Kamado Grill Comparison and Kamado Grill Reviews
79
What are Kamado Grills
Kamado Grills are often made of a ceramic material and in the shape of a dome. They are heated with charcoal or wood which makes for excellent barbecuing. They evolved out of clay cooking which has its roots in Japan and India with similarities to a Tandoori oven.
The strengths of the Kamado Grill include
- Even heating. There are few hotspots like traditional gas grills because the fire is seated lower in the grill which heats up the ceramic materials and then distributes the heat through the domed architecture of the cooker. This combination creates the most evenly cooked meats I have seen.
- Wood, Charcoal and Gas. Kamado Grills are the most flexible type of grill when it comes to the types of wood, wood chips, charcoal or gas options. When time is short, you can heat some grills with a gas ad-on and add a few wood chips for flavor. When you have more time for grilling, you can place small wood logs which is great for doing a Santa Maria style barbecue over oak. The other nice thing about the gas option is it makes it easy to light the wood or charcoal. It beats newspaper or lighter fluid in my opinion.
- Extremely Low or High Temperature Grilling. Kamado barbecues are extremely flexible when it comes to controlling and cooking at varying temperatures. It's important to check the capabilities of each brand of Kamado, but cooker's specs say they can cook evenly at temperatures of 140 degrees for long slow cooking or as high as 900 degrees from what I've seen. I'm not sure if it ever makes sense to get your grill this hot since most searing only takes a few minutes at 700 degrees. It's also important to note that heating Kamado Grills quickly to high temperatures can cause the ceramic materials to crack.
- Custom Look. At least two makers of Kamado style grills allow for customization of the tile which gives a custom and unique look. I actually consider the grills in this class to be almost like outdoor furniture. They can be the show piece of the patio.
Negatives of Kamado Grills
- Kamado Grills are on the expensive end of grills. While Kamado Cookers are very versatile, with options, the price is usually well over $1000. Unless you barbecue a lot, this can be a high price tag. Too bad Costco doesn't sell Kamados.
- Weight. Kamado Grills, especially the ceramic ones covered in tile are extremely heavy. Close to 500 pounds. While they have wheels, they are difficult to move upstairs and the large grills take up a lot of space, although they look fantastic.
Learning to use a Kamado
The real skill in learning to barbecue or grill with a Kamado is controlling the heat. Heat in the Kamado is controlled by a combination of the amount of fuel (wood, charcoal), air flow from the bottom of the grill called the draft door and how much heat and air is released from the top through the damper. It takes a little learning to control the airflow. The more air that is exposed to the charcoal or wood, the hotter and faster it will burn. You can use a thermometer to gauge the temperature and once it is at a desired heat, it takes very little tuning to maintain the tempature within a few degrees.
What Kamado Grill Will you Buy?
What Kamado Grill Will You Buy?
See results without votingBuy a Kamado Grill on eBay
|
NEW Kamado Grill Dome Infinity Series Charcoal Grill - Large - Red - 100305
Current Bid: $757.99
|
|
Primo Kamado Charcoal Grill with cradle shelf
Current Bid: $749.00
|
|
Primo Kamado Ceramic Grill
Current Bid: $829.99
|
|
BBQ GRILL THERMOMETER SMOKER THERMASTAT FOR OVEN,PRIMO,BIG GREEN EGG. KAMADO
Current Bid: $17.95
|
The Big Green Egg Electric Starter to Ignite Charcoal
 | Amazon Price: $12.99 |
Kamado Grill Facts
Photos of Kamado Grill
Click thumbnail to view full-size
Which Kamado Grill Should I Buy?
I asked the question, which Kamado BBQ should I buy, and got some good answers. Below is my own research.
The Komodo Kamado Grill. This is the highest end grill of all the Kamado style grills costing in the neighborhood of $3,000. All the reviews insist that it is the highest quality grill. It uses a different type of material for insulation called a two part refactory material. The two layers are designed to withstand very high temperatures, but one layer is designed to hold heat. The reports on this material is that it lasts a very long time and is much less prone to cracking and damage compared to other Kamado Grills. The Komodo Kamado comes in tiled and coated versions. The tiled Kamados wiegh nearly 500 pounds, but they look like works of art. It also has a gas starter option that is one of the few ad-on items for the Komodo. Like most premium products, it comes with very little additional choices, although I think a side-table option is coming soon. All in all, this is the top Kamado on the market. If price isn't an issue, I'd go with the Komodo Kamado grill.
The Big Green Egg or BGE as its fans call it. I think that the Big Green Egg is perhaps the best known ceramic grill. It's limited options in color (Green) isn't so much of an issue, but you'll need to get an aftermarket gas starter if you want convenience of lighting it up. The BGE has a loyal following and appears to be the most professionally run of all the Kamado BBQs. It has a professional website, although you can't buy new Big Green Eggs online, you'll have to go to a specialty barbecue store to find them. Or, you can look up dealers on their website. For a mass produced Kamado at a lower price, I think the Big Green Egg is a nice choice.
The Kamado Grill. This is the original Kamado grill and a bit of a sad story. I was very close to purchasing a Kamado Grill, but as I did additional research, I became very concerned. It appears that early on Kamado built a loyal following, but quality issues began to malign the product and customer satisfaction seems poor with many complaints about long delivery times, tile falling off, and replacement parts taking a long time as well. The company seems to have moved its manufacturing around as well. WikiPedia chastises the company with reports of Portland cement used in the ceramic materials of the cooker, although that seems like a long shot since its now made in Indonesia. My neighbor has the Kamado Grill and loves it, but he too has had issues getting replacement parts. To be fair to the company, it appears as if they are trying to improve their reputation. They answered the phone quickly when I called, and explained that many of the complaints are from people that didn't follow the break-in instructions. Still, I don't know of many products where there are dedicated forums purely for the purpose of complaining about the product. One other concern is that when I went to place my order, they only take check. This was the last straw for me in a series of red flags. I thought if I couldn't get the insurance provided by my credit card company then I shouldn't take the risk of buying the grill with all the complaints. Unfortunately, I have to recommend that you do serious research on the Kamado grill before purchasing.
Update December 2011: Kamado has been sold. It will take some time to see if they have fixed the quality and customer service issues. I purchased one in 2010. I've loved it, but it came broken and missing parts. I've been extremely frustrated with the customer support. I'm really looking forward to seeing how new management addresses old customer complaints.
Kamado Grill Comparison
Kamado Style Grill
| Price
| Review Quality
| Gas Option
| Tile
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
Komodo Kamado Grill
| Large, about $3000 fully loaded
| Excellent Reviews
| Yes
| Tile and Coated, Custom Options
|
Big Green Egg
| Large around $700 before options. Over $1000 with options
| Good Reviews
| No
| Just Green
|
Kamado
| Large size, about $1500 with options onsale, or about $2000 regular price
| Very Poor Customer Service Reviews (new management in 2011)
| Yes
| Tiled and Coated, Custom Options
|
What Other Kamado Style Grills do you like?Loading...
I just found the Avocado on clearance at Menards for $389. I am going to fire it up today.
To JB, I just found out who made Avocado Kamado at Menards. Here is the weblink: http://www.kamadochina.com this company is Sunrise Creamics CO., LTD.
The weber is pretty darn good for the money.
I wanna try the avocado even though it's china made. Do I waste 400 or do the extra for the American made product. Until the my simple weber will have to do
Just picked up a 499 Avocado Kamado at Menards. Still trying to find out who makes them and where to get parts. Stainless cart is cheap and casters look like they could break off any time. Grill cooks the best though. Have been cooking every night and this one is every bit as good as BGE at 40% less in price.
At a party last weekend, my friends made tandoori Chicken on a BGE. It was one of the best tandoori chickens I've had in a long, long time! I'm still looking for a perfect grill for our needs, but the BGE has suddenly emerged as a contender. I now think of it as the Le Creuset of BBQ grills :)
Anyone ever heard of the Avocado Kamado that is available at Menards this weekend for $499?
Read article NYTimes 7/13/11 on the Kamado and wonder why I would need to order parts due to wear and tear as I should imagine such an expensive item would rarely, if ever need any. My old Weber grill has been tootling along for years without any problems. But I was impressed by one of you folks on the astounding Costco pizza taste revelation on this grill. Will check it out Costco in Commack LI. Thx
To all that want a Kamado grill Costco is selling them and they are fantastic. 499 for a Dragon Kamado.. good deal.
I use Queensland Gidgee lump charcoal for my Big Steel Keg and Weber Performer kettle grill. Gidgee being a native hardwood and the best charcoal available in Australia. I am seriously considering buying a temperature controller from the US for the BSK and will go for the DIGIQ DX with 10cfm fan and bulkhead addaptor.
I have had problems keeping low and slow fires going when smoking meat for 6 to 8 hours. I used pickled pork with Hickory lumps and it came out the best ham ever after 5 hours in the Big Steel Keg.
I recently purchased a Big Steel Keg, a Kamado style grill made of steel. It has many advantages particularly in weight and has two big wheels to shift it around. I later imported the diffuser kit from the US for indirect cooking and smoking. Another advantage is the cast iron grill grate and a second stainless steel grill grate is positioned above and swings out.
I am in Queensland Australia where the BSK is marketed by Gasmate.
haven't heard of it, but I like the look of the Viking Kamado style grill. Also, just got an email from Dennis Linkletter he has Komodo's in stock. I wish I'd gotten that grill over the Kamado.
Has anyone heard of the Kamado Ceramic Charcoal grill made by vision grills? They're for sale at Frontgate, which typically only sells high end products. It's listed at $799.00. I can't really find any info on them. The other grills Frontgate sells are mostly viking, but there does not appear to be a relationship between the two.
I am also in Australia and seriously considering a Kamado Joe. Here in Oz, the grill dome does not come with stainless steel grills which is a big let down. The Joe does. But does anyone know the differences between these and the dragon fire?
james
did you buy from BBQs Galore have you seen or has anyone had experience with the dragon fire or royal kamado grills.
have cooked on aBGE and loved it..
i am in australia
any help before purchasing would be greatly appreciated
I live in Australia and the local Barbeque chain store started selling Kamado Joe vice BGE. The price was about 60% of the BGE and seemed as good if not better that the BGE. I purchased the Kamado Joe as my first Kamado and like it very much. Takes about 10-15 mins to light and I had it up to 700F and as low as 220 for 10 hours. I chose the Joe because of parts and sevice since the store here is only going to carry that brand, but BGE and the Joe side-by-side, I would still buy the Joe based on price.
We have 3 types of kamados available. 1) Imperial Kamado 2) Kamado King's "modern kamado" 3) "Chinese Kamado". All of which are quality products, some having major improvements over older style pots. We offer very competative pricing, great service and hard to find parts for your restoration products. parts ebay keyword Kamado King or facebook keyword kamado king. you can find info and 1800 numbers there. We are the largest importer distributer in the NE, selling kamados since 1974. good luck on your search!
Kamado Joe is by far the best grill on the market. It is cheaper, lights better, stays lit for longer, and has thicker ceramics than all of its competitors. Before you buy BGE or grill dome, take a look at this.
I'm trying to find out how much my Kamado Barbeque Smoker is worth. It is very old, and was in the patio of a condo I purchased, the owner left it behind. It has a Cookbook inside that says First Printing 1976, and lists info about the smoker. The previous owner put an arrow to the "Ancient Type" Pot Number of #2 with a grill size of 14". It is sitting in a metal thing with rollers to move the smoker around. It's old, the wood handle is very weathered, but the cooker is still in great condition and has all the parts, even the charcol stirrer is there. Anyone have an idea of what this would be worth? E-Bay has an item for sale that is a reproduction of the patent that was originally filed. My Smoker looks like the one on the patent. It's not shiny tiles, but dull tan colored and rough textured. Thanks in advance for any info you can provide. Barbara myrvsales@hotmail.com
I have two Kamados a K3 and a K7. I broke them in according to the manual. Both have tiles falling off all the time. Other parts are breaking too. They don't answer the phone or emails and delete all complaints from their forum. It is a corrupt company that sells junk and refuses to honao any and all warranties. Keep in mind they have a full lifetime warranty, lol. Richard should be in jail. If you are so naive to buy anything from them after all the warnings posted all over the internet you are a fool.
Anthony - While I did end up getting my K7, it took many months longer than told and I still haven't received all the parts. It's pretty incredible that people really want the product and will even send half of the money in advance. I did some research and felt that it was 5050 if I would get my grill, but I still sent my check in. Crazy, I know, but I just couldn't find another grill that had the features like the Kamado. I'm hoping my gas starter finally comes.
Ordered a Kamado Grill on October 9th 2009.... No grill to date... they won't take my calls and won't send the grill... and have my $550.00 down payment. They have consistantly told one story after another
I drove to Parker Colorado early this year and was at a good friends house that I had not seen in awhaile for a BBQ. First I will let you know I work at Costco part-time. Anyhow, my buddys wife Mary returns from grocery shopping and Wayne asks, "What did you get for the BBQ honey" ? She says "Costco Pizzas" ! Well my heart sank and I was dissapointed to hear that because I eat Costco pizza all the time at work and was burned out on it. I kept my mouth shut and Wayne procedded to start the first pizza inside his already heated egg shaped Kamado. It was the first time I ever saw one and was very curious about it. He said it took him a year to learn how to properly cook with it but was well worth the money and learning experience. I thought to myself that it could not be that much better than other BBQ,s. When he removed the pizza from the egg , I could smell and see that it was different than any other store bought and cooked Costco pizza. I could not believe my taste buds after my first bite !!! It was some of the best pizza I ever tasted and it did not taste like Costco pizza ! ! ! I ate all the crust which I never do because it was nice and crispy and well done, no gooey dough anywhere ! The smokey flavor and crisp crust blew me away ! I am in the process of looking for one now if I can fit it into my budget.
Cannot get my BBQ from Kamado. Do not buy from them they don't answer the phone or email back once they have your money. I don't believe they are legitimate.
I have one of the last Kamado Grills produced over seas. It's a great grill, but it's cracking after a few weeks and I haven't received the missing parts from my order.
Grill Dome Is #1 in my book. Easy to light; easy to maintain temp; great, moist food and outstanding customer service. I bought mine through bbqguys.com because they compare and demo manu of the kamado type grills. Further, they are beautiful. Bill Harger, Chuluota, FL
I've just started using the big steel keg. Love it so far
Ok - now I need one. Didn't think I did. Now I do.
Primo Grills are made in the USA. Buy American!
I have the grill dome and it works great. i have no complaints and i have used the green egg and the primo in the past. I have also loked at the new dragon fire kamado which looks great for a reasnable price.
Currently, I don't think gas is available on either cooker.
I think Primo had a gas option a while back but was unsuccessful in marketing them as there wasn't much demand as compared to the charcoal models.
The Large Infinity GD runs about $630 - $700. The Infinity SuperDome is $950.
The Primo Oval runs about $850 - $1000
Do the Grill Dome and Primo have gas options and what's the price range for them?
Jason, Thanks for the info about them.
Grill Dome - Grill Dome has been making kamado style cookers for about 20 years now. They have thicker ceramics than both BGE and Primo. Also, their Terapex ceramics are more porous than BGE and Primo. Also the Infinity Series models come standard with a stainless steel - a huge plus - so you don't have to worry about rusting. They are available in 5 colors.
Primo - Famous for their oval shaped grill. The oval design allows for better usage of the cooking area and their split firebox design allows for better indirect cooking. They have a distribution network second to BGE.
I have owned a BGE for several years and recently went kamado shopping with a friend. We checked out the Primo and the GD. IMO, the GD has the best fit and build out of all three brands. The grind the faces between the lid and the base for a tight fit and don't require the gaskets to be changed regularly like the BGE. Also the stainless steel hinges and auto-hinge design are very heavy duty. Unlike the other auto-hinge designs, the GD design counter's the weight of the lid. I have also seen several online comparisons where the GD produces juicier foods.
Yes, there are other Kamado Grill makers. I'd be happy to add descriptions of the others if you want to leave them in the comments.
What's your opinion on the Grill Dome and the Primo?
What about Grill Dome? You are missing atleast of couple of the other big players in the market. Also there is the Primo. The Komodo Kamado is a way overpriced unit IMO. People buy these grills for the food not for the hardware.
It takes about 7-10 minutes....depending on the temp you are aiming for, how many places you light the coal etc. If you are aiming for 400 degrees or so, it takes about 7-10 minutes to get up to temp. If you are aiming for 650 or more, figure about 15 minutes or so. The key is to light in a number of places and open up the opening at the bottom all the way and remove the top cap until you get up to the temp and then add the daisy wheel on top and fine tune the temp.
FYI: I use the little starter chunks and a lighter. The electric starter that costs about 15 dollars or so starts the coal in about 9-10 minutes. The crazy thing is that a lot of people start their BGE with a MAPP torch. Those start in a few minutes.
Has anyone ever seen the Komodo Kamado go on sale?
The big green egg definitely has a loyal following of bbq enthusiasts. In the BGE forums, there are lots of great looking recipes as well. I still think I want the gas option.
How much time does it take you to add charcoal, light the BGE and get the grill to a hot temperature?
Nice breakdown on the Kamados. Very informative!
I have a Big Green Egg. It is well worth the money and holds temperature very well. I don't believe that the gas option matters that much. I thought that I would care, but lighting is so easy that it is a very minor point to me. The Big Green Egg has a very large following. There are a lot of forums dedicated to the BGE. It is very easy to use to get GREAT results. I have baked breads, smoked pork butts, ribs, brisket, cooked steaks, appetizers, pizzas....you name it.
I have not seen many negative reviews about the BGE. However, I would say almost all reviews are Excellent.(I had to say almost all because I have not seen all reviews on it, but have never really seen much negative said about the BGE)
Thanks again for this HUB. Good Stuff!
Stephan T has a Kamado grill.
Patty 4 months ago
Menards has a 150 mail in rebate off the 389 price that brings the price to 239+tax. At that price it is worth giving it a try!