Weber Kettle Club Forums
Grill Talk => Weber Grill Forum (Grills, Accessories) => Topic started by: WhaleinaTeardrop on August 22, 2016, 02:54:43 PM
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I have a chance to get a Regular Kamado Joe BNIB w/warranty for $550; for those of you with both, are they really worth the premium over a kettle?
I'm concerned about the price for the size, I bought my 6-year old son a 18.5 for $30 and some change a couple of months back, so it feels strange/wrong to pay so much for less area; it might even be different if I could get a similar discount on a Big Joe, but no such luck....
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I think that @LightningBoldtz has some sort of ceramic cooker...there may be others.
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OK, here's the dealio with a kamado. They are a unique piece of equipment for the backyard. While many people do grill on them, I hardly ever do. Maybe it's because I have a weber and would rather do my grilling session on something that I can flip over to indirect, IDK.
HOWEVER, There is truth to the thought that somethin' magical happens when you smoke on them. It is one of my default cookers when I am doing an overnight or ribs or most anything that I have to smoke. I would never give up my webers, they have a function, but I am a fan of the ceramic cookers. If horizontal space is a concern you might want to look elsewhere going vertical though you can really pack it in on these cookers.
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I've been drooling over Kamados at Costco, Sam's and Lowe's for the past 3 years and even have the official OK from the wife, but as a Business Major with a concentration in Econ, I have a hard time rationalizing the cost difference 10x between a Kamado and a kettle....but at almost half the regular price, it's a lot easier for me to swallow.
More importantly, as good as I've gotten at dialing on the kettles for smoking, I would like the almost set it and forget it ease and the possibility of reliable all night smoking that a Kamado offers....
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$550 seems like a really good deal for a Kamado Joe.
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It's a bargain compared to this kamado I've been drooling over five minutes from my house...I'd love to have it, but my wife and kids seem to prefer things like food, clothes, and roof over their heads.
http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/for/5735366232.html (http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/for/5735366232.html)
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Here's the thing everyone seems to miss. You want to cook something. Great! How do you want to cook it? Low & slow? Hot and fast?
Now, can you cook the thing you want to cook with the equipment you have. Can you cook it the way you want to cook it?
What exactly can you do on a Kamado, Tandoor, Weber kettle, WSM, gasser.... that you cannot do on one of the others without modifying technique?
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I recommend trying a Char-griller Akorn first. I bought mine last weekend at Walmart for 150. Good way to try Kamado cooking without spending an arm and a leg on a ceramic.
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So what exactly can you cook on the Akorn that I can not cook on my Weber kettle?
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I have an XL Egg. I love it.
With that being said. I bet I use my Weber 22.5" 10 to 1.
I live in AZ so that insulation provided by the Ceramic doesn't benefit me as much as it may others.
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Here's the thing everyone seems to miss. You want to cook something. Great! How do you want to cook it? Low & slow? Hot and fast?
Now, can you cook the thing you want to cook with the equipment you have. Can you cook it the way you want to cook it?
What exactly can you do on a Kamado, Tandoor, Weber kettle, WSM, gasser.... that you cannot do on one of the others without modifying technique?
This exactly.
If you are interested in ceramics and you want one, I can guarantee you'll find a way to talk yourself into it. Nothing wrong with buying what you want, but you won't ever rationalize the purchase with any practical cooking argument.
I have used a large BGE extensively in the past, and while it certainly was cool and had a good historical story IMO there is no way it is worth the expense, limited capacity, and incredibly awkward size/weight. Of course I have the personal experience of being derailed by the tiniest piece of gravel on a concrete floor and ending up with a thousand bucks worth of broken green ceramic shards, so I'm certain I'm biased on this particular subject :-[
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I got into BBQ through the introduction to a Big Green Egg at a BBQ competition in Seattle. I didn't know who they were at the time, but they were cooking as Bonesmokers BBQ. It was Ray Lampe - Dr. BBQ, Jim Minion and Chris Lilly! Yeah Big Bob Gibson Chris Lilly! They won the event! On a Klose and BGE's.
Got inspired and jumped right in and learned the BGE and WSM at essentially the same time, got into kettles later on.
My signature (which needs to be revised - hint hint @Troy) kind of says I've got a pit problem that needs more cowbell! Along with my teammates Klose, FEC, Lang & Peoria, I know my way around them as well.
I've got three Large BGE's but don't use them much, but like quality specialized tools, they come in handy when you need them. I've always had a thing for Japanese Kamado's and its how I got into BBQ restoring them. I don't have much stomach for the Eggheads elitists that drank the kool-ade. Never really learned anything from their shitty forums, but did meet some good folks that cooked on other pits as well as Eggs and we share a common bond-master your pit! Whatever it is.
This is more than a hobby for me and I would get bored fast cooking on one specific pit, but thats just me. If I had to name my desert island pick it would be a 22" Weber kettle.
Will that Kamado Joe change your life?
Get back to us on that.
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I do have a Large Big Green Egg that I used to use for grilling/smoking etc. I finally assembled my Weber 22.5 OTG that was sitting in my garage unopened for 6 years and finally got to using it. Now it is my everyday griller. I do not even know the last time I used my Weber gasser. The speed in using the charcoal chimney to light the briquettes and getting ready to cook in 15 mins is awesome. I do use my BGE for smoking ribs/briskets/salmon etc. But for quick evening dinners, its been the Weber kettle.
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I got into BBQ through the introduction to a Big Green Egg at a BBQ competition in Seattle. I didn't know who they were at the time, but they were cooking as Bonesmokers BBQ. It was Ray Lampe - Dr. BBQ, Jim Minion and Chris Lilly! Yeah Big Bob Gibson Chris Lilly! They won the event! On a Klose and BGE's.
Got inspired and jumped right in and learned the BGE and WSM at essentially the same time, got into kettles later on.
My signature (which needs to be revised - hint hint @Troy) kind of says I've got a pit problem that needs more cowbell! Along with my teammates Klose, FEC, Lang & Peoria, I know my way around them as well.
I've got three Large BGE's but don't use them much, but like quality specialized tools, they come in handy when you need them. I've always had a thing for Japanese Kamado's and its how I got into BBQ restoring them. I don't have much stomach for the Eggheads elitists that drank the kool-ade. Never really learned anything from their shitty forums, but did meet some good folks that cooked on other pits as well as Eggs and we share a common bond-master your pit! Whatever it is.
This is more than a hobby for me and I would get bored fast cooking on one specific pit, but thats just me. If I had to name my desert island pick it would be a 22" Weber kettle.
Will that Kamado Joe change your life?
Get back to us on that.
PMd you about sig. I think i fixed!
Also, this was your 1200th post!
I'm glad you're here. Does that mean we provide more value and less dip-shitted-ness than the egghead koolaid forums? =D
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I'm prob the opposite of most on here in that as much as I want the Kamado, I convince myself to pull the trigger at full price. Each fall, I try to wait out Costco and Sam's to buy one of their last Kamados for $249; I had money in hand and a tarp in the back of my Pilot a couple of years ago only to be told that I'd missed the last one by a day or two.
What can't I cook on my Kettles? As a PROUD son of Mississippi, I can do all manner of pig with my eyes closed and have done so once just to see if I could, but brisket and specifically, pastrami still vexes me. Mine is good, not great. Meat is quality, seasoning and cure is very good and have tried, minion, snake and crutching but to no avail....can never get it perfectly, done, moist and tender; one always gives. I like my brisket:pastrami (and corned beef) relatively fatty, sliced thick and unctuous; when done right it's still super tender, but I have to slice mine SUPER thin to keep it tender. One of my lifelong buds does his on a XL BGE and it is spectacular....so I'd have to say cook-wise, I'm chasing that.
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I got into BBQ through the introduction to a Big Green Egg at a BBQ competition in Seattle. I didn't know who they were at the time, but they were cooking as Bonesmokers BBQ. It was Ray Lampe - Dr. BBQ, Jim Minion and Chris Lilly! Yeah Big Bob Gibson Chris Lilly! They won the event! On a Klose and BGE's.
Got inspired and jumped right in and learned the BGE and WSM at essentially the same time, got into kettles later on.
My signature (which needs to be revised - hint hint @Troy) kind of says I've got a pit problem that needs more cowbell! Along with my teammates Klose, FEC, Lang & Peoria, I know my way around them as well.
I've got three Large BGE's but don't use them much, but like quality specialized tools, they come in handy when you need them. I've always had a thing for Japanese Kamado's and its how I got into BBQ restoring them. I don't have much stomach for the Eggheads elitists that drank the kool-ade. Never really learned anything from their shitty forums, but did meet some good folks that cooked on other pits as well as Eggs and we share a common bond-master your pit! Whatever it is.
This is more than a hobby for me and I would get bored fast cooking on one specific pit, but thats just me. If I had to name my desert island pick it would be a 22" Weber kettle.
Will that Kamado Joe change your life?
Get back to us on that.
Well spoken, Sir!
It sounds like you and I are from the same generation of competition cooks, only you're still at it. Ray Lampe and Jim Minion were both game changing mentors for me as well. I bet we know a few more of the same people from a decade or so ago too.
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It was a L BGE that got me off of gas. Great cooker. Versatile. Fun to cook on. Great temp control. Fuel miser. Low capacity. It's my go to smoker, although wish I had the XL for ribs. I can't say a bad thing about it. Anything overnight is on the BGE.
My main Grill? Kettle. Hands down a better grilling experience. Also for shorter smokes.
I tell people that the kamado is great. Do not want to steer any away from it. For the money, however, you can get a top of the line performer and a 22" WSM and smoke and Grill as well as kamado. And, grill and smoke at same time, with way more capacity. Even the 18" WSM has twice the capacity of an 18" Kamado.
Kamado is a great tool, but not the only great tool out there.
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I started on gas and still have and use it. I got into low and slow and learned on a WSM. I was still always curious about ceramics. I lucked out and scored a Vision on clearance at Sam's. I used it as smoker for almost 2 years. I learned that I never grilled on it and I preferred smoking on WSM. I sold that Vision and bought a Weber performer and a digiq ATC for the WSM. The performer gave me a gas assist for the charcoal chimney and a table for prep. The ATC let's me sleep for overnight cooks.
My main issue with the vision was managing the fire. A WSM has a big door that gives access to the fire. If you need to fiddle it was easy. with the vision you have to go though the top which means taking off your food, cooking grates, and heat deflector stone huge PIA. There are many that get very good at managing fire in a ceramic and once you get your technique down you won't have many issues. I wasn't one of them. For me the performer, WSM, genesis combo is great (for now)!
You might have to try many tools and find out what you really like. I still want to try a Traeger. lol
Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
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I think if I were gonna buy something outside the world of Weber it would probably be a traeger. I've seen them in action but never used one personally. The idea of setting a temperature and walking away intrigues me. I've been considering a digi-Q but I worry about spending the coin on a gadget.
Sent from my LGLS990 using Tapatalk
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I have exclusively cooked on Weber kettles and Traegers. I just scored a Big Steel Keg for free and am looking forward to try the kamado thing.
I think the BSK supposedly holds more moisture than a ceramic.
I too am pursuing the ultimate brisket / pastrami.
Whit
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I think if I were gonna buy something outside the world of Weber it would probably be a traeger. I've seen them in action but never used one personally. The idea of setting a temperature and walking away intrigues me. I've been considering a digi-Q but I worry about spending the coin on a gadget.
Sent from my LGLS990 using Tapatalk
My cousin / co-conspirator lives down the road and is a dedicated Traeger man. I've enjoyed several meals off it and it certainly works as advertised, but frankly I find it boring. Without the 'human element' to the fire management it's really just an outdoor wood-fired convection oven.
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I think if I were gonna buy something outside the world of Weber it would probably be a traeger. I've seen them in action but never used one personally. The idea of setting a temperature and walking away intrigues me. I've been considering a digi-Q but I worry about spending the coin on a gadget.
Sent from my LGLS990 using Tapatalk
My cousin / co-conspirator lives down the road and is a dedicated Traeger man. I've enjoyed several meals off it and it certainly works as advertised, but frankly I find it boring. Without the 'human element' to the fire management it's really just an outdoor wood-fired convection oven.
And that's EXACTLY why I haven't bought one. Kinda Takes all the fun out of grilling
Sent from my LGLS990 using Weber Kettle Club mobile app (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=91018)
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I have a Kamado Joe classic(regular). Wife got it for me about 4 years ago & I love it. I use it 3 to 4 times a week.Before that I used Weber kettles. Had an 18 & 22. Upgraded to a Performer in 2010, loved it. After the KJ the Performer has been used about 3 times. I have used it for low & slows, grilling, pizzas, etc. There isn't anything I have done on my KJ that I can't do in a kettle but for me after learning how to use the KJ it is easier to do all those things. It can be ready to cook in about 15 minutes for the evening dinner cooks & it great for over night cooks. It is much more efficient than my performer. As far as capacity I cook for just the wife & I so I don't want for space(an 18" weber grill fits right in). The most I have done at one time is 2 whole chickens & 2 racks of baby back ribs on it at the same time(2 sitters & rib rack). They have an grate expander which enable 3 levels of cooking, if you so desire. I can't compare it to a WSM because I have never used one.
There are drawbacks, it takes a lot of time for it to cool off enough to cover after a cook. The KJ doesn't have a rain cap like some other ceramic grills so water can get in the daisy wheel in the rain if not covered. It is heavy but very easy to move if necessary via the cart in came in. I don't move it that much but I didn't move the performer that much either, usually moved arond to clean the patio. I have found that after getting over the learning curve I feel the "human element" to fire management gets a little lost. It is a little surreal to throw a rack of ribs on & not have to touch them for a few hours, unlike the the Weber where I was tending the fire much more closely. That being said Weber was about 4 years to late, had a product like the Summit been around back then I would have snapped one up. I think its a great deal that you are getting & I don't think you would be disappointed if you put in the time with it.
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I have a Kamado Joe classic(regular). Wife got it for me about 4 years ago & I love it. I use it 3 to 4 times a week.Before that I used Weber kettles. Had an 18 & 22. Upgraded to a Performer in 2010, loved it. After the KJ the Performer has been used about 3 times. I have used it for low & slows, grilling, pizzas, etc. There isn't anything I have done on my KJ that I can't do in a kettle but for me after learning how to use the KJ it is easier to do all those things. It can be ready to cook in about 15 minutes for the evening dinner cooks & it great for over night cooks. It is much more efficient than my performer. As far as capacity I cook for just the wife & I so I don't want for space(an 18" weber grill fits right in). The most I have done at one time is 2 whole chickens & 2 racks of baby back ribs on it at the same time(2 sitters & rib rack). They have an grate expander which enable 3 levels of cooking, if you so desire. I can't compare it to a WSM because I have never used one.
There are drawbacks, it takes a lot of time for it to cool off enough to cover after a cook. The KJ doesn't have a rain cap like some other ceramic grills so water can get in the daisy wheel in the rain if not covered. It is heavy but very easy to move if necessary via the cart in came in. I don't move it that much but I didn't move the performer that much either, usually moved arond to clean the patio. I have found that after getting over the learning curve I feel the "human element" to fire management gets a little lost. It is a little surreal to throw a rack of ribs on & not have to touch them for a few hours, unlike the the Weber where I was tending the fire much more closely. That being said Weber was about 4 years to late, had a product like the Summit been around back then I would have snapped one up. I think its a great deal that you are getting & I don't think you would be disappointed if you put in the time with it.
Update:
I caught a sale and got another 20% and the Kamado Joe was $579, out the door and delivered. I figure that if I don't take to ceramic cooking, as long as I don't crack it, I can sell it for $600 and get back what I have into it....
If delivery wasn't an issue, I even considered buying a couple of them and turning them around on CL, but I'm not really keen on having a bunch of strangers in my garage.
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I think if I were gonna buy something outside the world of Weber it would probably be a traeger. I've seen them in action but never used one personally. The idea of setting a temperature and walking away intrigues me. I've been considering a digi-Q but I worry about spending the coin on a gadget.
Sent from my LGLS990 using Tapatalk
My cousin / co-conspirator lives down the road and is a dedicated Traeger man. I've enjoyed several meals off it and it certainly works as advertised, but frankly I find it boring. Without the 'human element' to the fire management it's really just an outdoor wood-fired convection oven.
I have a co-worker that I've been trying to talk out of a Traeger. But, he's young and wants things to be easy. Whenever I see the demos at Costco, I'm not impressed. How long do they last? They seem somewhat flimsy, and I think they'd be prone to rust.
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I just saw this ceramic on Philly's Craigslist: https://philadelphia.craigslist.org/for/5753059191.html
$90 for a Komado? I'd jump if I hadn't just bought the BLUE 22". I've been lusting after a BGE for years. For me it was the cool factor and the sales pitches at the home shows. I didn't bite because of the $$$.
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That's not ceramic, it's powder-coated steel. Also, many a WallyWorld had them on sale for the Labor Day weekend for $150 or less.