Kamado experience

[f2benny]

Does anyone have much experience cooking with a kamado?  Are they that special to justify the expense?  I have a deal for a big primo oval kamado that is tempting me.  Let me know your thoughts.

[swamprb]

give into the temptation!

[f2benny]

Tempted but why?

[Red Kettle Rich]

I bought a cheap imitation Kamado (www.hayneedle.com/product/chargrillerredakornkamadokookerwithoptionalcover.cfm) Now my Webers are feeling neglected 

My understanding is that Primos blow Akorns out of the water but cost an outrageous amount.  Its only $$$ 

[wyd]

I do a few demo cooks a year at my local dealer and the biggest things I found on the ceramic grills is just how much better they hold the heat so doing long cooks to me is just so much easier plus the reuse of the lump charcoal is always nice.  I just have a problem justifying the rice overall for one as large setup with a car and a place setter costs me as much as my Weber Platinum Kettle, Gold Kettle, Genesis Gasser, Smokey Joe, and the 3 vintage brownies, a plum silver and a green silver kettle I gave to a friend and I still don't have what I would into the ceramic style setups if I went with an Egg, Kamado Joe, Primo or Grill Done (although I really wanted a Large blue Grill Dome if I went Ceramic or an Egg).

[Jammato]

My best bud inherited a Big Green Egg with a few factory accessories
'
that puppy can hols the heat for a long long time and he can control the heat for low and slow real easy, his learning curb was about ten cooks till he figured it out and he does a great job with it

next to it is his grill, you see it does not grill like he would like so he has a gas grill next to it because he cannot do zone control on the Egg

If he is doing steaks, or  vegis or such, the gas grill is on.

He loves the Egg, we did ribs last week at 225 for 4 hours, 2 hours later it was still holding temp,
but we had to fire up the grill to do the sides for the meal

[Hogsy]

I use mine exclusively as a Pizza oven, I get the charcoal raging hot open all vents and it knocks up great pizzas within 5 mins, I've read that high heat is no good for kamado's as they crack but I've been cooking this way once a week for two years and there's no signs of cracking. I haven't tried L&S in it yet as I prefer to use my kettles

[swamprb]

Long before I was into R-R-R on Weber kettles, I was refurbishing and flipping vintage Japanese and Chinese made Kamados.





Been attracted to them for a long time, and had been using one for many years, mainly as a grill, since I was new to BBQ and had little patience for fire management for low and slow cooking.
 
I got hipped on how to use the Big Green Egg by Ray Lampe "Dr.BBQ" at a competition, around 2005 and shortly after scored an older style ceramic BGE and did some upgrades to it like adding the spring hinge, platesetter, pizza stone and stainless slide draft vent, and I was on my way! The Naked Whiz was about the only site at the time that had reliable info on using an Egg (or Kamado style cooker) pre platesetter days.



Do you need one? Probably not. Are you getting a steal of a deal on that Primo? Then go for it!

Judging from the BGE Facebook group, I'm beginning to think that the majority of new owners walked into a Spa dealer and saw a BGE next to some Brown-Jordan patio furniture next to the latest hi-tech hot tub and decided that it would look good on their deck. Did little to no research other than the glossy "BGE Lifestyle" brochure and ask the most ridiculously stoopid questions regarding what lump to buy (which I always reply Big Green Egg Lump, otherwise it will void the warranty.)
Most of the dealers in my area are Appliance stores or Stove and Spa shops and they are not very knowledgable about the product and sell way overpriced Lump to go with them.

I like mine, have 3 Larges, not a rabid fan like some that consider it the "Ultimate Cooking Experience". They all cook the same.
Talked to a Primo dealer at an Eggfest and he confided he was going to start selling Kamado Joe, because he needed some color in his shop!

The Kamado Guru site is a pretty good forum for all things Kamado, and that includes the Akorn, Keg and other brands as well as the Ceramics.

Its good to have some other cookers in the arsenal to keep things interesting!

[1buckie]

Swamp....you're the BOMB !!!



Still one of the best signature lines on the InterToob.....

[Hogsy]

@swamprb what are you like at dating them?
I have this one and would love to know how old it is

[swamprb]

@swamprb what are you like at dating them?
I have this one and would love to know how old it is

I copied all the pages that I possibly could from the old Imperial Kamado website, and there really isn't any information on dating them. I believe there is some reference to when they stopped manufacturing them in Japan and shifted operations to factories in Taiwan, I'll look into it.

Is the handle on the base something you added? I've had some that were similar but they were higher up near the lip. I heard that there was a strong Imperial Kamado following in AUS?

[Hogsy]

The handle came with it but I bought it 2nd hand so who knows if it's stock or not. The handle can be positioned closer to the lip or lower down its held on by two nuts and bolts , I've been thinking of using it to be the base of side tables for the kamado. It also came with the manual.
And yes Kamado's are becoming more and more popular over here, I think we get all the brands that are available in the states

[ClubChapin]

Does anyone have much experience cooking with a kamado?  Are they that special to justify the expense?  I have a deal for a big primo oval kamado that is tempting me.  Let me know your thoughts.

I guess I'll chime in.  I've got a large BGE and love it.  It grills grate, smokes grate, and makes pizza grate.  I can pretty easily get it over 1000F with my fan assist.  Absolutely a fantastic cooker.

I would not steer anyone away from one.

That said, Since I've gotten back into Weber, Weber is now my go to Grill.  Smoke will happen on the BGE, although I've experimented on the Kettle the last few times, grilling is on the Weber.  I find it more responsive (Overheat the ceramic and it takes a long time to correct), and prefer the kettle for grilling ergonomics.

If you were to have one cooker, I'd say the Kamado is a more versatile cooker.  If you are going to have two or more, a Kettle and a Kamado or a WSM would be the way to go.

I prefer the 22" Kettle  (and love the Performer Gas assist) to my 18" Kamado for grilling.

Kamado wins for smoking and pizza.  (Haven't used my Weber Pizza accessory yet, so can't really compare.)

WSM is close to kamado for smoking (and tops it for capacity).

If I had a Kettle and WSM, I wouldn't get a Kamado, unless it is a screaming deal.

Like the kettle, there are a ton of fun accessories (maybe even more) and also thriving online communities.

I'm starting to ramble, will shut up now.

[1buckie]

^^^^ that's a great all-around perspective ^^^^^


No ramble as far as I can see.....

[Troy]

i'd love to have a komodo kamado. I've cooked on one a few times, as well as a primo oval and a BGE.
I do like how the ceramics are really efficient with fuel! The komodo kamados are simply gorgeous. Very high quality stuff.

The weber is the most versatile charcoal cooker though, especially if you factor in after market and 3rd party accessories
There are only 2 things a ceramic does better than a weber - long cooks with minimal fuel, and holding down the deck.