PK Grills PK300 vs PK Grills PKTX Grill & Smoker
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Quick take: The PK Grills PK300 offers more cooking space (316 vs 310 sq in).
| Spec | PK Grills PK300 | PK Grills PKTX Grill & Smoker |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$700 | ~$700 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Charcoal Grill | Charcoal Grill |
| Cooking Area | 316 sq in | 310 sq in |
| Max Temp | — | — |
| Fuel Type | Charcoal | Charcoal |
| Build Material | Cast Aluminum | Cast Aluminum |
| 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 | 22.5 x 15.2 in cooking surface |
| Weight | 60 lbs | 60 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 PKTX Grill & Smoker
- ✓The capsule and cart come apart without tools and fit in a car trunk — no other 310 sq in charcoal grill does that
- ✓Rust-proof cast aluminum with a 20-year warranty, so leaving it outside in salt air is not a problem
- ✓Four-vent airflow, two top and two bottom, for two-zone control that a kettle's single vent pair cannot match
- ✓$100 cheaper than the PK300AF and $300 cheaper than the PK360 for the same fuel-efficiency argument
- ✓A stainless cooking surface is available as an upgrade over the standard nickel steel
- ✗Older capsule than the PK300 line — the lid seal is not the redesigned one, so low-and-slow holds are looser
- ✗Nickel steel grate as standard; stainless costs extra, and nickel steel will discolor
- ✗No thermometer, no ash pan, no shelves — this is a deliberately bare grill
- ✗$700 for a grill with no cart storage and no side tables reads as expensive until you have owned it a decade