8 Best Kamado Grills Reviewed
Do you thing that you are the best at doing some BBQ in Kamado Grills? Have you ever tested more than one Kamado Grill ever? If not, sorry, there is a lot of cushion of improvement in your BBQ skills. Yes, your steak and hams will taste much better with a good Kamado unit. We have tested that, did a lot of work in choosing the best Kamado grills for you to win you a BBQ competition in economical price.
Wait, if you love hassle free smoking, the best electric smokers are waiting for your sight.
It’s a hectic thing to find the best Kamado grills as there is tremendous competition in the market. Kamado grills are small cooking grills, so if you want to throw a barbecue party for 3 to 6 people, grab these Kamado smokers and enjoy smoking.
- Best Kamado Grills for the Money
- 1. Kamado Joe KJ23RHC Classic II Charcoal Grill -Best Overall
- Overview
- 2. Weber Summit Charcoal and Grill -Runner Up
- Overview
- 3. Kamado Joe Classic KJ23RHCI-A Charcoal Grill
- 4. Char-Griller E16620 Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill -Best Inexpensive
- 5. Kamado Joe BJ24RHC Big Joe II Charcoal Grill -Best Space
- 6. Aoxun 13″ Kamado Grill, Roaster and Smoker -Best Small
- 7. Char-Griller E06614 Akorn Jr. Kamado Cooker -Best Budget
- 8. Char-Griller 6020 AKORN Kamado Charcoal Ceramic Grill -Best for Winters
- What are Kamado Grills?
- Kamado Grills Evolution
- How do Kamado Grills and Smokers Work?
- Types of Kamado Grills
- What Can You Cook in a Kamado Grill?
- What to Look for Before Buying a Kamado Grill?
- Additional things to focus on for Buying a Kamado Grill
- Advantages of Using a Kamado Grills
- Disadvantages of Using a Kamado Grill
- Wrapping up
Tight your belt and read reviews about Kamado grills!
Best Kamado Grills for the Money
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | FEATURES | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Best Overall
|
Kamado Joe KJ23RHC Classic II Charcoal Grill |
|
Check on Amazon |
|
Runner Up
|
Weber Summit Charcoal and Grill |
|
Check on Amazon |
|
Best Value
| Kamado Joe Classic KJ23RHCI-A Charcoal Grill |
|
Check on Amazon |
|
Best Inexpensive
|
Char-Griller E16620 Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill |
|
Check on Amazon |
|
Best Space
|
Kamado Joe BJ24RHC Big Joe II Charcoal Grill |
|
Check on Amazon |
|
Best Small
|
Aoxun 13″ Kamado Grill, Roaster and Smoker |
|
Check on Amazon |
|
Best Budget
|
Char-Griller E06614 Akorn Jr. Kamado Kooker |
|
Check on Amazon |
|
Best for Winter
 |
Char-Griller 6020 AKORN Kamado Charcoal Ceramic Grill |
|
Check on Amazon |
1. Kamado Joe KJ23RHC Classic II Charcoal Grill -Best Overall
|Warranty: Lifetime on ceramics|
|5 years on metal parts|
|3 years on heat deflector and pizza stone|
|1 year on thermometer and gasket|
|Barbecue material: Glazed ceramic|
|Grate material: Stainless steel|
|Cooking capacity: 256 square inches in basic setup|
|407 square inches with grill expander|
|508 square inches with 2 sets of grates|
|660 square inches with 2 sets of grates and expander|
|Weight: 188 pounds|
|Heat Range: 225°F – 750°F|
|Dimensions: 46.5″ W x 48″ H x 28″ D|
Overview
Humans and their love for food is an ancient culture. We love to eat delicious food that makes us happy. Grilling and smoking is the best form of cooking, and well-cooked food is our priority. To grill at the optimal level, Kamado Joe Classic 18 inch grill is one of the best smokers available in the market. So, let’s read about the detailed review of this grill.
The reviews about Kamado grills are incomplete without mentioning the Kamado Joe Classic II. This Kamado grill baby is one of the best grills available in the market. This looks not only good, but this Kamado Joe Classic has high-quality innovative features that take it to the next level.
Kamado Joe Classic made with high-fired walls that keep the heat well that provide the perfect cooking environment for smoking and keeping the meat moisturized.
The outer part build with porcelain-gazed material. The heat-resistant features keeps the shell cool. The high-quality material of the grill makes it a heavy smoker that can lift with a hinge which means it’s no longer a negative thing. It has a new technology that reduces its dome size by 96% means you can open the lid with a finger.
Kamado Joe has Control Tower, which deals with low-quality leaky vents. This tower will not rust easily because of high-quality aluminum.
It gives you precise control of airflow as it’s a weatherproof and easily adjustable Kamado grill. Kamado Joe Classic has a multi-panel firebox that runs your grill hot. The risk of cracking due to high heat reduces because its six chunks allow to expanding it.
You can find the divide and conquer flexible cooking system inside the Joe Classic. This system has half racks that can set up on multiple levels to increase the cooking space.
It also has a cast iron grate, reversible griddle, and soapstone for space expansion. Kamado Joe classic has a double-thick fiberglass gasket to seal the deal.
This Kamado grill can last ten years longer than normal Kamado, and what more could you want.
Editor’s Verdict
Kamado Joe Classic II is worth-buying a Kamado grill. You can sear a steak, grill ribs, and smoke chops easily. This Kamado is a versatile heavy-duty grill with amazing results.
2. Weber Summit Charcoal and Grill -Runner Up
|Warranty: 10 years on body|
|5 years on grates and plastic|
|Fuel type: Charcoal|
|Barbecue material: Double-walled porcelain-enameled steel|
|Grate material: Stainless steel|
|Cooking capacity: 452 square inches|
|Assembled size (in): 45.5 x 39.5 x 35.8 inches|
|Weight: 111lbs|
|2 years on everything else|
Overview
The Weber Summit Charcoal Grill is a major update in the Kamado grill world by adding dual-layer insulation that converts the kettle into Kamado. Summit charcoal combines the kettle grill and ceramic Kamado into a durable and effective combined grill and smoker.
Weber Summit Charcoal has a dual-layer, porcelain-enameled steel body that locks the heat into this kettle and converts into a low and slow smoker that can roast and bake anything you want.
If you don’t know how a steel and air-insulated body works, for your information it can run for 10 hours on one go of loaded charcoal before it loses heat. Once you have got the right temperature, keep your meat inside it and relax. The best thing about steel Kamado is that it can cool down easily if you overshoot your temperature.
A steel Kamado grill weighs less than a ceramic Kamado which makes it move around without damaging and cracking the ceramic, and also, you can lift the lid easily. Weber has included a spring-loaded lid and a hinge, so you don’t think about where to keep this lid.
Weber Summit Charcoal Kamado offers 452 square inches of cooking space. You can cook for 5-7 people, and it’s large enough to cook chicken, small brisket, and lamb chops efficiently.
This Kamado smoker comes with detailed instructions on how to smoke on it. It outlines how to set dampers for the desired temperature and how much charcoal you need to smoke the meat.
It all depends on what you are smoking; Learn the art of smoking. For grilling, there are two positions: one higher and the other lower, to get the temperature you want.
Weber has added a hinge to both the steel plate and cooking grate, which means if you want to load more charcoal or wood chunks, you don’t need to remove the warm plate. However, shift the sides and use tongs where you need them.
If you don’t like to wait to light up the charcoal, simply use propane-powered ignition.
This summit charcoal grill works with a BBQ system of high-quality accessories. You can expand the versatility by adding a pizza stone and a cast-iron wok for fry and roast.
Weber Summit Charcoal Kamado has great competition with other Kamado grills of the same price range on the market. If you want a durable and efficient Kamado, this is one of the best Kamado.
Editor’s Verdict
It’s an easy-to-use steel Kamado, but the price tag is relatively high with other Kamado grill and smokers. It offers versatility for years, so we think it’s worth buying a Kamado grill.
3. Kamado Joe Classic KJ23RHCI-A Charcoal Grill
|Warranty: Lifetime on ceramics|
|5 years on metal parts|
|3 years on heat deflector and pizza stone|
|1 year on thermometer and gasket|
|Barbecue material: Glazed ceramic|
|Grate material: Stainless steel|
|Cooking capacity: 256 square inches in basic setup|
|510 square inches with Divide & Conquer|
|Fuel type: Charcoal|
|Heat Range: 500°F max with SloRoller|
|Model: Classic III|
|Dimensions: 46.5 x 50.5 x 30 inches|
|Weight: 316lbs|
Overview
When it comes to Kamado grill, Kamado Joe classic automatically grabs the top position. Kamado Joe is a famous brand for Kamado grills, and they provide exactly what they claim. Big Green Egg already dominates the market because of the press, but Kamado Joe has made its name.
Kamado Joe Classic III is a third-generation Kamado which is the recent version of the traditional Kamado grill. It’s a well-built grill with a thick and high-fired ceramic body.
Kamado Joe holds the heat and gives smoke to the food or moisturizes your meal to get a perfect barbecue. This Kamado grill is so versatile that you will smoke, grill, or bake everything you need.
Kamado Joe Classic has SloRoller feature patent by Harvard Science to convert this grill into an optimally combined barbecue.
It has a hyperbolic smoke chamber that focuses on the cooking grate, changes the air pressure to circulate back in the smoke ring. That means your meal has more smoke circulation with better heat distribution.
It has Teflon-coated aluminum, so keep the temperature under 500°F to prevent the coating from heat damage. SloRoller turns the Kamado into a good smoker and a grill, and keep the temperature slow-and-low to get the delicious flavor of your food.
Kamado Joe Classic offers a Divide-and-Conquer cooking system. This split system provides more flexibility and space. It comes with six cooking grates, two heat deflectors, and four grates with a SloRoller.
With all this, you can do a variety of things by creating various heat zones to sear the steak over direct flame and grill veggies on indirect heat. You can also cook pizza by using a pizza stone, and you can do smoking as well.
Kontrol tower is another great feature of Kamado Joe Classic III. It has rust-resistant aluminum vents that allow keeping the temperature in control.
It also has an airlift hinge that reduces its weight by 96%. The airlift hinge has a spring-loaded mechanism which makes the lifting smooth and light, and the chances of a broken lid will reduce.
Kamado Joe Classic III has a unique Advanced Multi-Panel firebox that splits into five sections to expand the heat without breaking it. Moreover, the wire mesh fiberglass gasket gives a tight seal to smoke, moisture, and heat the meal for better results. It also has a stainless-steel charcoal basket for ash which helps to clean it efficiently.
Editor’s Verdict
If you’re looking for a masterpiece of heavy-duty with high-quality material and features, this Kamado Joe classic is a good found. So, hurry up and grab the opportunity!
4. Char-Griller E16620 Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill -Best Inexpensive
|Warranty: 1 year|
|Assembled size: 47 x 31 x 45 inches|
|Assembled size: 47 x 31 x 45 inches|
|Weight: 97lbs|
|Barbecue material: Triple wall steel with a porcelain-coated interior and powder-coated exterior|
|Grate material: Cast-iron|
|Cooking capacity: 314 square inches|
|Fuel type: Charcoal|
|Heat Range: 400°F – 700°F|
Overview
If you want an affordable Kamado grill, Char-Griller Akron is one of the most economical Kamado grill available in the market. It has a steel body that helps to cook and smoke for long sessions. It can attain a high temperature for grilling steaks and burgers. So, let’s read a detailed review of Char-Griller Akron Kamado.
Char- griller has provided the instructions about how to set the vents to attain the desired temperature. If the temperature gets high, it will take time to cool down, so monitor the temperature frequently.
Once the temperature gets stability, it will remain consistent throughout the barbecue. Weather does not affect the interior temperature because of high-level insulation.
Char-Griller Akron is an egg-shaped Kamado with cooking grates and a hinged lid just like other Kamado grills. Traditional Kamado grills have a ceramic body, but this Kamado has a porcelain-coated steel body which makes it different from others. It has a double-walled steel construction which keeps it cool externally.
It has a firebox that keeps the flames separate from the main body of the Kamado. The best thing is it has removable racks, folding shelves, and hooks for utensils. Its gasket seals the grill perfectly, and it gives a smokier flavor to the food.
After assembling it, the grill feels valuable, and the wheel makes it painless to move in a smooth place. The locking caster makes it easy to move around in bumpy places too. It’s not difficult to handle the process, but cast iron cooking grates should be seasoned. This Kamado grill comes with a built-in thermometer, an ash pan, and two metal shelves which enhance its efficiency.
The cleaning process is super easy. It has a removable ash pan that can dispose of ash easily. However, you can use water for the external grill to keep it clean.
There are many accessories which we need to buy because they don’t cover many important accessories.
This Kamado grill has a decent 314 square inches cooking space inside the wall steel. Adjust the upper and lower dampers to control the heat, and set the range between 400°F to 700°F. It not only has an insulated design, but it can hold more moisture, heat, and smoke than other charcoal smokers.
If you want an affordable camping Kamado grill, then it is a perfect choice for you.
Editor’s Verdict
Char-Griller Akron gives a top class performance at affordable price. You can grill, smoke, and roast your food in low price. It is easy to move and easy to clean grill. Best choice for beginners; just learn to control the heat while cooking.
5. Kamado Joe BJ24RHC Big Joe II Charcoal Grill -Best Space
|Weight: 394lbs|
|Warranty: Lifetime on ceramics|
|5 years on metal parts|
|3 years on heat deflector and pizza stone|
|1 year on thermometer and gasket|
|Barbecue material: Glazed ceramic|
|Grate material: Stainless steel|
|Cooking capacity: 452 square inches in basic setup|
|604 square inches with grill expander|
|904 square inches with 2 sets of grates|
|1,056 square inches with 2 sets of grates and expander|
|Fuel type: Charcoal|
|Heat Range: 225°F – 750°F|
|Model: Big Joe II|
|Dimensions: 33.5 x 33.5 x 39.37 inches|
Overview
Kamado Joe Big Joe II is a bright red egg-shaped ceramic cooking grill. Ceramic is the best insulator for the construction of a shell. The quality of a charcoal grill depends on the ventilation system of the grill.
The ventilation system allows you to control and maintain the temperature wisely. Either you’re grilling a steak or smoking a brisket- the most important thing is temperature control to achieve a delicious cooking result.
It has a top-mounted vent feature that allows you to maintain airflow, temperature, and smoke levels. It’s comparatively easy to use because it has visual indicators that help you achieve desired temperature levels by placing the vents in the right place.
The Big Joe can steadily control the temperature between 225°F to 750°F. It’s a wide range temperature that helps you to cook the meat low and slow, sear steak, grill veggies, roast turkey, and bake pizza in one cooker.
This Kamado grill works on the Divide and Conquer system like other Kamado Joe grills. It has a double-layered circular grate where your meat cooks inside the cooking chamber.
These half-moon-shaped grates are easily removable and allow you to set up multiple heat zones. The purpose of multiple zones is that you can cook food on direct and indirect heat simultaneously.
Big Joe comes with deflector plates that set the different heat zones. It means you can cook a variety of foods at different temperatures at the same time. If you want to cook all foods at once, then Big Joe provides this facility to enjoy luxury cooking.
Ceramic grills are heavy, and Big Joe weighs 375 pounds approximately. The most crucial part is the opening and closing of the lid. Let it down slowly; otherwise, it can damage the grill.
The good thing is, to solve this problem; they design an airlift hinge system for it. This airlift hinge system reduces the weight of the lid. You don’t need to worry about it anymore.
One of the most significant features of this Kamado Big Joe is the fiberglass gasket. This gasket ensures you an airtight seal that extends the shelf life. One more thing that we like, this Kamado provides extra features like a rolling cart and side tables.
Other competitors charge extra money for these features. Rolling carts, side tables, and heat detectors come with the base price. You don’t need to pay extra bucks!
The Classic Big Joe II comes with a multi-panel firebox, fiberglass gasket, side tables, and stainless-steel latches. These features improve the performance of this grill. Hence, it is a user-friendly grill with a lot of quality features.
Editor’s Verdict
As we mentioned above, it’s an expensive Kamado grills with quality features. The price is premium, but you can enjoy your grilling and smoking. If you can afford it go and grab this Kamado.
6. Aoxun 13″ Kamado Grill, Roaster and Smoker -Best Small
|Weight: 53.9 pounds|
|Barbecue material: Glazed ceramic|
|Grate material: Stainless steel|
|Cooking Capacity: 110 square inches Small Capacity grill|
|Fuel type: Charcoal|
|Heat Range: 50F – 800F|
|Model: Aoxun 13 Kamado grill|
|Dimensions: 20 x 18.5 x 16.5 inches|
Overview
If you love to eat restaurant-style cooking, then this grill gives you the perfect smoking flavor to your meat. Aoxun 13 Kamado grill is a junior grill with quality features. Enjoy your barbecue party with your friends and family; this Kamado grill won’t disappoint you.
When it comes to the design, this Kamado grill has a unique design. Ceramic is the best kind of insulation material for classic style Kamado grills. It can absorb the heat well and moisturize, smoke, and heat the meat efficiently.
Ceramic has heat storage capacity, which keeps the temperature between 50F to 800F degrees, and it is perfect for slow-and-low cooking.
Due to thick ceramic walls, this egg-shaped Kamado grill consumes less fuel. The ceramic walls keep the heat inside the grill, and the chances of heat loss are too low. So, a small amount of charcoal and oxygen requires you to start smoking.
You can cook your food according to your taste because it is multiple styles of cooking Kamado grill. The outstanding heat retention and perfect control on airflow make it possible to bake bread or gourmet style pizza.
Just explore your cooking skills and try different styles like smoke, grill, roast, or bake your favorite food.
If you want a perfect smoke flavor, use natural charcoal or charcoal lumps for fuel. Charcoal lumps are great for long hours smoking; you can spend 8 hours on low-setting smoking. Presoaked charcoal and traditional charcoal won’t give you good results. So, enjoy your cooking by adding charcoal lumps or wood chunks for fuel to get a smoky flavor.
Aoxun 13 Kamado grill is a 52.8 pounds grill, and you can move it to your backyard easily. The high-quality vents regulate the temperature, and a powder-coated steel cart allows you to move it with caster wheels.
These wheels help you to move this grill without any hurdle. It will take a small space of your yard as it is a mini Kamado grill with an all-in-one outdoor kitchen. You can cook food for 3 to 4 persons, so it’s not for massive events.
Editor’s Verdict
It’s a small size portable Kamado grill. You can smoke, grill, bake, and roast foods all-in-one. This mini Kamado grill provides you quality features. However, buy additional accessories to improve the efficiency of the grill. Enjoy your small gatherings with delicious food!
7. Char-Griller E06614 Akorn Jr. Kamado Cooker -Best Budget
|Warranty: 5 years|
|Fuel type: Charcoal|
|Barbecue material: Triple walled steel|
|Grate material: Cast-iron|
|Cooking capacity: 153 sq. in|
|Model: E06614|
|Assembled size: 25.3x 21.5 x 20.5 inches|
|Weight: 37lbs|
Overview
Char-Griller Akorn Jr Kamado grill is one of the most budget-friendly Kamado grills. If you have a low budget, then it is the best Kamado for you, and you can enjoy smoking on a low budget. It does not mean the quality and efficiency of this Kamado grill are sub standard.
Char-Griller is a famous brand; they can offer you the best Kamado grills with quality features. This round and horizontal griller enhances the usability to make it a perfect charcoal smoker. Both beginners and seasoned smokers can benefit from this mini Kamado grill. Let’s dig more about this griller
This Jr grill has a ceramic interior, and ceramic is the best insulator that absorbs heat well. The heat inside the Kamado grill allows you to cook delicious meat.
This Kamado grill can produce a perfect steak at high temperature, and the shape of the grill creates heat convection that’s why it’s known as a combination of oven, grill, and smoke.
The egg-shaped design pushes heat from the bottom and cooks food through it, then again goes down to the bottom. This convection heat makes this Kamado grill more efficient and perfect for smoking.
You can adjust the temperature to 700 degrees– it doesn’t mean you have to cook all the foods at this temperature. The vents can reduce the oxygen and temperature level for slow cooking.
The cooking mode of this Kamado grill is the same as a kettle, but the major difference is the heat retention in the insulated shell. We know cooking times are different for both ceramic and traditional grill.
Do experiments with cooking times until you learn how to use dampers and how quickly you want cooking grates to get hot for cooking. This Kamado grill is easy to operate; you need the practice to get familiar with the process.
It comes with assembled accessories except for handles, stand, and lid; you can screw them easily. It will take you 15 min to assemble this Kamado grill. It’s a small grill which means the cooking space of this grill is also small.
It occupies 153 square inches of primary cooking space. The top-quality dampers of this grill regulate the airflow to enable smoking. With this price range, this Jr Kamado grill is a perfect choice for people who like small smokers and grills.
Editor’s Verdict
Best Kamado grill for small friends and family events at a reasonable price. Beginners can buy it for learning smoking and enjoy barbecue. It’s a steel Kamado grill, so you can face heat loss issues. Buy extra accessories to enhance the efficiency of smoker.
8. Char-Griller 6020 AKORN Kamado Charcoal Ceramic Grill -Best for Winters
|Assembled size: 51.6x 30.7 x 49.2 inches|
|Weight: 224lbs|
|Fuel type: Charcoal|
|Barbecue material: Ceramic Walls|
|Grate material: Porcelain-coated cast-iron grates|
|Cooking capacity: 465 square inches total cooking capacity|
|Primary capacity: 324 square inches|
|Cooking diameter: 20 inches|
|Warranty: 5 years|
Overview
Char-Griller Akorn Ceramic Kamado and charcoal grill is a portable Kamado grill. This egg-shaped Kamado grill has porcelain-coated ceramic walls. We have discussed above; ceramic is the best insulation material that holds the heat for a longer time. The heat retention will help with your cooking, and you will taste the smoky flavor more.
It has a dual damper control system which assures you to control the heat well. The crucial part of any style of cooking is temperature control.
Once you learn the temperature control system, you can cook, smoke, and grill your meat well. A high level of temperature can sear a steak, and you will love your restaurant-style steak. High-quality vents adjust the temperature level, just maintain the temperature level, and boom!
This Kamado grill has a hinged lid, which reduces the weight of the hinged lid. It will help you open the lid with a finger; you don’t need extra effort to open or close it.
The porcelain-coated iron grates are another great feature; these grates get hot quickly, which’s a plus point for your cooking.
Char-Griller Akorn Ceramic Kamado and Charcoal Grill is a small Kamado grill with amazing features. It has 465 square inches of total cooking space. The primary cooking space keeps 324 square inches.
You can easily cook for 4-6 people and move it to your backyard. It also has folding side shelves where you can keep your utensils or cooked meat.
Apart from size, it’s a heavy-weight Kamado Grill. So, it’s not easy to move it alone. It comes with many accessories, but you need extra accessories for efficiency. It’s easy to clean because it has an easy dump ash pan. It’s a best Kamado grill for beginner level.
Last but not least, you can use lump charcoals for fuel. Ceramic Kamado grills usually consume less fuel because the heat loss level is low. The dual dampers, a hinged lid, and ceramic walls don’t let the heat leak from the grill.
Editor’s Verdict
Char-Griller Akorn Ceramic Kamado and Charcoal Grill is a heavy-weight charcoal grill. You can use it for outdoor activities because it’s a small Kamado grill with many useful features. Extra accessories will enhance its efficiency. It’s an easy-to-use grill that can cook, smoke, and grill your desired food.
What are Kamado Grills?
There are many smokers in the barbecue world like Pellet Smokers and Charcoal Smokers, but here we talked about Kamado Grills. Kamado grills are a hot addition to your backyard grilling, smoking, and barbecue scene that will serve you some enthusiastic meals.
These Kamado Grills are secret weapons in the grilling world that help you with grilling, roasting, smoking, and baking. You can have crisp pizza, grilled steaks, baked bread and desserts, and smoked ribs perfectly.
Unlike Propane Smokers Kamado grills are egg-shaped grills, and the market has flooded with these Kamado Grills. So, before buying Kamado grills, let’s read about what exactly Kamado Grills are.
Kamado Grills Evolution
Kamado grills have been popping up in the backyard cooks for many years; they are not new. The old versions of Kamado grills were found in China and Japan some 3000 years ago. Kamado grills we know nowadays came from Japanese “mushikamado” which means stove or cooking range.
During World War 2, Americans stationed in Japan used these locally made burners. After understanding the concept, they brought these ideas back to America. From here, the new era of grilling began. These smokers are not-only egg-shaped burners or clay domes, but these well-built smokers can maintain the temperature.
To enhance the efficiency of these smokers, manufacturers are using thermometers, stands, and dampers. These Smokers help to improve the cooking ability, optional accessories help with cook, grill, smoke, and bake on a single device.
New Kamado grills are still egg-shaped, but the quality is better now. These are made of high-fire ceramics covered with refractory materials and insulated steel. The interior body of these smokers has a stainless steel or ceramic bowl that holds the fuel.
The bottom has a door to feed oxygen to woods and coals and a vent that controls the smoke. These vents are heat retaining which makes it great for grilling.
Due to heat retention, the Kamado grill uses less fuel to cook the meals. Experts recommend using natural lump charcoal, which keeps the temperature higher than briquettes and gives a smoky flavor to food.
How do Kamado Grills and Smokers Work?
At the bottom of the Kamado grill, a small grate keeps the coals, and ash falls below the grate. Above that, there is a cooking space and a grill that cover with a sealed lid.
It creates a perfect cooking ambiance because of the thick ceramic walls. It holds smoke that gives maximum smoke flavor to food, and for temperature adjustment, two vents are enough.
While buying a Kamado smoker, there are many accessories to keep in mind, but the basic one is a thick ceramic insert.
This ceramic insert will absorb the heat that cooks, smoke, and bake the food. If you want to sear a steak, fire up the smoker without the ceramic insert, and enjoy the direct grilling. Many other accessories improve the versatility of smoking.
The oval shape of Kamado leads to heat in a circular direction like a fan works in a convection oven. It allows the perfect heat distribution while iron grates keep the heat for grilling.
We can use it for both direct and indirect cooking. For example, heat your smoker; put the coals on one side of Kamado for steak and another side of the grill for grilling the vegetables.
Types of Kamado Grills
If you are thinking of buying a Kamado, most probably you have heard about Big Green Egg. This Big Green Egg is one type of Kamado grills; there are many more available in the market. Most of the Kamado have ceramic features, but they are also available in Portland cement, terracotta, and insulated steel materials. They decorate these Kamado grills with ceramic tiles, high-heat paints to give a unique backyard look.
What Can You Cook in a Kamado Grill?
You can cook anything you want on a Kamado grill, but with the right equipment.
These Kamado grills are versatile; this is the best thing about Kamado grills. You can smoke low-and slow-meat, bake pizzas, sear steak, and desserts in Kamado grill easily.
What to Look for Before Buying a Kamado Grill?
When buying the best Kamado grill, there are many features to look for it. It’s not just a heavy egg-shaped grill, but it’s more than that. We have listed some features below:
Quality Construction
There are many cheap Kamado grills available with inferior quality material that does not seal the heat and might rust quickly. High-quality Kamado grills are expensive, but they offer the best heat retention, no rust issues, and more durable.
Material
When it comes to the material, ceramic is the gold for the Kamado grill. Ceramic is best for heat retention, no rust, and durability. Low-quality Kamado grills with light metals can easily crack if accidentally dropped.
Sturdiness
Kamado grills are heavy so buy something with a robust base, hooks, and padlocks so that your investment doesn’t go in vain.
Cooking Space
If your Kamado grill does not have enough space to cook a rack of ribs or brisket, then it’s a fail. So before buying the grill always keep in mind how many people you want to cook the meat.
Temperature Gauges
Gritty thermometers can give inconsistent and wrong readings that make it tough to understand why slow meats are not cooking well or your pizza lacks the crust.
Additional things to focus on for Buying a Kamado Grill
You should consider these additional things for the best Kamado grill:
Accessories
To enhance the durability, look at the additional accessories available for your Kamado grill. For instance, you need stacking grills to improve the space, rotisseries, pizza stones, and carts. These accessories will help you enjoy your barbecue.
Covers
Covers play an important role in keeping things safe from rust. If you want to store your Kamado grill in your backyard, then you need to prevent it from water. The external surface should cover so that you can save your Kamado grill from rusting.
Warranty
Warranty is the most crucial part; it will give you peace of mind that any defects can handle timely.
Budget
Before buying the best Kamado grill, think about how long you want it to work, how many times you want to use it, and how much you can invest in additional accessories. Expensive Kamado grills are long-lasting; you can buy them for your convenience.
Advantages of Using a Kamado Grills
There are many pros of using Kamado grill, some are listed below:
- Less maintenance requires.
- Easily grill, bake, and smoke due to its versatility.
- Easy to operate as compared to other types of smokers.
- Maintain the perfect temperature.
- Have great heat retention ability.
- Consumes less fuel than other smokers due to efficiency of heat retention.
- Best smokers for cold weather because it holds the heat well.
- Made of high-quality materials that can less affected to rusting.
- Easy to clean.
- Best foe smaller spaces.
- Can built outdoor cooking setup.
Disadvantages of Using a Kamado Grill
- These Kamado smokers are heavy and difficult to move.
- If these smokers drop or knock over then Ceramic material can easily crack.
- It can increase the cost of Kamado if you want to buy additional accessories.
- If an oxygen-starved fire reignites while opening the lid, it can cause dangerous flashbacks.
- Be careful to open vents or lids to prevent from flashbacks.
- Due to consistent temperature, you can’t enjoy different temperature at a time to sear meat and slow cook.
- It requires approximately 15 minutes heating up the ceramic walls, while gas smokers take less time to heat up the walls.
- Kamado grills provide small cooking space while other smokers like offset smokers offer large cooking space.
Wrapping up
Kamado grill has a huge, enthusiastic following, and those who have cooked on Kamado grill loved the result of smoking and grilling. The maintenance is comparatively easy, and the ventilation system is too good for slow smoking. Whether you’re looking for roast chicken, tasty smoked Thanksgiving turkey, or perfectly baked pizza, it’s the ultimate charcoal grill. Are you ready for a barbecue party? Hurry up and enjoy your food!