kamado joe question

I was wondering if that was going to happen. I have the daisy wheel and it sticks also. Maybe someone that has a smokeware top will chime in w/some tips.

If you heat it up, it should loosen it up... but that's pretty drastic. :wacko:

Big Joe user for the past five years.


I've also used the Smokeware top, but go back to the daisywheel. It simply works the best. When I'm done cooking, I'll put the Smokeware on there and leave it. Keeps rain out and lets my kamado breath.

Once you heat up the grill....all the tops will usually losen up a bit and allow you to spin them open/closed however you want.

The Smokeware did get gummed up badly and I had to take it apart and run wit through the dishwasher....did't help....so I tossed it inside my Big Joe on the next high temp burn off.

I have zero experience with their new Kontrol top vents.

its one of the weak points of Kamado Design. Not exactly an Achilles Heel but annoying. Anytime smoke, dust, ash and moisture combine its gonna gunk things up a bit. A soak of soapy warm water from time to time will help

I'd be doing a high temp, i.e. 550-600F, after every low-n-slow cook. You want to maintain that temp range for about 30 minutes. That cleans things up quite nicely. Make absolutely certain you set a timer to remind you to go shut your KJ vents.

What you're experiencing is the fact that fat congeals in the cap and it tends to "freeze" it in position. Doing a high temp burn alleviates the problem.

Enjoy!