M1/M36 grill vs Kamado

[MattNet]

Hello,

My first post. I've been a long time lurker and delving in the wealth of knowledge and experiences on this forum.

My wife and I have basically lived in apartments nearly all of the last 15 years and finally getting into a house (about 10 years ago got a house, got a Weber Summit 670, loved it and grilled on it all the time, but had to move for work in about 6 months and rent then sell it, missed my grill eve rsince). Have a new construction home finishing sometime in 3-5 months and with all the time waiting on various delays etc I have FAR too much time on my hand to dream and drool over BBQ equipment.

It will definitely be an iterative process, so been looking at what I want to work towards but also what an initial versatile purchase might be.

In the long term I definitely plan to get a stick burner, I really have my eye on a M Grills Big M single door smoker:
https://mgrills.com/collections/our-grills/products/big-m-single-door-non-insulated-body

Just love the construction and the look of that thing. Figure it can double as an our door wood burning fireplace and decor item (I'm fortunate my wife loves the look of these sorts of things too, though there's a double edged aspect to that, means when I want something she wants it too and there's less restrain lol). So I'm trying to keep in mind eventually having something like that.

The biggest three things I've really been narrowing down to as a first purchase to get my grilling/smoking started sooner included a pellet grill. Really had my eye on the Coyote, Pitts & Spitts Maverick, and the new Lone Star Girllz ones... Though currently I'm really liking the idea of either a M1/M36 or a Kamado Big Joe 3. Since I do want to either get one with charcoal capabilities or charcoal as an option those really jumped out. Also I'm fortunate to work fully remotely form home so the super convenience of a pellet grill might not be that necessary for me, but something relatively convenient.

The Kamado really jumps out here since it makes a great charcoal grill but also can run crazy hours on a batch of charcoal for smoking. Seems like once you dial in the temp it can be pretty hands off and being home I don't mind firing up the charcoal, coming back, tweaking a couple things and coming back etc. Have seen people talk about or post videos of crazy 20,30, even 50+ hour runs a batch of charcoal. Obviously don't need that long but the ability to run overnight easily is a huge plus and of course spending less on fuel is a factor.

I've also eyed the M1/M36 option for a long time too. Obviously this can also stick burn which is a nice feature being able to do even more all in one. Though from posts here and elsewhere it seems like a batch of charcoal with a bit of wood will run anywhere from 3-6 hours? Maybe a bit more with the newer basket that seems a bit deeper?

The other factor is since I plan to get a big efficient offset later on, again really have my eye on the Big M single door which though not fully insulated has a beefy insulted firebox, baffle, and front door, and 1/4 inch steel the rest of the way. The product page says you can get 7+ hours with a bag of charcoal and a split of wood (with the damper system which I would get) so it seems like it's more efficient than the M1/M36. If so then I likely would just use that for any smoking needs (charcoal or stick burning) vs the grill. So the Kamado might offer more of a difference down the road (and even more efficient smaller quantity charcoal smoking), even if not quite as much versatility initially.

The aesthetics are another factor. Not a massive deal breaker or maker either. We like the look of both the Kamado and M grill, though since we plan on the bigger M Grills smoker the grill can be finished the same way and being made by the same people would match better of course. Just a bonus, not a major factor though. Also along those lines of a lesser factor is the M1/M36 is obviously American made. Not obsessed with only American made stuff (Kamado Joes seem to be made to a very high quality) but I'm all for supporting local and national businesses and jobs when I can. So definitely a bonus in that regard.

I'd love any experiences or feedback anyone who has tried either, or both, of these might be able to offer. I'm sure others have faced the same sort of decision.

Can't wait to finally grill again! Also pick up smoking for the first time.

 

[CameOutSmokin]

Love the Kamado Joe's, have my eye on a big joe 2 (thought about the BG3, but just didn't see $600 extra in it) I have a Bayu Classic Cypress Ceramic Grill.(Kamado) that's 10@ +years old. It cooks amazing bbq and will hold temp for hours.
I just got a 24x36 Shirley patio model w stainless shelf about a month ago. This thing is is bullet proof. I don't know about the M1 line, but I can say I've never heard of anyone getting more than about 20+ hours on a cook, from their Kamado, but YMMV. Good.luck with whatever you go with.

 

[Dweverett]

Congratulations on the new house!

I had a KJ classic for a number of years and then gave it to my daughter. I've looked at the M1 for years and almost bought a used one a couple years ago but had sold the only vehicle with a trailer hitch a week before it showed up on here.

The KJ works very well. Really easy to dial in a temp and it stays there extremely well regardless of weather. The divide and conquer system is very effective and gives you a lot of control when grilling. I found the ash removal to be more of a pain than with my weber kettle, but I didn't have the ash drawer thing that comes with them now so that might not be true now. I would still get something like a kick-ash basket if you go this route as it makes it easier to reuse the fuel.

The M1 would be even more versatile given that it can also burn logs. As I mentioned, I've thought about it for years, and still might get one someday. I think though I will probably just buy a dedicated offset when/if I get there.

Good luck on the decision!

 

[gtsum]

I had a primo oval xl for about 8-9 years, had some stuck burners and currently have an m1 at the lake and a Webber summit kamado at home. There are limitations with each of them. The m1 is a very good all around cooker and burns sticks well, but you must use small
Splits and fees it every 30 minutes or so to maintain clean smoke. Works as a grill very well and also as a kind of Santa Maria grill with the adjustable charcoal grate.

That being said, it doesn’t grill as easy or as well as my summit kamado as it is much easier to control temps on the summit kamado than on the m1. Yes you can bbq and smoke with a ceramic kamado or the weber kamado but it tastes nothing like bbq from the m1 burning sticks or any other well run stick burner. It is a dirtier, less sweet flavor on kamados. Nothing touched a stick burner for bbq flavor imo. All are good grills but there are limitations to them all imo


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[JAKs Q & brew]

I'm never one to dash someone's dream, but it is a really big big step from "I had a weber years ago" to "I plan on buying a 2000 lb unit that can cook 20 briskets". It would be everything you ever needed, but probably not worth taking this sort of dream cooker into account when making this first purchase. This is coming from someone who consistently dreams of a 500 gallon offset even though I have basically no experience burning sticks.

That being said, a kamado sounds like a good first unit for you needs. Very versatile, can do anything you want. Doesn't make the best of everything, but once you learn how to run it can produce very good Q as well as grilled, roasted and baked foods.

I chose Primo Oval due to the shape making 2 zone cooking easier and also being able to fit full briskets and rib racks without having to go all the way up the the Big Joe 2 size.

 

[MattNet]

Wow, thanks for the great replies.

Love the Kamado Joe's, have my eye on a big joe 2 (thought about the BG3, but just didn't see $600 extra in it) I have a Bayu Classic Cypress Ceramic Grill.(Kamado) that's 10@ +years old. It cooks amazing bbq and will hold temp for hours.
I just got a 24x36 Shirley patio model w stainless shelf about a month ago. This thing is is bullet proof. I don't know about the M1 line, but I can say I've never heard of anyone getting more than about 20+ hours on a cook, from their Kamado, but YMMV. Good.luck with whatever you go with.

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense, basically can get the big joe size for about the same prize as the classic 3. Those Shirley's look great, definitely have drooled over those.

Yeah that 20-ish hours certainly sounds more realistic. There's a youtube video from Smoking Dad BBQ where he tested a full basket of lump and got 56 hours, but for the most part never did any cooking so was mostly a synthetic test. I imagine with food that would lower it. With that said even 20 hours is pretty amazing and more than enough for anything I'd ever do.

Congratulations on the new house!

I had a KJ classic for a number of years and then gave it to my daughter. I've looked at the M1 for years and almost bought a used one a couple years ago but had sold the only vehicle with a trailer hitch a week before it showed up on here.

The KJ works very well. Really easy to dial in a temp and it stays there extremely well regardless of weather. The divide and conquer system is very effective and gives you a lot of control when grilling. I found the ash removal to be more of a pain than with my weber kettle, but I didn't have the ash drawer thing that comes with them now so that might not be true now. I would still get something like a kick-ash basket if you go this route as it makes it easier to reuse the fuel.

The M1 would be even more versatile given that it can also burn logs. As I mentioned, I've thought about it for years, and still might get one someday. I think though I will probably just buy a dedicated offset when/if I get there.

Good luck on the decision!

Thanks. Growing up we never owned a house and spent a lot of time in apartments and having been in apartments for mostly 15 years super excited to finally get to do a proper BBQ backyard setup. Grew up on just a weber kettle in my household so I definitely considered (and might still get) one of those for just grilling. Thanks for the tip on the kick ash basket.

Yeah, definitely thinking along your lines regarding the M1. I want to eventually get a dedicated offset so though the M1 could fill all roles, including stick burner, I'll probably get a dedicated stick burner that I'll more likely use down the road which is a factor. If I was limited in space than an all in one M1 grill feels like an easy choice.

I had a primo oval xl for about 8-9 years, had some stuck burners and currently have an m1 at the lake and a Webber summit kamado at home. There are limitations with each of them. The m1 is a very good all around cooker and burns sticks well, but you must use small
Splits and fees it every 30 minutes or so to maintain clean smoke. Works as a grill very well and also as a kind of Santa Maria grill with the adjustable charcoal grate.

That being said, it doesn’t grill as easy or as well as my summit kamado as it is much easier to control temps on the summit kamado than on the m1. Yes you can bbq and smoke with a ceramic kamado or the weber kamado but it tastes nothing like bbq from the m1 burning sticks or any other well run stick burner. It is a dirtier, less sweet flavor on kamados. Nothing touched a stick burner for bbq flavor imo. All are good grills but there are limitations to them all imo


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Thanks for sharing. Great to hear someone with an M1. I'm definitely excited to get into stick burning at one point.

I'm never one to dash someone's dream, but it is a really big big step from "I had a weber years ago" to "I plan on buying a 2000 lb unit that can cook 20 briskets". It would be everything you ever needed, but probably not worth taking this sort of dream cooker into account when making this first purchase. This is coming from someone who consistently dreams of a 500 gallon offset even though I have basically no experience burning sticks.

Completely fair and yup it's a bit nutty. I'm a bit nutty though *shrug*. I've eyed 500 gallons as well too. In a lot of things it certainly would be pretty odd diving straight into something quite so big and expensive, though purely based on the comments of others (assuming they are correct) people commonly say a bigger smoker (especially higher quality with more insulation, thicker steel, better construction etc) is easier to run than a cheaper smaller offset. The Big M also can come with an electronic damper temperature system that can also simplify running (at least when running a charcoal + wood setup since wouldn't want the dirty wood smoldering smoke).

So its a bit odd in that something like that might actually be easier to run than getting a starter offset smoker. Again purely going off some comments I've read/heard from others and nothing I know and can confirm myself.

I also don't like the idea of buying something that I'll resell later or will become redundant. I don't mind saving a bit longer and investing in something that will both last longer, be a higher quality, and instead of buying multiple cheaper simpler things.

That thing certainly is expensive too, though compared to other expensive backyard BBQ things it's not much more than some high end gas grills like a Hestan or a Lynx.

Also ironically my wife doesn't like the look a lot of the more traditional offsets, but this thing really caught her eye. So I'm partially riding that lol. In fact she's been looking at other outdoor decor that has a sort of a rustic industrial look to it to match so for her it's a decor item as well. I'm certainly not going to argue if I have her sold on it too. One other factor is it aesthetically can work like an outdoor fireplace due to it's sort of vertical vault like look, which is something we both were wanting and though there are certainly cheap fire pits and fireplace options, to get something that aesthetically would be that big can price out quite expensive too. We didn't opt for a gas fireplace backyard option in the building of the house which was a good $6k+ option, so it fits a couple needs that can justify something that's way overkill otherwise.

At least that's our justifications for going off the deep end, but again not going to argue my wife on that if I have her on board!

Though yup, a bit nutty, can't argue that.

That being said, a kamado sounds like a good first unit for you needs. Very versatile, can do anything you want. Doesn't make the best of everything, but once you learn how to run it can produce very good Q as well as grilled, roasted and baked foods.

I chose Primo Oval due to the shape making 2 zone cooking easier and also being able to fit full briskets and rib racks without having to go all the way up the the Big Joe 2 size.

Yeah. A Kamado feels like a really good entry into it and even after getting a dedicated stick burner still fits that super efficient smaller quantity role and won't be completely replaced. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

I really really like those Primos. My only concern is the company was bought a year or two ago and I think they moved their production from Georgia to Illinois? Reading some of the Kamado forums right about that time it seems like people started reporting significantly poorer support experiences. I love the idea of getting an American made Kamado and I really like the oval design due to everything you said.

 

[70monte]

I have a M1 and I love it. Mine is very easy to control temps on works great as both a smoker and a grill.

 

[dsp2]

I love this thread. Love the analysis and takes. Love all the ideas and long-term goals balanced by the stated intent of being iterative.

I've cooked on kamados for years. Last few years I've found myself primarily cooking on a kettle and a WSM. There's really just not much I want to cook that can't be made just fine on those cookers. That said, I've been debating the Weber Summit Kamado for a while, and have also lusted after the M1 cookers.

Not sure what to say about your initial question. Maybe the Summit Kamado would be good since it can cook like a kamado but can also cook sort of like a kettle, from what I understand, with easy two-zone cooking, raising and lowering grids, etc.? Not sure as I know a lot less about the M1 cookers.

One note on your longer term aspirations - have you seen the MadScientist BBQ video where he compares his offsets? A COS, an OK Joes, an Old Country Brazos, a Franklin backyard pit, and his big offset (250 gal?)? I thought that had some good insights comparing a pretty broad range.

Good luck, and let us know what you decide and how it works

 

[MattGoose]

FWIW - I ended up ditching my KJ for a pellet grill and haven't really looked back.


For me, it's ease of use. I've got two small kids and a wife that can't eat meat - so BBQ falls into a pretty narrow window.



Practically speaking - cleaning, prepping, lighting the KJ took a decent chunk of time and was a dirty process. And 10% of the time, the fire went out and you'd have to restart it.


My KJ never held temp very well, so I ended up augmenting with a BBQ Guru. Which was just another point of failure - it was fussy about getting on the vent properly, batteries died in the middle of the night.



The pellet on the other hand, mostly just works. Doesn't need to be cleaned very often, and takes half as much time when you do. Start up? Press a button.



I do miss having direct heat and really high temps of the KJ. But I can get 90% of that on a Weber.


I do wish I had held out for a MAK - they have better direct heat cooking options and a better smoke profile over the Silverbac I ended up with. But the smash patties are great, and it's the best pulled pork I've ever had.



Oh, you asked a question about time on the KJ. I had the larger one, and it ran for 35+ hours once before I finally shut it down. Plenty of cooking time

 

[glitchy]

I haven’t been able to see or play with an M1. Fortunately or unfortunately I learned about M-Grills after I already had a Weber Summit Charcoal Grill (Weber’s Kamado offering). The biggest pro to me of an M1 over the WSCG would be the ability to occasionally use it as a reverse flow offset with splits.

As far as the WSCG, i really have no complaints. It works well and is a Jack of all trades. I modded a Big Joetisserie to work with just a little griniding so I can grill, smoke, spin or bake about anything on it. I can hook up my Fireboard and fan for overnight briskets with no worry. I have terrible bad luck, so I thought this was a better option for me over a ceramic Kamado, plus if you do overshoot temps, you can drop them without taking hours but maintain close to the same fuel efficiency as ceramic.

So, I really like the WSCG, but my pellet grills get most of the workload unless it’s steak or wanting to spin something. The WSCG is easy, but the MAK is even easier.

 

[dsp2]

I haven’t been able to see or play with an M1. Fortunately or unfortunately I learned about M-Grills after I already had a Weber Summit Charcoal Grill (Weber’s Kamado offering). The biggest pro to me of an M1 over the WSCG would be the ability to occasionally use it as a reverse flow offset with splits.

As far as the WSCG, i really have no complaints. It works well and is a Jack of all trades. I modded a Big Joetisserie to work with just a little griniding so I can grill, smoke, spin or bake about anything on it. I can hook up my Fireboard and fan for overnight briskets with no worry. I have terrible bad luck, so I thought this was a better option for me over a ceramic Kamado, plus if you do overshoot temps, you can drop them without taking hours but maintain close to the same fuel efficiency as ceramic.

So, I really like the WSCG, but my pellet grills get most of the workload unless it’s steak or wanting to spin something. The WSCG is easy, but the MAK is even easier.

Brief tangent - I mentioned above I really want a Weber Kamado. Only thing holding me back is I totally don't need it. Do you think you like the WSCG a lot more than a Kettle/WSM combo?

Also, I just discovered the Traveler and was thinking of picking one of those up. How do you like it?

 

[glitchy]

Brief tangent - I mentioned above I really want a Weber Kamado. Only thing holding me back is I totally don't need it. Do you think you like the WSCG a lot more than a Kettle/WSM combo?

Also, I just discovered the Traveler and was thinking of picking one of those up. How do you like it?

I've never had a WSM, so can't speak much to that. I went from cheap propane smoker, to electric, to pellet grills. Then I added a kettle for some versatility and decided I liked it enough to buy the WSCG. In my experience and opinion, what you gain over a kettle is fuel efficiency, easier temperature control, and a ton of capacity if you compare Kamado mode versus a kettle with a SnS. No more than I really smoke on it, I probably could have gotten by with the Performer just fine, but I have no regrets about the WSCG and have no plans on it going anywhere.

I really like the Traveler. I got rid of my Spirit E-330 when I had a SmokeFire. I had no need for it. However, I didn't like the small size of the Q1000 I had and wanted something that I could take on fishing trips and also something at home that I could easily move to the front of the house on the days it's just too windy to cook on the back patio. I've actually used it a lot more than I thought I would already. We just got back from a fishing trip where I cooked 5 (quick) meals on it and still had gas left in a 1lb can. Haven't had problems with flare ups, gets as hot as most low-mid end gassers I've used, etc. It's so handy, I've even been using it for some reverse searing cooks with the MAK rather than wait for the MAK to get up to temp for searing. I've even just decided a couple times it was the easiest option and just used it where normally I would avoid gas in favor or pellets or charcoal whenever I could. In the end, it's still a gasser. Excellent capacity and performance for a single burner portable gas grill. I would say it performs similar to a spirit 2 or 3 burner with the burners all set the same. Just FYI, it's not a small item though. It's like a set of golf clubs maybe when folded up. It eats up quite a fair amount of cargo space.

 

[dsp2]

I've never had a WSM, so can't speak much to that. I went from cheap propane smoker, to electric, to pellet grills. Then I added a kettle for some versatility and decided I liked it enough to buy the WSCG. In my experience and opinion, what you gain over a kettle is fuel efficiency, easier temperature control, and a ton of capacity if you compare Kamado mode versus a kettle with a SnS. No more than I really smoke on it, I probably could have gotten by with the Performer just fine, but I have no regrets about the WSCG and have no plans on it going anywhere.

I really like the Traveler. I got rid of my Spirit E-330 when I had a SmokeFire. I had no need for it. However, I didn't like the small size of the Q1000 I had and wanted something that I could take on fishing trips and also something at home that I could easily move to the front of the house on the days it's just too windy to cook on the back patio. I've actually used it a lot more than I thought I would already. We just got back from a fishing trip where I cooked 5 (quick) meals on it and still had gas left in a 1lb can. Haven't had problems with flare ups, gets as hot as most low-mid end gassers I've used, etc. It's so handy, I've even been using it for some reverse searing cooks with the MAK rather than wait for the MAK to get up to temp for searing. I've even just decided a couple times it was the easiest option and just used it where normally I would avoid gas in favor or pellets or charcoal whenever I could. In the end, it's still a gasser. Excellent capacity and performance for a single burner portable gas grill. I would say it performs similar to a spirit 2 or 3 burner with the burners all set the same. Just FYI, it's not a small item though. It's like a set of golf clubs maybe when folded up. It eats up quite a fair amount of cargo space.

Thank you! I really appreciate all of this. Your accounting on the WSCG's advantages over the Kettle make perfect sense to me. With a 22 inch kettle, I've taken primarily to just light a fire with a variable amount of charcoal and letting it burn really cleanly and then just rolling with whatever temps I land at. For instance, I'll grill burgers or a steak direct with the lid off then move to the cool side and finish with a short roast. Then, I'll toss chicken drums on for a roast at whatever temp it happens to be at and just go longer or shorter depending on how hot vs. trying to control the temps. Then maybe finish with a short sear over the coals now that most of the fat has been rendered.

I can totally see the advantages you note regarding control, size when in Kamado mode, and efficiency.

Also, thank you for the words on the Traveler. I just realized that thing existed the other day and now really want one. I actually don't own a gasser, and I can see using that on the back porch when I want something quick for myself and/or wife and kid. And then also taking on the road. For instance, would have been super handy on our recent beach trip.

I love playing with charcoal fires, but I think I'm ready for something which can both cook something quickly outside when I don't feel like heating up the kitchen and dirtying a pan that I can also take on the road.

Thank you again, and apologies for the tangent!

 

[dsp2]

Oops...double posted. Sorry!

 

[MattNet]

I love this thread. Love the analysis and takes. Love all the ideas and long-term goals balanced by the stated intent of being iterative.

Everyone's been so gracious with giving their experiences, it's invaluable. Often these are the sorts of purchases you can't easily swap out if you find it doesn't fit your needs, so real hands on feedback and others going through their own choices and what they've learned is invaluable.

I've cooked on kamados for years. Last few years I've found myself primarily cooking on a kettle and a WSM. There's really just not much I want to cook that can't be made just fine on those cookers. That said, I've been debating the Weber Summit Kamado for a while, and have also lusted after the M1 cookers.

Not sure what to say about your initial question. Maybe the Summit Kamado would be good since it can cook like a kamado but can also cook sort of like a kettle, from what I understand, with easy two-zone cooking, raising and lowering grids, etc.? Not sure as I know a lot less about the M1 cookers.

One note on your longer term aspirations - have you seen the MadScientist BBQ video where he compares his offsets? A COS, an OK Joes, an Old Country Brazos, a Franklin backyard pit, and his big offset (250 gal?)? I thought that had some good insights comparing a pretty broad range.

Good luck, and let us know what you decide and how it works

Thanks for sharing. I mean it's hard to beat a kettle and WSM. That's the classic workhorse combo that just works. Seems like no matter what else people get they often at least have one or both of those. Plus the kettle is so classic and nostalgic. Grew up (like so many others) on one so I might have to get one for nostalgia alone at some point, plus never hurts to have another grill when you once in a while want to cook a larger quantity.

Thanks for the recommendation on that MadScientist BBQ video. I have seen it, though after you mentioned it I watched it again for good measure. Have watched a lot of his videos. In fact he's one that often says his 500 gallon is his easiest to run and operate. I also like his videos about what smokers to purchase in general. There he mentions the WSM of course and also Kamados. I've watched entirely too many BBQ videos over the years waiting to finally get the opportunity to set my own up.

Will probably be 6+ months before I make any big BBQ purchase, a lot of things to get in the new house first. Coming from an apartment we have somethings but certainly not a house full. Fortunately my wife wants BBQ as well so she's willing to let me put it relatively high on the list lol. Especially if there's one she likes the look of, so that's playing a factor too. I can never quite guess the ones she likes the look of, I always seem to guess wrong, but when I find one she does I run with it before she changes her mind.

FWIW - I ended up ditching my KJ for a pellet grill and haven't really looked back.


For me, it's ease of use. I've got two small kids and a wife that can't eat meat - so BBQ falls into a pretty narrow window.



Practically speaking - cleaning, prepping, lighting the KJ took a decent chunk of time and was a dirty process. And 10% of the time, the fire went out and you'd have to restart it.


My KJ never held temp very well, so I ended up augmenting with a BBQ Guru. Which was just another point of failure - it was fussy about getting on the vent properly, batteries died in the middle of the night.



The pellet on the other hand, mostly just works. Doesn't need to be cleaned very often, and takes half as much time when you do. Start up? Press a button.



I do miss having direct heat and really high temps of the KJ. But I can get 90% of that on a Weber.


I do wish I had held out for a MAK - they have better direct heat cooking options and a better smoke profile over the Silverbac I ended up with. But the smash patties are great, and it's the best pulled pork I've ever had.



Oh, you asked a question about time on the KJ. I had the larger one, and it ran for 35+ hours once before I finally shut it down. Plenty of cooking time

Thanks for sharing. Great to have the other perspective. I've really been eyeing pellet grills too. That convenience is pretty hard to beat. Though I didn't mention it on the list in my OP of my top 3 picks literally the 4th one is a MAK grill. Those things look great. Really impressive with the lifetime warranty too, haven't found another pellet grill that offers anything close to that. My wife and I lived in Oregon for about 4 years too and loved it so it being made in Oregon has a bit of a soft spot. The only negatives were for the price it's a bit taller than wider, so a bit less surface area on grilling and for some reason my wife really didn't like the look of it. The build quality, shear quantity of people praising it, and the lifetime warranty are serious reasons that I still think about it though.

Do you notice a big flavor difference from the Kamado vs your Pellet grill? Seem to find a million different opinions on that where for some it's a big difference and others it's a small difference, some prefer one or the other.

I might be doomed to eventually just have both at some point =/ I'll admit GAS is a personal problem, I'm probably too old to change it now lol (at least that's a good excuse). Though I tend to like to research my options for months or years before deciding, but still drool over new toys.

I haven’t been able to see or play with an M1. Fortunately or unfortunately I learned about M-Grills after I already had a Weber Summit Charcoal Grill (Weber’s Kamado offering). The biggest pro to me of an M1 over the WSCG would be the ability to occasionally use it as a reverse flow offset with splits.

As far as the WSCG, i really have no complaints. It works well and is a Jack of all trades. I modded a Big Joetisserie to work with just a little griniding so I can grill, smoke, spin or bake about anything on it. I can hook up my Fireboard and fan for overnight briskets with no worry. I have terrible bad luck, so I thought this was a better option for me over a ceramic Kamado, plus if you do overshoot temps, you can drop them without taking hours but maintain close to the same fuel efficiency as ceramic.

So, I really like the WSCG, but my pellet grills get most of the workload unless it’s steak or wanting to spin something. The WSCG is easy, but the MAK is even easier.

The WSCG looks really killer too. Plus the classic Weber looks are always are special. Really impressive design on that, especially for cleaning from what it looks like. The WSCG with a MAK grill seems like a really killer combo. That Traveler grill too. Love how that thing lowers. Seems like a really smart design.

 

[MattNet]

So one thing I'm considering as an option, probably a more practical option, is a Kamado Joe Jr. At that much lower price it seems like a good step into Kamado land (and BBQ and smoking land). It's something I could probably get immediately, or close to it, rather than saving longer and would be a good test bed to see where I might want to go beyond that. It seems to offer most of what Kamados offer, just lower capacity and at that side can't cook a brisket. In my household we'll have 4 people (my wife and we're having our two mother's move in with us) so the normal cook won't have to be high capacity. Though I like the idea of smoking a larger quantity and freezing some for convenient use later on, we're doing keto so lots of smoked meats will be valuable, but that can be something I can get later on.

I've also seen some people mention having something like a Big Joe and a Joe Jr but use their Jr at least as often or more because their common cooks are smaller and it uses less fuel and heats up faster. So probably would be a useful thing to have even if I do end up getting a bigger one or something else like a pellet grill, bigger smoker, etc.

 

[Markov]

we're having our two mother's move in with us

You are a saint and deserve to buy all of the smokers you like!

Just kidding (well sorta), but I struggle with not having too many cookers and have been considering a M1 to consolidate, as well as to expand to stick burning. Sorry I don't have more to contribute, but best of luck!

 

[gtsum]

I’m going to chime in again and at least let you know MY experiences:

Kamado- I had a primo oval xl for years and produced a lot of really good food with it. Jack of all trades. Master of none. For an all around cooker, hard to beat. I currently have a weber performer and a weber summit kamado. The weber summit kamado is far superior to my performer for grilling. I don’t smoke on it as stick burning produces much better flavor. On my primo and the summit kamado you are smoldering wood…far different than a clean stick burner.

Gravity fed - I had a stumps for a few years and it produced better all around bbq than the kamado. Can’t grill obviously

Pellets- had a gmg davey crocket for camping and yoder 640 and memphis elite…great all around cookers…more of a smoke seasoning vs a heavy smoke flavor. If I’m being honest, I liked the yoder better than the more expensive memphis elite. I’ve never had food off a Mak however

Stick burners - I have a m1 and I had a 24x48 pitts and spitts offset and have a workhorse 1975 waiting for delivery…there simply is no comparison in bbq flavor with a well run stick burner. It’s a much sweeter, easier going smoke flavor compared to charcoal and chunks. And much better than my pellet grills imo. The m1 is a good all around choice IF you want to burn sticks and grill on one unit. There are limitations due to design and size but it’s very good all around.

Hope this helps a bit


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[gtsum]

I forgot. I had a wsm in the early years and while good, especially for the price, other units (at far higher price points) produce better results for ME and are easier to work with. YMMV


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[dsp2]

I forgot. I had a wsm in the early years and while good, especially for the price, other units (at far higher price points) produce better results for ME and are easier to work with. YMMV


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Where would you put the WSM in the mix among stick burners, kamados, and pellet burners?

One thought I have is that you may want a bigger, cleaner, less efficient fire. I think I burn a bigger fire on my WSM vs on my small BGE, for instance, and move more air through the cooker. So, while not a high airflow offset, I would think the WSM might produce a slightly cleaner smoke taste.

Does that make sense?