Char-Griller
Char-Griller AKORN Kamado
$399.99
Best Charcoal Grills · head-to-head
Char-Griller AKORN Kamado vs Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared is cheaper at $199.99. Every spec and price links to its source.
Char-Broil
Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared
$199.99Cheaper
Released 2015
Which is better: the Char-Griller AKORN Kamado or Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared?
On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared is the cheaper at $199.99.
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Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | Char-Griller AKORN Kamado | Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $399.99 | $199.99 |
| Brand | Char-Griller | Char-Broil |
| Released | — | 2015 |
| Type | kamado | kettle |
| Primary cooking area sqin | 325 | 360 |
| Material | Triple-walled insulated steel with cast iron cooking grates | Porcelain-coated steel with TRU-Infrared porcelain grate |
| Hinged cooking grate | No | No |
| Ash catcher | Yes | Yes |
| Built in thermometer | Yes | Yes |
| Diameter or size (in) | 20 in | 22.5 in |
| Release | — | 2015 |
Sources — Char-Griller AKORN Kamado: chargriller.com (verified 2026-06-19). Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared: charbroil.com (verified 2026-06-19).
What's the difference between the Char-Griller AKORN Kamado and Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (4 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.
- Type: Char-Griller AKORN Kamado kamado vs Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared kettle
- Primary cooking area sqin: Char-Griller AKORN Kamado 325 vs Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared 360
- Material: Char-Griller AKORN Kamado Triple-walled insulated steel with cast iron cooking grates vs Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared Porcelain-coated steel with TRU-Infrared porcelain grate
- Diameter or size (in): Char-Griller AKORN Kamado 20 in vs Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared 22.5 in
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
Char-Griller AKORN Kamado
One whitelisted tester — Reviewed (USA Today) — hands-on tested this exact model (Char-Griller E16620 Akorn) and named it Best Value: it cooks just as well as a more expensive kamado and is very easy to clean, but struggles to hold low smoking temperatures and may not last as long as pricier ceramic kamados. (1 sourced review, 1 lab-tested.)
Praised: Works just as well as a more expensive kamado at a fraction of the cost (Best Value pick); Cast-iron grates deliver nice sear marks over direct heat; Very easy to clean — the entire bottom unhooks to dump ash.
Flagged: Hard to reach low smoking temperatures; floor around 275°F with a learning curve; Smokin' Stone deflector plate is smaller than the grate, so food on the edges over-chars; Build quality and durability lag pricier kamados.
Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared
One whitelisted hands-on tester survived verification — Reviewed (USA Today), whose chef-tester ran the Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared through a live cook-off against seven rivals and ranked it near the bottom. It praised the TRU-Infrared grate's sear and the hinged lid, but flagged a wobbly build, a v-shaped grate that traps grease and burnt bits, grates with no hinges (forcing hands into a dangerously hot spot when adding coals), and a handle-less ash bucket, concluding better grills exist for the price. (1 sourced review, 1 lab-tested.)
Praised: TRU-Infrared grate produced a beautiful sear and grill marks on burgers; Hinged lid.
Flagged: Wobbly, unstable build versus competitors; V-shaped grate very difficult to clean; grease and burnt bits lodge in crevices; Grates have no hinges, putting hands in a dangerously hot spot when adding coals.