AKORN Kamado Charcoal Grill, Cart Review

Are you an avid cook with a flair for outdoor cooking? It would be best if you had an easy-to-use grill with quality construction to meet all your grilling needs. The Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill is perfect for small outdoor kitchen spaces, giving you all the convenience you desire.

We've put together a review of the Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill, covering all you need to know about its features and limitations. Read through the guide for a comprehensive overview or check out our quick summary at the end.

Why Choose Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill?

The Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill comes with the convenience of a cart and is your best bet for large grilling surface and unbeatable fuel efficiency at a budget price.

Who Do We Think Matches with the Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill?

• Kamado-style Grilling Enthusiasts: Kamado cooking has been with us for a very long time, renowned for its ceramic shell that acts as a strong insulator. If you're a fan of the quality cooking, safety, and airflow of Kamado grills, then Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill is just for you.
• Versatile Cooking Lovers: Akorn serves the purpose of both a grill and a smoker. Its versatility allows you to sear at high temperatures and roast at low temperature. With a wide temperature range, there's hardly a limit to what you can cook.
• Those Looking for Budget Kamado Grill: Kamado grills are usually more expensive than your regular charcoal grills. So laying your hands on one can be challenging, especially if you're not ready to cough out a fortune. The Char-Grilled Akorn is an affordable option for the delicious barbecues you desire.

Possible Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill Complaints

• Inconsistent Quality Control: No one wants to buy a piece of equipment, and get home with some parts missing. That has been the situation of some Akorn Grill buyers who complain either of missing or faulty parts. Nonetheless, you can always complain and have the issues rectified.
• Takes Time Getting Used To: If you're using the grill for the first time, you'll find that there's so much to learn. For example, temperature control usually presents a problem for first-time buyers. Overshooting the desired temperature can lead to frustration due to the difficulty of getting it back down.
• Paint Delaminates: Despite being insulated to handle high heat, the paint on the item delaminates easily. There are reports of rust after a period of use, and the product warranty does not cover that.

Brand Overview

Production Company: Char-Griller
Contact Line: 912-638-4724
Email: service@chargriller.com

Char-Griller has spent over 25 years in the cooking equipment industry, churning out one durable grill after the other. The brand boasts of building quality and affordable grills, smokers, and accessories for families. These grills and smokers have grown a reputation of reliability and dependability over the years.

The company has a series of Kamado grills, available in different colors. While some follow the footsteps of the regular Kamado grills, others – the Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill – have a built-in cart to make grilling much more convenient. The grill stays loyal to providing grill lovers with juicy and delicious meals.

First Impression

Char-Griller Akorn Charcoal Grill has a total area of 447 square inches, with the cooking space taking a bulk of that (314 square inches) and the rack covering the rest (113 square inches). While it appears as small-sized equipment, the large cooking area is usually a huge surprise.

The cart is one of the most impressive features of the Akorn Cooker and comes with caster wheels that can be locked. With other features like a locking lid, folding metal shelves, ash pan, and heat gauge, the grill gives a feeling of value and reliability. The equipment is easy to assemble, and you can start grilling in no time.

Key Features

• Effortless Temperature Control: The grill has two adjustable dampers - one at the top and the other at the bottom. Both dampers allow you to control the airflow in the grill while cooking. You can maintain a cooking temperature anywhere between 200 to 700oF.
• Triple-Walled Insulation: The Kamado-style cooking is so popular because it retains heat while cooking. The Akorn Grill continues with this tradition with its triple-walled insulation that keeps the heat in. That way, you can maintain the right temperature for the food you're grilling or smoking.
• Large Grill Space: With 314 inches of cast-iron grill space, you have the luxury to cook whatever you want. The versatility of the grill lets you cook anything – from burgers and ribs to chickens, beef, and pork to steaks.
• Side Cart: If you need a grill that provides enough space to mix your food ingredients, the Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill is just what you need. The cart has a convenient design and long-lasting tabular steel construction.

Preference-Based Features

• Storage Rack: The Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill has a lower storage rack that serves as an excellent place to keep anything you need to use the grill, like the chimney starter and briquettes.
• Large Rubber Wheels: With the 8-inch rubber wheels on the grill, moving your cooking equipment around the yard is not a problem.
• Easy Dump Ash Pan: Everyone wants a grill they can easily clean, and for a charcoal grill, the ash produced is usually a problem. To solve this, Char-Grill included a dump ash pan that collects all the ash and debris. So, you don't have to worry so much about maintenance and clean-up.
• Foldable Side Shelves: The grill also features fold-down side shelves that store food ingredients and cooking utensils. Folding the shelves makes more room to use the grill.

Construction: 3.0/5

The Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill is not the best when it comes to long-lasting quality, especially compared to regular ceramic grills. However, it's the best Kamado grill you'll get for its price range. It is built of 22-gauge steel, with triple-walled insulation that allows for more heat use with less charcoal.

The 314 square inches cooking space is made of cast iron and makes for even distribution of heat. The grill has a side cart for preparing food and storing utensils. It also features a porcelain-coated steel interior finish and a powder-coated exterior finish.

Performance: 4.0/5

One of the first things to always look out for in grill is the range of cooking temperatures. You want to able to smoke some bacon and sear steak with the same grill. With Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill's temperature range, you have absolutely nothing to worry about.

The top damper maintains airflow and allows you to control the cooking temperature using the in-built temperature gauge. Also, the bottom damper control airflow, but offers more precision in temperature adjustments. Overall, the grill is a durable and convenient grill that will give you value for your money.

The grill's insulation ensures that temporary fluctuations in the weather do not affect the grill's internal temperature.

Cleaning and Maintenance: 4.0/5

For easy cleaning after cooking, coat the cast-iron grate with some oil. The non-stick seasoning, besides making cleanup easier, also makes it easier to remove cooked food from the grate. A good wire brush is effective in cleaning the grate after use.

At the bottom of the grill is the removable ash pan that helps simplify the cleaning process. When the pan is removed, you can easily wipe or wash down the body of the grill, and the debris and water will flow out of the bottom. In summary, the Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill is low-maintenance cooking equipment.

Warranties and Shipping

Warranty: Char-Grill offers a five years warranty for rust and burn covering the grill hood and bottom (excluding the removable ash pan). It has a one year warranty for the ash pan and other defective parts. The warranty does not cover surface issues such as scratches, dents, discoloring by heat, and corrosion.
Shipping: The equipment is not eligible for international shipping, and can only be shipped within the United States.

Overall Summary

The Char-Griller Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill delivers on its promises of reliability and performance without the clumsiness of the standard ceramic Kamado grill. With a far lower price and an added cart, the grill will make a great addition to your outdoor kitchen.

However, Akorn Kamado Grill is notorious for is quality, especially when compared to other Kamado grills. Yet, it still makes for a great grill considering its availability and other vital features that make grilling a memorable experience.