Like the Mini, the Akorn heats very quickly, maybe even quicker. I can get to 400°, stable, in about 15 minutes, probably quicker with practice. The spatched game hen was cooked over lump from a previous cook. I stirred it, lit it with my torch, set the vents where I thought they should be and came back in 15 minutes to find 400° on the nose. I waited a while to see if it would change. It didn't so I put the bird on.

I use my large egg, almost always, without a top vent. I don't think I could control temp very well without it on the Akorn. And it doesn't just sit up there anyway, it has to be bolted on. 

The thermo was perfectly calibrated out of the box. It's only 1 3/4" diameter though and has a black face which I find harder to read. 

For indirect cooks, CharGriller sells a legless platesetter for $35 delivered, but in my usual fashion (i.e. cheap bastid), I made my own for $6. . I bought a 10" terra cotta planter tray and a 36" x 3/16" steel rod from HD. Bent the rod into a triangle like an old west chuck wagon dinner bell. The planter tray sits on it nicely. Worked great on yesterday's butt cook (first time I've used it). Pics below.

If I decide I need to raise the grid above the gasket, I can place my Mini Woo in the grid and the Mini grid in top of that. Smaller, but still what I had when I had the Mini.

I need a table! With the bolted on legs, it's too low if I set it on my patio. If I set it on my standard height patio table, it's too high. Need a coffee table I guess, or maybe an end table. Wherever I put it, it WILL be out of the reach of my devastating dog!!

I don't know how long this thing will hold up. The inside parts appear to be the same as Weber grills and those last forever. We'll see. Five year rust thru/burn thru warranty. One year other stuff.

Bottom line, I'm pleased.

•Temp control is coming around. For yesterday''s butt, it worked pretty well, even when it started to rain.
•It's affordable,
•Doesn't burn much lump,
•Offers plenty of grid space for my needs,
•it's larger than the MM, but at 35 lb, it's less than half the weight (MM 76 lbs). It's even 4 lbs lighter than the Mini. 
•Every component part is readily available from the manufacturer (affordable too - Fire grate $7, Firebox $30). 
•Now I can cook Mom some Q when I visit!

Some pics...

Chicken thigh


Cornish hen


Where it spent much of yesterday. No temp controller required, though I did check often. After some early temp chasing, it settled down right about here, ±.


A 6+ lb chunk o' pork after a couple of hours...


After five hours, done! About 203°. Excellent bark and flavor!


Here's my $6 foil covered terra cotta "platesetter/drip pan" and support triangle. I filled the firebox with Wicked Good right up to the triangle. Also, several chunks of pecan and apple. Actually, the triangle was resting on the lump at the start.

I didn't notice any burnt smell or taste from using the platesetter as a drip pan. Though it looks like I should have! In any case, I have a fix for it - just didn't think of it yesterday. One of those 8 1/2" pizza stones from amazon on the triangle, then foil balls, then the PS/drip pan. Next time.



Without a doubt, I will be using this often and I would definitely buy again.

Almost forgot, yesterday's Cuban mojo criollo pork, brown rice and black beans from my pressure cooker (unsoaked, 30 minutes!) No bun, no sauce needed! Delicious pork! Marinated in homemade mojo criollo overnight (all outer fat and skin removed) and then basted with more marinade throughout the cook. But it sure is a brown meal, eh?


And finally, to give credit where credit is due, the reason I was even in the market for another small cooker...


Thanks for lookin!'