you think that the pellet smoker side is big enough to do a large smoke? Like a turkey or something with similar size? is the warming rack easily removable for something such as that? What is the head clearance on the lid from the grates? And how are you liking the new control system compared to the pro series??? thank you again for an amazing review!!!!!
David Gafford
May 26, 2020 2:12 pmReply
Thanks for your kind words Gary. The warming rack on the pellet side just slides out, and I cook with it out most of the time. I have a collection of warming grates in the garage from multiple units. Turkeys won’t be a problem when the upper rack is removed. When it comes to the controller, it’s much more efficient than the older controllers I’m used to from Pit Boss. I like that I can cook at 275 when my last Pit Boss didn’t have that option.
Merry
January 21, 2023 6:32 pmReply
can’t read comments…..only half on screen???? can’t shift screen to read ????
RJ
May 30, 2020 3:24 amReply
What is the dimensions of the packaging? I would like to pick up the KC but want to ensure it fits in my Honda Pilot with just the 3rd row down.
David Gafford
June 1, 2020 8:28 pmReply
I don’t remember that I measured the dimensions of the packaging when we first got it. My guess is that it’ll probably fit with the 3rd row down, but I’m pretty sure you’d have to leave your tailgate open and use a tie down as it’s a really long box.
chris
October 5, 2020 7:51 pmReply
The package dimensions are 27″ X 29″ x 60″
Jerry Furniss
May 25, 2020 3:46 pmReply
Dave
Does the side griddle have enough heat to put a cast iron skillet on top of it for a fish fry? My wife makes me cook fish outside, so that is a requirement.
Thanks!
Jerry from Montana
David Gafford
May 26, 2020 2:08 pmReply
I would say that it should. Since you could take the griddle off of the unit and put on the grill grates for that side, you’re talking about 3 burners available to heat that side. I haven’t tried it, but I know that side gets really hot when I’m doing hibachi style cooking.
Rick Hopfauf
November 22, 2020 4:41 pmReply
I’m very happy with my KC combo. So far the only thing I can’t figure out is how do you turn the lights on for cleaning in the dark afterwards without initiating the smoker. I would like to have it remain cool while I’m scraping and cleaning off both sides of the grill/ smoker. It seems like you cannot turn the lights on without powering it up which turns the smoker on and in turn the auger and burner on the smoker side.
Gary Kidd
April 17, 2023 12:33 amReply
I’m very very disappointed with my purchase of the kc combo platinum #1 I can’t get the ash tray in without forcing it #2 it’s even harder getting it out literally have to use both feet and both hands to remove it #3 the gas side doesn’t get above 300 degrees #4 the burners are constantly going out with the slightest breeze so please tell me how to fix all these problems on something that costs me almost $800 dollars! I do like the looks but that’s about all, plus your Bluetooth app sucks and it doesn’t even work you guys have got some explaining to do call me or text me anytime, by the way I bought this last weekend April 2023
David Gafford
April 26, 2023 3:15 pmReply
I’m sorry to hear you’re having trouble with your KC Combo. I would recommend reaching out to Pit Boss customer service. We only review products that we have used and have nothing to do with the manufacturing of the products themselves.
Nicole
May 28, 2020 12:39 amReply
Great review! We’re seriously considering purchasing this grill after your review. I’m most excited about the griddle where the bearded one is most excited about the the pellet grill.
David Gafford
May 28, 2020 3:13 pmReply
I admit that it’s really great having the option for both sides of the grill. We usually set something to cook low and slow on the smoker side in the morning, and let it go all day. Then after work, we’ll fire up the griddle and cook the rest of dinner. Having both options makes entire dinners cooked outdoors a regular thing for us.
Alex
June 5, 2020 8:06 amReply
I live in a pretty humid area and my grill would be stored outside, so I’d like to remove the pellets between cooks. I see that there’s a tray for removing ash, but is there an easy way to remove the pellets from the hopper? Thanks
David Gafford
June 5, 2020 12:07 pmReply
Great question Alex. There is a pellet dump located on the bottom of the pellet hopper that allows you to remove all of the pellets in the hopper. It’s a simple pull knob that removes a plate that allows the pellets to drop out for storage.
Darren
June 7, 2020 11:31 pmReply
I literally just purchased the last one of these available within a 3 state area. I’ve been going back and forth on pellet grills for about 5 months now and really couldn’t pull the trigger on one for fear of the lack of searing abilities and convenience you get with Gas. I am just crossing my fingers it is not a floor model, will find out tomorrow. My only question is how do you think this grill will hold up if left outside (covered obviously) in a Maine winter? I see a lot of electronics and moving parts… Couple weeks straight below 20 degrees is a common occurrence.
David Gafford
June 7, 2020 11:55 pmReply
Winters here in Indiana aren’t below 20 degrees for 14 days straight usually, but it can happen. I hear you on your concerns about an electronic grill in that kind of climate. We keep ours in the garage all the time, but I have a friend who has one that’s outside and covered. I’d rest pretty easy knowing that there’s a good warranty on it that’ll take care of you if you get into any trouble. Not having had it through more than a few weeks of winter, I can’t speak to your main question with any experience, but I wish you the best and hope you enjoy it!
Robert Fitzpatrick
June 19, 2020 4:21 pmReply
Bought this back in February and have had nothing but problems with the kc combo! They sent me plenty of replacement parts none of which have fixed the pit! It’s a giant 257 pound hunk of trash! Guess I got a lemon
Mark Tatman
July 10, 2020 2:17 amReply
What are the dimensions of the wheel footprint ?. I have 63in width at deck level but 70in width at 18 in above deck level
Andrew Hurrieta
July 2, 2020 3:23 amReply
Loved your review and is helping me make a decision. My question is, how is it holding up with warping or melting paint? I’ve seen some grill reviews that complain about this and wondered how KC Combo holds up.
David Gafford
July 2, 2020 2:10 pmReply
We haven’t had any warping or melting paint here on our end, but we also haven’t been running it at 550 degrees daily. We use it primarily as a griddle and a smoker, so we’re usually only getting the pellet side up to 300 degrees at the highest since we’re doing our searing on the griddle side. That’s been our experience so far, and it’s been good for us.
Jamie Hesbon
July 27, 2020 8:48 pmReply
Loved your review and would like to purchase thru your affiliate link! However I am having no luck in finding a way to have it delivered. I have no way to pick-up a grill of this size. Any suggestions? Does Walmart really have the exclusive on it and if yes for how long? Keep up the great work.. Jamie
David Gafford
July 31, 2020 7:08 pmReply
Hey Jamie, thanks for your support! Yes, the KC Combo is a Walmart exclusive and I’m not aware that it will be available elsewhere any time soon. That’s really disappointing to hear that delivery isn’t available since the size of this unit (even in box) will surely make it impossible for many to purchase in store. I wish I had better news to share with you. I guess I’d just say that if this is the unit you really want, just keep checking back in periodically and I would think that maybe once inventory recovers from COVID and the high demand for grills, perhaps the delivery option will become available again.
Erin
April 14, 2021 1:13 amReply
I am dissatisfied with my kc platinum. The pellet side needs to have a way to add more pellets to add more smoke if on a higher temp.o
Ken
February 5, 2023 9:16 pmReply
This may seem a bit sneaky, but it’s worth a try. Go to nearest truck dealer and do a test drive, without the dealer. Pick up your grill then return the truck, or buy it too.
Kim
August 13, 2020 11:22 pmReply
I brought this grill combo a month or so ago and I just used it today,, yummy. But question do u have I know u have to take the rakes out to put griddle in but do you have to take the trays out also..
David Gafford
August 14, 2020 4:54 pmReply
Hi Kim, I hope you love your new KC Combo! When we used the griddle, we needed to take out both the grill grate and the heat tents (long triangle pieces) in order to make things fit. The griddle should go above the burners without anything between so the flames can get directly to the griddle. Have fun!
Lynn Hamilton
August 31, 2020 4:57 pmReply
Just put ours together yesterday. We did our grill burn off last night. Can’t wait to actually cook on it! Thanks for the review….it was great! Any suggestions on the first time cooking procedures or what to cook? Looking for suggestions.
David Gafford
September 1, 2020 7:26 pmReply
Congratulations on your purchase! For me, I’m all about using the griddle for side dishes while I’m smoking the main dish on the smoker side. Some of my favorite things to cook on this unit are breakfast and mexican. For breakfast, we’ll put some bacon on the smoker side to cook while we’re doing eggs, hash browns, veggies and pancakes on the griddle. For a mexican feast, we’ll use the smoker to reverse sear some steak for fajitas while we’re cooking peppers and onions on the griddle. Philly cheesesteaks come to mind as well, the sky’s the limit. Have fun!
Ravi Doshi
September 17, 2020 1:36 pmReply
So the smoke setting only works from 180-200? I usually smoke pork at 225 and chicken at 300. Is that possible with this smoker?
David Gafford
September 17, 2020 2:55 pmReply
Yes, it’s possible to smoke at 225 and 300. I think what the 180-200 is referring to is the default temperature of the “smoke” setting on the unit. It’s the setting that’s designed to create the most smoke possible, but like any other pellet grill, you can get smoke infused into your food at higher settings than just the smoke setting.
Rick Hopfauf
November 22, 2020 4:43 pmReply
I’m very happy with my KC combo. So far the only thing I can’t figure out is how do you turn the lights on for cleaning in the dark afterwards without initiating the smoker. I would like to have it remain cool while I’m scraping and cleaning off both sides of the grill/ smoker. It seems like you cannot turn the lights on without powering it up which turns the smoker on and in turn the auger and burner on the smoker side.
David Gafford
November 23, 2020 1:07 amReply
I’ve seen a few people that have modded their KC Combo’s to be able to work the lights separately from the smoker. From what I understand out of the box, you can’t use the lights without the smoker being on.
William Phillip Lane
January 27, 2021 7:23 pmReply
Got my Pit Boss for Christmas …. had no idea ….what a unit. Absolutely love it. Cooking my first meal tonight on the gas grill side. In the process of seasoning my griddle. Gonna have good use for this this spring, summer, and fall …
David Gafford
January 28, 2021 9:20 pmReply
Awesome William! So glad you love it! It’s a great unit with lots of versatility.
Matt
January 30, 2021 7:46 pmReply
Are there specific grill grates for the KC combo or will any grill grate work?
David Gafford
February 1, 2021 9:24 pmReply
The KC combo comes with a set of grill grates. The griddle and grill grates are interchangeable on the right side of the unit, but it does come with both. You do not need to purchase grates separately.
Richard McDowell
March 28, 2021 9:23 pmReply
Thanks for the detailed review. I first experienced the smoking process as a kid in Alaska. We smoked salmon in a makeshift 55 gallon drum smoker some 40 years ago. Since then I’ve worked the pit in a small bbq restaurant, been the go-to bbq dad, smoking with a small vertical lpg smoker. Now it’s time to treat myself to an upgrade. It’s pretty much narrowed down to the KC Combo or the Pit Boss Pro Series. Hope to be up smoking & grilling by Memorial Day.
Thanks for the help!
Richard
David Gafford
March 29, 2021 2:54 pmReply
We have a review coming in the next week for the Pit Boss Pro. Keep an eye out!
Pete
July 28, 2021 4:51 pmReply
Hi David, found your review of the KC Combo and took the plung months ago. I like how the set temperature stays close during my smoking compared to my last pellet grill. I think it’s from the variable fan control, but I wish there were adjustments available for auger and fan speeds for the following reasons:
1. The auger catches fire 1/2 of the times I use the grill and I get a lot of smoke in the pellet hopper during shutdown.
2. Minimal smoke is generated during the Smoke setting and I had to purchase a separate smoke generating tube to get a good smoke ring.
3. Most times it takes the pellet side longer than a hour to get over 350. The fan speed slows way down too early in the heating process.
Except for the temperature stability this pellet grill offers I can’t say it’s that good considering the cost. The griddle is very nice to have but not at the cost of the previously mentioned issues.
Is there anyway to change the auger and fan speeds that you know of?
Colyn Bruss
May 20, 2021 1:42 pmReply
I just purchased my Pit Boss from a local auction of Walmart open/damaged box items. The box was pretty mangled, but after reading your review and seeing your pics of the box you got I went ahead and rolled the dice. Not a scratch on the unit, and I got it for about 1/2 retail price! Now for my question – this is my 1st pellet smoker/grill, so what do I need to do for a “burn off”? Also, is there something special that I need to do to season the griddle, or is it just like seasoning a cast iron pan? Is there anything I need to do (like season?) the grates on the gas and pellet side before using? I will check back in at the end of summer to give my feedback. Thanks for the great review!!!
gary
June 5, 2021 7:13 pmReply
I have a question. Can both the grill and griddle use the LP gas or just the griddle?
Do I have to use pellets for grilling or can I use the gas without having to remove the griddle?
Thanks
Gary
David Gafford
June 10, 2021 8:36 pmReply
The left side of this unit is a pellet smoker. The right side is fueled by gas and can either be a griddle or a gas grill.
Tyler
October 8, 2021 9:18 pmReply
Hey David, great website! You’ve got some really helpful information here. I’m looking to get a combo grill that can smoke, sear, and griddle. I’ve watched both your MasterBuilt GS 800 review and the PitBoss KC Platinum Combo review, and I’m torn between which to get! Do you have a preference? I like that the Pitboss can have both sides cooking at once, so that’s a bonus. However, I want to have the option to cook for large groups of people during the holidays and for parties, and I wasn’t sure if the PitBoss had enough cooking space on the smoker side. Durability is also something I’m looking for since I would like to invest in a nice grill that will last a long time. Your thoughts? Are there any other 3-in-1 grills out there besides these two you’d recommend? Thanks in advance for your help!
David Gafford
October 14, 2021 2:38 pmReply
Hi Tyler, I think it really all comes down to the fuel type that you’re wanting to cook with. Charcoal has a distinct flavor compared to pellets, and that should probably be the primary determining factor as to which you prefer. The KC Combo does have the two cooking sides that can be lit at different times cooking different recipes, but there’s some real value in having the entire surface area for large gatherings like the GS 800 has. I’ve cooked on both, and they both have their merits. For me personally, I find that combo grills usually don’t have the surface area that I want if that was going to be my only grill. I usually want a larger griddle surface and a larger smoker cooking area than a single combo grill can accommodate. It just comes down to what’s important to you and the way that you cook.
Delbert Morgan
May 13, 2022 5:08 pmReply
temperature gauge never worked on gas grill side since I bought it. Reads 250 degrees even when not using
David Gafford
May 16, 2022 1:09 amReply
Weird. I’d call customer service for a replacement.
Keith
July 3, 2022 4:26 pmReply
Is there a natural gas conversion kit available? I hate refilling propane tanks.
Lindsey
November 28, 2022 4:42 pmReply
We live in a very windy area which makes winter smoking a challenge as keeping the temperature consistent without using a ton of pellets is hard. I’d like to get an insulated blanket for our KC Combo, but there isn’t one made for it and I am not sure what size I’d need to be compatible. Any advice? Thanks!
David Gafford
November 28, 2022 5:48 pmReply
I haven’t seen a branded insulated blanket from Pit Boss, but I know that people who own pellet grills have been using welding blankets as a substitute for many years. I haven’t tried it myself, but it’s something I have in the back of my mind to try this winter. That’s the solution I would try first I think. All the best!
Paul Gay
April 30, 2023 1:33 amReply
Just picked mine up at Wally World. Can’t wait to put it in action. Will convert to Natural Gas and the pellet will have fun with the Walnut pellets I have on hand. I have a big smoker and this may replace the smoker. Who knows. My old grill is really old and is a nice Vermont Castings heavy grill. Converted it to natural gas as well and it is at least 15 years old. Sad to see it go but this is going to be fun!
Bradley
May 9, 2023 6:29 pmReply
Paul, where would you find the NG converter kit? I want to pick this grill up as well and convert it.
Marc
June 28, 2023 2:13 pmReply
The Best Review source I have found for BBQ’s. Thank you!
just found this review from almost 3 yrs ago on this KC Combo unit and am in the market for my first smoker but love my old 15 yr weber grill that is now DEAD.
After 3 yrs is this grill still holding up to expectations?
Has smoker tech changed much in 3 yrs?
In comparison to today’s (2023) tech is this grill the latest version for Pit boss or do they have a newer version I have not found that you would recommend?
Thanks for your feedback.
David Gafford
June 28, 2023 2:39 pmReply
We do not still have the KC Combo so cannot speak to its longevity, unfortunately. We review dozens of grills each year and simply can’t keep and continue using them all. If you’re in the market for a pellet grill, be sure to check out this post: https://thebarbecuelab.com/best-pellet-grill/ or this one if you’re considering an offset smoker: https://thebarbecuelab.com/best-offset-smoker/. These posts all cover the newer models available for a wide variety of brands. Best of luck to you in your search!
James Boyd
January 30, 2024 3:07 pmReply
The Pit Boss Platinum KC Combo is out of stock everywhere, is there any plans to restock?
Jamie
April 8, 2024 1:12 pmReply
Why is the lighting rod directly in front of a hole where the screw is supposed to go to attach to the cart
Darren
May 29, 2024 2:56 amReply
How do you deal with the oil/fst/grizzle on the grill after? I have a good broil king BBQ and would like to add a pellet smoker to my arsenal and figured one with a griddle addition would be great since my griddle plate for my bbq doesn’t collect oil well and is a messy cleanup/lead to flare ups. I know some Blackstones and true kitchen flatops have grease traps you can scrape into, does this one?
