PK Grills PKO-SCAX-X Original: The Ultimate Grill & Smoker Combo for Delicious BBQ

Scooter Lerner: Absolutely brilliant and time-tested design. The airflow/temp control is much nimbler than anything else I've used. Sized just right for a small BBQ, but prob not my first choice for a full brisket. Well worth the money if you're looking to get great results from closely managed indirect cooking/smoking. Also, this particular model is the only PK Grill still made in the US (if that is important to you).

United States on Nov 16, 2022

Mark R.: Great cooker, but minor damage from shipping brings the rating down. Thw axel was slightly bent and the fire grate had several bent rods at each end. The fire grate was easily straightened with a hand sledge on the anvil of my vise, but the axel was much harder to straighten since it was soft aluminum. It took as long to get it straight as it did to assemble the cooker. Cooks great and a load of charcoal lasts a long time,

United States on Nov 07, 2022

Kindle Customer: The grill is very solidly made and easy to assemble. The all-aluminum construction is appreciated, and most importantly, it cooks great. I know it will last decades.

On the negative side, there are some puzzling features.

1. The cooking grate is flush with the top of the bottom casting. There is no backstop for grilled items when you are doing to flip them. Come on, guys, put a lip above the grate! I don't want to push my burger off the side when I go to flip it (admittedly, my dogs appreciate this feature).

2. The vents move opposite directions above and below. How's about a consistent theme - push to close and pull to open, or vice versa?

3. Ash containment is poor. How's about a catcher pan up tight to the bottom of the grill?

I think some of these issues have been fixed on the new, improved and more expensive version. However, they are annoying flaws on a $400 grill.

United States on Feb 12, 2022

Amazon Customer: I love this grill. First it is very well built. Second the grill holds heat extraordinarily well. Third, this bbq is all you need to be a backyard grill master.

Canada on Jul 11, 2019

Erich Johnson: This thing is awesome! First off assembly was very easy and straightforward. I completed the thing is about 20 minutes. There did seem to be some paint on the top/bottom pieces as others have said, but I read the reviews before I received the grill and had a rag ready to wipe it off. I use this mainly as a grill during the weekdays and a smoker on the weekends. Grilling is very easy and quite delicious on this grill. I stack my coals in the center and get the grill up to about 350-400 degrees F to sear meat for 2-3 mins on each side. I then move the meat slightly out of the center of the coals so that the internal temp can reach the desired level. For smoking I purchased a weber briquette basket and use that as my coal bay. I have also purchased a 12x12 baking pan to act as a grease catcher/water pan. I usually light the charcoal in a chimney starter and then transfer them to the basket once they are ashed over. I fill the basket about 1/3 to 1/2 way and then place a few briquettes on top of the lit briquettes. Keep the bottom vent under the basket 1/3 open and the top vent opposite of the basket 1/2 open. Other vents remain closed. Let the grill sit for about an hour so that it...

United States on Sep 25, 2013

John: I don't typically review products online although depend on them to help make decisions on purchases...after tonight I wanted to submit a review I hope others will find helpful. I have traditionally been a gas griller and have literally zero experience on a charcoal grill. That being said, I have always wanted a grill that would last a long time and after much research settled on giving this grill a try. Before I get to the obvious positive info as apparent based on my rating of this grill let me say a few constructive things...

This grill is not as large as I expected. While plenty ample for my uses, for the price, I would have thought you would have gotten a bit more grilling area. In addition to this, the height of the grill is low as other reviewers indicated. Not sure the logic there but it is low! Haven't found it to be an issue as the secret to this grill is to keep it closed so the times you are bending over the grill are minimal. Also, I think the recommended amount of charcoal (20-30 pieces) is too low for the required temp. I bought a weber "chimney" to light my charcoal and filled it about 3/4 of the way full and this seemed to fix the low temp...

United States on May 26, 2012