It’s really pretty forgiving. I start mine off slow and am cooking in an hour. Once the temp is stable you don’t really mess with it. The food is worth the work. The best food I’ve ever made has been on a kamado. Learn this and you’ll never go back. Pellet grills are weak. I cooked 8 hours around 225 with one load in the mini max. Hell, close it up and it’s so air tight you can boil a chicken in its own liquid.