Photo: Char-Griller
What We Like
- Large cooking area (447 square inches) with folding side shelves
- Insulated triple wall design
- Solid steel construction
- Cart mounted with two front 8-inch wheels and a rear locking caster wheel
- Adjustable dampers for temperature control
What We Don’t Like
- No accessories
Bottom Line
Certain convenience features simplify the grilling process and if you must have these, be sure to check out Char-Griller’s E16620.
Introduction
Convenience and ease of use are always important factors to consider before buying any product and Char-Griller’s E16620 gives you just that.
It is packed with features that enhance your grilling experience and on top of that, it has a kamado design, which makes it a grill, smoker, and backyard oven in one. Go through the review below to learn more about what this product has to offer.
Char-Griller E16620 Review
Photo: Char-Griller
Performance: High Capacity with Low Fuel Consumption
With a 314 square-inch primary cooking surface, Char-Griller’s E16620 can be used to prepare food for a lot of people. This surface is 20 inches in diameter and according to the manufacturer, it can fit 27 burgers, which can serve a full family.
In addition to this, the unit has a 133 square inch warming rack that is removable and this can be used to keep bread warm as you cook the burgers below. Combined, this gives you a total cooking surface of 447 square inches, which is quite large.
That said, the unit uses charcoal as fuel and this is placed right above the ash pan. From the pan going upwards (body and lid), the walls are triple-layered, and this acts as insulation to prevent heat loss.
Additionally, the lid has a locking mechanism that firmly presses it into the body to seal off any exit points. This minimizes heat loss and thus, you can use very little charcoal to heat the cooking surface, which can be maintained in the range of 200-700ºF.
Design: Convenience at Your Fingertips
One of the greatest advantages of this charcoal grill is its convenient design, which is meant to ease its use. For instance, it has 3 long sturdy legs that raise the cooking surface to a comfortable working height that does not require you to bend when preparing your food.
Each of these legs has a wheel attached for easy movement, with the two front ones having large 8-inch size wheels while the rear one has a lockable caster. This enables you to navigate through corners when pushing the grill and lock it once you reach the required spot.
Other than that, you get two side shelves that can be used to hold plates, sauces, and cooking accessories. These can be folded downwards when not in use to make the grill more compact for easy transportation.
At the end of each shelf are a set of utensil hooks that can be used to neatly organize your cooking spoons on the sides.
Other features include a lower shelf for additional storage space and an insulated lid handle for glove-free use.
Setup Process: Very Easy
Though it comes as a set of multiple separate pieces, this E16620 is very easy to assemble. It comes with a detailed user manual that contains the parts list and assembly instructions that make this process a breeze.
These instructions are very clear and the parts themselves are marked clearly so that you can choose them without comparing to the drawings.
The same article states that assembly takes about an hour but before getting down to roasting, you must season the cast iron grates to make them non-stick.
Cleaning: Very Easy
With charcoal grills, the most annoying thing is getting rid of ash because it can be very messy. However, Char-Griller’s E16620 is equipped with an easy-dump ash pan, which has hangers that attach it to the grill’s body and can be easily removed to dispose of the accumulated ash.
Apart from that, while the grill’s exterior is powder-coated, the interior is coated using porcelain, and this creates a smooth surface that is easy to wipe.
Donna Currie – a blogger specializing in kitchen gadgets – also states that with the ash pan removed, you can wash down the interior using a hose to quickly get rid of any dirt.
The only section that can be challenging to clean is the cooking surface because the cast iron grates are not coated using a non-stick material. However, with continued seasoning, these grates become non-stick overtime.
Portability: Cart Mounted
Though quite heavy (97 lbs.), the E16620 is mounted on a cart that has 3 long legs with a wheel on each leg. Therefore, moving it does not require lifting. Instead, it requires pushing and pulling to get it into and out of storage.
However, the grill is not very compact. It measures 45 x 31 x 47 inches and therefore, it is not ideal for tailgating, camping, and other outdoor events. Instead, it should be based at home where it can be easily moved in and out of storage.
Heating and Cooling: Top and Bottom Dampers
The main components that are used to control heating and cooling in the E16620 are the adjustable top and bottom dampers.
They do so by regulating airflow into and out of the grill, which can create a perfect environment for high heating or slow smoking within a temperature range of 200-700ºF.
These two are indexed with 5 numbered opening positions, which allow you to easily note the damper adjustment level.
That said, these adjustments can be used to raise and lower the temperature in the following way:
Top Damper | Bottom Damper | Temperature | Ideal For |
|---|---|---|---|
Fully closed | 2/5 open | 200 – 225ºF | Smoking |
1/5 open | 1/5 open | 300ºF | Grilling chicken tenders, burgers, and ribs |
1/5 open | 2/5 open | 325ºF | Grilling poultry and turkey breast |
Fully closed | 3/5 open | 350ºF | Roasting beef and pork |
Fully open | 4/5 open | Over 450ºF | Searing steaks |
Of course, controlling the temperature in a charcoal grill is not as easy as compared to a gas grill because when hot, it can take some time to lower it.
Therefore, you need to monitor the temperature level continuously and for this, a temperature gauge is built into the lid, and it shows the internal temperature in both ºC and ºF.
Accessories: None
No accessories are included with this grill. There are various extras that you can buy though, some from Char-Griller and others from different manufacturers.
One of the most popular accessories is the smoking/pizza stone and Char-Griller’s 6201 is the ideal choice. This diverts heat around the perimeter of the grill, creating an outdoor oven that can be used to bake bread, pizza, cookies, etc.
Read More: Essential BBQ Accessories
Price: Mid-Range
This grill sits in the middle of the price range among charcoal grills from different manufacturers and even among Char-Grill’s kamado charcoal grill lineup.
That said, within the manufacturer’s listing, the Char-Griller E6520 costs almost the same as the E16620, and therefore, this is the best choice for comparison purposes.
The E6520 is mounted on a larger 26 x 26-inch steel cart that offers more shelf space, but it lacks a warming rack. Otherwise, all other features are very similar.
Verdict
A conveniently designed charcoal grill/smoker/oven that is very fuel-efficient and is ideal for preparing large servings.
Char-Griller’s E16620 is designed to give you an easy time when grilling by enhancing your user experience. For this, it has long wheeled legs, multiple shelves, utensil hooks, and an insulated lid handle, just to name a few.
The unit also has a large cooking capacity, with enough space to cook 27 burgers at once, while a triple wall design helps to hold heat inside, making it very fuel-efficient.
Specs
- Product Name: Char-Griller E16620
- Product Brand: Char-Griller
- Fuel Type: Charcoal
- Primary Cooking Area: 314 square inches
- Secondary Cooking Area: 133 square inches
- Material: Powder-coated 22-gauge steel
- Product Dimensions: 45 x 31 x 47 inches
- Weight: 97 lbs.
- Warranty: 5 years (burn through and rust-through), 1 year (defective parts)
Key Features
- Relatively large cooking surface with folding side shelves and utensil hooks.
- Triple wall for maximum heat holding.
- Cart mounted with two front 8-inch wheels and a rear caster locking wheel.
- Solid 22-gauge steel construction.
- Adjustable top and bottom indexed dampers.
- Easy dump ash pan.
- Cast iron cooking grates.
- Removable warming rack.
- Locking lid with an insulated handle for glove-free use.
- Built-in temperature gauge.