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Head-to-head · Best Charcoal Grills

Char-Griller E16620 Akorn Kamado vs Kamado Joe Classic III 18-Inch

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

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The short answer

Kamado Joe Classic III 18-Inch comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.5 vs 4.8). The gap is mostly about The serious low-and-slow smoker who runs 12-to-18-hour briskets, pork shoulders, and overnight cooks weekly and wants one ceramic grill that smokes, sears at 750 F, bakes pizza, and roasts whole chickens with lifetime warranty backing. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Char-Griller E16620 Akorn Kamado
Ranked #4 in Best Charcoal Grills
Char-Griller E16620 Akorn Kamado
2 sourcesall derived$399.99as of Aug 1

Ceramic-kamado pricing has a budget answer in the Char-Griller E16620 Akorn Kamado: 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. The trade-offs are real: flimsier side shelves, a shorter warranty than ceramic, and a steeper learning curve for low-and-slow temperature management. For true ceramic durability and a lifetime warranty, step up to the Kamado Joe Classic III; for the best kettle, 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
$399.99 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →
Kamado Joe Classic III 18-Inch
Higher ratedRanked #2 in Best Charcoal Grills
Kamado Joe Classic III 18-Inch
2 sources1 derived$2,199as of Aug 1

No single charcoal grill is more capable than the Kamado Joe Classic III 18-Inch: ceramic insulation that holds 225 F overnight on one fuel load, the Divide & Conquer 3-tier system, the SloRoller smoke insert and a lifetime warranty on the shell. Gardeners' World rated it 4.8/5, and Smoked BBQ Source picks Kamado Joe over the Big Green Egg because of the included accessories. The price ($2,199) is the only real friction. Buyers under $700 should look at the Char-Griller Akorn for a ceramic-style alternative, and weekend grillers without low-and-slow ambitions are better served by the Weber Original Kettle Premium 22-Inch.

Strengths
  • — Thick ceramic shell maintains 225 F to 750 F range and holds heat for 18-hour overnight smokes on a single fuel load
  • — 3-Tier Divide & Conquer system flexes from 250 sq in primary to 510 sq in total with half-moon stainless grates
  • — SloRoller hyperbolic smoke insert designed by Harvard researchers gives even smoke distribution and steady low-and-slow
Watch-outs
  • — $2,199 puts it at the top of the price band — roughly 10x the Weber Original Kettle Premium
  • — 280 lb total weight means once you place it, you are not moving it without a forklift or two people
  • — Steep learning curve to master ceramic temperature management; over-shooting target temp takes hours to recover
$2,199 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

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.

Kamado Joe Classic III 18-Inch

Far more fuel-efficient and capable on long cooks than the Weber Original Kettle Premium 22-Inch, but ten times the price and tied to one patio location. The Char-Griller E16620 Akorn Kamado offers ceramic-style insulation in a 88-lb steel shell at one-sixth the price, but loses the lifetime warranty, the SloRoller, and the Divide & Conquer system. PK Grills PK300 is the portable answer for buyers who want cast aluminum heat retention without ceramic weight. The Weber Performer Deluxe 22-Inch sits in the middle price band but is a kettle, not a kamado — it cannot match overnight fuel efficiency.

Specs side-by-side

SpecChar-Griller E16620 Akorn KamadoKamado Joe Classic III 18-Inch
Cooking Area325 sq in primary, 445 sq in total250 sq in primary, 510 sq in with Divide & Conquer
Diameter20 inches18 inches
MaterialTriple-walled carbon steel bodyCeramic shell, powder-coated steel cart, stainless steel components
Cooking GrateCast ironStainless steel half-moon (Divide & Conquer)
DampersDual adjustable (top and bottom)Kontrol Tower top vent, adjustable bottom vent
Ash CatcherEasyDump slide-out ash panSlide-out ash drawer
WheelsLocking caster wheels—
Heat Range200-700 F225-750 F
Weight88 lb280 lb
Warranty5 yearsLimited lifetime on ceramic
Dimensions45"D x 31"W x 47"H24"D x 42"W x 41.98"H
Lid Thermometer—Yes (analog)
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