Here are some thermal conductivity values for these various materials.
For a rough reference, thermal conductivity (W/mK) of:
Fire Brick - 0.15
So yes, fire brick is a lot better insulator than aluminum! Of course wall thickness does affect heat loss and retention. (Thick is better and does impede heat flow/loss.)
For metal, stainless looks really good but its expense usually results in a sheet metal product. However, it turns out that a sheet metal stainless pit may perform as well as my PK from a thermal perspective.
Not trying to stir the pot, but I am not too keen on an aluminum kamado. For a kamado I am personally going to stick with ceramic.
I am also not believing my PK is a superior insulator because it is aluminum, it is not. However, my beloved PK360 is rugged and my go to for a searing machine! But its heat retention isn't enhanced because it is aluminum. It is durable and will likely last a lifetime.
These numbers also support my observation that my cast iron skillet performs better for me than my stainless steel pan in terms of response time and efficiency. Given the choice, I am always going to throw my big cast iron skillet on the outdoor burner if the size of the cook accommodates it vs. my bigger stainless steel grill/Wok.
So, just some food for thought . . . .
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