I currently own a Kamado Joe Big Joe. I love it! It is a great grill, but I am pondering buying a smaller grill to pair with it for the small cooks (i.e. steak, fish, etc.), and also wanted something that was great for searing. The PK Grill has caught my attention as meeting these needs. I am not looking for suggestions on other grills, I wanted to get some feedback from any owners of the PK. I am looking at the PK Classic. I did have a few concerns. First is the size of this grill too small, can you do 2 zone cooking on this grill with sufficient space to cook a couple pieces of fish or steaks? Also is the issue with ash and grease coming out of the bottom vents a big issue or not that much of a problem, along with that is it hard to clean out all of the ash in the bottom of the grill. It seems like a great grill but because of the cost I wanted to get some feedback from other owners out there before I went all in. Is it worth the extra cost? I appreciate anyone's feedback.
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I don’t owned the PK Classic but I do owned the PK360. The answer is yes to most of your questions except the cleaning part. It’s not no problem to clean. I just take one of those small brooms and sweep the ashes through the ash hole into a small bucket. -
One thing I'd consider is the height of the grilling surface from the ground:
Weber kettle: 27"
PK original 27.25"
PK360 34.2"
Standard Kitchen counter height: 36"
The PK360 is the champ in this category for my needs. Here's a video of a guy cooking fish on the 360, and later in the video he shows his PK Classic side-by-side so you can really see the difference.
PK's are great for grilling steaks, their website has a video of steak champ Johnny Joseph using the 360.
This link has a good review of the classic:
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The PK will definitely meet your needs. It's shape means it's well suited for two zone cooking. You just have to get some kind of divider (fire brick) in there. The closeness to the grill grates means you will have a lean mean searing machine. And I personally think it's big enough for most family cooks. I think the PK360 is a bit messier to clean than the PK classic, but it's still not an issue at all.
Larry Grover makes a very good point about height from the ground.Comment
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Henrik I'm curious as to what makes you think the 360 is messier to clean. As far as I can tell, the Original has to be dumped or swept out the bottom vents which are small. The 360 has a large ash hole with hooks underneath to hang a bucket to sweep the ashes into. -
For me it's the two vent covers (that bend because of the heat), plus the very uneven bottom surface, full of nooks and crannies. Yes, there's a bigger ash hole on the 360, but now I remove the lid instead and flip the whole thing upside down instead. Quicker.
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You can't go wrong with the PK. I have the original and also a LBGE. Great for 2-zone cooking (check out Max's review). Really fun to cook on!Comment
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I have a number of outdoor cookers and love my PK original. Unless I'm in a big hurry (which means the gas grill), it's my go-to grill and small-batch smoker. Mine is a craigslist find, upgraded with a new grate and charcoal holder. I scoop ashes out with a big metal spoon. Two-zone cooking is a no-brainer. Handles reverse searing beautifully. I'm short, so no height problem for me.Comment
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Thank you everyone for your feedback. I'm going to start working some OT, and hopefully will be ordering a new grill next month .Comment
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Get the PK Heavy Duty Charcoal Basket, it makes 2-zone cooking a breeze. Good luck.............Comment
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I have 6 cookers on my patio and when I want to do a quick meal, I use my PK classic most often. I modified a bbq skillet for a coal basket and use foil and drip pan for indirect cooks. I'm 6'2" and have no trouble cooking on the short PK classic. I was seriously torn between purchasing the classic or the 360 but don't regret my choice. Either way, you won't be disappointed.Comment
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Having a smaller grill is always nice to save on fuel, so you dont have to fire up the KJ. If I was in your shoes, I would go with the PK. I love the cook height of those new units. Plus they are built like tanks.
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I found a classic on Craig's list that had the heavy duty charcoal basket, and another fine mesh basket that has ceramic disc's in it (not sure what the purpose of that was, maybe in two zone he put that basket under his drip pan, any ideas?).
Direct heat for searing, two zone, just have to be realistic about cook surface area. I love the thing, portable enough to take on the road in toy hauler. I purchased the grill grates for it, had never used them before - they work great.
As far as removing ash from this little jewel, buy a cheap little shop vac. I have only used lump but may try briquettes next time. With briquettes I could pack the basket a little tighter and prolong the burn?
Photo is of PK & first smoke, a Chuck with Meathead's Big Bad Beef Rub.Attached FilesComment
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Good luck on your quest for the PK. I know you will not be disappointed. It should be a great addition to your arsenal!Comment
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