The Adrenaline Barbecue Company (ABC), a maker of charcoal grill accessories, entered the grill market in 2019 with their new Slow ‘N Sear Deluxe Kamado (SnS K) cooker.
ABC has taken a classic 22” kamado design and incorporated their complete line of stainless steel accessories into it. This combination brings you a wide range of cooking options. The heart of the system is the Slow ‘N Sear charcoal basket with water reservoir. This feature moves the charcoal closer to the Slow ‘N Sear cooking grate, making it easy to set up a true two-zone cooking area as well as a great option for high-temperature searing.
Adrenaline BBQ incorporated the Slow ‘N Sear charcoal basket by omitting the typical fire ring which rests atop the fire bowl in most kamados. In the SnS K, a heavy grate rests on the top of the fire bowl carrying the Slow ‘N Sear charcoal basket. This grate also is used to support the ceramic diffuser when using the SnS K in an indirect configuration, traditional to kamado cookers.
The Slow ‘N Sear Kamado arrives 90% assembled. We reviewed all of the assembly instructions and completely assembled it in less than an hour—the tools you need are included. The instructions and documentation are well written and easy to understand. You will need two or three people to safely set the SnS K body in the base.
Item Specs: Slow ’N Sear Deluxe Kamado*
- Height 48″
- Width (with shelves extended) 55”
- Depth 30”
- Weight 231 lbs
*Specs taken from the Adrenaline Barbecue Company website, now SnS Grills.
What We Loved About the Slow ’N Sear Deluxe Kamado
The Slow ‘N Sear Kamado’s versatility and varying cooking options are excellent. The SnS K can be set up to cook in multiple ways, and almost everything is included. While the built-in thermometer of the SnS K seems to be accurate, it is not located at the same level as the cooking surface. The varying cooking zones in the Slow ‘N Sear require the use of a remote read thermometer, such as the Maverick XR-50, to properly monitor the temperature in each cooking area. This is clearly noted in the Slow ‘N Sear documentation.
The SnS K also comes with the ceramic diffuser, which allows you to use the cooker in the traditional indirect kamado fashion.
Another big plus for the SnS K is its ability to burn standard charcoal briquettes or lump charcoal. The Slow N Sear charcoal basket facilitates this nicely. As an added bonus, you can also use any of the ABC accessories with any standard 22” kettle grill.
Slow ’N Sear Deluxe Kamado: What Could Be Improved
We did encounter a few Slow ‘N Sear features that could be improved. While the packing for the cooker is robust, our test unit arrived with a bit of shipping-related damage. There was a large chip in the top edge of the fire bowl, caused by that component shifting in transit. Small cardboard corners were inserted between the body wall and the fire bowl to protect the fire bowl, but an additional corner piece or two could prevent the shifting that damaged our unit. This minor damage didn’t hinder the performance of the SnS K, so we moved forward.
One of the shelf supports was slightly bent where it attaches to the slow and sear shelf mounts. We corrected this by gently straightening the support with a pair of channel lock pliers (using a rag to protect the finish).
The 22” cooking grate that came with our sample was out of alignment. This made the hinge portion of the grate extremely difficult to remove and install on to the main section of cooking grate. It was also difficult to open and close while refueling. We have examined this closely and don’t believe the cooking grate was bent. This indicates the grate was manufactured in this manner. PLEASE NOTE: The discoloration on the grate in the image below is due to the heat from testing. That discoloration is a normal occurrence and not damage.
We would also like to see some improvement in the SnS K hinge- and lift-mechanism. While the hinge is certainly adequate, there is a fair amount of side-to-side movement, or softness, when lifting the lid. We understand that the Slow n Sear lid is extremely heavy, but we would love to see a more stable system on the lid—similar to that on the Kamado Joe.
Final Thoughts on the Slow ’N Sear Deluxe Kamado
The Slow ‘N Sear Kamado performs well. From a temperature standpoint, it runs solidly. It is responsive and heats up relatively quickly. It gives you a multitude of cooking options. It includes everything you need, apart from a good remote read thermometer. The minor shipping damage was disheartening, but we understand that things may sometimes occur. We are also disappointed in the construction quality of the cooking grate. For the cost of the Slow ‘N Sear—$1,499.00 as of May 2019—we expect the cooking grate to be of better quality. Hopefully, Adrenaline BBQ will address these issues with their manufacturer.