Char-Griller AKORN® Jr. Kamado Charcoal, Black

High temp searing. Nothing better than searing on cast iron grate…and the ability to low and slow Dino Ribs …pork shoulder or baby back ribs..I use it every other day…oh and can save un used charcoal for next cook….lifetime construction..

Quality built. Assembly went smooth, with quality components. First burn went off eithout a hitch. First cook was a disaster, hot steam bath, after a deep dive on yt videos. I ordered the defector plate, a 11.5 inch pizza stone and some stainless steel bolts for spacers along with some 3/4 x1/8 inch felt gasket. It took 2 layers to get this grill to not leak at the ash pan and lid. The other parts were fir double indirect as this grill is so efficient it wont burn fuel or smoking wood out of the box. Double indirect makes the grill less efficient and now it burns lump charcole and will burn smoking chunks. 2nd cook was double indirect of a spatch chicken and it was fantasic. Its a quality product with a steep learning curve. Smoking dad bbq on yt saved the whole purchase.

Just get it. Awesome! One of the best I have ever used, if you are on the fence, get off it and get this.

Happy Griller. I started grilling on charcoal grills, went to gas grills, back to charcoal, then to pellet smokers for the last 8 years. Decided I like charcoal better, after a lot of research on charcoal grills I decided on a Kamado style grill (my first). It took me about 20 minutes to assembly the grill, very easy. Did the burn off, and started grilling. Watched the heat up every 15 minutes to adjust the air dampers to get the heat right. Had to get used to the heat up time with the charcoal, after using a pellet smokers. Cool down after grilling took a couple of hours after shutting off the air dampers. Had the grill 3 days, day one brats, day two hamburgers, day three chicken. Every thing turned out GREAT, loved the taste! Next will be a steak. Didn’t like bending over during cooking so I made a modification to the legs with out any drilling, only removed the plastic feet. I add 1-1/2 inch EMT electric conduit with three 1-1/2 inch conduit unions to make the grill taller, works great! Happy gilling everyone.

Best "Jr" Smoker I have ever owned. Already an every day grill. Love it! Easy to use and to control the cooking temp.

Easy to control heat. Had mine 4 years and this is the best small portable REAL wood smoker money can buy. Much lighter than green egg and kamoto because it’s insulated without the clay pot.

Great Grill For Two. Super nice little grill for two people. I’ve had this one for a couple years and love it. I’ve also owned the bigger version previously and it was great.

Red Akron Jr. Bought the red Akron Jr about five years ago and still going strong. Recently replaced the cast iron grate due to cracking but still use the Jr quite often for camping. No limitations as to what you can do with this grill. Cooked steaks, baked potatoes and even pizza.

Best Grill out there! I’ve had TWO Kamado CharGriller grills. They are best for smoking or grilling! I’ve recommended them to numerous Neighbors

Great for Wisconsin winter. I got this as a gift. Use it in the winter time, it hold heat really well

akorn jr review. bought this after christmas from amazon, took only about 15 min, to assemble, very easy to follow instructions, because of bad weather have only been able to use twice. woorks great. chicken and pork chops turned out great. love it. great menues to try.

I love my Akorn Jr. its going on 5 years since i had my Akorn Jr. it is the most durable of the 3 grills i own (W***r 18" Kettle, W***r Spirit gas) I dislike my W***r with a growing passion due to their design that always causes me to get burned from the hot metal, this NEVER happens on my Jr, thanks to well designed hinged lid and wood handle (kudos to designers). I use half the charcoal needed on any other grill i owned, and the heat last so much longer. a 4-6lb pork should is so easy if you use a deflector and the fire never dies out. There are times i would like a bigger grill to do three or more steaks at the same time, who knows maybe i will win this contest and take home a Akorn Big Daddy, I have a birthday coming so a man can always hope right? I love Akorn, and if given the choice to buy any grill it will certainly be my top choice. i sit the little guy on a metal wash tub to raise the height on my patio. Happy grilling!

The best smoker. this is the best charcoal smoker/grill i ever had Thanks AKORN Jr KAMADO

Great match. Just purchased. Great portable. Loved the heat management. So much fun to use. So many possibilities. Can't wait to have fun

Small package, BIG Moments! This little beauty produces unanticipated power when in action. I remember seasoning it for the first time and was astonished of how quickly it heated and how high the temperature reached. I have several grills, but this one is the go to when I have a small preparation. It has proven its worth many times over.

Akron Jr. We bought this for just the two of us. It's amazing! We cook just about everything on it including meatloaf, spaghetti and salmon. The food always comes out delicious.

Great starter smoker with room to grow! Service++. Overall: Would recommend for anyone starting out in barbecue or looking for a space-conscious smoker than can handle high heat with ease! I also think the price compared to the quality makes it a solid starter pick for the hobby. Quality: I got this smoker in red a couple years ago and use it all the time! The small size makes it easy to heat up and use as a charcoal grill and it holds temperature really well for smoking anything from turkey breasts to pork butts. Design: Packs the punch of a ceramic egg smoker in a small package. I appreciate the sturdy build of the legs and handles. The necessary pieces come apart really well for easy cleaning, which is a huge plus. However, the latch that holds the lid to the base can become too hot to touch since it's a piece of metal right next to the rim of a smoker. Customer Service: Initially, the hood didn't fit onto the base correctly and Char-Griller's customer service worked with me to replace what was needed to get it working again! Wear and Tear: The heat-safe handle for the vent broke off a while ago from regular use. It's not difficult to move when the vent is cool and you can nudge it with tongs if necessary when the smoker is hot.

Perfectly Portable. Received my Akorn Jr. as a Father's Day gift several years ago. This was my 1st experience with a kamado style grill and it was a very flavorful experience. I've never owned a grill where maintaining a constant cooking temperature was so simple. The Jr. is the perfect size for a small family and it's size make it easy to move around. I was so impressed with the Jr. that I bought myself a full size Akorn for larger cooks.

Very convenient! I love this little kamado! I also have ceramic kamados. This one is very lightweight and not fragile. I can take it with me easily! I don't have to be careful with it. There are lots accessories made for it. Once you start grilling, you will want accessories to do more or do it better. My biggest complaint with my off brand ceramic kamado is that the name brand accessories don't fit it. The size of the off brand kamado is just a little off. You outgrow them really fast if you can't put accessories on them.

Great product for a great price. This thing is amazing! It holds heat well, and gets hot fast! I’ve cooked everything on this grill and it all comes out great.

I love the acorn grills. They do great job slow co. I have bought four for myself and my children If I win this acorn I can give it to one of my grand children. I Bragg to all my friends and family. Several of my friends have bought one after they have ate some of my BBQ.

Mighty mouse. Well, we only use it when we’re camping and during emergency power outages, but it works like it’s supposed to. I kind of hate that they discontinued the ceramic model. I’ll get over it

Love my Acorn, JR. Love the Acorn, Jr. I use it at home and camping. Works great every time on a variety of foods, very versatile.

looks great. never had one of these but i have a friend that does and he told me they were great to cook on

Great gril for a couple people. I've had my Akorn Jr. for 3 years and don't regret the purchase. It's a smaller grill, but I'm mostly grilling for myself or another person and it works great for that. The coals last a long time & it's easy to get this grill over 600 degrees F no problem. Just beware that if you do get it that hot, the paint may start to burn & peel off. I would buy this again.

Jr. Good! I own a Gravity 980 and this will make a perfect companion grill.

Awesome portable grill! Bought this for my father for his birthday. It was easy to put together. My father seasoned it and grilled some meat. He absolutely loves it. Great flavor and easy to put back into his garage when he was done. A+++

Great grill/smoker. I have had this akorn jr for about 3 years now and it is still going strong. No rust or holes anywhere on it. Cooks nice and even throughout the grill grate. Also do some smoking on it with the chargriller ceramic stone insert. Holds temperature steady for hours once dialed in. Couldn't ask for a better grill/smoker. The replacement parts help keep in going strong to. I have replaced the seals a few times still using the original grate though and it has no rust. Great product for the money.

Awesome charcoal grill. Great for tri-tip, pork tenderloin, ribeye, beer-can chicken, pork ribs, and about a 7 lb pork shoulder. Will try pizza this fall.

The Mighty Mini That Outperforms the Big Boys. If I had to sum up the Char-Griller Akorn Jr. in one phrase, it would be this: pound for pound, the best grill I’ve ever owned. Don’t let its compact size fool you—this little kamado is a heavyweight when it comes to performance, efficiency, and flavor. From the very first cook, the Akorn Jr. surprised me. Lighting it up is quick and easy, and thanks to its triple-walled steel construction, it reaches and holds temperature like a champ. Whether I’m running low and slow for pulled pork or searing steaks at over 600°F, it stays locked in with precision that rivals grills triple its price. Temperature control is intuitive with the dual dampers, and the learning curve is practically non-existent. Within minutes, I was dialing in the perfect heat for ribs, chicken, pizza—you name it. Portability is where the Akorn Jr. truly shines. I can load it in the back of my SUV without breaking a sweat, making it the ultimate companion for tailgates, camping trips, or a beach cookout. Yet despite its small footprint, it doesn’t compromise on capacity. I’ve fit a whole spatchcock chicken inside, racks of ribs, and more burgers than my friends could eat in a single sitting. It’s the rare grill that feels equally at home on a small apartment balcony or out in the wild. Fuel efficiency is another standout feature. With just a few handfuls of lump charcoal, I can cook for hours, and the insulated body makes windy conditions irrelevant. This

My favorite all time. Been smokin' and grillin' since the 90s! Nothing beats my Akorn Jr.

Best Grill Ever. I can regulate the temperature very precisely. It stayed at 400f for 5 hours with no adjustments required. Does 650f if you really need to. Nicely constructed in every respect. Great size, too, for two.

Great starter Kamado. The grill will work too teach you how to smoke and grill food in a kamado grill at a low price point. The metal design with cast iron grates make it sturdy but hard to keep from rusting in northern climates.

Great portable grill. Had an Akron Jr for three years and totally pleased. Just two people in the household at present and the size is perfect. I’ve used it as a grill for burgers, fish, veggies, and steaks. As a smoker for brisket, butt, and ribs. For use as a smoker purchased a stone to deflect heat. Cook 5 pound or less butts and brisket, have to cut the rack of ribs in half to get a fit. Keeping the vents almost shut and starting small amount of lit charcoal and allowing it to ignite a snake of unlit briquettes makes a nice steady low burn. Three years under cover outside no rust. Would purchase again!

Super cool grill. Awesome to cook with. It had enduring tenacity. Just did a great job...

Great girl. I have owned several of these very good on fuel supply and perfect for small cooks.

Great smoker. I had one of these and it was the best smoker I have used, it does all the work and you get all the credit. I recommend this smoker for any Smoke enthusiast.

I love my little Akorn. I have bought this on points from a credit card long time ago, not knowing first thing about it. I can say that after more than 100 cooks this little guy is awesome. I can cool rack of ribs rolled into crown smoke for hours holding temp, or pork shoulder, you name it I have grilled or smoked it. Might one day go for the bigger brother, but I get by just fine with jr. I have 2 other Webs but only use gas if urgent, don't care for kettle. My little junior uses way less coal too saving $

Great multiuser cooker. It's a grill, oven, smoker... It's the Akorn! Jr. Is perfect size for the wife and me. Easy cleanup. Easy to move. Great cooker

Great size. I love my little Akorn for smaller cooks! Holds the temperature well.

Kamado. I’ve had the Akorn for a number of years. Great BBQ for a small group. It’s also great for a travel BBQ. I take it camping and hunting.

Great for maintaining temperature. I'm so happy that I decided to purchase my Kamado grill/smoker. The grill maintains cooking temperature so well and takes the hard work from smoking since I don't have to worry about constantly checking the temp.

Just right for tailgating. I have enjoyed this little dude. Came in extremely handy after Helene. Cooked almost everything in the freezer as power was out for 11 days. Pizza, chicken, turkey breast, brewed coffee, bacon. Baked potatoes, and grilled veggies. Perfect for baking and grilling. Easy cleaning ash bowl is a big plus !

Perfect size for us! I’ve had mine for several years, although it’s starting to deteriorate, I would get another one!

Awesome Akorn. I had this product few years ago. A lid screw was little bit loose after being used so many times. Would be 5 star if they could find a way to reinforce that piece to keep lid and bottom stay together instead of getting loose.

Amazing. I bought this about 1 year ago. And it is great. This is my second grill. The first one I had for over 5 years then the gasket ripped and the place to hold the ash catcher rusted out. I would recommend this grill to everyone.

I love it. I bought this to take camping and I love it. I loved it so much the first time I took it that I bought a larger one for the house.

Excellent value, portable, versatile. I bought mine years ago and it still works. The best food comes out of this grill, my whole family agrees. No matter what you throw in here it comes out delicious. I use the smoking stone deflector for indirect heat. I’m able to smoke 5 half rack of ribs using a mini rib rack in about 3 hours. I take it to the beach, the park, camping and family get togethers. It always attracts attention and has everyone asking me to make ribs again. I really like the shape and design, thick walls make it insulated. The egg shape, gaskets and vents make it air tight allowing you to have complete control of temperature. Also when you’re done just close everything and it snuffs the fire out.

well controlled heat with modifications. I've had an Akorn Jr. for a while and have just added a new Tip-Top temperature controller to the top vent. This works extremely well with the existing control vent. I usually have a small (1/2 inch) opening on the supply vent and can easily control down to 200 degrees. I use this to supplement my pellet grill that excels at other things. It is mainly used to grill chicken, burgers, blackened fish, pork chops, steaks. With the ceramic insert I've done whole chicken, pork butts, etc. I usually supplement the lump charcoal with some wood chips.

Awesome bbq. My mom gave to me and purchased a new one. Loved it until it was mistakenly left out uncovered one winter.

It's the pound for pound champ!!! I've cooked on one 5-6 times a month for the last 8 years. It's my go to. The Jr is the perfect cooker for sneaking in the midweek, smaller cookouts. Gets to temp quick and snuffs the lump out just as quick. One can grill multiple times before adding lump charcoal. The Akorn Jr is the best money spent on my porch and the other two cookers were both 4 digit expenses.

Great kamado for apartment balcony. Downsized and previously used big green egg, but too big for my apartment. Akorn is perfect for 2-4 people and warms to cook temp quickly due to small size. Outside of grill will not get dangerously hot, and I feel safer from fire hazard standpoint cooking with the top down. Also cooks more evenly than open flame. Have used this weekly for over 4 years in Southern California. Very satisfied customer.

Best Grill I have ever owned. Great grill, easy to regulate temp, versatile, Great smoker fujnction.

Great portable grill! I ran this grill on the competition steak trail for a year or so and had a blast cooking on it! It's easy to dial in and is super efficient on fuel!!

My Akorn JR. The Akorn Jr. Char-Griller has quickly become one of my favorite grills. For its compact size, it delivers impressive performance and versatility. Heat retention is excellent thanks to the triple-walled steel design, which allows me to reach and maintain high temperatures for searing, or hold low and steady temps for slow smoking without constantly adjusting. What I love most is how efficient it is with charcoal—you get maximum cook time without burning through fuel, which makes it economical and convenient. Despite being a smaller grill, the cooking surface is big enough to handle a couple of steaks, burgers for the family, or even a small rack of ribs. It’s also very portable, making it perfect for tailgating, camping, or just moving around the patio. Cleanup is simple, the build feels sturdy, and the flavor it produces rivals that of larger ceramic kamado grills, but at a fraction of the cost and weight. The Akorn Jr. truly delivers big performance in a small package. I highly recommend this grill to anyone who wants authentic charcoal grilling and smoking with the flexibility to take it on the go.

Kamodo. I understand the principle but have never owned one if these

my latest grill, looks like my last for a while. I have been through quite a few grills over the years, both charcoal and gas. I got this one for several reasons. Dual walled, so looking forward to be able to smoke/grill for more than a few months in the summer. Runs forever on a small amount of charcoal. Small and light enough to take in my RV to replace a portable gas grill.

Amazingly portable. I have the red version, but it's identical. We very much enjoy taking it camping, and the results never disappoint!

Good quality. Who needs an egg. We’ve had our Akron for years and it is still the same.

Perfect for RV travel. I just replaced my six yr old Acorn jr with the same model. Perfect for grilling, smoking and baking pizza. It’s easy to transport in my RV. Also easy to clean. I highly suggest getting a 13” pizza stone for baking.

Good buy. Better than what I was expecting. Uses very little charcoal and heats up very easy.

Fantastic grill for a couple or small family. What a fantastic grill . Ideal for folks who cook for 2 or 3 people. You use very little charcoal and can still maintain a direct and indirect heat area when cooking. Very well constructed and will last for years.

Akorn Jr so Cute perfect for couples. Akorn Jr perfect and Compact takes BBQ to a new level

Smoker. This thing smokes like no tomorrow it really seals in that smokey flavor

Bulletproof and dependable. I’ve had my bbq for 2 years, and crave about to everyone. It’s super easy to pack to the lake and have a picnic with family and friends. Great product and really well designed and built!

Acorn grill. I received this Acorn grill 12 years ago for a 30 year anniversary gift from my work. It’s the best charcoal grill that I’ve ever owned.

Game changer! Have had this grill for four years and it has worked well. I love the controlled temp and the cooking space.

Excellent for travel. We have owned two AKORN Jr.s and have been very pleased with them. They are excellent for traveling in our RV and we even use it at home when cooking for 2. It heats up quick and doesn't eat as much charcoal.

So good I have 2. I bought the smoker a couple years ago for my beach house. I liked it so much I bought another one for my house in Georgia

Best travel grill. I had the large Akron for about 6 years and was gifted the small unit. I take this grill everywhere we go! Also convinced two other friends to purchase one.

Awesome baby version for camping. My brother got me one of these as as wedding gift and it's been awesome for camping.

Best Grill I have ever had. I've been grilling for 40 years, and this is my favorite of them all. Was easiest to understand and operate, and consistantly delivered the best foods I have ever made. It is inexpensive, lightweight, and the first one rusted out in about 3 years. I don't mind, time for a new one. Whatever they did in this design, they nailed it.

Great features, easy to use,. This little smoker packs of powerful punch. It is an excellent smoker. We take it everywhere. Can’t Go wrong buying this one. Highly recommend.

What shelves??? Not a review per say,but more of a heads up.The web site says the Akorn jr.is equipped with two(2) side shelves .It is in fact equipped with two (2) very robust side handles and not shelves.That being said,the Akorn jr. Is a must have . Versatile, well designed,and portable.

AKORN Jr. Small but powerful. Great charcoal grill for a single or couple

Great little kamado. I like it. Love how it holds heat. My only gripe is i was short 2 screws

Great lil grill. About 2005 I bought a akorn jr not known what to expect. It turned to to be a great grill. Easy to start a fire, and to maintain a good cooking temperature; weather it was a low 200/225 smoking, or 250/ 300 for cooking. After years of grilling n cooking the bottom burned out, would love to have another akorn of any size at this time.

GREAT HEAT. GREAT FOR THOSE SMALLER COOKS OR JUST A SMALL FAMILY

Perfect size for camping. We take camping with us, easy to transport and carry

Great Smoker! Love how easy it is to grill and smoke with the AKORN!

Even the toddler loves it! What can I say… This is a great little grill and we use it all the time! We use it on warmer winter days because we just can’t wait for summertime! This is easy to use. We have tried a lot of different charcoals and we prefer lump charcoal. Even the little toddler in the family says num num! We have had this particular grill for quite a while now and don’t know what we would do without it.

So convenient. I keep this perfectly sized grill on our lanai that makes it so easy to use. It is truly a mini Akorn

Char-Griller Akorn. I’ve had one for many years now and love it! It’s almost time to get a new one! It doesn’t look like it is very big but I was able to get a 17# brisket on there! Thanks for a great product!

Great Grill ! Super Grill..the challenge is learning the technique of a kamado style system. If you are willing to put the effort into learning this style of cooking, the rewards and results are amazing !

Best grill ever. I have own my Akorn Jr. for over 8 years and it is the best grill I have owned. I have had and still have other grills, but I like this one the best. I use it year round even in the cold and it works great. I usually grill top sirloin filets and or chicken and it turns out juicy and flavorful. I also have the smoking stone and have smoke whole chickens and they turned out great too. I have used my Akorn Jr. a lot and it had held up great, but of course I keep it out of the weather when I am not using it. I also find that a little charcoal goes a long way with this little grill. We gave our grill little Akorn Jr. the nickname “Shorty” because it looked like it needed a name. My daughter and son in law were so impressed that they got one too.

Great smoker/grill! This is my third Kamodo Acorn Jr. Grill! One for the Motorcoach, one for the deck & another one for the grilling area!

Used it once. I’ve used this once and have no issues with it! Would buy one if I had space.

Grills/smokers. These grills are awesome. I love the way they hold heat and easy to maintain a temperature you want. I have the big and small acorn grills.

Not too shabby. Nice grill/smoker, can be finicky maintaining the same temperature for a couple hours (understandable, considering size). Plenty of accessories for different cooking methods (direct/indirect heat, smoking, etc). Check for internal damage to enamel from shipping, it's a bit too thin.

Love my little grill. I’ve had my Jr for about 10 months. We were remodeling our kitchen and needed a place to cook. My Jr. was the perfect size for our needs. I smoked ribs, made delicious steaks and burgers. Chicken came out great. Now that the kitchen is finished I have a great addition to my cooking repertoire. Last night I made Korean BBQ! It came out great.

Is very portable. I've had several of these over the years. Perfect for cooking for 2 people. Also big enough for boston butt.

amazing smoked for beginners. I bought this as my first smoker and it has never failed me. The Akorn jr is so versatile I have cooked everything from pulled pork to roasted vegetables, ribs, rack of pork, fish cooked in minutes, and even desserts. It is the perfect cooker for a small backyard or a beginner to smoking, and can be great for camping / cooking on the road. 10/10 recommend.

You never look back. Best grill on the market, I love it, I’m looking at getting one for my brother so he can stop coming over to use mine.

Excellent Portable Grill. I've had this grill for almost 7 years and it is still going strong. I use it at home and on the road regularly. Soke of the best money I've ever spent.

Had it for 3 years now, it's been great. I have done tons of regular grilling as well as smoking hams, pork butts, briskets, salmon, etc on it. It holds temp and the phone app lets me sit inside drinking beer and watching TV while it works.

Perfect. I've had since 2022 and is like new still( store in porch ) when done so no harsh weather. Cooks absolutely great and since it's just me there is plenty of room. Be good for a couple too. 2 steaks etc.

You need this grill. This grill is amazing! I bought it to start teaching my daughter how to cook  while also having something we can quickly take on the go as a family. Perfect size, holds temp really well, can't ask for a better mini grill

Can't get no better. Superb for the ultimate bbq experience you can't beat this bad boy

Compact but produces great flavor. Excellent smoker Quality in a small package and mobile

Great grill. I’ve used mine for five years and works great every time.