PK Grills PK360
Charcoal Grill
~$900

PK Grills

PK Grills PK360

The PK Grills PK360 is a cast-aluminum charcoal grill and smoker with a capsule-shaped body and 4-vent airflow control for precise two-zone cooking. PK Grills makes rustproof, heirloom-quality American charcoal cookers.

Approx. price
~$900
Cooking Area
360 sq in
Fuel
Charcoal
Best For
Charcoal purists who want grilling and smoking in one

Specifications

Fuel Type
Charcoal
Cooking Area
360 sq in
Temp Range
approx 200–750°F
Build Material
Cast Aluminum
Dimensions
54 x 24 x 43 in
Weight
90 lbs
Warranty
Lifetime (capsule)
WiFi / App
No
Meat Probe
No

Features

Searing4-Vent ControlCast AluminumHinged GrateTwo-Zone CookingMarine-Grade Stainless Grates

Pros

  • The thick cast-aluminum capsule is rustproof and basically indestructible - these grills are heirloom pieces that get passed down
  • The four-vent design gives unusually precise airflow and temperature control, making both hot searing and low-and-slow smoking easy
  • The capsule shape creates a natural two-zone setup, so you can sear over direct heat and smoke on the cool side simultaneously
  • Cast aluminum heats evenly and retains heat well while staying cooler to the touch on the outside than steel
  • It excels at both grilling and smoking, making it a true do-it-all charcoal cooker in a compact footprint
  • 360 sq in is nearly 40% more cooking area than a Large Big Green Egg, useful for the price and size
  • It's relatively light at 90 lbs for its capability, and the capsule lifts off the stand for tailgating or transport
  • Marine-grade stainless grates and a passionate owner community give it a premium, well-supported feel

Cons

  • At ~$800 it's expensive for a charcoal grill, costing far more than a Weber kettle of similar size
  • 360 sq in is on the smaller side, so big-crowd cooks require batching
  • Cast aluminum doesn't retain heat as massively as a ceramic kamado, so very long overnight smokes need more fuel tending
  • It has no thermometer built into the lid on the base model, so you supply your own probe
  • The narrow capsule shape can make fitting large items like a full packer brisket a tight squeeze
  • Charcoal management and the usual lighting/ash cleanup apply, with the inherent learning curve
  • It's a niche brand without big-box presence, so most buyers order online sight-unseen
  • The open-cart design offers no enclosed storage and limited prep shelf space
Char-Griller Gravity Fed 980
~$799
Charcoal Grill
3.7(13)

The Char-Griller Gravity Fed 980 is a WiFi-controlled gravity charcoal grill and smoker with a 16 lb hopper, fan-driven 200-700°F range, and 980 sq in of space. It's the budget rival to Masterbuilt's Gravity Series with a triple-insulated body.

Gravity-Fed Charcoal Hopper200–700°F Fan Control980 sq in Capacity
Charcoal980 sq in200–700°FWiFi
Best for: Set-and-forget charcoal cooking on a budget
See specs & owner notes
Weber Master-Touch 22
~$289
Charcoal Grill
4.7(4,432)

The Weber Master-Touch 22 is the upgraded version of Weber's iconic charcoal kettle, adding a hinged Gourmet BBQ System grate, a built-in thermometer, and a Tuck-Away lid holder. It's a benchmark backyard charcoal grill.

Hinged GBS GrateOne-Touch Ash CleanupBuilt-In Thermometer
Charcoal363 sq inapprox 225–700°F
Best for: Versatile charcoal grilling and light smoking
See specs & owner notes
Weber Original Kettle Premium 22
~$229
Charcoal Grill

The Weber Original Kettle Premium 22 is the iconic charcoal kettle that started backyard grilling in America, upgraded with a built-in thermometer, hinged grate, and sealed One-Touch ash catcher. It's the single most-recommended first grill on Reddit.

The Iconic Charcoal KettleOne-Touch Ash CatcherBuilt-In Thermometer
Charcoal363 sq inapprox 225–700°F
Best for: The classic do-everything first charcoal grill
See specs & owner notes
Masterbuilt Gravity Series XT
~$1,799
Charcoal Grill

The Gravity XT is Masterbuilt's current gravity-fed flagship and a direct response to the #1 complaint about the original 560/800/1050 series: build quality. The XT gets dual-wall FuelSaver insulation, a porcelain-coated interior, beefier hardware, and a 3-year warranty (up from 1), while keeping the party trick that made the line famous - real charcoal flavor with pellet-grill automation, from a 225F smoke to a legitimate 700F cast-iron sear in minutes. Owners and reviewers consistently call it the best-cooking gravity smoker you can buy, with better fuel efficiency and steadier temps than the old 1050 and the Char-Griller Gravity 980. The honest caveats: at $1,799 it costs nearly triple what a Gravity 800 street-prices for, it's a 199 lb two-person assembly job, and the electronics-in-a-charcoal-grill concern hasn't vanished - fans, switches, and control boards remain the failure points owners report, though XT-generation complaints are notably rarer. The hopper's 12 lbs of lump or 18 lbs of briquettes genuinely runs an overnight brisket. If you want charcoal taste with an app and don't want a Big Green Egg's learning curve, this is the class leader.

True 225-700F range - smokes like a cabinet smoker, sears hotter than any pellet grillGravity-fed hopper runs up to 24 hours of unattended charcoal cookingXT generation fixes the original Gravity Series' build-quality complaints
Charcoal (gravity-fed)1260 sq in225-700FWiFi
Best for: Serious backyard cooks who want authentic charcoal flavor with set-and-forget digital automation and a real searing capability pellet grills can't match.
See specs & owner notes
Masterbuilt Gravity Series 800
~$900
Electric Smoker
4.4(1,800)

The Masterbuilt Gravity Series 800 is a digital, app-controlled charcoal grill, griddle, and smoker that uses a gravity-fed charcoal hopper and a fan-driven digital controller to automate charcoal cooking. It blends real charcoal flavor with set-and-forget convenience.

Gravity-Fed Charcoal HopperDigital Fan ControlGriddle Insert Included
Wood/Charcoal800 sq in225–700°FWiFi
Best for: Real charcoal flavor with digital automation
See specs & owner notes
Weber Genesis E-325s
No longer sold new
~$899
Gas Grill
4.6(1,046)

The Weber Genesis E-325s is a 3-burner premium propane gas grill with a dedicated sear zone and side burner, part of Weber's redesigned Genesis line. Weber is the benchmark brand for backyard gas grills. Note: this model is no longer sold new as of 2026. Its current equivalent is the Weber Genesis E-325. (2024 refresh dropped the 's' (stainless flavorizer bars became porcelain); weber.com E-325s NG listed $849 'Currently Unavailable', new E-325 $899)

Dedicated Sear Zone39,000 BTU 3-Burner12-Year Warranty
Propane/Natural Gas513 sq inapprox 175–600°F
Best for: Everyday backyard gas grilling done right
See specs & owner notes