help in deciding to buy the Weber Summit Charcoal or Kamado Big Joe this month

[Sergdman]

Okay guys, here is the deal.  I am (was) a gas grill guy.  I am 39 and only now going to start serious grilling and using charcoal.  I am in NJ and would like to keep grilling in the winter therefore I have narrowed it down to the Kamado Big Joe II and the Weber Summit Charcoal with the table.   I have the opportunity to buy either one for $1500.  Well actually the KJ would be about $100 more.  I have seen them both and, just love the way the WSC looks.  I like the KJ but as far as looks and what I feel would look good in my patio is the WSC.   The KJ is just coming out with so many different innovations.  And I love the fact that I could get the Joetesserie (extra $200) which I think we would love.  None for the WSC.  I like the KJ divide conquer different zones and heights.  I have watched baby back mania and many youtube videos and there is just great things said about both grills.  Another thing I found was how great the  slow and sear was while researching, but I also found out that they do not have the slow and sear for the SWG.   

Anyway, so should I get the Kamado Joe or the Weber Summit Charcoal.  The rotisserie option for the KJ, is it enough to get the edge and win.  Some say the Joetisserie is amazing and big difference in just using the indirect method.  Help me with your experiences everyone. Much appreciated. 

[michaelmilitello]

Hi.  I don’t own either grill, but the overall workflow of the summit is superior.  It has storage and ample work space.   It’s very well thought out.  I understand the double wall steel is superior to ceramic if you overshoot your target temp.   Also,  ceramic is heavy and fragile.   The Weber can use briquettes and lump too.  The ash catcher and vent system are superior in my opinion too. 


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[brewtownbeatdown]

Since this is the “Weber” Kettle Club, we’re all gonna recommend the Kamado Joe[emoji23].  Sounds like you’ve put quite a bit of thought into it.  Really can’t go wrong with either.


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[Walchit]

I can't afford either, and I haven't had much experience with winter grilling, but I'm about to see how different it is within the next couple of months.

I know there are some summit owners that post here, probably komodo owners too.

Welcome to the club from Topeka Kansas.

[HoosierKettle]

I grill just fine in the winter on my kettles. I would go Kamado joe if I was going to buy one tomorrow. They just look cool.

I don’t have either by the way so take my vote lightly lol.

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[SixZeroFour]

Welcome to the club.

I am certainly biased as an owner of a WSC, but I also sell Kamado Joe units and am very familiar with them. Both are excellent cookers, but each does have its pluses and minuses.

What I love about the Summit:
- Very easy to move around (doesn't weigh a ton)
- Extremely adaptable to whatever you are cooking and can swap from one setup to the next easily and mid-cook. eg Smoking > Searing without a long wait
- Much more durable overall. Ceramics can obviously crack (both inner and outer walls, as well as the D plates). Don't have to baby the exterior or worry about the cooker interior absorbing unwanted chemicals or smells.
- Much easier to keep clean IMO. Cant use a razor scraper or steel wool on a Kamado!
- Easier charcoal management, ie adding fuel mid-cook can be a PITA on a ceramic unit just due to all the hardware/racks/grates you need to work around on the inside. Piece of cake on the Summit.
- Less time required to be up and cooking with the gas-assist.

Kamado Joe:

- Extremely efficient. Uses even less charcoal than the Summit will due to thermal retention.
- Lots of cool (albeit expensive) accessories available right from Kamado (DoJoe, JoeTisserie etc..)
- Has more of "wow" factor in terms of visual appeal

A big plus about the Kamado Joe over other ceramic brands is that they do include most of the essential pieces like deflector plates etc outta the box. Many other ceramic manufacturers make you purchase it all separate and it adds up quick ($200-$400 extra in odds and ends).

Unless you plan on doing a LOT of rotisserie cooking I wouldn't make that the deciding factor between the two. I would base your decision more on the style of cooking that best suits your needs. Will it mainly be "for special occasions" cooking for long haul low-n-slow (Thanksgiving/Christmas etc)? If so the Kamado might be the better choice. Otherwise if you want more of a workhorse that will take almost anything you throw at it, any day of the week, in any weather then the Summit is an excellent choice.

The new Big Joe III (not II) also now includes their new "slo'roller" technology and a deeper body to accommodate it. It also costs almost 50% more (at least here in Canada). Cool design but not quite as revolutionary as they make it out to be. It essentially works the same as the deflector in the Summit and simply forces the heat out around the outer edge so you get more of a rolling smoke inside the grill. You could rig up something in the BJ-II to more or less do the same thing and save hundreds of dollars.

I would highly recommend going out and seeing both units in person as getting your hands on one can make all the difference in the world. You may find you like the height of the Kamado vs the Summit or vice versa...

Hope this helps,

Matt

[HoosierKettle]

Big joe or summit. Not those little 18’s. I don’t know why anybody spends big money on those little 18” deals.


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[KevinInStL]

Nearly everyone here is going to be biased towards Weber products. This is the Weber Kettle club after all, so you really can't fault anyone for that IMO.

If you want some less-biased opinions, I would probably ask somewhere else, like https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/

If you want a Kamado-style grill that works with a SnS, have you looked into ABC's deluxe kamado? https://abcbarbecue.com/product/deluxe-kamado/

Seems to have gotten good reviews at https://amazingribs.com/egg-or-kamado-style/slow-n-sear-deluxe-kamado  Though sometimes I wonder if ABC lines the pockets of some of these big name equipment reviewers in exchange for glowing reviews. Who knows, maybe they really are just that well designed and well made. Again, look it up on bbq-brethren

[jp217p]

The Summit is great, I can vouch for it. I wish you were closer. I'm selling my larger cookers all for $1700. A Summit, 26er and 22.5" WSM.

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[Sergdman]

Hi.  I don’t own either grill, but the overall workflow of the summit is superior.  It has storage and ample work space.   It’s very well thought out.  I understand the double wall steel is superior to ceramic if you overshoot your target temp.   Also,  ceramic is heavy and fragile.   The Weber can use briquettes and lump too.  The ash catcher and vent system are superior in my opinion too. 


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Thanks for your input anyway.  That ash catcher is nice

[Sergdman]

Since this is the “Weber” Kettle Club, we’re all gonna recommend the Kamado Joe[emoji23].  Sounds like you’ve put quite a bit of thought into it.  Really can’t go wrong with either.


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Thanks

[Sergdman]

I can't afford either, and I haven't had much experience with winter grilling, but I'm about to see how different it is within the next couple of months.

I know there are some summit owners that post here, probably komodo owners too.

Welcome to the club from Topeka Kansas.

yeah, i'm splurging one time

[Sergdman]

Welcome to the club.

I am certainly biased as an owner of a WSC, but I also sell Kamado Joe units and am very familiar with them. Both are excellent cookers, but each does have its pluses and minuses.

What I love about the Summit:
- Very easy to move around (doesn't weigh a ton)
- Extremely adaptable to whatever you are cooking and can swap from one setup to the next easily and mid-cook. eg Smoking > Searing without a long wait
- Much more durable overall. Ceramics can obviously crack (both inner and outer walls, as well as the D plates). Don't have to baby the exterior or worry about the cooker interior absorbing unwanted chemicals or smells.
- Much easier to keep clean IMO. Cant use a razor scraper or steel wool on a Kamado!
- Easier charcoal management, ie adding fuel mid-cook can be a PITA on a ceramic unit just due to all the hardware/racks/grates you need to work around on the inside. Piece of cake on the Summit.
- Less time required to be up and cooking with the gas-assist.

Kamado Joe:

- Extremely efficient. Uses even less charcoal than the Summit will due to thermal retention.
- Lots of cool (albeit expensive) accessories available right from Kamado (DoJoe, JoeTisserie etc..)
- Has more of "wow" factor in terms of visual appeal

A big plus about the Kamado Joe over other ceramic brands is that they do include most of the essential pieces like deflector plates etc outta the box. Many other ceramic manufacturers make you purchase it all separate and it adds up quick ($200-$400 extra in odds and ends).

Unless you plan on doing a LOT of rotisserie cooking I wouldn't make that the deciding factor between the two. I would base your decision more on the style of cooking that best suits your needs. Will it mainly be "for special occasions" cooking for long haul low-n-slow (Thanksgiving/Christmas etc)? If so the Kamado might be the better choice. Otherwise if you want more of a workhorse that will take almost anything you throw at it, any day of the week, in any weather then the Summit is an excellent choice.

The new Big Joe III (not II) also now includes their new "slo'roller" technology and a deeper body to accommodate it. It also costs almost 50% more (at least here in Canada). Cool design but not quite as revolutionary as they make it out to be. It essentially works the same as the deflector in the Summit and simply forces the heat out around the outer edge so you get more of a rolling smoke inside the grill. You could rig up something in the BJ-II to more or less do the same thing and save hundreds of dollars.

I would highly recommend going out and seeing both units in person as getting your hands on one can make all the difference in the world. You may find you like the height of the Kamado vs the Summit or vice versa...

Hope this helps,

Matt

Thank you. I will be trying to use it frequently (especially in the summer) for grilling chicken, burger, the usual.  Want to get into grilling some nice steaks more often. Would like to get into pizza and bread as well.  Low and slow probably for the special occasions.  Feel like the rotisserie would be nice for chickens and picanha.  Yummy. 

[Sergdman]

Big joe or summit. Not those little 18’s. I don’t know why anybody spends big money on those little 18” deals.


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go big or go home

[Sergdman]

Nearly everyone here is going to be biased towards Weber products. This is the Weber Kettle club after all, so you really can't fault anyone for that IMO.

If you want some less-biased opinions, I would probably ask somewhere else, like https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/

If you want a Kamado-style grill that works with a SnS, have you looked into ABC's deluxe kamado? https://abcbarbecue.com/product/deluxe-kamado/

Seems to have gotten good reviews at https://amazingribs.com/egg-or-kamado-style/slow-n-sear-deluxe-kamado  Though sometimes I wonder if ABC lines the pockets of some of these big name equipment reviewers in exchange for glowing reviews. Who knows, maybe they really are just that well designed and well made. Again, look it up on bbq-brethren

True, but honest biases opinions are still great.