Last Updated on December 15, 2022
Since you’re here though, I’m assuming your preference is toward the kamado…or you’re willing to be persuaded that way. So we’re going to go over why you should buy one, what sets a good example away from the rest, and look at some of the most popular models in the market today.
Kamado grills are quite an interesting little beast. They offer a unique advantage over regular grills in having a very wide range of temperatures and greater control over airflow than traditional grills, making them a more versatile tool to use. You wouldn’t bake a cake in a traditional grill, but it’s something you can absolutely do in a Kamado.
While it is debatable which is the better at grilling or smoking (some advocate for one, some for the other), it can’t be denied that the Kamado is good, and will do a bit more for you than a regular grill, so it’s up to personal preference.
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Kamado Joe KJ23RHC Classic II   BEST CHOICE
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Kamado Joe Big Joe II 24-Inch  RUNNER UP
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Kamado Joe KJ13RH Joe Jr.  VALUE CHOICE
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What Is A Kamado Grill?
A kamado grill, or just kamado, is a traditional ceramic cooking device popular in many Asian countries for thousands of years (the earliest known appearing in China over 3000 years ago). The kind of grill we’re looking at today would be more technically referred to as a “mushikamado”, the portable variant (the original kamado were large affairs, akin to a modern stove and oven) that became popular in Japan.
Their unique ceramic construction makes them ideal for a variety of cooking purposes. While excellent at grilling and smoking (otherwise we wouldn’t even be talking about them here), the word kamado basically just means “stove” in Japan, and it can of course be used as such.
The great thing about a kamado is that, much like a range top grill, you can cook almost ANYTHING in this, making it less of a semi-specialized tool than traditional American grills.
You can’t cook anything in a charcoal grill without the right charcoal so we made this review to get the right one.
What Do I Look For In My Kamado?
The basic construction of the best kamado grill is the same: a ceramic cylinder or “egg” as the most popular brand coined the shape with top vents and a bottom draft door.
That’s all you really need to make a kamado function, as the ceramic material and specific style of construction is what makes them good in the first place.
Everything besides that is bonuses that make your life easier.
Sturdy legs with wheels are one of the big ones. Kamado are HEAVY and hard to move by hand (you’re looking at over 200 lbs at least), so if it doesn’t have wheels you’re not going to be inclined to move it a whole lot. Plus these things are short if they’re just sitting on the ground, so being a bit taller is convenient.
Much like any grill, side tables and the like are good to have, for obvious reasons. A thermometer is a must.
Look for brands that offer a variety of cooking surfaces, like pizza stones or range top attachments so you can take advantage of the Kamado’s ability to cook anything you want. Among the best Kamado grill accessories is the range top; it’s a big deal that I can’t overstate the usefulness of it. I recommend it for any grill actually; having a flat cooking surface to use infinitely increases the variety of foods you can cook. For a simple example, eggs cooked sunny side up on a range, heated by fire and flavored a bit by the smoke? Beautiful.
And as always be sure to keep in mind the basics for any grill and smoker. Things like cooking surface; you want enough to cook enough food for everyone at whatever sized group of people you tend to cook for. Nobody likes waiting in line while everyone eats. Make sure the ceramic is crack resistant, the seals seal properly, and all of the other checks to basic quality you need to do to ensure this purchase lasts you a long time.
The final thing to keep in mind: Kamado are expensive. They’re worth it, but expensive. Look for warranties and similar things, like satisfaction guarantees and the like. You don’t want to get stuck with a defective piece of $1200 ceramic.
Using a Kamado Grill
Every outdoor cooking enthusiast knows the secret to achieving the best tasting results is temperature control. Because Kamado grills have excellent insulation, you don’t want to go beyond your target temperature as it can be hard to reduce the heat level.
If you’re slow cooking, a temperature of around 250°F is a good target, where faster grilling requires a heat level of around 500°F. When the internal temperature is 50°F below your target, close the top vent halfway, but leave the bottom vent open. The heat level may still rise as it takes around 15 minutes for the vent adjustments to take effect.
We have the full information on how to use a Kamado grill.
Cleaning a Big Green Egg
The versatility of this grill is simply unmatched as you can use it with a wide range of cooking styles. You can use the Big Green Egg for grilling, roasting, smoking, and even baking.
Since it uses natural lump charcoal made from American oak and hickory hardwood, you should expect delicious, better-tasting food every time you cook on the Big Green Egg.
Most importantly, the grill is very easy to clean. Its unique green glaze can withstand all sorts of elements and it is easy to wipe off without using harsh chemical cleansers.
Making sure you do it the right way? Here’s our complete guide on how to clean your Big Green Egg.
9 Best Kamado Grills Reviews For 2022
1. Best Overall – Kamado Joe KJ23RHC Classic II Charcoal Grill
Why you’ll love this:
The Classic II is a great example of everything to look for in a kamado grill. It’s spacious, well built, and comes with a number of accoutrements (like the rolling cart and side tables) that make it a much better grill for all purposes. The only real rub is that its high quality commands an equally high price.
What We Liked
- Cooking Space: You’re working with between 406 and 508 square inches of cooking space, depending on how many grates you use. That’s quite a lot, though somewhat small compared to a standard grill, and good for a large amount of various foods.
- Variety: More than just the size, the cooking surfaces offer a variety of options. It comes with a small flat top (though no replacement for a full sized one and a number of removable grates, which can be mixed and matched to cook a variety of small foods like sausages or the like or removed to make room for larger things like whole roasts or briskets.
- Ash Drawer: The ash drawer slides out for easy removal, which is something I always look for in a grill.
- Locking Wheels: Wheels are sturdy and lock in place, enabling you to move it anywhere and then make sure it stays there as long as you need.
- Construction: The entire affair is sturdy, thick, crack resistant, and all around well made. The seal is tight and the latch slides on easy but provides a secure grip, keeping the lid closed for all the smoke to stay inside and keep your food warm and juicy.
- Temperature Range: It provides the full 225 degrees to 750 degrees Fahrenheit cooking temperature.
What We Didn’t Like
- Lack of Included Accessories: The only thing holding it back from perfection is this lack. If it came with a full sized flat top included it would be completely perfect for my needs, and the needs of most other people.
This kamado grill is excellent, and is the perfect example of everything we’re looking for in one. It has a great mix of size and features while still being a great price compared to other charcoal grills.
Others out there are larger, to be sure, but increasing the size of a kamado grill usually comes with a hefty increase in price as well. There’s not much point in buying a grill that’s larger than what you’re going to be using on average, so the general size of this model (a max of 508 square inches of cooking space) is perfect. It provides enough space to cook meals for huge groups of people, without charging you any more than it already comes in at.
Combining that hefty size with its large number of quality of life and versatility increasing abilities cements its place as not only Kamado Joe’s best grill, but the best on the market out there in terms of the price to quality ratio.
See this page if you are interested to see a comparison between Kamado Joe to another brand.
2. Runner Up – Kamado Joe Big Joe II 24-Inch Ceramic Grill
Why you’ll love this:
The Big Joe II lives up to its name, providing a much larger alternative to our winner, albeit at a similarly inflated most. Ultimately, for most uses, that price hike isn’t going to be worth it; the Classic II is big enough. But if you have huge grill needs, the Big Joe II is there to provide.
What We Liked
- Size: As mentioned, the Big Joe II is a quite sizable kamado grill, giving you between 452 and 608 square inches of cooking space to work with depending on how you set up the various grates and cook surfaces inside.
- Variety: Just like the Kamado Joe Classic, the Big Joe II offers the collection of mix and matchable grates and a mini flat top to use as you please to cook whatever you please.
- Air Lift: Air lift hinge reduces the weight of the dome lid by 96%, making it smooth and easy to open and close, without the danger of dropping and damaging the lid or bottom by slamming them together.
- Seal: Seal is a double thick wire mesh that is meant to last 10 times longer than the industry standard gasket.
- Wheels: Wheels lock in place but glide smoothly when unlocked, making it easy to wheel around or make a permanent stationary fixture as you wish.
What We Didn’t Like
- Price: The Big Joe II is between 50 and 100 square inches larger than the Classic II…but costs about 50% more.. I really don’t think it’s worth it either in the cost to increase ratio (you’re paying 40% more for only 20% more space) or in absolute terms; that’s a whole lot more money for extra space you’re honestly probably not going to need in the grand scheme. Anything you can fit comfortably into 608 square inches of cooking space can probably be finagled to work in 508 square inches instead; I’ll take a severe price drop for a mild inconvenience some of the time any day.
The Big Joe II is just like the Classic II, but as the name implies it is, well, bigger. Everything that makes the model great is represented here, but it offers a good deal more cooking space to work with. So why does it fall lower on the list? Well, the simple answer is: cost. I don’t think the price increase is justified by how much extra space it gives.
3. Best Small Kamado Grill – Kamado Joe KJ13RH Joe Jr Charcoal Grill
Why you’ll love this:
The Joe Jr. is the perfect choice for those on a budget. While smaller than the Classic II, and without a cart, it provides a good amount of space to use still, and comes in at about a quarter the price. That alone may make it a tempting choice.
What We Liked
- Construction: This takes all the pieces that make the overall construction of the larger models great and shrinks them down. It still has the solid ceramic construction which holds in heat so well, along with the double thick wire mesh that seals in heat better and will last 10 times longer than a standard gasket. It even has the air lift lid to prevent you dropping and damaging the grill by letting go of the lid too soon.
- Relatively Lightweight: This grill only weighs 75.6 lbs. (not counting accessories and other items), far less than the standard kamado grill. As a result, it’s significantly more portable than a full sized variant, meaning you can use it outdoors, for camping, or for tailgating and then store it inside much more easily.
- Heat: Despite the reduced size, it still regulates heat in the same 225 degrees to 750 degrees Fahrenheit range with no issues or added work in maintaining it, though you may need to add more charcoal slightly more often than usual.
What We Didn’t Like
- Cooking Space: The issue isn’t just the size, though it is very small (148.5 square inches). That’s to be expected for a grill that is much smaller and MUCH cheaper than the other models in the series. The issue is the size severely curtails the different kinds of cooking spaces you can use; no multiple grates or half and half flat top and grate cooking or anything. It’s one or the other, never both. Basically the size only matters in so much as it reduces the overall versatility of this grill.
This is a great intermediate grill, better than the cast iron models below but not as good as the larger Kamado Joe variants, and occupying a price point between the two as well. While smaller, don’t confuse it with being too small to use. It works great for single family meals, and is plenty big enough to roast a whole chicken for example. Great for someone who wants a kamado grill and doesn’t care about entertaining for huge crowds.
It’s also one of the few kamado grills I could see taking on some camping trips, or to a tailgating party. It’s still heavy (significantly heavier than almost any camp grill on the market, save the heftiest cast iron smokers and the like), but light enough you can feasibly move it around short distances and get amazing results out of it.
4. Kamado Joe BJ24NRHC Big Joe II Stand Alone Charcoal Grill
Why you’ll love this:
This is the Big Joe II without the trimmings. If you want to save a little money by not getting the cart, this is a really solid choice, and provides all the advantages the Big Joe II would normally provide. Just keep in mind it’s pretty heavy without the wheels.
What We Liked
- Cooking Space: The standalone model shares the same 452 to 608 square inches of cooking space as its more tricked out variant; more than enough for almost any meal, and great for smoking large cuts of meat like briskets and whole racks of ribs.
- Versatility: As the other Kamado Joe models, this kamado grill offers a great variety of cooking options, with a series of removable grates and a half sized flat top that can be mixed and matched to your needs. This lets you cook a variety of meals simultaneously, or one large cut of meat uninterrupted, with the only thing needed being a bit of shuffling around of your grates and tops for various tasks, which can be done quite quickly and easily.
- Construction: The construction is largely the same as the other two, with the double thick, insanely durable gasket, air lift hinge, sturdy ceramic design, great air vents, removable ash tray, and all of the other construction features that made the Classic II and Big Joe II excellent.
What We Didn’t Like
- Standalone: The standalone model lacks either the wheels or attached tables. Losing the tables is less of a big deal than it sounds; this model is clearly meant to sit on some type of concrete tabletop or similar heavy work surface designed to hold something this heavy. The loss of the wheels though is questionable. The Big Joe II weighs in at a ludicrous 395 lbs. Having the option for the cart, and it is an option for the non-standalone variant, increase its portability by an almost infinite amount. While clearly meant to be stationary you will want to move it at some point, and the negligible price drop is not, to me, worth it.
- Price: This version of the Big Joe II comes in at almost the exact same price as the more tricked out model, so there’s basically no reason to get this over the other variant, unless the other Big Joe II is currently sold out and you want it right away, or you intend to integrate it somehow as a fixture in a more complete outdoor kitchen.
The standalone version of the Big Joe II is an objectively good grill in a lot of ways; it’s exactly the same as the Big Joe II after all, save it lacks the legs and wheels. Unfortunately it’s hard to recommend with that lack due to it being, basically, an inferior version of a good product.
While it is a little bit cheaper, it’s not enough so to really justify getting this one over the version with the wheels and tables; that added convenience is a huge factor in turning a good grill into a great one.
5. Best Budget Kamado Grill – Char-Griller E16620 Akorn Kamado Kooker
Why you’ll love it:
The Akorn provides a solid alternative to the traditional ceramic constructed kamado style grills, with a cast iron and steel construction that provides added durability, though slightly less cooking efficiency, over its ceramic cousins. The budget pricing is just the icing on the cake, being about the same size as the Classic II, with a similar cart, but for a third of the price.
What we liked
- Lightweight: Due to its material, this grill weighs only 90 lbs, making it far more portable than a true kamado grill. While a bit to heavy for me to call it “lightweight”, it is at least still technically man portable for short distances for a single fairly strong person.
- Attachments: The attached arms fold out of the way for easy storage, and the wheels are sturdy and roll nicely on most surfaces. The underside storage is likewise welcome and is something I look for in most grill (and is something almost all kamado style grills completely lack).
- Sturdy: The cast iron and steel construction is very durable and can weather pretty much anything you throw at it, which is nice.
- Price: The Akorn costs about ¼ what our top model will run you, which makes it quite affordable.
What we didn’t like
- Materials: The main drawback of this grill is it’s not made of ceramic…which means it’s not really a kamado grill. Pretty much everything about a kamado grill is negotiable, save that. The specific temperature retention of ceramic and clay is what makes it such a good material for these grills. Cast iron simply does not do the job. Don’t get me wrong; I love cast iron cookware, it’s excellent, but it’s not right for this kind of grill, and that’s the kind of flaw that can’t be easily dismissed.
- Insulation: The gasket is quite flimsy and doesn’t hold in heat and smoke very well. It’s about as cheap as you can get in an airtight seal, and will wear out fairly quickly.
This Char-Griller kamado style grill is…flawed, but works as a more affordable option for someone wanting to experiment with some of the advantages of a kamado grill without taking the plunge on an over $1000 purchase.
The main issue here is its material. Steel is not a bad material for normal grills, and stainless steel si generally my preferred option…but it’s not ideal for kamado style grills. Ceramic and cast iron are the only really acceptable materials, due to their inherently better heat retention and even heating. Steel takes forever and a half to heat up, comparatively, and bleeds that heat off a lot faster, negating most of the inherent advantages the kamado style design provides.
Ultimately this is just a normal grill with a weird shape.
6. Char-Griller E06614 AKORN Jr, Red Charcoal Kamado Grill
Why you’ll love it:
This grill weighs under 40 lbs, making it emninetly portable. Easy to pick up and go wherever you need to, removing the need for the wheels it lacks.
What we liked
- Good Heat Retention: As mentioned the smaller surface area makes the heat retention leagues better, making this quite an efficient little cooking machine.
- Price: The Akorn Jr. is even more affordable than its big brother, and is a great buy on its own merits. In the same price range, standard grills cook a lot worse than this grill does for many purposes.
What we didn’t like
- Size: One of its advantages is also its greatest weakness. This grill is ultra tiny, having only 153 square inches of cooking space. It fulfills the same purpose as a small camp grill in terms of how much it can cook, but is less suited for that purpose with the factors of its increased weight, bulk, and price (a grill of that type can cost you under $20 in some places). It falls into an awkward position where it cooks very good food but it’s unclear who is meant to purchase this.
- Standalone: Similarly the standalone feature is weird. It’s only good for cooking small meals, is too bulky to be a camp grill, and yet is setup like a stationary, permanent grill fixture for an outdoor kitchen or something similar. The design makes no sense when taking the product as a whole.
The Akorn Jr. is very similar to the Akorn, but smaller. You might expect me to say this makes it worse, as I was not a huge fan of the Akorn, but that’s not necessarily the case. The more compact you make your grill, the more cast iron works out as an insulator. It’s still not going to be as good as the real deal, but it’s definitely better in that regard.
7. Kamado Joe KJ23NRHC Classic II Stand-Alone Grill
Why you’ll love it:
This has everything that made this model so great. The air lift hinge which reduces weight by 96% and prevents the lid from slamming when dropped is excellent. The Fiberglass, double thick wire mesh that seals in heat so well and last 0 times longer? Still good here. The ceramic construction is of course excellent. Plus the feet that this one comes with are very sturdy for setting on a table durable enough to hold it.
What we liked
- Cooking Space: You have the same 406 to 508 square inches of cooking space as the other unit, and the same benefits as well. You can mix and match the grates however you like, and it comes included with a half sized flat top for cooking everything from eggs to scallops to vegetables like asparagus. Everything about the interior of this grill is excellent.
What we didn’t like
- Bulk: As mentioned before, this thing is heavy; 215 lbs of bulk to shift around. This is an issue when it doesn’t have wheels. Kamado Joe Classic grills are no stranger to the outdoors, but they’re not actually meant to be left in the elements. This means you either need to build a kitchen specifically to accommodate this thing or keep lugging it back and forth. I could see it being practical to leave under a simple roof with a cover in places with no extremes of weather, but I live where hurricanes and thunderstorms are commonplace, so I’m leery of just letting it sit outdoors full time, even with a roof. Roofs don’t protect from rain that flies sideways.
My issue with the Classic II standalone is much the same as I have with the Big Joe II standalone: it’s not much cheaper, and yet it has a much bigger drawback. While not as unwieldy as the Big Joe II, this thing is still heavy, and you gain little by the lack of wheels.
While the support carriage can generally be bought separately, it’s still a bit of a pain, and you can save yourself some hassle (and a bit of shipping cost) by just buying the variant that comes equipped with wheels and shelves in the first place.
8. Char-Griller E14822 Premium Red Kettle Charcoal Grill and Smoker
Why you’ll love it:
The fold down table is always nice, and the wheels are sturdy and roll well. It makes this grill very convenient and easy to use as a small, fairly portable option.
What we liked
- Lid: Lid is properly hinged and opens easily without risking slamming shut, allowing for convenient use in a hurry without worrying about where to set the grill.
- Size: 379 square inches of cooking space is really good for a grill like this. That’s a bit more than the Viemoi and significantly more than the Joe Jr.
- Price: In addition to the pretty solid size, it comes in at a pretty solid price point as well, costing a bit more than a standard kettle grill of the same size might run you.
What we didn’t like
- Material: Steel is great for standard grills, and even other kettle style grills like this, but is absolutely terrible for doing anything low and slow, and cold smoking is one of the big features for kamado grills. This one lacks even the saving grace of similar models (Cast iron cooking grates) which at least allow suck similar stainless steel “kamado style grills” to function better than average as actual grills.
- Versatility: While the overall size is good, the lack of inserts and a tiered work surface makes this smaller and less useful than it initially appears.
- Shape: The shape is reminiscent of a kamado style grill, but it’s somewhat of a mirage. Without the multi-tiered design, the function of this grill is significantly hampered. You get a lot less bang or your buck out of that 379 square inches of cooking space, because it is now an absolute measure. With actual kamado style grills you can sometimes finagle it so you have about double the space, by cooking different foods at the same temperature on different layers of the grill.
- Dampers: Dampers are simplistic and the bottom one is placed wrong. It sounds like a nitpick but the bottom flue being side mounted instead of fully on the bottom is a huge deal, and fundamentally changes the air flow of the grill. This is by far the biggest design flaw; without the distinct air flow, this will not cook anywhere near the same consistency or with the same flavor as a real kamado or even kamado-style grill.
- Construction: Users reports shoddy materials, particularly in the screws and washers used to put the grill together, making it a wobbly mess of a grill on top of all of its other inherent flaws. Avoid like the plague.
This is, bar none, my least favorite grill on this list. It is not even really a kamado style grill, though it tries to masquerade as one. Making the grill out of stainless steel to make it more affordable is one thing; that’s an understandable cost cutting measure and still leaves the grill as reasonably effective, and is something I’ve noted but “forgiven” other grills on this list for. This however takes the worst parts of a kamado grill and melds it with standard grill features, creating the ultimate worst of both worlds experience.
The biggest downfall of this grill is the shape. It apes a kamado grill but comes with none of the benefits of smoke throughput and similar advantages based on the way vents and charcoal is placed.
9. Best High-end Kamado Grill – Viemoi Kamado Grill Mini Kamado Charcoal Grill
Why you’ll love it:
This thing is small…and that’s a good thing! It weighs only 50 lbs, making it easy to move around, and it’s small enough to store pretty much anywhere. It’s light enough to go on any reasonably sturdy table without issue (just make sure it’s concrete or something), which makes up for its lack of attached arms or anything. As far as the options for camping or tailgating go, this is hands down the best one. It’s both larger than the Akron Jr. and significantly cheaper, if a tiny bit heavier.
What we liked
- Price: You’re looking at a quarter the price of our top model, which is an excellent deal for a kamado grill, and it’s also about 20% less than the Joe Jr., probably the closest competitor for its nature as a compact, lightweight (relatively speaking) kamado style grill.
- Construction: While nowhere near as good in terms of raw, refined quality as the Kamado Joe models on the list, this kamado style grill is still a true ceramic option, putting it head and shoulders above the steel competition. It also has sturdy stainless steel grilling grates and comes with its own little stand which, while basic, does a lot to elevate it above some of the competition.
What we didn’t like
- Quality Control: Some users report issues with some of the bits and bobs of this kamado style grill. The main problem comes in with the things you might not think about. The overall shell and gasket are fine, as an example. But the different nuts, bolts, and screws holding things together are a different story, with a weird variety of differently machined and shaped parts coming out as a bit of a hodgepodge mess. It doesn’t necessarily impact the quality of the grill, but does affect both appearance and maintenance a bit, as it makes it more difficult to buy replacement parts when needed.
FINAL VERDICT
As a brand, Kamado Joe is the clear winner here. Their products are quality, and other brands compare unfavorable to them in terms of either construction, materials, or technology they bring to the table. This model is by far the best, with the Big Joe II and Joe Jr. being very close runners up depending on what you really want them for.
I personally would stay away from the standalone variants of the above, but they do have uses for people with very specific outdoor kitchen setups, so they’re not a complete waste, just not to my preference or climate.
The only “sleeper” I’d say to consider is Viemoi’s mini kamado grill. It’s quite good for what it is, even if it doesn’t compare super well to the Joe Jr. If you find the size of it perfect, it doesn’t hurt to save that extra $100 and grab it instead, and the overall quality of the grill is very good, even if it lacks the nice extras that Kamado Joe’s models bring to the table.
For your convenience, here at GrillBabyGrill we also have the list of the other best charcoal grills and pellet smoker reviews. See and pick that product that suits your need.
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By: Jim B.
Title: The Best Kamado Grills For The Money
Sourced From: www.grillbabygrill.com/best-kamado-grills-reviews/
Published Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2022 04:03:36 +0000
