OT- Ceramic Grills

[THE Bruce Dickinson]

I know this topic has been brought up before, but I am in the market for a ceramic grill and am debating what to go with:

Either going to buy a Big Green Egg or a Komodo Joe.

I have several friends with BGE and know all about how good they are, but I was wondering if anyone owns a Komodo Joe, and if so how they like it.


Pros/cons vs. the BGE ?


Thanks in advance

 

[Augustus McCrae]

Not sure if you're a 247 member or not but this thread was on there not long ago. Maybe it'll help you out. http://mississippistate.247sports.com/Board/59413/Contents/OT-Ceramic-Grills-28977041

 

[BiscuitEater]

That's okay ...

I know this topic has been brought up before, but I am in the market for a ceramic grill

Think there is a SPS rule that there has to be a least three BGE/Ceramic Grill Threads every year. Oh, and let me be the first to warn ... don't forget to BURP ... that 'blowback' can fry your ***.

 

[hatfieldms]

I have a vision grill and love it

At about half the price if the BGE

 

[BiscuitEater]

Will add ...

At about half the price if the BGE

been told that Vision has the best warranty in the ceramic world ... lifetime for all ceramic parts ...


Manufacturer Warranty: lifetime for all ceramic parts, five (5) years for all metal parts, 90-days for side shelves, 90-days for temperature gauge and 1-year for cover. This Warranty is not transferable to subsequent owners.

 

[karlchilders.sixpack]

Couple weeks ago, I cooked ribs

on my buddies new PRIMO Oval XL...

It has my interest up.

 

[hatfieldms]

Yeah their customer service is top notch

Read nothing but good stories of people who have had to deal with them

 

[Digging dog]

Ditto on the vision. I've had mine for just a few months. Put it to the test right out the gate. Beef brisket was incredible.

 

[Dawgbite]

I don't know anything about the Vision but I've had a BGE for 10+ years and love it. The good thing about BGE is that it's the standard by which all others are judged. It's always been here and most likely always will be and that's a plus because you may never buy another grill, just parts for the one you have. The drawback of the BGE is that everything is an accessory, nothing comes with the grill but the grill. Be prepared to add a couple of hundred to the initial cost of the grill for all the other things you will want. A lot of the clones come with the extras included with the grill price. I noticed that SAMs had a Kimodo with most every accessory included for $569 and I thought that was an excellent price for what was included. It was the equivalent of a large BGE.

 

[PBRME]

I almost pulled the trigger on a BGE while they were on sale for Memorial Day. Saw a grill like I owned 12 years ago on sale for $99. Bought it instead and glad I did. Great cooking grill and easy to maintain.

Eventually I will buy a BGE or similar grill but not at my current house. I want to build an outdoor kitchen, but want out of my current house. Sooner the better.

 

[weblow]

Have a BGE at the house and the lake. Komodo Joe is supposed to be very good too. If it was me, I would either buy the BGE or Primo. BGE is made in Mexico and distributed out of Atlanta, Primo is made in the USA. Both are proven and very high quality. Just please don't buy the Bayou Classic version.

I have cooked on all everything except the Komodo Joe. Go with the BGE or Primo and you will not be sorry.

 

[Dawgbite]

If you are going to do a lot of low and slow cooking, invest in a BBQ Guru temperature controller. It takes all the guess work and a lot of labor out of ribs, butts, or brisket.

 

[weblow]

Got one. I have heard that they now make one that works off of your wifi at home and has an app that lets you control it on your phone. That would be nice to throw something on and go to work but be able to check it throughout the day.

 

[Dawgbite]

That's the DigiQ I think. My wifi won't reach my grill so it wouldn't benefit me. I also have the Party Q which is battery powered and doesn't have the meat thermometer. I probably use it more than the Guru.

 

[Tin Cup Cowboy]

This just can't be stressed enough when cooking steaks.

Trust me, all it takes is having a few too many cocktails and forgetting to do it one time - you'll remember from there forward.

 

[DAWGS1.sixpack]

Bumping this up the ladder as it’s been since 2014 that I could find anything on the Pack about ceramic grills.
Lot of changes possibly in the 5 years since this last posting.
Looking at buying a new grill this weekend (2019) and need some expert Pack opinions.

 

[T-TownDawgg]

Don't rule out Char-griller kamado. Insulated steel. Lighter and portable. Cheaper; 300 bucks. Ive cooked on BGE and Kamado joe and I actually prefer the Char-griller due to the main grate being flush with the top of the bowl, and the 2nd tier swinging grate is the bomb for veggies and sausages. Keep it covered, lasts a long time.

 

[hatfieldms]

Still have the same vision grill. Still love it

 

[WhiteShepherd07]

on my buddies new PRIMO Oval XL...

It has my interest up.

Go with Primo or go home. It’s the only one that’s made in the USA and it’s the only one that has an Oval shape.

The oval make it much better to cook indirectly with. You can also get a box splitter attachment to fill up only 1 side of the grill to cook on or smoke on.

I have the large oval and been very pleased.

 

[Dawgbite]

I have a Vision at the beach and 2 green eggs at home. Unless you have a huge family get a Large or the equivalent. The Vision has served me well at essentially half the price of a BGE considering what it comes with. Look at it this way, the Vision and most all other knock offs are made in China. The BGE ceramic is made in Mexico and all the hardware is made in the US. The Primo is the only one that the ceramic and the hardware is American made. The only issue I have with Primo is that the dealer network is limited compared to BGE. Just be aware that you can run across a BGE on Craigs list or FB marketplace but the warranty will not transfer, its for the original purchaser only. I will say this, my 5 year old Vision looks to be in about the same shape as my 25 year old Egg, granted the Vision is near the ocean but is covered when not in use. The egg has sat out its entire life without any kind of cover.

 

[biodawg]

My dad has a Kamado Joe. He loves it. He is on it almost every weekend. Sorry I can’t really give you any more specifics than that.

 

[dawgdreamin]

I have had a Kamado Joe for 8 plus years. I love it. The firebox cracked when I was moving recently and Kamado Joe sent me a replacement with very few questions asked. In the process of selling it and upgrading to the big joe. Need more grilling space. You can cook 3 racks of ribs on a large BGE or kJ.

I think the biggest advantage for the ceramic grills are there are no rust issues. I’ve had many other gas grills in the past and they always rust out I’m 4-5 years.

Also consider a blackstone griddle. The best investment I’ve ever made.

 

[Eleven Bravo]

I have a Kamado Joe “Big Joe” that I’ve had for 5 years. I bought it because it was the largest Kamado cooker that you could buy at the time. My Daddy had a BGE for years, he actually bought one many years ago and bought a second one when they came out with another size. I honestly can’t really tell you that I prefer one over the other. They both operate the same way, they both give you the opportunity to produce a quality product for your friends and family every time and they both will last for many, many years.

I’ve had zero problems Big the “Big Joe” over the years and I will tell anyone that it’s one of the best investments I’ve ever made. It still looks brand new like the day I unboxed it. I would purchase another one tomorrow. It is a very well-made cooker and you can tell that they use the finest materials available to build these things. The same things could be said about the BGE-I just needed the largest Kamado cooker I could buy at the time which is why I bought the “Big Joe”. I love this thing-oh, I almost forgot. Kamado Joe offers all sorts of accessories for these things. One of the finest accessories I’ve seen for these kamados is the apparatus that turns it into a pizza oven. They make them for all the round kamado cookers (they are made and sold by a third-party manufacturer) and these things allow you to make some seriously good pizza right at home. I’ve cooked numerous pizzas on my Big Joe by just putting the pie right on a pizza stone which I center on the grill and cook until the crust is done the way we like it. I was introduced to brick oven pizzas when we lived in Texas and I’ve been hooked ever since. Pizza cooked on a kamado is almost the same exact thing-the flavors you get are crazy good!

Since you specifically asked about the Kamado Joe, what I would tell you is to go for it. Whatever you buy, be sure to buy the size you want because you don’t want to regret not having enough room years later. That Big Joe wasn’t cheap when I bought it-as I recall it was right at $1500 with a couple of accessories and the shipping (damn things are HEAVY!!), but I have not one time regretted spending the money. Good luck, and good cooking!

 

[Upyurs]

Have a BGE at the house and the lake. Komodo Joe is supposed to be very good too. If it was me, I would either buy the BGE or Primo. BGE is made in Mexico and distributed out of Atlanta, Primo is made in the USA. Both are proven and very high quality. Just please don't buy the Bayou Classic version.

I have cooked on all everything except the Komodo Joe. Go with the BGE or Primo and you will not be sorry.

What's wrong with Bayou Classic? I've had one for years and really enjoyed it. Smokes ribs and butts beautifully and grills some delicious burgers and steaks

 

[LexSCDOG]

have the L BGE and a BBQ GURU. For long smokes the BBQ GURU is a must have. They have a BGE Genius(just came out in the last 6 mths or so, Flameboss did a deal with BGE), I think it is called with is the BGE version of the BBQ GURU, pricing is similar.

I have had to have the fire ring, plate setter and main insert replaced due to cracks but all were replaced immediately customer service has been great. I cook weekly on the BGE and enjoy cooking each time.

If you are going to do a lot of low and slow cooking, invest in a BBQ Guru temperature controller. It takes all the guess work and a lot of labor out of ribs, butts, or brisket.

 

[DAWGS1.sixpack]

Kinda what I was wondering.
That was one I thinking about although this Primo sounds pretty good.

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

Weber 22. Save your money.

 

[smurphdawg]

I have a Vision at the beach and 2 green eggs at home. Unless you have a huge family get a Large or the equivalent. The Vision has served me well at essentially half the price of a BGE considering what it comes with. Look at it this way, the Vision and most all other knock offs are made in China. The BGE ceramic is made in Mexico and all the hardware is made in the US. The Primo is the only one that the ceramic and the hardware is American made. The only issue I have with Primo is that the dealer network is limited compared to BGE. Just be aware that you can run across a BGE on Craigs list or FB marketplace but the warranty will not transfer, its for the original purchaser only. I will say this, my 5 year old Vision looks to be in about the same shape as my 25 year old Egg, granted the Vision is near the ocean but is covered when not in use. The egg has sat out its entire life without any kind of cover.

But do you have two solariums and two television sets like George Costanza and Marty McFly?

 

[Dawgbite]

What's wrong with Bayou Classic? I've had one for years and really enjoyed it. Smokes ribs and butts beautifully and grills some delicious burgers and steaks

There is nothing wrong with the Bayou Classic. It's just a Chinese Knockoff of the Egg like about a dozen or so other knockoffs on the market. The Komado Joe, the Primos, and the Big Green Egg are the highest quality grills and the price reflects this. There are probably ceramic grills that offer more value for the money due to all the accessories included but overall the quality isnt there. I'm a grill junkie but not a grill snob, I have two BGE's, a Vision, A Big Steel Keg, and even an Akorn Jr and use all of them regularly. If you want quality, look at a Blaze 20 inch Kamado, its cast aluminum and I want one so bad but the Mrs isnt on board yet.

 

[SirBarksalot]

Be a real man and get a Weber smoky mountain...
i refuse to own a grill that could kill me if it fell on me...and no cheater mods. Getting up and down out of my chair 120 times for a 12 hour smoke keeps me in shape.

do recommend a thermoworks smoke so you know when to run back and forth to the smoker

 

[blacklistedbully]

I don't own any Komodo yet, but have been thinking of getting one, thus have done a fair amount of research. Like T-town, I'm leaning toward the Chargrilller Akorn because it gets great ratings for doing the same job, pretty much as well as the BGE, and at a fraction of the cost. Because of the hundreds of $ difference, the Akorn can be upgraded to eliminate the few, non-critical downsides it has vs the BGE, still saving you a ton of money. Personally, I enjoy DIY stuff like that...personalizing to meet what I want.

Also, I don't place importance on the BGE being better able to withstand misuse than the Akorn, such as leaving them exposed to weather. I'd rather take care of my Akron with appropriate periodic cleaning & proper storage and pocket the hundreds of $ I saved.

Bottom line, I believe the Akorn does the same job as all the much more expensive ones, and for those who still want to upgrade the weak points, notably the thermometer and changing the nuts & bolts to stainless steel, this can be done relatively easily at a minimal cost, still making it hundreds and hundreds of $ less.

 

[mississippiheel]

Not ceramic but Holland Out of Business as of June.

 

[blacklistedbully]

NM. Looked it up.