Ok, I'm looking for the good, the bad and the ugly of the PK360. I am building a larger off-set for long, big cooks and want something that's a tank and versatile for everyday grilling. I have a few cookers like a Gateway drum that are on the chopping block if this comes on the team...
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I've had a PK360 since April of 2018. I bought it as a "forever grill" admiring the all aluminum and stainless steel materials.
Good: Love it. It's my go-to grill/smoker several times a week. Great flavors, versatile, and a pleasure to operate. I never cover it up and I can walk out in most any weather and cook dinner on it. I told my daughter if I get hit by a truck she can do whatever she wants with my offset smoker, but she has to keep the PK360 in the family!
Bad: I could get more meat on a Weber 26 inch kettle, I think. I secretly want a Weber kettle. Webers can do the same thing at a much lower price.
Ugly: This past June I dumped my charcoal chimney into the basket on the PK and one of the hot coals dropped onto my patio. Then I stepped on it with a bare foot. It's almost healed :-)
Good luck! Let us know how it goes!
BrianLast edited by mrteddyprincess; July 31, 2022, 05:53 PM.-
Alan Brice - That's funny. I have a cookbook called "don't cook bacon naked". It's from a Basque restaurant up by Santa Barbra, but it's gone now.
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Good: Excellent steak and chop cooking machine. Super easy to reverse sear. Holds temps at 250 very easily. Then open valves and heat things up for the sear. Great two zone cooker. Great direct heat cooker. Nicely designed. Aluminum will last forever.
Bad: Size can be limiting. Fitting ribs can be a challenge. Difficult to reach and hold 350 and higher for extended periods. (cooking chicken, etc). Cleaning ash more of a challenge than a Weber.
Very good grill overall.
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I love PK products. And would always encourage someone to buy one. I've had a PK360 for about 5 years. Love it and grill on it at least 3 times per week. Just saw that they now have a solid griddle for the PK360 - gonna buy that! How many people do you normally cook for? You and the family, the PK360 is great. Just you and your better half, the PK Original or PK300 might be better. I have the PK Original too.
The Good:- Built like a tank. I don't know how old you are, but more than likely you will be passing this down to your children. That cannot be said with a Weber (and I like Webers). I have one old weber that is a planter now. Welds gave out. Another old Weber will be giving up the ghost in another few years (welds).
- The Tel-Tru thermometer. Checked it against my thermosmokes thermometer. Tel-Tru temp was spot on. Weber thermometers are always off.
- Easy to install a temp probe hole or fan. The marine grade aluminum is easy to drill.
- Ash cleaning. I keep my equipment fairly maintained and clean. So sweeping out the ash, to me, is therapeutic. Sweep it into an ash can using a bristle brush and then dump the ash can periodically is pretty easy.
- The top seals well with the bottom. I don't get smoke creeping out the sides when I Que on it (which is seldom).
- Easy touch ventilation system. bottom vents and top vents are easy to manage.
- The Durabilium shelves are great. Withstand heat, stains, etc. I've had my Durabilium shelves for about 3 years now and they still look, apart from some light oil staining, brand new.
- I like the rectangular/oval shape rather than the round shape of the Weber. Easier to reach and move food around.
- Holds temp very well. I generally front sear steaks/chops/Tri-tip and then finish indirect. So as mentioned above, when I'm finishing indirect, the indirect temp is a consistent 250-300d. I've also been able to hold 325-350d for an extended period of time (3 hours) when I've roasted a chicken.
- It is a good smoker. Did a rack of ribs on it last week that came out great. But, volume is a liability. We don't generally Que for just a couple of people. We Que for a party, friends or a big bash. I have an offset and a KBQ for when I Que for a crowd.
- It is not really portable. You want to move it around on your patio, fine. But if your going to move it over grass, rocks, dirt, etc. then I would disassemble it and move it. Those tiny wheels won't work well.
- There is no probe portal, but can be easily put in (See #3 above).
- It's a right handed grill. thermometer on the left, coals on the right.
- The shelf fastners (bolts) can break (the knobs snap off). I've had to order some extra fastners.
- Expensive. No argument here. You could get a Weber 22", with extra equipment (like a Vortex) for less than a PK360. But the PK360 is so sexy! See pic below. You can't buy those covers anymore.
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ILMsmoke It might be worth considering getting both a PK300 and a PKGO for around the same money as the PK360. The GO with flip kit (included) has 408 in2 of direct grilling space, about 15% more than the 360, and is much more portable. The PK300 is just an awesome indirect and direct cooker, only has 17% less real estate than the 360, and is a breeze to clean up. Just a thought.
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I know beauty and worth is in the eye of the beholder.....but there's no freaking way I'd pay that much for that little real estate.
Unless it has the portability of this dude.
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That's the joke, hence the emoticons.
I'd build a portable before I fork over more than $200 for one, just to clarify. -
ComfortablyNumb Ya got that right!! Over $18,000 worth. That's over 18 PK's at $899 plus 8.25% tax
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I know the little more rack works on the PK360, but does the cookmore accessory fit?Comment
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I’m sure it would. It’s just longer than the Littlemore rack, and it fits in my PK300 just fine. The PK360 has more length, width, and head space compared to the 300, and the rack just sits on top of the main grate, so I don’t see why it wouldn’t fit. If it didn’t, I’d expect PK would have a comment to that effect on their website. Also, in the reviews section for the Cookmore someone has commented "Exactly what I wanted to grill pork ribs on my PK 360".
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Just an update. I pulled the trigger and joined the PK family! PK360 incoming!Comment
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I love my PK360. Best 2-zone grill I’ve owned, especially for cooking steaks. The bad is the ash cleaning in comparison to some of my other grills/smokers.Comment
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I always say don't be loyal to just one brand because they ain't paying you. I love my PK's grills but I also see a Hasty Bake in my future or maybe a new gaser. Hell the next portable grill I might buy is the 59.00 Americana Walk-A-Bout Portable Charcoal Grill but in the USA, that cheap little grill looks pretty good for the price.
The good
1. All PK grills will last for every with the stainless steel grates(still waiting on PK to make some SS grates for the 300).
2. If your cooking with lid closed it will stay hot for a long time with very little charcoal(depending on what your grilling).
3. The shape of the grill is great for direct or live fire grilling.
4. It's a little better on cold windy days compared to thin kettle grills.
5. There is no law against owning a PK and Kettle grill(I have 3 PK's and an SNS Kettle and use all of them).
The so-so
1. For 2 zone grilling the space is not huge but not small either. Some times I just fire up a second grill if I know I am going to grill a lot of food using 2 zone(cuts down on the stress of trying to crowd everything on one side).
2. If your smoking the ash build up around the vents may need to be knocked around to keep air flow at it's best
The bad
1. Ash clean up sucks on all models, not that its hard to clean, it's just more inconvenient.Last edited by nate373; August 11, 2022, 03:26 PM.Comment
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