Char-Griller® AKORN® Jr. Portable Kamado Charcoal Grill and Smoker with Cast Iron Grates and Locking Lid with 155 Cooking Square Inches in Ash, Model E86714

3 month update after using it at least once a week. So this grill is perfect for 3 people, my son wife and I but for bigger families I’d get the regular Akorn.I’ve used a fraction of the charcoal I’ve previously used in big kettle grills and actually very cost effective to buy this if you’re not feeding a clan. I’ve grilled steaks chicken breasts whole chickens just had to flatten it including hot dogs and brats. This is the easiest cleaning grill I’ve ever owned and easy to empty ashes and grill cools down fast. I will always buy akorn grills from now on and I’ve owned gas and pellet grills this is easy to store and very easy to move around and take to the beach. So don’t look at others grills I’ve spent 1000s of dollars on grills and there is no comparable grill for this price point with this quality.Key points:Assembly was very easy with enough patience and a Phillips head or flat head will work for all the screws.Instructions were easy to understand and didn’t leave any questions and not tons of screws to lose while assembling.Solidly built this is on the smaller side but definitely doesn’t feel like something small when you move it, I feel confident our toddler won’t be able to move this or relocate it like everything else.Grates are cast iron and the best grill grate I’ve owned.One Con:The box didn’t arrive damaged and was delivered via USPS however there’s a quarter sized dent on the back of the top lid. Was kinda irritated finding the packaging undamaged however a dent on lid so they have a quality control issue that needs to be addressed because the foam wasn’t impacted and box arrived in perfect shape so quality control needs to be retrained or terminated. Not gonna return this over a small dent that didn’t affect the viability of this product as the dent isn’t deep and has zero chipping.I would buy again even with the dent because it’s a little tank and well built, can’t wait to use it as we have a big traegar pellet grill that I’m tired of cleaning.

It can be really difficult to slow bbq meat on a small bbq, but not now! This isn't just sheet metal, it's sturdy & most importantly, it works great! I do recommend getting the stone if you want to do low & slow. I can't ask for a better bbq for a 1 person household

The media could not be loaded. This is the most controllable BBQ ever. You can keep the temperature anywhere you want it from 250º to 700º. You can cook with natural coal, charcoal briquets, or your favorite wood. I love mango wood, and Guaiacum Sanctum (Guayacán) wood here in the tropics. You can cook up to six steaks, but I usually only have two, or one large one to split between us. It is very economical, because it is airtight and you simply shut all the little windows and the fire dies out, saving the coal and wood for the next time. Cleaning it is supereasy, just remove the bottom dish and go dump it out somewhere.

It has completely transformed my outdoor cooking experience. The 155 square inches of cooking space is surprisingly spacious and allows me to grill and smoke a variety of foods at once. The cast iron grates provide perfect sear marks on steaks and veggies, giving them that delicious smoky flavor. The locking lid is a fantastic feature that helps maintain consistent temperature control, ensuring that my dishes are cooked to perfection every time. Whether I'm camping, tailgating, or simply enjoying a barbecue in my backyard, this portable grill never disappoints

It is the best grill that I have ever owned and I love it

We cannot say enough good about this grill. We use it weekly. It heats nicely, retains heat very well, and allows us to sear steaks at high temperatures. Well-made, easy to clean out the ash, and lighter in weight than porcelain grills.

Easy to assemble, Can reach 699 degrees. BARGAIN!

I bought this Char Griller Acorn Jr together with a Supjoyes cover, the Acorn Jr ceramic heat deflector, and a steel basket for easy removal of used charcoal. I was really impressed with the packaging for the Acorn Jr. It came delivered without a scratch. The Supjoyes cover will save you some bucks over the Acorn Jr cover and the quality is very good. The small steel ash basket is well made and it fits nicely inside the Acorn Jr, but I’m not sure that I really needed it, because the coal bucket inside the Acorn Jr functions just as well. The ceramic heat deflector is well made and it will fit snugly between the iron cooking grate and the coals below. If I smoke a pork shoulder on this grill, the deflector plate will come in handy. So far, I’ve cooked a spatchcock chicken on this grill, and it turned out great. I used only 1.5 lbs of charcoal and it lasted hours after my chicken was done. What’s more, there’s plenty of charcoal left over for the next cook. Char Griller recommends Lump Charcoal for this grill, but I found Kingsford brickets to work just fine. This was a good purchase, and I hope to enjoy it for a long time to come.