PK Grills PK300 vs PK Grills PKGO with FlipKit
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Quick take: The PK Grills PKGO with FlipKit costs $300 less; the PK Grills PK300 offers more cooking space (316 vs 204 sq in).
| Spec | PK Grills PK300 | PK Grills PKGO with FlipKit |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$700 | ~$400 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Charcoal Grill | Charcoal Grill |
| Cooking Area | 316 sq in | 204 sq in |
| Max Temp | — | — |
| Fuel Type | Charcoal | Charcoal |
| Build Material | Cast Aluminum | 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 | Yes | Yes |
| Dimensions | 37.35 x 42.75 x 16.21 in | 17 x 12 in cooking surface |
| Weight | 60 lbs | 39.5 lbs |
| Warranty | 20 years cast aluminum body, 3 years stainless grates, 2 years other metal parts | 20 years |
Pros & cons
PK Grills PK300
- ✓Cast aluminum body carries a 20-year warranty and physically cannot rust through, unlike porcelain-over-steel
- ✓Four-point venting — one damper per corner — gives finer two-zone control than a kettle's two dampers
- ✓The capsule shape puts a deep hot end and a shallow cool end in one chamber without any insert
- ✓60 lbs and the body lifts off the cart, so it can go in a truck for tailgating
- ✓$300 less than the PK360 while keeping the same aluminum construction and venting system
- ✗316 sq in is less grate than a $149 Weber kettle for four and a half times the money
- ✗Aluminum heats fast but stores little heat, so it is more sensitive to wind than a ceramic or a heavy steel cooker
- ✗Rectangular capsule shape means kettle accessories — rotisserie rings, baskets, inserts — do not fit
- ✗No hinged lid; the lid comes fully off and needs somewhere to go
- ✗Temperature gauge is warranted for only one year, the weakest part of an otherwise 20-year grill
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