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**Nate** · July 5, 2016, 11:57 AM

So just looking at this I would say your budget is somewhere around the $500 marker, would that be correct?
If not could you please clarify your budget. Kamados can get real expensive real quick (albeit arguably worth it as I'm sure you are about to hear some guys pop in and tell you)

this would be a good one for CeramicChef as he is the resident expert and advocate on kamados but if I remember right use to play with kettles.

**wbzipf** · July 5, 2016, 12:03 PM

I used my performer with gas assist so much more than my gasser. That being said, when ever my wife did the grilling, she always went to the gasser, one step start.

**Histrix** · July 5, 2016, 12:03 PM

My experience with my old Genesis 2000 was that it takes the grill about as long to get up to temp as lighting a chimney takes to be ready for cooking on my 22" kettle.

If I was starting over in acquiring grills I'd go for the 26" Weber Kettle. The SnS is nice (I have one) but not really necessary. With the 26" you'll have plenty of room to set up hot/cool zones and plenty of room for a few racks of ribs or a full brisket.

Sorry for adding a 4th option.

**Chiefsilverback** · July 5, 2016, 12:10 PM

Originally posted by Nate View Post

So just looking at this I would say your budget is somewhere around the $500 marker, would that be correct?
If not could you please clarify your budget. Kamados can get real expensive real quick

$500 - $600, hence the chargriller Akorn and not a BGE or similar.

**Chiefsilverback** · July 5, 2016, 12:12 PM

Originally posted by wbzipf View Post

I used my performer with gas assist so much more than my gasser. That being said, when ever my wife did the grilling, she always went to the gasser, one step start.

My wife doesn't do the grilling, she just enjoys the food that comes off it! If you were just cooking a couple of quarter pounders or chicken breasts would you use the Performer or the gasser?

**Chiefsilverback** · July 5, 2016, 12:19 PM

Originally posted by Histrix View Post

My experience with my old Genesis 2000 was that it takes the grill about as long to get up to temp as lighting a chimney takes to be ready for cooking on my 22" kettle.

If I was starting over in acquiring grills I'd go for the 26" Weber Kettle. The SnS is nice (I have one) but not really necessary. With the 26" you'll have plenty of room to set up hot/cool zones and plenty of room for a few racks of ribs or a full brisket.

Sorry for adding a 4th option.

There's always one more option out there. We're going to be building a house in the next couple of years and that will have a full outdoor kitchen with a nice variety of options (gasser, smoker, charcoal etc...) for the next two years though we'll be in a rental with a smallish yard and even smaller deck.

The 26" is an interesting option. Comes with the hinges stainless grate and the char-baskets presumably help with creating zones. What about smoking on it?

**Strat50** · July 5, 2016, 12:25 PM

I have an Akorn that I've used in all weather and temperatures, and it works very well, as do all komados. But, the Akorn has its limitations in cooking larger amounts of food, especially low and slow type stuff. I once did 6 racks of ribs, cut to fit of course, and that was over the capacity of the Akorn. However, for 2 racks, no problemo. So, think of how many you usually cook for, and your method. When doing any reverse sear method in the Akorn, think in terms of the vertical. In other words, do your low and slow portion on the main grate, then remove the food, remove the grate, and use a smaller grate that is closer to the coals. Set your Akorn to "afterburner"(wide open), then sear as you need.

Having said the above, setting up an Akorn and a Performer would be most efficient, as you can play to the strengths of each unit and minimize each units weaknesses. Again, this depends on how much you need to cook, and with what method you choose.

In my house, we rarely cook for more than 4-6. Usually it's just my wife and myself, so I can do it all on the Akorn easily, no matter the weather and outside temps. The food turns out exceptionally good. And, I love the versatility of the Akorn.For larger low and slow cooks, I need to find a companion for the Akorn. So, you see, it's all about what, how, and how much you cook; and, moreover, what your personal cooking style is.

I hope this can help. Good luck, and good cooking from Houston, Alaska.

**DWCowles** · July 5, 2016, 12:26 PM

I recommend option #3...it will do everything that the gas grill will do and with the SnS you also have a smoker.

**MBMorgan** · July 5, 2016, 12:27 PM

I own a Q2000 (on permanent loan to a brother in law). FWIW, you won't be able to setup 2 zones on that Q1200 (or realistically any of the Q series) because it only has one burner. To be fair, the $400 Q3200 has 2 burners but I seriously doubt it would work effectively for 2 zone cooking. Your best alternative to a Weber Q is probably a kettle with an SnS. I'm not a Kamado guy but I know that some of the local ceramic gurus have devised methods for 2 zone cooking (the zones are vertical rather than horizontal) ... and I'll bet at least one of them will chime in here with good advice regarding the Akorn.

Edit: I'm typing slow today and I see that one of the aforementioned gurus ( Strat50 ) responded eloquently while I was fumbling with the keyboard.

**CeramicChef** · July 5, 2016, 12:39 PM

Chiefsilverback -welcome aboard The Pit and welcome to The Obsession!

Okay, here we go. I've cooked for the past 20 years on various kamados, i.e. BGEs, Primos, Komodo Kamados, and an Akorn. I've also owned kettles, a WSM, and stick burners before my kamados.

I'm not sure what you gain by owning both a kamado and a gasser. I haven't cooked on a gasser in over 30 years, except at friends houses and that is a decidedly sup par experience. The gasser is really only good for quick cooks during the weekday evenings. Flipping burgers, rolling dogs, and sausages with the occasional chicken breast thrown in for variety. What you MIGHT gain in speed you really lose in favor. That's a bad choice to me.

The Akorn is a capable enough kamado style cooker. But the simple fact is that Char-Griller, the company that builds and markets the Akorn, has had real quality control problems and many of these units need modifications before they are ready to cook on. Many Akorn have real problems with the vents and that makes holding temps problematic, especially at low temps. The Akorn I finally ended up with took 3 separate trips to the store to get one that was worthy of hauling out of the store. The first had a dented dome, the send was missing a major port and only on the 3rd attempt di I get one that worked ... sorta. I have to modify the vents as the thing leaked like a sieve.

If I were you, I think I'd really consider a nice Vision. You can get a good Vision for the combined price of your gasser and the Akorn and it gives you much more versatility, quality, etc. I've cooked on Visions at friends' houses and they are a real bargain in my estimation. A real kamado can get up to temp in a very short period of time ... about 15 minutes once you learn your cooker. You get all the convenience of a gasser (quick startup) and you get all the capability of a kamado ... you can grill, bake, smoke, braise, roast, and do low & slow cooks. That is beyond the capabilities of most gassers.

The Akorn isn't meant to last a long time. It has about a 3-4 year lifecycle. The Vision is a solid ceramic that will last quite a long time.

This false canard of "True 2=Zone cooking" is something we're about to address in the Kamado basics series a few of us are participating in over in the Kamado Section. Getting a kamado to do 2-zone cooking isn't rocket science and most experienced kamado cooks know how to do it. Rather than side to side as you'd do with a kettle, in a smaller kamado such as the Classic Size (i.e. 18") is an up and down option. Breadhead can easily show you how to do that. He's posted such here. On my kamados, I tend to do side to side 2-zone cooking. So don't be worried about "True 2-Zone Cooking" as it is really easy to get done.

If you do decide to buy an Akorn, and the gasser, I wish you nothing but the best. The guys over here in kamado-land will do everything to make certain that you get the best out of that little cooker possible. There are a lot of Akorns out there and I've seen some stellar cooks come off the Akorn. I'm certain that your abilities will make the Akorn a first class cooker.

The important thing here is to get what fits your budget and your style of cooking. I have found that my kamados have given me much more flexibility than any other kind of grill and are more cost effective than any combinations of cookers.

Here's to great cooks and even better memories with family and friends!

**Chiefsilverback** · July 5, 2016, 12:40 PM

Thanks for all the replies. In terms of numbers it's mainly just my family of 5 and 3 of those are 5 and under, so I'm normally cooking a couple of steaks or 3 burgers only.

The Q1200 would be for those quick weeknight jobs only so one zone isn't an issue, it really is all about the convenience.

The one option I didn't list was Akorn + kettle.

**Chiefsilverback** · July 5, 2016, 01:08 PM

CeramicChef, thanks for the detailed reply it's certainly got me reconsidering things.

I hadn't considered the time to heat up a big gas grill and how that might make the 'time to cook' not disimilar to a charcoal option.

I probably could make a Vision work with my budget so I will have to go and look at them and having run the Char-Griller duo for 5 years I'm aware of they don't produce the highest quality units.

**Mosca** · July 5, 2016, 01:42 PM

Originally posted by DWCowles

Ok, It's the other person's turn...the one that's owned a BGE for 5 years

LOL, you might mean me. I've had my BGE for 5 years and just added a 22" Performer Deluxe! And, I've been using a Smokey Joe as a side burner and for searing....

Honest to goodness, if I were starting again it would be a hard decision which I would go with first. The kettle will do about 80% of what the BGE will do; the BGE will do about 80% of what the Weber will do, and there isn't a lot of overlap on the missing 20%s.

The BGE will kick the Weber's briquettes on long low and slows. With or without a temperature minder, the massive heat sink of the ceramic makes it pretty much a set-and-forget for 12+ hours, well beyond the time the kettle will need a charcoal refresh. My friends with Akorns have the same experience.

For direct grilling, I know how to get the BGE to grill superbly, but the Weber has 380 sq" and the BGE has 260 sq", and with the Weber you can pretty much just toss the burgers over the coals. (The Smokey Joe is actually a little better, because the grate is closer to the heat.) And it's easy to do 2 zone in a kamado, but it's easier in a kettle, and quicker.

I don't use the gas lighter on my Performer Deluxe, and would rather have the $50 back. The chimney is really simple, and very satisfying to use.

So, here's what I say: Chargriller Akorn with cart from Home Depot, $279, plus Weber Premium Kettle (no cart) from Home Depot for $149. Then add the S&S. You only need one cart.

Remember that the Akorn on the stand is 20", and the Akorn with the cart is 22". At least according to the advertising.

**Breadhead** · July 5, 2016, 01:51 PM

Chiefsilverback ... I have both a large BGE and a 26" Weber kettle with the very necessary Slow and Sear accessory.

For an inexpensive way to grill and BBQ any kind of meat you can cook outdoors the Weber kettle & SnS combination is a winner, winner chicken dinner cooker. Everyone ought to have one.

Kamado's on the other hand are much, much more versatile. Think bread, pizza, cakes, pies baked outdoors. Think woking killer Chinese food at 800°. Think about a 16 hour No Peek pork butts or brisket cook.😆

If I was limited in my discretionary funds I would buy the Weber & SnS and be very pleased that for under $300 I can grill & BBQ anything I want and get really good results.

If the BBQ police came to my house and said were confiscating all of your cookers but 1... I would keep my BGE for sure.👍

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