Regarding pit/grill selection, I am guessing we are all interesting in cooking functionality, aesthetics, durability, and thermal efficiency. All these are influenced by the material of construction of the pit. Some materials we see in pit construction are ceramic, brick, steel, enameled steel, stainless steel, cast iron, and aluminum.
Here are some thermal conductivity values for these various materials.
For a rough reference, thermal conductivity (W/mK) of:
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 . . . .
Here are some thermal conductivity values for these various materials.
For a rough reference, thermal conductivity (W/mK) of:
Aluminum - 205
Cast Iron - 80
Steel - 50
Stainless - 16
Fire Brick - 0.15
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 . . . .
Comment