Char-Griller

Char-Griller Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill

Ranked #5 in Charcoal Grills

605 LP on the category ladder what's LP?

The budget kamado with a real decade-plus track record and crack-resistant triple-wall steel. It cannot match ceramic longevity or Char-Griller's weak support, but at its position in the market it is the value pick that survives.

Consolidated from 3 independent outlets

Where the cited sources landed, as we read them

3 positive sources

See the sources

Flagged as a product to avoid

1 of 12 research runs entered this as a product to avoid rather than a pick.

The budget kamado everyone cross-shops against the Kamado Joe Classic III, but it delivers kamado cooking on rolled thin-gauge steel rather than ceramic. Thin steel kamados run hot on the outside, chew through gaskets, and shed their coating within a few seasons, aging like a budget kettle while costing kamado money.
Flagged 10 September 2026

Why the boards include products to avoid

Check price

Pros & cons

✓ Triple-wall insulated steel with an air gap holds heat far better than a thin metal grill
✓ Cast iron grates; resists the crack risk of ceramic
✓ Long-time owners report over a decade of service
✓ Results comparable to far more expensive ceramic cookers
✓ Capable of smoking and searing

✗ Needs a human managing dampers, fuel, and ash; not set-and-forget
✗ Holds heat well but not as well as ceramic
✗ Char-Griller support is mediocre
✗ Heat retention not quite at ceramic level
✗ Requires manual damper management, not a set-and-forget cooker

The sources behind this ranking

We searched the web and YouTube for what has been published about this product, then read the articles, video transcripts and comments we found. 1 outlet wouldn't let us check its link. We quote no words from these sources, so each row shows only where we placed it.

Evidence 2 articles and 1 community source

3 positive sources

Carnivore Style Article Read G

Good Housekeeping Article Read S Smoking Meat USA (Facebook group) Facebook post View post

Frequently asked questions

It ranks #5 of 14 on our charcoal grills tier list, in B tier. That placement draws on 3 independent outlets.

None of the 3 sources with a clear view is critical of it. Needs a human managing dampers, fuel, and ash; not set-and-forget. Holds heat well but not as well as ceramic. Char-Griller support is mediocre. Heat retention not quite at ceramic level. Requires manual damper management, not a set-and-forget cooker.