AKORN Kamado Charcoal Grill Review

First Impressions of the Char-Griller AKORN Kamado

Unpacked, the AKORN reads as a kettle on a cart. It does not look like an egg in a nest. The graphite finish has a hammered texture. A slatted shelf folds out on each side, with hooks for tools.

The egg rides on a wheeled frame. A lower shelf ties the legs together. The whole assembly weighs 88.2 lb by the maker’s figure. Nobody needs a helper to shift it across the patio.

On top sits a round damper cap, numbered 0 to 5. Below the badge, a round dial reads the dome. Underneath, a ring of vents surrounds the EasyDump ash pan.

Lighting it shows why people put up with the egg shape. A small basket of lump catches quickly. The lid closes on a sealed chamber, so the coals burn slowly instead of roaring.

Thighs we cooked that way kept their juice under a skin that crackled. That is the kamado effect, and the steel version delivers it.

Key Features of the Char-Griller AKORN Kamado

Most of the hardware here exists to make a kamado easier to live with. Everything below arrives with the E16620; extras are flagged.

• Steel body, three walls deep. The shell is insulated steel with a powder coat finish. It replaces ceramic mass with layered metal.
• Cast-iron cooking grates. A 20 inch round grate gives 325 sq in of primary cooking area. Bare iron wants oil after each cook.
• Removable warming rack. Add its tier and Char-Griller counts 445 sq in. Char-Griller calls the rack stainless in one place and chrome plated in another.
• Multiple Vents or Dampers. Airflow runs in at the bottom vent and out through a numbered cap on top. Indexed markings let you repeat a setting next time.
• Lid gauge. A dial thermometer reads the dome. It tells you the dome air, roughly, and little about the grate.
• EasyDump ash pan. It slides out from under the bowl. Ash goes straight into a metal bin.
• Cart, wheels and shelves. Amazon lists 8-inch locking caster wheels and foldable side shelves. The maker calls the shelves carbon steel.
• Grate lifter. A hook tool is included for raising the hot grate to add fuel.

What is missing matters too. Nothing in the carton blocks the coals from the food. The Smokin’ Stone, which turns this into a proper indirect cooker, costs $59.99 extra.

Char-Griller also sells the AKORN Jr. at $199.99. That is a smaller egg on three legs, and a different grill entirely.

Heat and cooking performance

Steel stores less heat than thick ceramic. In practice that cuts both ways on the AKORN.

The chamber answers the dampers sooner. That helps when you want to climb from smoke to sear. It also punishes a vent left too wide. There is less mass to absorb the surge.

The rated span is 200 to 700 F.

Low and slow means 200 to 250 F. The maker suggests 1 to 3 lb of lump for it. For direct searing up to 700 F, it suggests 2 to 3 lb. Both loads sit under the 3.1 lb maximum charcoal capacity printed in the spec table.

Here the AKORN shows its seams. The same maker’s artwork claims coals can burn up to 24 hours. Neither figure is ours, and the two sit oddly together. Expect to lift the grate and add fuel on a long pork shoulder.

Direct grilling is the strong suit. Over a full basket, the cast iron grate lays down a dark crust. The dome closes quickly to calm flare ups. Pizza is possible too, on a stone, though the 20 inch grate caps the size.

Holding a steady low heat takes more practice than on ceramic. Small damper moves matter here. Open the top cap a number at a time and wait before touching it again. Patience with the vents is the skill this grill teaches.

Build, handling and durability

The build answers the spine most plainly. Ceramic cracks if dropped but does not rust. Steel survives a knock but depends on its coating to keep water out.

Every chip in that powder coat is a place where weather can start working. A cover and a dry corner are part of the price of ownership, not an accessory.

The maker’s table says 46.1 in wide and 48.4 in tall. Depth is 31.1 in.

Its own infographic rounds those to 46, 48 and 31. Amazon’s listing swaps width and depth. The maker’s table is the one to plan around.

The weight story is just as split. The spec table says 88.2 lb, the artwork says 85, and Amazon says more. Whichever is right, this is a kamado one person can move. Ceramic rivals usually need a second pair of hands and a sturdy nest.

The shelves are a genuine advantage. A bare egg leaves a platter balanced on your knee. Here a tray, tongs and a thermometer all fit within reach.

Running costs, upkeep and value

At around $399.99, the AKORN costs a fraction of a ceramic kamado with a similar grate. Char-Griller also bundles it with a cover, the Smokin’ Stone and a chimney starter for $499.99. A grill and cover pairing sells for $427.99.

The bigger bundle is the realistic purchase for most buyers. Without the stone, indirect cooking means improvising with a pan. The maker’s own low and slow diagram assumes the stone is in place.

Fuel use is modest because the basket is small. A typical cook burns a few pounds of lump, so one bag lasts several sessions.

Daily upkeep is quick. Wait until the grill is cold, then pull the EasyDump pan. Tip the ash into a metal can and slide it home. Brush the grates and wipe on a high smoke point oil while they are still warm.

The real running cost is protection. Char-Griller covers burn and rust-through for 5 years. Surface rust is excluded, and that is the rust a steel kamado shows first.

Register the grill to claim. A steel kamado bought without a cover is a steel kamado bought for a few seasons.

There is no gas burner here, so no BTU per square inch figure applies. Heat comes from however much lump you load, up to the 3.1 lb ceiling.

Possible Char-Griller AKORN Kamado Complaints

• Rust where the coating fails. The cause is the steel shell itself. You notice it after a wet season left uncovered, often around vents and seams. A fitted cover and touch up paint slow it down.
• A small fire for long cooks. The basket tops out at 3.1 lb of charcoal. On an all day smoke you will likely open the lid to refuel. Starting with large lump pieces and a tight bottom vent stretches each load.