You don’t need a giant manual or to be a mechanical engineer to assemble a Kong Kamado Smoker Grill. It’s only a matter of attaching some wheels and side tables. We have a video that walks you through how to assemble the Kong.

The charcoal will heat up and should be allowed to remain red hot for at least 30 minutes before you use your Kong for the first time. Leave the coals in position once they are lit—don’t try to turn or stoke them; this will ensure a more uniform and efficient burn.

Replacement parts for the Kong can be purchased from our online store.

Open the grill’s bottom vent and use the ash tool to rake out the remaining ashes. If you’re using natural lump charcoal, you’ll need to do this after about 8–10 uses (a big buildup of ash will reduce airflow and impact the grill’s heating properties).

First, place a newspaper roll and either solid relighters or lighter cubes on the Kong’s charcoal plate. Next, put two to three handfuls of lump charcoal over the top of the newspaper. Open the bottom vent and use either a long-nosed lighter or safety matches to light the newspaper. Once the newspaper catches, build a small bed of hot embers by keeping the bottom vent and lid open for at least 10 minutes. IMPORTANT: Never use gasoline, lighter fluid, alcohol, or other flammable substances to light or relight your grill. Never overload the unit with fuel, as intense heat may damage your grill.

If you are cooking slowly and at low temperatures, close both vents before the thermometer reaches 220°F. For medium roasting, let the grill reach about 300°F, then shut down the vents to halfway. For high heats, wait until the temperature reaches 500–550°F and then close the vents halfway.

Close both the bottom slide door and the top vent completely, and leave them like this until the desired cooking temperature is reached. Then, readjust the slide door and the top vent to regulate the temperature.