When I first joined this forum I was on the verge of buying a Grill Dome Kamado. I had two Weber Kettles which I've used all my life. When I saw the dedication and loyalty of all you fine members to Weber, it convinced me to keep my focus on Weber for my smoking needs. I bought my WSM's and haven't looked back since. I did do a lot of research at the time and if I were to consider a Kamado Ceramic style cooker, which I won't, I'd go with either the Grill Dome or the Kamado Joe over the BGE.
I had an 18" WSM. I found it too small for me. While looking for something bigger, I came across an Akorn Kamado on Craigslist. It's advertised as 22". But, it's only 20" of cooking surface and 22" OD. I haven't had it long enough to render a verdict. But, I'm impressed so far. It is very efficient. I put charcoal in it once and have cooked several times on that same load.
I found a few advantages of the Akorn the over the WSM:
1. Akorn has a hinged lid (yes, I know you can buy one for the kettle, but it makes me a little nervous that it could separate between the lower 2 versions, plus you have to pay extra for it and drill holes)
2. Akorn can cook in a broader range of temps
3. Akorn is more efficient
4. Akorn has wheels
5. The one I got has a table
I think the Akorn even has advantages over the ceramic kamados:
1. lighter weight
2. this could be a pro or a con, but while insulated well, the container walls themselves don't act like a heat sink so easier to cool (this is a little bit of speculation)
3. can use Kingsford
4. costs less
The biggest advantage of the WSM over the Akorn is that the WSM is made to last forever.
Don't get me wrong, I have 3 kettles that I love. They do 90% or more of what I want. That's why I didn't want to spend $1500 to fill that 10%. Weber's got excellent customer service, too. But, I think I'm going to enjoy the Akorn. I wish Weber would make one like the Akorn. I don't think the charcoal summit qualifies. It's a premium product. I wish Weber could make a WSM priced product like the Akorn.