PMillen, there is no connection between the two companies.
The charcoal chute on this grill is triple insulated, porcelain coated and REMOVABLE for easy cleaning, etc.
There are videos on the Tube with guys doing the "biscuit test" to show how evenly this grill cooks. The only spot that is hotter is right there where the heat and smoke are blown into the chamber. I think Tom Horsman did such a test. He also did a side-by-side comparison with the MB 560.
The folks at Char-Griller are really bringing some units that are high quality with plenty of good features.
They still have the flimsy little do-nothing grills for folks on a tight budget, but their higher end grills will compete with the best.
IMHO...
and I'm just a backyard jack.