Table of Contents
About Kamado Joe
The taste of your food depends on the tools you cook it with. Kamado Joe’s line of high–performance grills delivers outstanding quality to get you the most from your meals.
Featured in plenty of well-known publications—from Food & Wine Magazine to CNN—ever since the company launched, Kamado Joe’s unique red egg–shaped grills have been attracting attention. Today, the brand even has a whopping social media community of 500k.
What’s all the fuss about? I’ll answer that question throughout this Kamado Joe review. From brand basics and bestsellers to feedback and FAQ, by the end, you’ll have all the info you need to decide if you should buy one of these grills.
Overview Of Kamado Joe
They say a man is only as good as the tools he uses, and I think that applies to meals as well. Grills that don’t perform can’t give you the perfect ratio of golden brown to slightly charred, nor are they built to last. Kamado Joe was founded by Kerry Coker and Bobby Brennan in 2009 to solve that problem.
Based in Atlanta, Georgia, the brand has since been acquired by Masterbuilt Holdings LLC, and it’s not that hard to see why. Expect smarter features, a better build, and more convenient accessories from this line than you would others.
Its grills are said to be the world’s best ceramic cookers, and as you make your way through this Kamado Joe review, you’ll learn precisely why that is. First, let’s take a look at some highlights.
Highlights
- Ceramic grills from 13.5”-24”
- Built-in thermometer
- Accessories included
- Ships internationally
Kamado Joe has pretty much everything you need to get grilling—aside from the meat. From grills and accessories to fuel and parts, consider it your ‘one-stop shop on your way to flavor town’ (as one excitable bleach blonde chef might say).
Up next in this Kamado Joe review, I’ll walk you through a stacked list of the brand’s bestsellers—including options from entry-level to pro. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself cooking up TV show-worthy meals.
Kamado Joe Jr Portable Grill With Cast Iron Stand Review
The Joe Jr Portable Grill with Cast Iron Stand is the brand’s smallest (and most affordable grill). With 13.5 inches (150 square inches) of cooking space, it includes streamlined features to make grilling easier.
You’ll enjoy its cast-iron top vent and heat-resistant shell, along with the built-in temperature gauge and ceramic heat deflector. Plus, you can move your Kamado Joe Jr easily with the grill gripper and clean it without the fuss with the ash tool.
This little red guy costs $500.
Kamado Joe Classic II Ceramic Griller Review
The Kamado Joe Classic II Ceramic Griller is the second series in Kamado Joe’s Classic line. It features a Kontrol Tower™ Top Vent to ensure your food is cooked evenly, along with the 2-Tier Divide & Conquer® Flexible Cooking System to give you more options.
Equipped with an Air Lift™ hinge, opening and closing the grill is easy, and you can move and handle it safely thanks to the grill gripper and locking wheels.
Enjoy 250 square inches of space on this 18” grill for $1,300.
Kamado Joe Classic III Review
Would you prefer a classic grill that has modern features? If so, look no further than the Kamado Joe Classic III.
Combining everything you love about the Series I and II—like powder-coated steel grill cart with locking wheels and the 3-tier Divide & Conquer flexible cooking system—you’ll also enjoy smart features like the SlōRoller hyperbolic insert and Air Lift™ hinge.
Giving you 250 square inches of cooking space, your food will be evenly heated thanks to the ceramic construction and Kontrol Tower™ top vent. Enjoy the included accessories that range from stainless steel cooking grates to a built-in thermometer.
You can purchase this first-rate grill for $2,000.
Kamado Big Joe III Review
Looking for something impressive? The Kamado Big Joe III might just knock your socks off with its 450 square inches of cooking space and 3-tier cooking system. Since it’s so much more than a flat top grill, you’ll have total control over the temperatures of different types of meals while they cook at the same time.
Unlike other comparable brands on the market, the Big Joe III comes with a powder-coated steel grill cart, wheels that lock in place, a built-in thermometer, grill gripper, and more.
Made with an Air Lift™ hinge, it’s easy to open and close while the stainless steel charcoal basket makes cleaning a breeze. Buy this game-changing Kamado Joe grill for $3,000.
Kamado Joe Accessories Review
Do you have the grill and now you’re ready to level up? You’ll be happy to know that the brand stocks a hefty selection of Kamado Joe accessories—from grill covers to cast iron grates and more. And these accessories are just as high quality as the grills. Below, I’ll tell you all about the brand’s two bestsellers.
Kamado Joe Half Moon Soapstone Review
If you aren’t familiar with soapstone, you may think it’s something used to clean your grill. But, it’s actually the key to super tender meats. With a naturally non-stick surface, it helps to evenly heat your meat, resulting in a perfect cook.
Perfect for eliminating the worry of cross-contamination, it’s also anti-bacterial and stain resistant. A must-have for versatile cookouts, purchase the Half Moon Soapstone for $120.
Kamado Joe Sear Plate Review
Searing is one of the reasons people use a grill. With that in mind, the Kamado Joe Sear Plate is a non-negotiable accessory for those who love the flame-kissed flavor. Made from cast iron, it’s durable and can handle whatever meat you throw on it.
When you’re done cooking, just lift up the plate and wipe it clean. Compatible with Joe JR and Classic Joe grills, you can buy it for $80.
Who Is Kamado Joe For?
Kamado Joe makes high-performance grills. They’re a great option for anyone who’s interested in taking their grilling to the next level. They may be a little pricier than other grills out there, but they’re better made and deliver pro-worthy results.
Kamado Joe Reviews: What Do Customers Think?
I’ve spent a lot of time discussing performance in this Kamado Joe review, but there’s no better way to demonstrate that performance than to actually cook on these grills. So, in this section, I’ve rounded up comments and ratings from across the web from actual customers. First, let’s check out a few ratings from the brand’s website.
- Sear Plate for Joe JR: 4.7/5 stars from 52 reviews
- Big Joe Grill Series III: 4.5/5 stars from 129 reviews
- Classic Joe Grill Series II: 4.6/5 stars from 241 reviews
- Joe JR with Cast Iron Stand: 4.7/5 stars from 210 reviews
Looking into the comments section for the Classic Joe Grill Series II, there were hundreds of positive remarks about how well it cooks. For instance, one customer left this glowing Kamado Joe review:
“Went with the Kamado Joe because of the advanced features like the counterbalance hinge and the oven type gasket. I have to admit that I love the red color as well. This grill arrived well packaged, is solidly built, and was easy to assemble. Look forward to many years of outdoor cooking.”
So, it looks great, cooks great, and is built great…When it comes to a grill, is there really anything more you can ask for? This kind of review was typical on KamadoJoe.com, but I wondered if the same kind of feedback would be found elsewhere.
My next stop was a Kamado Joe review on The Spruce Eats where the website’s team awarded the Classic Grill Series III an impressive 4.8/5 stars. Their bottom line was that “The innovative Kamado Joe Classic III Grill is a highly versatile grill and smoker that is great at heat retention, enhanced smoking experience, and high heat grilling.”
The team also stated that the grill was “simple” to setup, had “easy to use” features, and “everything you need to get started” (in terms of accessories). In other words, all that was missing was the meat. Plus, they claimed that the grill cooked up pork shoulder quickly and kept the meat nice and juicy.
On Amazon, the Kamado Joe Classic Joe Grill Series II has been awarded a 4.8/5 star score from 820 shoppers. Here’s how it breaks down:
- 5 stars: 90%
- 4 stars: 4%
- 3 stars: 2%
- 2 stars: 1%
- 1 star: 3%
In the comments section, it seems that many customers compare this grill to the Big Green Egg (BGE) grill. However, in every case, they say the Classic Joe outshines it. Here’s one Kamado Joe review that sums things up:
“I got a chance to inspect the Kamado Joe at Costco and was very impressed. They took everything that’s great about the BGE, and made improvements. The fittings are superior. The interior system is upgraded. The hinge is better. The nest is stronger. Stuff like that. But they didn’t screw up anything of what is great about the Egg — that’s key.”
It sounds like if you’re a fan of the BGE, you’ll really like Kamado Joe. That’s because Kamado Joe seems to have taken the best of BGE cooking and modernized it. Not suprisingly, the feedback for this brand was off the charts no matter where I looked.
With that said, I found a few comments about chipping in the ceramic upon arrival, but those were usually from customers who bought the grill from Amazon. I also read plenty of comments about how well these grills are packaged.
All in all, I was blown away by the feedback I witnessed for this brand online. Check out the next section of this Kamado Joe review to see my verdict on just how legit this brand is.
Is Kamado Joe Legit?
You’ve read the positive feedback for this brand, but as you probably know, it’s not always sunshine and rainbows—even for the best companies out there.
When I first landed on Kamado Joe’s Better Business Bureau page, I was taken aback by the 296 complaints made in the last three years.
But then, I saw the brand’s A+ score and that pretty much relieved all of my worries. Though there were multiple complaints about warranty claims and defects with the grills themselves, every single one of them has been responded to by a Kamado Joe team member or resolved, with replacement parts shipped out free of charge in many cases.
Not only is Kamado Joe legit, but it provides excellent customer service and makes an effort to resolve customer issues.
Is Kamado Joe Worth It?
From everything I’ve learned so far in this Kamado Joe review, the brand’s grills and accessories are definitely worth it. With their superior heat retention and smart, innovative features, they produce top-of-the-line results.
They may be more expensive than other charcoal grill brands, but they’re better made and deliver higher-quality results.
Kamado Joe Vs Big Green Egg
This Kamado Joe review wouldn’t be complete without a comparison of my featured brand to the Big Green Egg. In the feedback section, you read how customers prefer Kamado Joe to the BGE in terms of construction and features, but let’s take a look at the specs nonetheless.
It used to be that my featured brand offered larger grills than BGE, but the competitor has since expanded its line to include 2XL grills with up to 29” of grilling space. Kamado Joe’s largest model offers 24”. Here’s what else is different about the two brands:
Kamado Joe
- Founded in 2009
- Prices from $500–$3,000
- All accessories included (built-in thermometer, frame, gripper, folding shelves)
Big Green Egg
- Founded in 1974
- Prices from $430–$2,200
- Broader product range
While the Big Green Egg may seem like the less expensive product, its grill prices are for the grill only—frames and handles aren’t included like they are for Kamado Joe.
So, if you’re looking for a grill that has it all, I recommend checking out my featured brand. However, if you’re dead-set on sticking to a classic, the Big Green Egg is still a solid option.
Kamado Joe Promotions & Discounts
Right now, Kamado Joe is offering free shipping on all orders over $100. To stay up to date on the latest deals, sign up for the brand’s mailing list.
Where To Buy Kamado Joe
Kamado Joe is a big brand and it’s products are sold in a wide variety of North American retailers—such as Wayfair, Amazon, and The Home Depot. Of course, you can always shop directly with its items at KamadoJoe.com.
FAQ
Who owns Kamado Joe?
Originally founded by Kerry Coker and Bobby Brennan, the brand was bought by Masterbuilt Holding LLC but is now a part of Middleby.
Does Kamado Joe ship internationally?
If you’re on the US version of the company’s website, it will tell you that it can only ship to the US and Canada. But when on your country’s version of the website—for example, the UK or France—you’ll have broader shipping options.
What is Kamado Joe’s shipping policy?
For US and Canadian customers, Kamado Joe orders take two business days to process and another 5-7 business days to arrive at your shipping address. Once your order ships, you’ll receive a confirmation email with a tracking link.
Right now, shipping for orders over $100 is free, which means if you’re ordering a grill, it will be shipped free of charge. Orders under that amount are subject to shipping fees that vary by location.
What is Kamado Joe’s return policy?
If you need to return your Kamado Joe order, you can, but there are some general rules that must be followed. I’ll outline them below:
- You must have purchased your product from KamadoJoe.com
- You have 45 days to start the return process
- All products must be unassembled and unused
- You must have all of the original packaging and original receipt
- Fuel is nonrefundable
To start the return process, get in touch with Kamado Joe and a customer support team member will tell you what to do next. Return shipping fees are your responsibility and once the company receives your order, its team will inspect it and refund your purchase within 10 business days.
How To Contact Kamado Joe
If you need any other information that this Kamado Joe review didn’t include, you can get in touch with the brand by using the contact form on it’s website. If you’re having troubleshooting issues, Kamado Joe’s FAQ section is quite extensive.
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