PK Grills PKTX Grill & Smoker
Charcoal Grill
~$700

PK Grills

PK Grills PKTX Grill & Smoker

The original 1950s PK capsule, still in production, on a knock-down aluminum cart with stainless hardware. PK calls it 'King of the Tailgate' because the capsule lifts off and the cart disassembles without tools, so the whole grill goes in a trunk. The PK300 and PK300AF use a newer, redesigned capsule; the PKTX is the classic one, sold in classic silver.

Approx. price
~$700
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Cooking Area
310 sq in
Fuel
Charcoal
Best For
Tailgaters and campers who want a grill that packs flat and will outlive the vehicle

Specifications

Fuel Type
Charcoal
Cooking Area
310 sq in
Build Material
Cast Aluminum
Dimensions
22.5 x 15.2 in cooking surface
Weight
60 lbs
Warranty
20 years
WiFi / App
No
Meat Probe
No

Features

Searing

Pros

  • ✓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

Cons

  • ✗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
PK Grills
~$700
Charcoal Grill

The PK300 is the modern version of the capsule-shaped cast aluminum grill PK has built since 1952, sitting below the PK360 already in the catalog. Cast aluminum conducts heat several times faster than steel and cannot rust, which is why 60-year-old PKs still turn up working. The four-point venting system — a damper at each corner of the capsule — is what makes its two-zone cooking unusually controllable for a grill with no fan or controller.

Cast aluminum, 20-year body warranty4-point venting60 lbs, capsule shape
Charcoal316 sq in
Best for: A charcoal cook who wants precise two-zone control in a rustproof grill that will outlast several kettles
See specs & owner notes
PK Grills PK300AF Franklin Edition
~$800
Charcoal Grill

PK's collaboration with Aaron Franklin, sitting $100 above the standard PK300. Same rust-proof cast-aluminum capsule and four-vent layout, but with a redesigned lid seal, cast-aluminum wheels with rubber tires, two folding cast-aluminum shelves that lock the capsule to the cart, and an all-aluminum cart instead of the PK300's. It is the PK300 with the parts most owners complain about upgraded.

Cast aluminum capsule, 20-year warrantyPrecision lid sealCast-aluminum wheels and locking shelves
Charcoal316 sq in
Best for: The PK300 buyer who would rather pay $100 once than replace the cart hardware later
See specs & owner notes
PK Grills PK360
~$900
Charcoal Grill

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.

Rustproof Cast Aluminum4-Vent Airflow ControlCapsule Two-Zone Design
Charcoal360 sq inapprox 200–750°F
Best for: Purists who want grilling and smoking on one heavy cart
See specs & owner notes
PK Grills PKGO with FlipKit
~$400
Charcoal Grill

PK's portable: a cast-aluminum clamshell on a molded cradle with cast iron cooking surfaces, 204 sq in, 39.5 lbs. The FlipKit is the second grate and charcoal grate that lets it be run as a covered grill or flipped open as a double-sided hibachi. It carries the same 20-year warranty as the full-size PKs, which is unusual for a portable.

39.5 lbs cast aluminumCast iron cooking surfaces20-year warranty on a portable
Charcoal204 sq in
Best for: Car camping and beach cooking where a Weber Go-Anywhere is too small and too thin
See specs & owner notes
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
Masterbuilt Gravity Series 600
~$800
Charcoal Grill

The current entry point to Masterbuilt's gravity-fed line and the direct replacement for the discontinued Gravity Series 560. A vertical hopper holds charcoal above the firebox and feeds it down by gravity while a variable-speed DigitalFan regulates air, so it behaves like a pellet grill but burns lump or briquettes. The 600 keeps the 560's footprint but adds dual-wall insulation with a porcelain interior and takes the hopper to 17.6 lb.

225–700°F on charcoal17.6 lb gravity hopperDual-wall insulated body
Charcoal600 sq in225–700°FWiFi
Best for: The buyer who wants charcoal flavour with pellet-grill convenience and does not need a 1,000 sq in cook surface
See specs & owner notes