Char-Griller Akorn Kamado Review
Kamado behaviour at a quarter of the price, achieved with insulated steel instead of ceramic. It gives up thermal mass and longevity, and keeps most of the fuel efficiency.
- A fraction of ceramic kamado money
- Light enough to actually move
- Cannot crack from thermal shock
- Holds low temperatures for eight hours plus
- Less stable than ceramic in wind and cold
- Gasket and vent hardware wear out
- Will eventually rust where coating chips
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How it gets close
Three walls of steel with insulation between them trap heat well enough to hold 120°C (250°F) for eight to ten hours on one load, which is far beyond a bare kettle even if it is short of ceramic. Because it is steel it weighs about a third of a ceramic cooker, so it can actually be moved, and it cannot crack from thermal shock.
Where the cost shows
Less mass means less stability: it responds faster to vent changes, which cuts both ways, and it is more affected by cold and wind. The gasket and the vent hardware are the usual failure points and the steel will eventually corrode where the coating is chipped. Treat it as a cooker with a long but finite life rather than an heirloom.
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