Kettle vs. Kamado

[Michael_Levin]

Thanks everyone for your input. I think I’ve decided on the Kamado Classic III. The primary reason is that it is new and different for me and I’ll get a lot of hours of pleasure out of trying all the different things. If I simply replace my Weber Performer, it’s business as usual. So six months or a year from now I may think I threw away $1000 for a little overkill, but I’ll probably get $1000 worth of fun (not including all the meat I’ll probably ruin in the process) learning that lesson.

[Chris_Crutchfield]

Thanks everyone for your input. I think I’ve decided on the Kamado Classic III. The primary reason is that it is new and different for me and I’ll get a lot of hours of pleasure out of trying all the different things. If I simply replace my Weber Performer, it’s business as usual. So six months or a year from now I may think I threw away $1000 for a little overkill, but I’ll probably get $1000 worth of fun (not including all the meat I’ll probably ruin in the process) learning that lesson.

I got my kamado joe from bbqgalore.com. No sales tax (YMMV), free shipping, and cash back through Rakuten. Looks like they are having a promotion right now for a free rotisserie attachment as well.

[Andrew_Kotowski]

Bah, missed this thread. My thoughts, for what it’s worth. I cooked on Weber kettles for 20 years and lucked into a Vision Kamado for $50, which I’ve used for the last 10.

Weber:

• Easy/great to use for grilling or cooks under 45 mins and it’s materially cheaper than a kamado, even the BGE knock-offs.
• Super easy to clean, especially if you get the ash bucket/collector underneath
• Portable - I used to pack mine into the back of the truck by myself and take it to tailgates
• Can be challenging for longer cooks, especially when it’s colder outside (don’t get the same constant, radiant heat you’ll see in a kamado)

Kamado:

• Easy to use for grilling or cooks under 3-4 hours. The radiant heat from these is great for slow-cooking things like spareribs or low and slow tri-tip
• Bit of a hassle to clean, which I do every 4-5 cooks. Pro tip - grab a plastic safeway bag and use it for a glove, pull the ash out of the bottom and dump in another Safeway bag. Take off the “glove” and toss.
• Heavy. I’ve packed it in my truck… but FFS it’s a pain in the ass and you need two people to lift it
• Long cooks can be hit or miss if you’re away for more than 10 mins, requiring you to keep an eye on the temp gauge, adjusting vents semi-frequently. I’ve done a ton of pork shoulders and a couple of briskets, don’t get me wrong, but if the temp creeps on you while you’re grabbing a beer or three, it can be a pain to drop because the ceramic is also warmed up

Overall, I like the kamado better for day-in, day-out stuff. Smoker arrives today (have been waiting for months!), as I don’t really care for the kamado for the longer cooks and the surface area/volume is limited, even with a rib rack. Be sure to buy a ceramic heat deflector, as well - can’t live without it if you’re cooking chicken.

TL DR - If you’re solving for price/portability, Kettle hands down. If you don’t mind dropping $800-$1000 for the kamado, I wouldn’t think twice.

[CGlescher]

I love my Big Green Egg. And not just for smoking. It’s just such a perfect device. Easy to get to temp. Easy to manage temp. Easy to clean. Great for indirect heat. Solid as a rock. Super versatile. Lots of accessories and gizmos. It brings me joy every time I use it. I’ve heard Kamado Joes are every bit as good.

Weber certainly makes a great product. I have a Weber Genesis II gas grill that I also like, but it has no soul.

I am in the same camp as you. I have the large and a gas grill, and I can’t remember the last time I used the gas grill. I just enjoy the process of cooking on the egg, and the flavor I can get from it.