Char-Griller AKORN vs AKORN Jr.
AKORN or AKORN Jr.: the same insulated steel and 200 to 700 F range, but 325 against 155 sq in and $399.99 against $199.99. Which to buy.
No single winner. Here is how to choose.
Choose by what you cook, because the two are built the same way. Both are triple walled steel kamados with cast iron grates, a 200 to 700 F range and Char-Griller's 5 year burn and rust-through warranty. The full AKORN gives 325 sq in on a 20 inch grate, a cart with shelves, and room for 3.1 lb of charcoal, at $399.99. The Jr gives 155 sq in, weighs 35.7 lbs with handles, and is rated for 1.1 lb of charcoal, at $199.99. For long smokes at home, the full AKORN is the one, because its firebox lasts. For hot, quick grilling or a grill that travels, the Jr is half the price and a great deal.
What actually differs
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How long a fire lasts
The AKORN's 3.1 lb charcoal ceiling against the Jr's 1.1 lb is the real difference. Long, unattended smokes need the bigger firebox.
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Cart or handles
The AKORN rolls on a cart with two shelves at 88.2 lb. The Jr has side handles and weighs 35.7 lbs, so one person can carry it to a car.
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The stone is extra on both
Indirect cooking needs Char-Griller's Smokin' Stone on either grill, sold separately. Budget for it with whichever you choose.
How they score, category by category
The Char-Griller AKORN scores higher in 2 categories, the AKORN Jr. in 2 categories. 2 are level.
Level overall: within a tenth of each other.
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Heat Performance
Counts for 25% of the scoreChar-Griller AKORN 8.2 Better by 0.4AKORN Jr. 7.8Why the Char-Griller AKORN scores 8.2Holds 200 to 700 F on lump with indexed dampers, but a 3.1 lb fuel ceiling makes long smokes a refuelling job.
Why the AKORN Jr. scores 7.8
Insulated steel reaches the full 200 to 700 F range, but indirect cooking needs a $49.99 stone and the small firebox limits long cooks.
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Long-term Reliability
Counts for 20% of the scoreChar-Griller AKORN 7.1AKORN Jr. 7.1Level: within a tenth of each other.
Why the Char-Griller AKORN scores 7.1A coated steel shell can rust where ceramic cannot, and the 5-year burn and rust-through term excludes surface rust.
Why the AKORN Jr. scores 7.1A painted steel kamado lives or dies by its finish, and the 5-year warranty covers burn and rust-through while excluding surface rust.
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Build Quality
Counts for 18% of the scoreChar-Griller AKORN 7.3AKORN Jr. 7.6 Better by 0.3Why the AKORN Jr. scores 7.6Triple-walled steel and two-piece cast iron grates are solid at this price, though steel never matches ceramic for mass or heat soak.
Why the Char-Griller AKORN scores 7.3
Cast iron grates and a three wall steel body are sound; powder coat over steel is the compromise that sets the price.
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Ease of Use
Counts for 15% of the scoreChar-Griller AKORN 8.7 Better by 0.3AKORN Jr. 8.4Why the Char-Griller AKORN scores 8.7Wheels, two side shelves, a numbered top damper and a slide out ash pan make it the easiest kamado to live beside.
Why the AKORN Jr. scores 8.4
Side handles, a locking lid and dampers indexed 0 to 5 make it easy to carry, set and repeat a fire.
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Value
Counts for 12% of the scoreChar-Griller AKORN 8.6AKORN Jr. 8.7Level: within a tenth of each other.
Why the Char-Griller AKORN scores 8.6Around $399.99 for a working kamado on a cart; the $59.99 Smokin' Stone is extra and you will want it.
Why the AKORN Jr. scores 8.7At $199.99 it costs half the $399.99 full-size AKORN, and that gap pays for the stone, charcoal and a cover.
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Maintenance
Counts for 10% of the scoreChar-Griller AKORN 7.6AKORN Jr. 8.3 Better by 0.7Why the AKORN Jr. scores 8.3The EasyDump ash pan pulls out from below, and replacement grates run $12.99 and $24.99, so worn parts get swapped, not the grill.
Why the Char-Griller AKORN scores 7.6
The EasyDump pan clears ash in seconds, but bare cast iron and a coated steel shell both ask for regular oil and cover.
See all six scores in one table
| Category | Char-Griller AKORN | AKORN Jr. |
|---|---|---|
| Heat Performance (25%) | 8.2 Better | 7.8 |
| Long-term Reliability (20%) | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Build Quality (18%) | 7.3 | 7.6 Better |
| Ease of Use (15%) | 8.7 Better | 8.4 |
| Value (12%) | 8.6 | 8.7 |
| Maintenance (10%) | 7.6 | 8.3 Better |
| Avid Griller Score | 7.9 | 7.9 |
Both reviews are scored on the same six weighted categories, on the same 0 to 10 scale, and each reason is the one that review gave. A category is marked better only where the two differ by a tenth or more. How we score →
Where the spec sheets differ
Quoted from each maker's own specifications, as each review records them. Figures the two products publish identically are left out, so only the differences are listed.
Which one is for you
You want a kamado for home that can smoke for hours, on wheels with shelves.
Check price →You grill hot and fast for two or three, or want a kamado you can take with you.
Check price →More head-to-heads
Every score and figure on this page comes from our own reviews of these two products, linked above. We have not tested them side by side in one place; the comparison is between two full reviews, each built from the maker's published specifications and documentation. Prices move, and the ones quoted are the ones each review checked on its own date.