Char-griller Acorn and Acorn Jr.

[JamesT]

Love my Weber 22" - clearly the most versatile.
Love my Masterbuilt electric - so simple, great control and wonderful, predictable product.
Love my Pit Barrel Cooker for its capacity and simplicity.
Since I mostly cook for the angel that keeps me straight and myself and knowing how I like that smoked wood and charcoal flavor above all, I'm looking for something small and economical to run. Mainly as a smoker.
That Char-Griller Acorn Jr seems to fit the bill - and so does the Weber Smokey Mountain.
So far my experience with briquettes and lump charcoal leads me toward lump; for the taste and lack of ash.
I still use briquettes and will continue - they are stable and predictable.
The Acorn Junior seems about perfect for 2-3 people (me, the Angel, and leftovers).
Amazing Ribs' reviews are the best, and I'd love to see the Acorn Junior reviewed by someone I trust.
Right now WSM and Acorn Junior are a tie - isn't nice to have choices?
To me the Acorn Jr. seems a simpler solution, even if a 'smoking stone' is necessary.
Comments please. Thank you.

[Histrix]

What would you think a Weber Smokey Mountain or Acorn Jr. would do for you that can't already be done with your PBC and Weber Kettle?

[LA Pork Butt]

I have a Big Green Egg Minimax which has the cooking space of an Acorn Jr. It works better in grilling than smoking due to a shallower firebox than the Small Big Green Egg, but it gets the job done for 2-4 and can handle a small Boston Butt (7#). The only thing I would say about Acorn Jr is that it will have a shorter life than a ceramic Kamado. Of course, it costs significantly less. As Histrix points out you can already do what you want to cook with your current cookers, but I get wanting to fire up something smaller when cooking for two. Thus, I fire up my MiniMax rather than my Large Big Green Egg unless I am cooking for a crowd or cooking an entire meal four two on the Large.

[RonB]

MCS is a b**ch. We have all suffered from it at some point. If ya want to cook less, use less charcoal/lump. Do you have an SnS for your Kettle? That will help with longer cooks. For hot & fast, you can use a chimney . Just buy a 13" ss grate to put on top of the chimney. You can fit 2 filets or 2 normal size burgers on the 13" grate. For larger product, you can rotate - works great with steaks.

[JamesT]

My Masterbuilt is electric, not charcoal, so I guess it's a MES; works very well, but no charcoal/flame favor. Smoke tube added zilch.
My SnS works well in the kettle, and allows smothering to save charcoal.
Steak on the chimney is great! Wonderful hack.
Thanks for your response and tip about the accessories.

[Uncle Bob]

You want versatility? Get this accessory for your Weber 22: Amazon.com : only fire Barbecue Cooking Grate System Grilling Accessory for Weber 22" Kettle Grill and Other Similar Size Kettle Grills : Patio, Lawn & Garden You'll have more grate space than an SNS equipped kettle, more fire management options, easy access to grate level food handling instead of reaching down into a cooker shell, and you won't eat up more patio space.

[JamesT]

That really looks dooable.
Thank you.

[jfmorris]

I'm not one to discourage MCS. Fought it many times myself! I've got both a kettle and a kamado (both 22"), as well as an offset, a gas grill and a griddle. I hate to say it, but not seeing what a WSM or an Akorn will bring to the smoking game that you don't already have covered with the PBC and kettle. If you want to smoke without fat dripping on the coals like it does with the PBC - get a Slow 'N Sear insert and smoke on the kettle. And, if you want to smoke (or grill) less, you can do that on the kettle too. I've often just used one of the Weber charcoal baskets or a half chimney of coals in my SNS in the kettle, and grilled in just that 1/4 to 1/3 of the cooking grate.

As far as being more efficient - the Akorn *might* be that, but I've often smoked for 8 to 12 hours on 6 to 8 pounds of charcoal with the SNS in my kettle. And I can access the SNS for refueling if it needs more. With my kamado - a ceramic version of what you are talking about with the Akron - you will need to remove the cooking grate and the ceramic diffuser (smoking stone?) to add charcoal. I typically fill my kamado bowl with lump, add a few chunks of wood, and I can smoke 18 to 24 hours on that load - and often have leftover I can light up again for another cook.

I've never heard of the WSM being more efficient as far as fuel usage goes. I think it will use a similar amount to your PBC, and more fuel than the kettle with a SNS insert for smoking.

I'll be honest. I would scratch my itch by buying more kettle accessories (SNS, Vortex, rotisserie, plancha), a fan controller for the kettle AND PBC, or an entirely DIFFERENT kind of cooker like a griddle, before adding another smoker/grill to the mix. And that comes from having pretty much everything except a barrel smoker (PBC or WSM) or pellet smoker.

[Purc]

+1 Very good analysis. I have a kettle with most of the accessories and a Bronco and I had to resist MCS, when I found a new in the box 22" WSM for $349.00. I always wanted the WSM but I got the Bronco instead. I have no regrets. Since it is only me now, I can meet my needs with what I have plus I have added capacity when family does come over. When MCS hits again, I will get a griddle since it is different than anything I have.

[Dadof3Illinois]

I'm with you on this.......I hate to not support someones MCS but to me he's got the perfect cooking instruments for 1-4 people. I would add a couple accessories (vortex and rotisserie) and spend some money on good high quality meats!!

[jfmorris]

Thanks Purc and Dadof3Illinois - I'm all about cookers as much as the next person, but I feel the cookers he is talking about just don't add enough capability to be worth pursuing...

[jfmorris]

Something I want to point out is that you are in Arizona, so I imagine it is fairly warm there year round. The touted efficiencies of kamados versus kettles probably will make less difference in a temperate climate. And I honestly think you will find smoking or grilling on an 18" grate more confining than you expect, coming from a 22" kettle...

I am in Alabama, and don't think the "insulation" factor of my kamado (a ceramic one from SNSGrills) helps me so much as having really good gaskets to let me control air flow. Not sure that an Akorn is going to be nearly as well sealed as a lot of higher end kamados. But I could be wrong...

[JamesT]

Thank you JF! That business about tight gaskets etc. makes good sense to me.
I'm still thinking it all out.
Being blessed with retirement, I continually appreciate the TIME and miss the income, and since the lump charcoal is working out so well, I'm generally moving that way. For grilling (which take less time) briquettes burn plenty hot enough, cost less and are remarkable in all respects.
Reviews of the Acorn Jr mention necessary user tweaks. Still thinking. Thanks. Jim T.

[jfmorris]

JamesT if you do Facebook, look on FB Marketplace. My son in law got a really good buy about a year ago on a barely used ceramic kamado. It was a Vision brand. Sold new at Home Depot for about $800 and he got it for $200, and I doubt it had been used more than a couple of times. I also saw a Kamado Joe Big Joe I for $850 at Lowe’s recently - a really good buy for a really big grill.

[RhodeHog]

I just replaced my Akron gasket as I wasn’t holding temp well on longer cooks. Looking forward to seeing if this fixed it. Also here in Bama, little south of Cullman but do some work in Huntsville.

[Mosca]

I wanted to wait until you got some other responses before adding: I have both a BGE and a Weber 22”. The only real advantage is having extra space; the BGE grills as well as the Weber, and the Weber smokes as well as the BGE. I mean, you have to learn the techniques for grilling on the kamado and smoking on the Weber, but neither one is hard. I’m an idiot and I figured it out, and anyway you can always ask here! Honestly, unless you just want to spend the money, you got the bases covered.

[jfmorris]

JamesT I wonder what’s going on for excessive fuel usage on your kettle. I’ll say straight up that I likely use similar amounts of fuel on my kettle or kamado for grilling or smoking… if you don’t have a SNS or Vortex to contain the coals and reduce fuel usage, you need to check into them…

[jfmorris]

I’ll second a griddle!

[Panhead John]

3rd on a griddle! I’d never had a griddle until last year, I’ve used it so much more than I thought I would. It’s kind of like getting your first smartphone….you don’t know what you’re missing till you get one. Highly recommended! [a stand-alone dedicated gas griddle]

[JamesT]

I like the griddle but have only used it on the gas grill - it's a cold-rolled cheapy thing, hard to 'season' but it works.
I'll try it on the coals to see if the taste comes across.
I can't say the kettle is a fuel hog, since it allows smothering for another cook, but it does take a good 20 minutes to come to temp.
The SNS works well and is less trouble that building a snake, but works no better. I use it often - especially for planked salmon or planked rainbow trout (the heads will drive your dog nuts!)
Acorn Jr - the allure lies in wanting a new toy, having a minimalist cooker and saving space. And fuel.
THANK you all for your helpful comments!
Jim T

[jfmorris]

Griddle cooking isn’t about getting smoke taste. It’s more about the cooking styles and technique. I find a griddle on my gas or charcoal grill versus a dedicated griddle is just not the same.

[tenphases]

Reason I kept my akorn and got rid of the mini max. 1. It's really portable, mini max isn't due to weight 2. Great ash removal system, you just pop the bottom off 3. I load it with a handful of charcoal and wood and put it in the trunk, when I get where I'm going I throw in a starter cube, arc, and a pork butt and walk away. 4. Keep it dry and it will last a long time (7 years for me) but you do have to take care of it.

[LA Pork Butt]

I still have my MiniMax because I don’t need to take a cooker with me not being a camper or not having a lake house. The Kamado Joe Jr is a little lighter, but still heavy. I find the MiniMax to be a great griller and roaster for 2-4 people, but its shallow fire box presents some challenges on long cooks. I would think the Akron Jr is great for traveling and doing low and slow cooks.

[tenphases]

LA Pork Butt - I agree with all of that 100%. Mini max was great but I need portability, a tool for everyone

[JamesT]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the input. I need all the help I can get!
Pulled the trigger on the Acorn.

Shipping carton to seasoned cooker took 2 hours with no hitches in assembly after reading the instructions. Yes, I do that, so please do not disparage. A very wise man once advised me, "RTFM!" (read the manual). Ok, call me what you like, but assembly was EASY and, for me, quick ( I work slowly and don't strip screws. Usually).

First cook tonight over mesquite lump & wood, metal deflector, 9" drip pan with hot water, smoke and reverse sear on a 11/8 inch boneless rib steak was a success (just the ticket for 2 geriatrics). Next time I'll opt for a 11/2 inch T-bone. (We have a dog).

Two hours later the body is cold but the inside is warm and much charcoal remains.
This may be the start of a brand new love affair.

I still love my Masterbuilt Electric smoker, the Pit Barrel and the Weber Kettle. The Acorn fills a niche.
Comments are appreciated - especially if accompanied by experienced advice.
Thanks to all of you!!

[LA Pork Butt]

I have not cocked on an Acorn, but it is my understanding that it cooks essentially like a Big Green Egg. That being said you should be able to cook 12-14 hours overnight unless the area you live in is prone to on and off again gusting winds in which case you will need some kind of wind shield to keep your cooking temperatures more constant. Stacking the lump charcoal in layers of large, medium and small will help stabilize the temps and avoid clogging with ash. Happy cooking!

[gboss]

LA Pork Butt a full load of lump charcoal can easily go 24h at smoking temperatures in an Akorn.

[JamesT]

Thanks for the comments and advice!
First cook on the Acorn was pork chops - turned out well.
Will probably do butts in the PBC since there will be several, and they do well there.

Bacon wrapped stuffed mushrooms on the Weber kettle tonight. Wrap 'em, set up for about 325+ add hickory lumps, wait about 20 minutes, stuff with goat cheese and a single cherry tomato and cook until bacon is done. To die for.

Thanks guys!

[JamesT]

Guys, Your comments, advice & suggestions are the best!
The Acorn Jr. is perfect for an old buzzard and an Angel. Mostly quick meals - salmon, trout, bacon wrapped stuffed mushrooms etc. Two hour beef ribs were excellent. Lump gives several cooks with little addition, but watch out for the little ones blocking air flow.
Pit barrel gets hot regularly with butts, brisket, chicken or turkey and ribs.
The electric is used seldom, but handy for anything except turkey. Bacon/hickory is yum.
More:

[JamesT]

Weber kettle remains the most versatile. In that and pit barrel I mostly use the cheapest briquettes for heat. The snake or chain arrangement works well for chicken and the wood smoke flavor is next to none. Pit barrel is great for 2 or more chickens or turkey and although they're excellent, there is little wood smoke flavor. But they do taste smoked. Butts - same. Grilling thighs gets the kettle in 2-zone config, with minimal smoke but crispy skin. Kettle, Kamado, Barrel or electric ? All three. Would like to try a pellet cooker but we geriatrics are on a fixed income. TS!