Kamado Akorn – Char-Griller

Kamado Akorn Char-Griller is a steel charcoal kamado with upper and lower vents and a stable dome for cooking with moderate fuel loads. Available in two versions: Akorn Normal (trolley and second height) and Akorn Junior (portable with seals and three closures).

The Standard is designed as a complete workstation with side shelves, utensil hooks and a warming rack included. It also incorporates a grate lifter and ash tray for handling and cleaning.

The Junior shares the same approach to control via upper and lower vents, but adds sealing and retention elements designed for transport: a lid seal, an ash tray seal and three latches, along with two handles and three legs that make it portable without sacrificing the performance of a kamado.

In both, temperature adjustment is based on a simple and straightforward rule from the manufacturer: more air = more heat, less air = less heat, and the amount of burning charcoal also modulates the temperature response.

🧱 Materials and construction

The Akorn uses a steel body with a fire bowl, fire grate and double cooking grate (inner and outer). The dome incorporates a top regulator and thermometer with trim and gasket, which promotes stable readings during cooking. In the Akorn Junior, the official parts list specifies a lid seal, ash pan seal, three fasteners, two side handles, three legs with their supports and an ash tray, and also includes a grate lifter as standard.

All of this is assembled with common tools, and two people are recommended to speed up assembly. In the Akorn Normal, the parts list confirms the presence of a warming rack, two side shelves, six hooks and the grate lifter, along with the grates, thermometer and regulator. This modular architecture not only facilitates daily use, but also makes maintenance and replacement of parts easier if necessary.

🔥 Key features

Both versions feature a removable ash tray and a grate lifter for safely handling the hot grate during tasks such as refuelling.

The Akorn Normal adds a warming rack that acts as a second height, useful for keeping pieces warm or finishing convection cooking without occupying the main grill. The Junior, meanwhile, reinforces the closure of the lid and ash pan with specific seals and three latches, maintaining the focus on portability and the secure fit of the components during transport.

In both models, the amount of lit charcoal. This straightforward operating logic, emphasised by the manufacturer, is the basis of the Akorn’s performance: opening the upper/lower damper increases the oxygen supply and raises the temperature, closing them reduces the air supply and lowers the temperature.

🍖 Cooking styles and results

The Akorn range covers everything from prolonged smoking to sealing or direct roasting. The manual summarises the thermal operation in two areas: flaps and amount of lit charcoal. With a light load and restricted dampers, low and slow cooking is facilitated, with medium load and open facilitates rapid reaction for grilling and searing.
Indirect cooking with a deflector is described as ideal for large cuts, because it allows for “low & slow‘ cooking and helps trap moisture inside the dome, so large roasts remain juicy without direct exposure to the charcoal.

🛡️ Safety and ease of use

Char-Griller specifies outdoor use only on a level surface, with no obstructions above and a minimum distance of 10 ft / 3 m from walls, railings and combustible materials. It states not to exceed 700 °F (371 °C), not to use liquid accelerants and not to move the grill while hot.

During ignition, leave the lid open until the flames disappear and the smoke is white, then regulate with the dampers. For cleaning and maintenance, the recommendation is to empty cold ashes into a metal container with water and use mild agents for exterior cleaning, do not use oven cleaners.

🧑‍🍳 Benefits for different cooking styles

For barbecuing and smoking, the manual recommends starting with small loads, lighting from above and working with restricted openings to set the temperature range. For direct grilling and searing, it recommends medium loads, lighting from below and open dampers. Partial refilling without dismantling the entire grill—thanks to the removable centre and grate lifter—allows for prolonged sessions with control, bearing in mind the possible increase in smoke when adding new charcoal.

🧳 Applications outside the barbecue

In indirect mode with deflector, the Akorn behaves like an oven-smoker suitable for large pieces and long cooking times, where the objective is to maintain a stable low and slow temperature and preserve moisture inside the chamber.

This approach, described by the manufacturer itself as ideal, allows for prolonged exposure time without direct heat from the charcoal.

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