Head-to-head · Best Charcoal Grills

Char-Griller E16620 Akorn Kamado vs PK Grills PK300

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

PK Grills PK300 comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.4 vs 4.5). The gap is mostly about The premium-leaning weekend cook who wants a portable cast aluminum grill that travels to tailgates, beach houses, and camping trips, with the heat retention of a heavy grill in a 60 lb package. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #4 in Best Charcoal Grills

Char-Griller E16620 Akorn Kamado

4.4

$369

The Char-Griller E16620 Akorn Kamado is the budget answer to ceramic-kamado pricing: triple-walled insulated steel construction, 445 sq in of total cooking area, cast iron grates, an EasyDump ash pan, and a 5-year warranty for $369. Smoked BBQ Source called it 3-4x less expensive than comparable Big Green Egg or Kamado Joe models with most of the cooking benefit. Trade-offs are real — flimsier side shelves, shorter warranty than ceramic, and a steeper learning curve for low-and-slow temperature management. Buyers who want true ceramic durability and lifetime warranty should step up to the Kamado Joe Classic III; buyers who just want the best kettle should pick the Weber Original Kettle Premium 22-Inch.

Strengths

— Triple-walled insulated steel body holds 200 F to 700 F across an 18-inch primary cooking area
— 445 sq in total cooking surface with cast iron grates and a removable warming rack
— EasyDump ash pan slides out from the base for tool-free cleanup unlike most cap-and-shovel kamados

Watch-outs

— Temperature control requires practice — the grill heats fast and is hard to recover from after overshoots
— Side shelves feel flimsy compared to premium kamados
— 5-year warranty is meaningfully shorter than ceramic kamado lifetime coverage

$369 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Higher ratedRanked #5 in Best Charcoal Grills

PK Grills PK300

4.5

$599

The PK Grills PK300 is the premium portable charcoal grill — a cast aluminum capsule with a 4-point precision venting system, 30-inch cook height, and a 20-year warranty on the bowl and lid. AmazingRibs called PK's quest to build a better mousetrap successful, and Girls Can Grill measured 500 F+ direct-zone sears and 275 F sustained indirect-zone smoking on the same fuel load. Cast aluminum conducts heat 4x faster than steel, giving exceptionally even sear marks. The cooking surface is smaller than a kettle (315 sq in vs 363 sq in), so buyers prioritizing capacity should look at the Weber Original Kettle Premium 22-Inch instead; buyers who want a workspace should look at the Weber Performer Deluxe 22-Inch.

Strengths

— Cast aluminum construction conducts heat 4x faster than steel, giving even sear across the entire 315 sq in cooking surface
— Precision 4-point venting system supports two-zone direct + indirect cooking on the same load
— 30-inch cook height is ergonomically taller than the old PK Original and easier on the back

Watch-outs

— 315 sq in cooking surface is meaningfully smaller than a 22-inch kettle's 363 sq in
— $599 price tag is high relative to other portables — pays for cast aluminum durability, not raw cooking capacity
— Ash management uses an interior containment system rather than a slide-out pan — slower to clean than the Akorn or the Weber kettles

$599 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Char-Griller E16620 Akorn Kamado

Captures the kamado heat profile of the Kamado Joe Classic III at one-sixth the price, but trades a lifetime ceramic warranty for 5-year steel coverage and loses Divide & Conquer plus the SloRoller insert. Cooking area (445 sq in) exceeds the Weber Original Kettle Premium 22-Inch (363 sq in) at a similar price band but build quality is thinner. Weber Performer Deluxe 22-Inch is the same money in a kettle format with a workspace and gas ignition. PK Grills PK300 trades the kamado profile for cast aluminum portability — different cooking philosophy entirely.

PK Grills PK300

Smaller cooking surface than the Weber Original Kettle Premium 22-Inch (315 sq in vs 363 sq in) but offers cast aluminum heat retention that kettle steel can't match. Far more portable than the Kamado Joe Classic III (60 lb vs 280 lb) but cannot match a ceramic kamado's overnight fuel efficiency. Char-Griller E16620 Akorn Kamado offers more cooking area in the same price band but trades aluminum portability for triple-walled steel weight. Weber Performer Deluxe 22-Inch at this price gets you a kettle and a workspace cart; the PK300 trades workspace for actual portability.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Char-Griller E16620 Akorn Kamado	PK Grills PK300
Cooking Area	325 sq in primary, 445 sq in total	315 sq in (22.35 x 14.13 in)
Diameter	20 inches	—
Material	Triple-walled carbon steel body	Cast aluminum bowl and lid
Cooking Grate	Cast iron	Nickel-plated steel
Dampers	Dual adjustable (top and bottom)	—
Ash Catcher	EasyDump slide-out ash pan	—
Wheels	Locking caster wheels	—
Heat Range	200-700 F	—
Weight	88 lb	60 lb
Warranty	5 years	20 years on cast aluminum bowl and lid
Venting	—	Precision 4-point (2 intake, 2 exhaust)
Cook Height	—	30 inches
Cart	—	Aluminum cart with locking casters
Lid Thermometer	—	Yes (with rear probe port)

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