Honestly, walking into a backyard and seeing a Pit Boss Memphis Ultimate 4-in-1 is a bit like seeing a Swiss Army knife the size of a loveseat. It’s massive. It’s intimidating. And usually, the person standing behind it is trying to figure out why they have three different fuel sources going at once while the neighbors stare in a mix of awe and confusion.
I’ve seen a lot of people buy this beast thinking it’s just a "big grill." That’s mistake number one. You don't buy a Memphis Ultimate because you want to flip a few burgers on a Tuesday—though you totally can. You buy it because you’re the type of person who wants to smoke a brisket for 12 hours while searing ribeyes on the gas side and keeping a tray of mac and cheese warm in the electric cabinet. It’s a lifestyle choice, and frankly, a bit of a logistical challenge if you aren't prepared for the learning curve.
The Pit Boss Memphis Ultimate 4-in-1: Not Just a Pretty Face
Let’s get the basics out of the way before we talk about why this thing makes people lose their minds. Basically, you’re looking at four distinct cooking methods crammed into one steel chassis:
- Liquid Propane (LP) Gas Grill: Three burners, 36,000 BTUs. It’s your standard "I'm hungry now" tool.
- Charcoal Grill: This is where the flavor lives. It has an adjustable grate height, which is a total game-changer for heat control.
- Electric Smoker: A 1,500-watt element sitting under 2.5 cubic feet of space. It’s got three racks and a glass door so you can peek without letting the heat out.
- Offset Smoking: This is the "hidden" 4th mode. There are dampers that let you vent smoke from the electric cabinet directly into the gas or charcoal chambers.
The total cooking area is a staggering 2,167 square inches. To put that in perspective, you could probably cook for a small wedding or a very hungry football team without breaking a sweat. But here’s the thing: just because you can cook everything at once doesn’t mean you should—at least not until you understand how the airflow works.
Why the Offset Feature is the Real MVP
Most people think the electric smoker is just a separate box at the bottom. Wrong. The genius of the Pit Boss Memphis Ultimate 4-in-1 lies in the venting system. If you’ve ever wanted that authentic wood-fired taste on a gas grill, you just crank up the electric smoker with some hickory chips and open the side dampers.
The smoke travels up and through the main grill chambers. It’s sorta like having a cold smoker and a hot grill working in tandem. I’ve used this to "reverse sear" thick-cut pork chops—smoking them low in the cabinet and then finishing them on the gas side for those perfect grill marks. It’s a flex, sure, but the flavor is undeniably better than gas alone.
The Assembly Nightmare (and How to Survive It)
If you buy this thing, clear your Saturday. No, seriously. Cancel your plans.
The box weighs over 210 pounds. You will need a friend, a rolling cart, and maybe a marriage counselor if you try to do it with your spouse. The manual is decent, but there are hundreds of screws. I’ve talked to guys who spent five hours putting this together only to realize they put the bottom shelf on upside down.
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Pro Tip: Download the BILT app. It gives you 3D interactive instructions for the Memphis Ultimate. Being able to rotate the image of a part on your phone screen beats squinting at a grainy black-and-white booklet any day.
Also, check for shipping damage immediately. Because it’s so heavy, the corners of the lids often get dinged in transit. Don't be the person who finishes a 4-hour build only to notice the charcoal lid doesn't seal because of a dent.
What Most People Get Wrong About Temperature Control
One of the biggest complaints I hear about the Pit Boss Memphis Ultimate 4-in-1 is that the built-in thermometers are "trash."
Well, "trash" might be harsh, but they aren't exactly laboratory-grade. Most analog thermometers on grill lids measure the air temperature at the top of the dome, not at the grate where your meat actually sits. If your lid says 300°F, your steak might be sitting in a 350°F zone.
If you want to actually master this machine, buy a decent dual-probe digital thermometer. Stick one probe in the meat and clip the other to the grill grate. You'll quickly realize that the charcoal side responds much faster to the air dampers than you’d expect.
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Managing the Charcoal Side
Speaking of charcoal, the 6-position grade adjustment is the secret sauce. You can crank the coal bed right up against the cast iron grates for a high-heat sear, or drop it all the way down for a slower roast. Most combo grills don't give you this much verticality. It allows you to use the charcoal side almost like an oven if you keep the dampers tight.
The "Dirty" Truth: Maintenance and Rust
Let's be real for a second. This is a lot of surface area to keep clean. If you leave this grill out in the rain without a cover, it will rust. The "high-temperature coating" is good, but it’s not invincible.
I’ve seen heart-breaking photos of Memphis Ultimates that look like they were recovered from the bottom of the ocean after just two seasons.
- Season the grates: Treat them like a cast-iron skillet. Coat them in flaxseed or grape-seed oil and run a high-heat cycle before your first cook.
- Vacuum the ash: The charcoal side and the smoker will accumulate ash fast. A shop-vac is your best friend here. Don't let ash sit in there; it absorbs moisture and creates a corrosive paste that eats through the bottom of the firebox.
- The Glass Door: The electric smoker has a glass door which is cool... until it's covered in creosote and you can't see anything. Use a mixture of white vinegar and water (or a dedicated glass grill cleaner) after every long smoke.
Is It Actually Worth the Money?
You’re looking at a price tag that usually hovers around $600 to $800 depending on the retailer. For that price, you could buy a very high-end standalone pellet grill or a decent propane grill and a separate cabinet smoker.
The value of the Pit Boss Memphis Ultimate 4-in-1 is purely about the footprint. If you have a small patio but want every cooking option known to man, this is your only real choice. It’s the "all-in-one" solution for the guy who can’t decide if he wants the convenience of gas or the soul of charcoal.
However, there’s a trade-off. Because it tries to do everything, it’s not the best at any single one. A dedicated offset smoker will hold heat better than the Memphis cabinet. A dedicated 5-burner gas grill will have more even heat distribution. But the Memphis is "good enough" at all of them to make it a powerhouse for 95% of backyard cooks.
Real-World Performance: The Brisket Test
I tried a 12-lb brisket in the electric smoker section. Honestly? It was surprisingly stable. The 1,500-watt element stayed within a 10-degree swing of my target temperature (225°F). The wood chip tray is a little small, though. You’ll find yourself refilling it every 60-90 minutes if you want a heavy smoke profile.
The "4-in-1" name really shines when you use the smoker as a holding oven. After the brisket hit 203°F, I dialed the smoker down to 150°F and let the meat rest in there for three hours. It came out incredibly tender. That’s something you just can’t do as easily on a standard charcoal kettle.
Your Next Steps for Pit Boss Success
If you just hauled this thing home or you're hovering over the "buy" button, here is exactly what you need to do to not regret it:
- Buy the Cover Immediately: Do not wait. The sheer amount of hardware on this grill means there are a lot of places for water to hide. A heavy-duty, UV-resistant cover is mandatory for the Memphis Ultimate.
- Leak Test the Gas Side: Use soapy water on the regulator and hose connections before your first light. These big units sometimes have loose fittings from the factory.
- The "Burn-Off": Before you cook a single hot dog, run all three sections (gas, charcoal, and electric) at high heat for at least 30-45 minutes. This burns off any factory oils, residues, or "new grill smell" that you definitely don't want in your food.
- Upgrade Your Wood: Skip the tiny chips they sell in grocery stores. Look for high-quality wood chunks or even pellets for the smoker tray; they last longer and provide a cleaner "blue smoke" rather than the bitter white smoke you get from wet chips.
Bottom line? The Pit Boss Memphis Ultimate 4-in-1 is a beast that requires a bit of taming. It’s not a "set it and forget it" machine, but for the person who truly loves the process of outdoor cooking, there isn't much else on the market that offers this kind of variety in a single package. Just make sure you've got a shop-vac and a sturdy patio.