# Akorn komado vs big green egg



## blackeyepea

I know quite a bit about the BGE.I have a buddy that cooks for BGE at their demos ...( if you ever go to one in GA, look up Moonpie). They are an awesome product that need zero mods to work right, out of the box...but dang they are pricey. I have a small BGE and thats eggsactly what it is...small. Cooks good though.

 I hear the Akorn is much harder to get real low/slow than the BGE, and the temp gage is like 50 degrees off. I also read where it leaks some at the lower intake and also where the bottom comes off to empty ashes. There are all sorts of you tube videos on the akorn.

The only thing I have seen that I really dont like about the akorn is the cast iron grate. My firebox chargriller has cast iron grates and they are a lot of maintenance to keep seasoned. Im all about low maintenance. And where do you find a plate setter for the acorn?

Anyone have any feedback about the pros/cons of the akorn?
Ive been pondering a Large BGE for a while, but $679.00 egg, $150.00/nest, $80.00 plate setter, $80.00 3 tier rack, $80.00 mates......


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## blues brother

I would not let a temp gage stop me from buying an Akorn.
I have a large BGE and love it...wish I had the spare $ to buy an akorn to go in the cook trailer for BBQ comps.
Never cooked on one before, but would like to have one.
I know some akorn owners will chime in soon!


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## NCHillbilly

I've never had any trouble getting mine to run low and slow. It'll hold 225 like an oven all day with very little fiddling. I have found  the temp gauge on mine is pretty darn accurate at low temps below about 350-or at least as accurate as the temp gauge on any other cooker I've ever used. The margin of error gets bigger at really high temps. I don't really care what the exact temp is anyway-find the temp on the gauge that cooks like you want and set it there. Most of the best bbq I've eaten in my life came off pits that didn't even have a temp gauge. 

Bottom line-the Akorn is a fine cooker. I've had mine a couple years, and use it for everything from slow-smoking to baking pizza and bread. It's well worth the money and then some. There's always somebosy trying to put down everything that isn't what they have, that don't mean you have to listen to them.


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## Palmer3190

My Akorn just arrived from Amazon. I did the seasoning burn and noticed a slight leak on the right side. Slight mod will fix that right up! Love this thing!


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## Paymaster

I got the Akorn and love it. I have friends with BGEs and the Akorn cooks much like theirs from what I see. I have not noticed a big problem with the temp gage. I run mine with a therm at the grate and it is never more that 5 or so degrees different than the dome. I have no problems running at low temps.


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## Dub

I've had an Akorn for ~2 years and used it 4-6 times per week.


I've had a 24" (XL) sized ceramic kamado (Kamado Joe BigJoe) for ~2 months and used it 3-5 times per week.


I've found the following differences between my two kamados:

Akorn lump usage is less.  Bottom line, it's less.  Very efficient cooker.

I freaking love the cast iron grates on the Akorn and miss them on my KJBJ.  I miss them so much that I spent $125 on something that will provide those sear marks I miss so badly for use on my KJBJ.

Maintenance on cast iron grates is crazy easy.  Clean up is a joke.  Quick brush with a ball of aluminum foil and then spray with PAM or something like it (cheaper store brands is great on those grates).

Akorn handled 80% of the cooks I did.  The larger BigJoe's size is only needed when I do larger cooks for work and other needs.  Family use doesn't require it for me.

Temps are more steady with the ceramic.  It takes longer to warm up but it locks in with great ease.  Very little fooling with it once it's dialed in.  I never had reason to complain over the Akorn's steady running but the pure physics over the ceramic double walls vs the thin steel plus the ceramic's single gasket vs. the Akorn's two gasket locations make a difference.  


The wider gasket on the ceramic on the ceramic plus the heavy weight of the lid help seal it off.

Temp gauges on ANY commercially available kamado will be off once the temps exceed 235-250 degrees.  This is due to the location of the factory probes being in the dome.....well above the grate level.  My Akorn & my KJBJ read accurate as long as I'm slow'n'low temps with a heat diffuser installed.  Any hotter or no heat deflector installed then it's simply a function of probe temp vs distance from fire.  This should be evident.

I know I've got a similar pic somewhere with the Akorn.  Low temps with a heat diffuser and the temps at the grate are about the same as upwards around the dome.  






My Akorn ran great with non of the "mods" you may have read about that seem common.  At a low cost, I was able to determine if a kamado grill would fit my needs.   Not only will it fit my needs.....but I've since given away all my other grills.  I'm sold on the type....for my needs.   My Akorn is showing it's age and heavy use, however.  I've replaced gaskets, top vent and the hing pins/screws.  That being said, I feel that it owes me nothing and is still one awesome chicken, pork loin and steak cooking machine!!!!!!


As far as BGE......they've sat back on there haunches and enjoyed their success  a bit much.  Primo & KJ have come into the market and offered some nice features and upgraded shelves, stands, hardware and other at an even better price point.  

I've got nothing but praise for my Akorn as it arrived and offered an attractively priced kamado that I wasn't scared to try out.

Utlimately, the Akorn will sell more ceramic kamados than ever as folks try them, like I did, and realize how simple, efficient, tasty and improved their grilling will be with kamados and go on to replace their 2-6 year old worn out Akorns with a ceramic.  

My two cents, anyway.


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## blackeyepea

Dub,That was a very good and informative post. Thanks

Something I have never considered, is how the akorn will hold up in the long haul. 
Personally, I do like the idea of a lighter weight, more mobile cooker that wont shatter if you bump it. I cook under the carport being able to easily roll it in and out of a "storage spot", is an attractive feature. 

So what about replacement parts like gaskets ? Where do you find em? I do like the fact that they are not "glued" on. Replacing the gasket on BGE is no fun !

One question, I fooled around with an akorn at Lowes last year. It seemed like the ash hopper on the bottom could be a little aggrevating to  put back on. Is it just as easy to scoop the ashes out from the top ?

I just looked at some reviews of the akorn on Amazon. Looks like the the air leak issues were fixed after 2012. The reviews are great.
Also one of the reviews someone posted this temperature controller similar to the BGE Guru for half the money...heres the link.

http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=187


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## pop pop jones

When the smoke settled, which one is going to make you happier.

 #1 people praising you on the way your food taste.


 #2 people telling you they wished they could afford
  as grill/ smoker as expensive as yours.

Hope this helps you sort through the choices.


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## Dub

blackeyepea said:


> And where do you find a plate setter for the acorn?



Their Smoking Stone (plate setter)is available on their webpage.

http://www.chargriller.com/index.ph...ion=com_virtuemart&Itemid=2&vmcchk=1&Itemid=2

I was able to get the replacement gaskets from them by calling them.  They arrived in two days with cheap shipping cost, too.


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## NCHillbilly

For a plate setter/diffuser, you can also use a Weber kettle grate on the bottom slots with a pizza stone, pizza pan, or some such on it. Works fine. 

As for the ash hopper, it's not a bit of a problem to get on or off. It just slides onto a round hickey in there, then fasten the clips. If you don't realize that the slot slides onto the round hickey, it could be annoying, otherwise takes about less than a second to put back on. 

and btw, I've never done any "mods" at all to mine, that people always seem to think are necessary for some reason. I use it just like it came, and it's worked great for two years of hard use so far.


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## Paymaster

NCHillbilly said:


> For a plate setter/diffuser, you can also use a Weber kettle grate on the bottom slots with a pizza stone, pizza pan, or some such on it. Works fine.
> 
> As for the ash hopper, it's not a bit of a problem to get on or off. It just slides onto a round hickey in there, then fasten the clips. If you don't realize that the slot slides onto the round hickey, it could be annoying, otherwise takes about less than a second to put back on.
> 
> and btw, I've never done any "mods" at all to mine, that people always seem to think are necessary for some reason. I use it just like it came, and it's worked great for two years of hard use so far.



I have done no mods to mine either. Just seasoned the grates and started cooking.


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## blackeyepea

Realistically, How hot will the akorn get temperature wise ?


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## Dub

650 degrees with ease.



And fast, too.


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## Miguel Cervantes

Paymaster said:


> I have done no mods to mine either. Just seasoned the grates and started cooking.


Yep, and I'm not sure where the high maintenance idea of the cast iron grate comes from. It is about as maintenance free as they come. 
Plus, for the equivalent sized BGE I can buy three akorns and they are all highly portable. I've had mine quite a while now and don't have the first complaint. I do have friends with BGE's and don't know a one of them that doesn't have some internal ceramic part that isn't either chipped, cracked or just flat out broken.


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## georgiadawgs44

I was just clicking around Amazon and saw they had the Akorns on sale with free shipping. 

http://www.amazon.com/Char-Griller-...&ie=UTF8&qid=1378430404&sr=1-1&keywords=akorn


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## killitgrillit

Just gonna put my .02 cents in!!!!
 I bought my large BGE about 17 years ago at the crossroads in Senoia at the the plant greenhouse place. it gets cooked on at least 5 out of the 7days a week, in  that time it has had the lid gasket replaced 2 times and the fire grate once. I bye my charcoal by the pallet at lowes or walmart depends on who's cheaper.

  Now in that amount of time how many gas grill's or burners would I have bought?????
 I'm not saying the BGE is the best and you aint anything if you don't own one, I'm just pointing out the facts!!!!!

Buy your second and last grill first!!!!


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## killitgrillit

This is my BGE table with a large on the left and a small on the right


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## blackeyepea

That my friend, is a nice set-up! Hardly noticed the eggs, looking at the beverage in the center though...lol 
I recognize the one on the right. Looks like mine except mine has the older bands with the hinges on the side.
Im curious, where did you find a table like that with the raised platforms ?


BTW, since you have a small BGE, will your temp on the small run up any higher than 400-450 ? 
Thats all I can get out of mine.


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## NCHillbilly

Miguel Cervantes said:


> Yep, and I'm not sure where the high maintenance idea of the cast iron grate comes from. It is about as maintenance free as they come.



I was thinking the same thing-the CI grate is one of the main things I like about mine. I seasoned it good before using it the first time, and all I do to it now is brush it down good after cooking. It's black as midnight and slick as a whistle. I never even oil it any more-of course, I cook a lot of pork on there, self-oiling food.


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## Paymaster

Yep the cast iron grate is a winner. My Akorn is not out in the weather but on a covered porch so no rusting problems. I also like the so called warming rack. I don't use it for warming but added cooking surface.


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## blackeyepea

My chargriller smokin pro(fair for grilling, not so good for smoking) has cast iron grates. Just  seems like everytime I use bbq sauce, it eats some of the  the seasoning back off. I do brush it down to clean, but dont generally spray veggie oil or pam back on it with hot coals. it flames up or smokes my garage up. Burning Veggie oil does not have a pleasing smell. If you dont stay right on top of it, next thing you know, the grates are rusty and flaking. Then you have to repeat process of re-seasoning.

Initially, That was a selling point for me with this smoker...cast iron grates.
Dont get me wrong, I like cast  iron for certain things. I have 4 cast iron dutch ovens.. 2 -Lodge, 1-Chinese, 1-old ???. Ocassionally, I have to re-season them too.

 My small BGE has has a black cooking grate, I guess its porcelain coated ??? Anyhow, its real easy to clean and dont rust.Thats my preference...less maintenance.
Of course, the idea is that everything cooked on cast iron tastes better. Grilling with charcoal, I really cant tell the difference . Sear marks dont matter much to me. Thats just me.

That being said,I would prefer CI over some shiny chrome plated cheapo grate thats eventually gonna flake...which leads me to ask...

So howbout that top rack on the akorn. It work pretty good ?


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## Paymaster

blackeyepea said:


> So howbout that top rack on the akorn. It work pretty good ?



No problems with the upper rack for me so far. I have used it 8-10 time I guess. It cleans up easy. It adds greatly to the cooking area. The big thing with the Akorn for me is, it cooks great, is less than $300 and is mobile. I can carry it in my truck to outings or camping.


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## Miguel Cervantes

blackeyepea said:


> My chargriller smokin pro(fair for grilling, not so good for smoking) has cast iron grates. Just  seems like everytime I use bbq sauce, it eats some of the  the seasoning back off. I do brush it down to clean, but dont generally spray veggie oil or pam back on it with hot coals. it flames up or smokes my garage up. Burning Veggie oil does not have a pleasing smell. If you dont stay right on top of it, next thing you know, the grates are rusty and flaking. Then you have to repeat process of re-seasoning.
> 
> Initially, That was a selling point for me with this smoker...cast iron grates.
> Dont get me wrong, I like cast  iron for certain things. I have 4 cast iron dutch ovens.. 2 -Lodge, 1-Chinese, 1-old ???. Ocassionally, I have to re-season them too.
> 
> My small BGE has has a black cooking grate, I guess its porcelain coated ??? Anyhow, its real easy to clean and dont rust.Thats my preference...less maintenance.
> Of course, the idea is that everything cooked on cast iron tastes better. Grilling with charcoal, I really cant tell the difference . Sear marks dont matter much to me. Thats just me.
> 
> That being said,I would prefer CI over some shiny chrome plated cheapo grate thats eventually gonna flake...which leads me to ask...
> 
> So howbout that top rack on the akorn. It work pretty good ?



Cast iron likes it hot, corrosive food substances, not so much. After I've used a wet mop on whatever I'm cooking and take the food off I'll run the Akorn up to 500 or so degrees. It doesn't hurt the cast iron but vaporizes any residual sauce.


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## blackeyepea

OK, so I am normally not an impulse buyer... but am an opportunist. 

Friday afternoon, after work, a buddy of mine that I work with, who as been following this post, called me from  Kroger on Zebulon Rd Macon- (5 Min away from the house)said there was an akorn on clearance $249.00.

Its a King Griller Akorn-Krogers own brand-has a speckled  2 tone color. Honestly, it looked weathered, sun faded and had water sitting in the ash pan.  I didnt really like the Color....  I started to get back in the truck and leave it for someone else. Been eyeing the brown one at Amazon.

I went in the store to service counter, had the manager called up front-real nice guy. I explained, I would be interested in buying the akorn, but not for $249. Showed him the water sitting in the bottom, how weathered it was, how much I could order a new one from Amazon-free shipping. 

Told him $200 sounded real good to me. Well, he wouldn't do that , but he did meet me half way, give another $25.00 off(actually rang out at $224.00 plus tax)...AND IT WAS PUT TOGETHER ALREADY !!!

First impression after I got it home. After  looking it over, I thought OH NO the fire box is missing. Then I looked in the manual and realized the whole inside of this thing is the firebox !!!

The sun beat the finish up on the front pretty good.(pic makes it look better than it really does-)
The boards, on the shelves on the side have started curling. I have already popped 2 loose.  little black stain and maybe some machine screws all the way through will fix it right up.

I seasoned it up, (Again, I would be happier with stainless...and whats up wth that center that comes out-to add charcoal?- I took it off messing with it and guess where it landed when i tried to put it back on, yep, down in the coals.

That being said, no leaks. I can open the botton about an inch or so and maintain 225-250 using just the top to adjust. I thought the temp done very well at staying steady. 

Sat, I cooked a slab of ribs, 4 ears of corn ;and some red potatoes on the top rack.
Sun. , Drunken chicken, and pan of mixed veggies.

Cooks good!


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## Palmetto

good deal!


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## Woodscrew

blackeyepea said:


> OK, so I am normally not an impulse buyer... but am an opportunist.
> 
> Friday afternoon, after work, a buddy of mine that I work with, who as been following this post, called me from  Kroger on Zebulon Rd Macon- (5 Min away from the house)said there was an akorn on clearance $249.00.
> 
> Its a King Griller Akorn-Krogers own brand-has a speckled  2 tone color. Honestly, it looked weathered, sun faded and had water sitting in the ash pan.  I didnt really like the Color....  I started to get back in the truck and leave it for someone else. Been eyeing the brown one at Amazon.
> 
> I went in the store to service counter, had the manager called up front-real nice guy. I explained, I would be interested in buying the akorn, but not for $249. Showed him the water sitting in the bottom, how weathered it was, how much I could order a new one from Amazon-free shipping.
> 
> Told him $200 sounded real good to me. Well, he wouldn't do that , but he did meet me half way, give another $25.00 off(actually rang out at $224.00 plus tax)...AND IT WAS PUT TOGETHER ALREADY !!!
> 
> First impression after I got it home. After  looking it over, I thought OH NO the fire box is missing. Then I looked in the manual and realized the whole inside of this thing is the firebox !!!
> 
> The sun beat the finish up on the front pretty good.(pic makes it look better than it really does-)
> The boards, on the shelves on the side have started curling. I have already popped 2 loose.  little black stain and maybe some machine screws all the way through will fix it right up.
> 
> I seasoned it up, (Again, I would be happier with stainless...and whats up wth that center that comes out-to add charcoal?- I took it off messing with it and guess where it landed when i tried to put it back on, yep, down in the coals.
> 
> That being said, no leaks. I can open the botton about an inch or so and maintain 225-250 using just the top to adjust. I thought the temp done very well at staying steady.
> 
> Sat, I cooked a slab of ribs, 4 rs of corn ;and some red potatoes on the top rack.
> Sun. , Drunken chicken, and pan of mixed veggies.
> 
> Cooks good!



I saw that thing sitting out there. I started to ask about it but I just didn't need another one.


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## NCHillbilly

Cooked up some delicious ribs, baked taters, 'sparagus, and bread on mine yesterday. You won't regret pulling the trigger on that.


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## blackeyepea

Ok, so now that I have an akorn, should I buy the smokin stone...or just get the weber kettle rack and put a pizza stone on it for indirect heat.
I have read a few reviews that the stone broke after a few uses.

Went to order one from Char-Griller website this weekend, they want $20.00 to ship it !


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## Miguel Cervantes

blackeyepea said:


> Ok, so now that I have an akorn, should I buy the smokin stone...or just get the weber kettle rack and put a pizza stone on it for indirect heat.
> I have read a few reviews that the stone broke after a few uses.
> 
> Went to order one from Char-Griller website this weekend, they want $20.00 to ship it !


I just went the kettle rack and pizza stone route. When too much grease and chunks of other stuff collects up on the stone I just run it up to 500 or 600 degrees for a little bit and it comes out shiny white just like it was when I bought it.


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## Paymaster

I bought the weber rack, and a 15" aluminum cake pan. Filled the cake pan half way up with sand and cover the pan with foil. Clean up is just tossing the foil and re-foiling for the next cook.


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## Double J

That sounds like you got a great deal!  Enjoy it!  I have an XL BGE and absolutely love it.  Did I pay too much for a grill...maybe, but I enjoy people enjoying the food that comes off of it.  So in the end, what matters is not how much you spend.


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