Char-Griller Classic Cart Style Charcoal Grill vs PK Grills PKGO with FlipKit
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Quick take: The Char-Griller Classic Cart Style Charcoal Grill offers more cooking space (550 vs 204 sq in).
| Spec | Char-Griller Classic Cart Style Charcoal Grill | PK Grills PKGO with FlipKit |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$400 | ~$400 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Charcoal Grill | Charcoal Grill |
| Cooking Area | 550 sq in | 204 sq in |
| Max Temp | 700°F | — |
| Fuel Type | Charcoal | Charcoal |
| Build Material | Powder-Coated Steel with Porcelain-Coated Cast Iron Grates | Cast Aluminum with Cast Iron Grates |
| Hopper Capacity | — | — |
| Burners | — | — |
| WiFi / App | No | No |
| App control | No | No |
| Meat probe | No | No |
| PID controller | No | No |
| Side burner | No | No |
| Rotisserie | No | No |
| Searing | No | Yes |
| Dimensions | 57.3 x 28.1 x 51.8 in | 17 x 12 in cooking surface |
| Weight | 86.4 lbs | 39.5 lbs |
| Warranty | 5 years | 20 years |
Pros & cons
Char-Griller Classic Cart Style Charcoal Grill
- ✓810 sq in of total cooking surface for $400 — roughly three times a 22-inch kettle's grate for under twice the price
- ✓The charcoal pan raises and lowers on an external crank, so you change sear distance without opening the lid or moving coals
- ✓Cast iron grates are porcelain-coated rather than bare, which is the version that survives a season outdoors
- ✓Side firebox port is pre-cut, so the Char-Griller side fire box bolts on later and turns it into an offset smoker
- ✓Runs to 700°F, high enough to actually sear, which most thin-steel barrel grills do not reach
- ✓EasyDump ash pan pulls out from the front rather than needing the grill tipped
- ✗2 lb maximum charcoal capacity is small for the grate size — long cooks need refueling
- ✗Steel barrel, not insulated ceramic, so it leaks heat badly below freezing and burns through charcoal fast
- ✗86 lbs on two wheels with a fixed front leg; it rolls on a flat patio and fights you anywhere else
- ✗Lid seal is metal-on-metal with no gasket, so smoke escapes and temperature control is coarser than a kamado
- ✗No thermometer worth trusting at grate level — the lid dial reads dome temperature
PK Grills PKGO with FlipKit
- ✓Cast iron grates on a portable — the Weber Go-Anywhere and every $90 tabletop ship plated wire
- ✓20-year warranty on a grill you will abuse in a truck bed
- ✓Rust-proof aluminum means sand and salt water do not end its life
- ✓FlipKit converts it between a lidded grill and an open hibachi without tools
- ✓204 sq in is roughly double a Weber Go-Anywhere's usable grate
- ✗$400 is four times a Weber Go-Anywhere and more than a full-size Char-Griller barrel
- ✗39.5 lbs is heavy for something described as portable — this is a car grill, not a hike-in grill
- ✗Cast aluminum sheds heat quickly, so it burns through charcoal faster than a heavy steel portable
- ✗No thermometer, no ash management, no shelf