Ceramic cooker

I have the Kamado Joe Big Joe. It's amazing.
I just joined this forum because I got a Bandera from Walmart. I typically go to a kamado forum because that's how I typically cook.

Kamado Joe (even the old one, which is cheaper now that they added so many improvements) is amazing. It holds temperature so well, last weekend I did a 20 hour brisket cook at 225 without adding any charcoal. I love the divide and conquer system more than the BGE. From the pictures, the oval Primo appears to have wonderful flexibility too.

I can't say enough good things about the Kamado Joe. I would recommend the Big Joe just for size. I even bought the Grilla Grills Kong expander (which fits the KJ Big Joe) so I could have a second cooking surface for when I am making baked beans and brisket and jalapeno poppers like last weekend.

I have a WSM, a weber kettle, a cheap electric smoker, an Akorn (cheap, awesome, non-ceramic kamado I learned on) the Big Joe, and now a Bandera so I can learn the sick burner. The Kamado Joe is the most versatile cooker I have. I really can't say enough good things about it. It can cook a pizza, it can sear a steak, it can smoke a brisket, it can cook paella, it can make the best, smokiest chili and baked beans I've ever had.

You can't go wrong with any of the ceramic kamados. You're looking at going from great to amazing. But I can't find fault with the Kamado Joe's.
 
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mstewart39 said:
Well, you've inspired me again....after looking at these pictures I just put paella ingredients on my grocery list.
Click to expand...
That paella was delicious and if my wife liked seafood I'd make this at least once a month. (Link to cook thread below if you're interested) Unfortunately she doesn't so if I make this I get the stinkeye look that I don't care for. :twitch:

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=210916
 
I'm a big fan of the oval design. Primo customer service has also been top notch when I've contacted them. Made in USA is another factor to consider.

Primo dealers often blow out their stock during the off season. Really good deals can be had.
 
Simply put, the kamado style cooker is the single most versatile cooker you can put on your patio. The kamado grills, smokes, does low-n-slow, braises, bakes, and grills at a world class level with equal aplomb. I've been cooking on kamados for over 20 years and I never cease to be amazed at how easily you can get up to speed on a kamado and how easy it is to produce great food in very short order.

I've run the gamut from very inexpensive kamados to the finest kamados money can buy and while they all have their own personalities, all can produce very good results. I've owned Akorns at the very low end to Komodo Kamados at the very top end.

There are 3 kamados I'd recommend you carefully consider as your first kamado and in no particular order they are BGE, KJ, and Primo. The BGE is best known and most easily recognized. Next is the Kamado Joe lineup. it is an up and comer. Finally the Primo is a powerhouse cooker.

The BGE has been around longest, has the most owners, has the most accessories, and is a very good cooker. My first kamado was a BGE large and that was a wonderful cooker. I've owned 2 BGEs and they are every bit as good as everyone says. BGE owners are fanatical in their brand loyalty for very good reasons. They set the standard for product warranty and customer service.

The new kid on the block is Kamado Joe. Its known for adding real value in terms of the equipment you get with the original purchase price. They have a lifetime warranty on their products and excellent customer service. I've never owned a KJ, but I've recommended them to aout a dozen friends who have purchased them and not one of those friends has rued their purchase.

The Primo stands out for its unique design which I feel gives it a bit of a advantage. I've owned a couple of Primo XLs and they are an outstanding cooker. The Primo will be a bit more expensive than the KJ, but to me the difference is minuscule when all is said and done. The Primo XL is, to me, an extraordinarily versatile kamado and that was important to me.

With all 3 cookers, you can find a solution to any problem or configuration you want. All three have great warranties and outstanding customer service. Those dimensions are more important than you know, but trust me, all 3 will serve you very, very well.

I'd also recommend that you get the biggest cooker that your budget allows. Size matters. It's better to have the size and OT need it very often than to need the size once and can't get it. You'll find that you'll be cooking more foods more often on your kamado that you ever envisioned.

All 3 cookers have their fans who can be vociferous in their defense of their cookers. But the simple fact is that all 3 are excellent cookers. All you have to do is decide what dimensions are most important to you, your Significant Other, and your family and friends. Then buy the kamado that makes to most sense and maximizes the number of your smiles!

I hope this lengthy post helps you decide. If you have any other questions, just ask away. We'll figure it out together. Enjoy!
 
Excellent post, CeramicChef! :thumb:

I'm a BGE owner and I love the cooker, but the big oval Primo has caught my eye. They got a lot of things right with that cooker.
 
Very good post, CeramicChef. I had faith in you giving the OP some good advice. :)

Have you tried the Weber Summit Charcoal Grill, and if so, how does it compare to the ceramics?
 
Ag76 said:
Very good post, CeramicChef. I had faith in you giving the OP some good advice. :)

Have you tried the Weber Summit Charcoal Grill, and if so, how does it compare to the ceramics?
Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback, Ag76, I appreciate your faith in me and comments.

As for the WSCG, Ive cooked on one only twice. The first time was a butt cook that turned out very well. A friend had just gotten one a couple of months before I cooked on it. The other time he and I did steak pizza, a high temp cook.

As you know, cooking well on a kamado is all about controlling airflow (temps). I always recommend that the owner of a new kamado spend a weekend day getting to know the various vent settings that yield specific common cooking temps. I didn't have time to do that exercise on my friends grill, but I did notice some characteristics of the WSCG. First, temps were nice and r esponsive to changes in vent settings. Temps held quite well for a given setting. The WSCG responded as well as any other high end kamado, BGE, KJ, Primo. The WSCG seemed to spill unwanted heat easier than the high end ceramics ... I chalk that up to the WSCG using trapped air as the insulating medium. Once we dialed in to the cooking temp, 225°, we put the butt on. Based on my iGrill2 readout on my smartphone, temps held rock steady overnight. I've always liked the WSCG from the get-go and after this exercise, I'm impressed even more.

The next time was about 3 weeks after the butt cook. We reverse seared a T-Bone to a nice rare doneness. Then we opened the vents fully and I watched the temp quickly climb to about 520°. We seared the steak on a cast iron griddle. We then took the steak off and put on the pizza stone for our stake pizza. The temps continued to climb to about 650° and I checked the stone with my IR thermometer. Now the WSCG has a top vent that you can open fully by flipping it vertically. This is a nice feature, especially because you can look straight down through that vent to check on your pizza. The pizza was perfectly cooked and a big hit at the table.

All in all, I really think the WSCG is a big time hit for Weber. Many people can't get past the price for what the consider a Weber Kettle with an attitude. They lose sight of the fact that the WSCG is a real high performance cooker and not a mere kettle. Yeah, they bear some resemblence, but the WSCG is in an entirely different class of cooker. If I'm ever in the market for another kamado-type cooker, I'm going to give the WSCG serious consideration. It's a top notch cooker that compares very favorably to the Big 3 kamados, i.e. BGE, Primo, and KJ.

All y'all have a wonderful weekend!
 
I realize the OP stated ceramic, but to mix things up a bit, just in case you wanted to consider some non-ceramics, the two in my sig are both excellent Kamados. I've owned a ceramic (Bayou Classic Cypress), which was a decent cooker, not up to BGE standards, but I turned out some darn good grub on it.

Cracking was never an issue that I was worried about, although their initial firebox design did crack within the first few months. BC redesigned it with an intentional split in it resolving the issue, covered under warranty. Not worth discussing this cooker in any further detail as it's no longer made. It met its demise recently when the hinge became misaligned and the lid suffered a fatal crack. Band adjustment is something to consider with some ceramics.

I've never had that problem with the Bubba Keg (now the Broil King Keg) and it has been my go to cooker for many years. But the new kid on (my) block is the Goldens' Cast Iron, replacing the Bayou Classic. I've very quickly gotten used to it and it's turning out some incredible meals. I'll state it's a bit less efficient as far as lump usage than the Bubba Keg, but the Keg is a lump miser due to the way it's built.

Goldens' is new to the Kamado market and I took a chance on it, as it was not inexpensive. I'm ecstatic about my decision. Their design is well thought out, if you're worried about a ceramic cooker cracking, obviously that's not a problem with this one. The company has stood behind this cooker 110%, sending a new one no questions asked when the first was damaged by the shipping company. This cooker will last a good number of lifetimes.

Other non ceramics you might want to consider are the Blaze aluminum and the Caliber Stainless Steel, though both are more expensive than the Goldens.

And if you've got your heart set on a ceramic, well, ignore this post and go with the recommendations of CeramicChef. :grin:

Regards,
-lunchman
 
Lunchman - nothing wrong with a Goldens (I've only seen it here), the Bubba Keg, which I've cooked on at several tailgate parties, and the Blaze aluminum is a very solid metal kamado. I'd buy the Blaze of Bubba Keg without a second thought.

Fire boxes cracking is a potential problem with a ceramic cooker, but with new designs incorporating stress relief cuts, this problem is isn't that big a deal. I've seen cracked fire boxes cooked on for years without a problem.

Kamado shells seldom crack as they are shielded from high temps by the fire box. That and never put the heat deflectors in a low position and you'll preserve your shell for years. With that or just got buy a Komodo Kamado and with the refractory in those cookers you'll never have to worry! LOL!
 
I think I owned the first KJ in South Carolina - before they even had a dealer here or were released. Bobby (the owner) is first-class and their customer service is beyond good. My KJ has been sitting out on my patio for years, used like a rented mule and it still works just as well as the day I bought it. I've upgraded to the new firebox, new side tables, handle and vent and I feel like I have a brand new cooker. What KJ did is take a proven product and innovated it in small but meaningful ways. While BGE was resting on their laurels KJ was creating useful variances that over time have clearly driven more consumers in their direction. I can't recommend the brand or the company highly enough.
 
Libertarian said:
I think I owned the first KJ in South Carolina - before they even had a dealer here or were released. Bobby (the owner) is first-class and their customer service is beyond good. My KJ has been sitting out on my patio for years, used like a rented mule and it still works just as well as the day I bought it. I've upgraded to the new firebox, new side tables, handle and vent and I feel like I have a brand new cooker. What KJ did is take a proven product and innovated it in small but meaningful ways. While BGE was resting on their laurels KJ was creating useful variances that over time have clearly driven more consumers in their direction. I can't recommend the brand or the company highly enough.
Click to expand...

Awesome. What part of MtP do you live. I'm off of Porchers Bluff.
 
I've had a large BGE for 10 years. My only issue ever has been grill space (although I've done as many as 5 butts on it). Placesetter cracked this summer and I replaced a gasket once after an ugly attempt at pizza. Other than that it has been a champ.
 
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