I am leaning towards buying a Kamado style grill / smoker.

 

I would love a Kamado Joe classic, they seem like the brand to beat for ceramic kamado's. It's an 18" (grill grid) with all the supplies needed to grill or smoke as well as a cart and attached side tables. They are featured at a Costco roadshow and this size is $779 and usually they throw in a cover and firestarters.

 

SAMs club has a Vision Classic 18" for $499, doesn't get the same reviews as a Kamado Joe, and has issues with air leakage, cheaper cart and tables, doesn't come with the heat deflecter for smoking. A good deal and with some inexpensive modifications and an accessory kit can be a pretty good grill/smoker. Home Depot has a Pro version of the Vision for $699 that is pretty much dismissed by the grilling forums since it it too close to the Kamado Joe and suffers worse air leaks than the classic version.

 

Walmart, Lowes, Target, etc all sell Char Griller Akorn Kamado, $299-$399. It is a 19" steel Kamado, it is lighter than the ceramic Kamados and has mixed reviews. It seems like current versions have addressed some issues with seals and air leaks that were common before. Also it seems that the only way these come is dented, I guess cheap packaging is just part of the deal at this price point. Also does not come with heat deflector for smoking.

 

of course the Big Green Egg is also available but comes standard with no stand, no side tables, etc.. To get a comparable BGE to. Kamado Joe you would spend about $250-$300 in accessories. It has a cult following and excellent customer service, warranty, and been around for over 30 years. But Kamado Joe has been around over a decade and also has the great customer service and warranty.

 

does anyone own any of these or similar grills? Any recommendations?

Pete, there are pros and cons. I've used a Big Green Egg and I like the fact it's versatile and holds heat like a champ. You have to do a product comparison and get down to the build and the warranty. I think the Kamodo Joe and the Big Green Egg are lifetime warranty where some of the other makes and models are less.

 

It's my opinion that the KJ model is a better buy but it's perceived value.

 

I think instead, my next purchase will be a pellet smoker.

Pete, there are pros and cons. I've used a Big Green Egg and I like the fact it's versatile and holds heat like a champ. You have to do a product comparison and get down to the build and the warranty. I think the Kamodo Joe and the Big Green Egg are lifetime warranty where some of the other makes and models are less.

 

It's my opinion that the KJ model is a better buy but it's perceived value.

 

I think instead, my next purchase will be a pellet smoker.

 

I've had a Traeger for about 7 years. One of the best purchases I've ever made.

I have my heart set on a Yoder. After seeing one in action, I dig it.

I'm still partial to my standard box smoker.

I really want the Kamado type, I want to use it to grill and smoke, and pizza.

I will mostly do burgers, grilled chicken breasts, ribs, and pork butts or shoulders for pulled pork. Lots of good ideas and recipes on YouTube for both Big Green Egg and Kamado Joe. Kamado Joe has an official YouTube channel and John Stezler that runs the Kamado Guru forum has detailed videos showing the recipe and even how he sets up the grill for each cook. I like his, some of the cooking videos annoy me, one guy is the smoking guitar player and has to make each one a music video too, I skip his videos

I know it is all in my head, but I can't eat smoked chicken. I ate under cooked chicken once at a cook out and was sick, ever since still love grilled chicken but smoked chicken looks raw and can't do it.

I ended up buying a Char-Griller Akorn, Kamado style grill/smoker. I have grilled chicken and steaks, burgers and dogs, but my best and favorite so far has been slow smoked baby back ribs. This picture is 3 racks along with some huge potatoes.

[ATTACH]51777[/ATTACH]

I ended up buying a Char-Griller Akorn, Kamado style grill/smoker. I have grilled chicken and steaks, burgers and dogs, but my best and favorite so far has been slow smoked baby back ribs. This picture is 3 racks along with some huge potatoes.

 

Awesome, those ribs look great. The Akorn would have been my choice, I believe it's the best value. I have a chargriller smokin pro that with a couple of mods has became the ideal smoker for what I do. I use gas for other things, but just had a burner go out on my gas grill. I'm probably gonna replace it with an akorn. I've always been a coal/wood guy, I just used the gas grill for convenience with steaks, burgers, and dogs.

 

Now that the gas grill is on its last leg, I finally have an excuse to buy an akorn for those foods or even smoking foods if I fill up the indirect smoker. Previously I didn't really have room for a third grill and knew I would catch hell from the wife if I went out and bought another. Instead of being upset with my cousin for breaking the gas grills burner, I'm actually elated.

Watch the end of year sales, I am on the Kamado Guru forum and in some parts of the country people are getting acorns for less than $150. I got

Mine for $200 on Father's Day sale.

I'll have to check that out. Even $200 is a steal for that grill. I've heard a lot of good things about them.

I thought that was some kind of a lizard.

I thought that was some kind of a lizard.

 

Lizard sounds edible.