These Robust Kamado Grills Will Enhance Your Outdoor Cooking Adventures

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A kamado grill, simply stated, is a versatile outdoor oven. Yes, it can be your grill, but also your smoker, roaster, or even a pizza oven. There are not many other options for your patio or your outdoor kitchen where you can cook a whole chicken one night and smoke gouda for your charcuterie board the next.

The egg-shaped kamado grills of today are inspired by and take their name from ancient cookers of centuries ago. The traditional Japanese cooking method used a domed clay pot with a lid over a fire powered by charcoal or wood. The unique shape is not just for show—there is a technical reason for it. Warm air moves around the round chamber evenly cooking those chicken thighs you’re smoking. Dampers, typically found at the top and bottom, can be opened or closed to adjust the interior temperature. Thick ceramic walls are well-insulated and have amazing heat retention, which makes kamado grills a great option for braising brisket or smoking pork belly.

One of the most well-known (and much loved) brands is the Big Green Egg. The company helped introduce ceramic grills to the United States more than 50 years ago. Since then, its ovular dimpled grills have attracted a loyal fan base known as Eggheads.

While ceramic grills tend to be more expensive and heavier than charcoal or gas grills, there are several more affordable kamado options—ones that still offer decent heat retention—that are made of porcelain-plated metal. Kamado grills made from double-walled steel are usually less expensive and can be more portable.

When it comes to durablity, a ceramic kamado grill is able to withstand rain and cold weather without rusting (although a grill cover will protect your investment and help your grill last longer). Using your grill all year long will give you lots of time to perfect your cooking techniques.

Best Kamado Grills

• Best Overall: Big Green Egg Large Smoker

• The Premium Pick: Kamado Joe Classic II 18-Inch Grill

• Best Upgrade: Lifesmart 6-In-1 Kamado Grill

• Best Budget: Kamado Joe Kettle Joe

• Medium-Size Option: Pit Boss Ceramic Kamado Grill

What to Consider in a Kamado Grill

Kamado grills are available in a wide variety of configurations and sizes, including ones that offer multi-level racks for more cooking space. To choose the right size kamado grill for you, factor in your budget and how many people you’re typically going to be feeding.

Be sure to check how ash is emptied. Slide-out ash drawers at the bottom are preferable; otherwise, you need to remove the grates and scoop out the ash.

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Cooking Surface

Kamado grills range widely in size. It might be easier to think in terms of what you need—how many burgers a given grill can hold. A Kamado Joe Junior (148 square inches) holds a half-dozen burgers. The Kamado Joe Kettle Joe (363 square inches) has room for roughly twice as many burgers, and the Kamado Joe Big Joe II (604 square inches) handles four times as many as the Joe Junior. Determine how often you’re cooking for a crowd when you’re trying to decide which size grill is best.

Shape

Oval-shaped kamado grills are great for two-zone cooking where you’re grilling steaks over direct heat while letting smoke gently infuse chicken breasts on grates that are further away from the charcoal. Round kamado grills are ideal for the even heat distribution you need for smoking or baking.

Temperature Range

Well known for their insulating properties, kamado grills often have wide temperature ranges suitable for lots of different cooking methods. Keep an eye on the lowest range if, for instance, you’re thinking about smoking brisket, or check the max temperature if you’re hoping to fire a pizza.

Construction

Typically, kamado grills are made from ceramic, which tends to be heavy. They can develop cracks over time, but those will not affect performance of your grill. Instead of ceramic, these ovular grills may be porcelain-coated metal (often steel), which is lighter and often less expensive than ceramic, but may not retain heat as effectively.

Grill Class

Entry-level models tend to be smaller and lighter without as many accessories. Mid-range and premium models often feature built-in stands or carts with lockable wheels. Luxury models are ceramic grills with wide cooking surfaces and lots of customization options.

How We Selected Kamado Grills

I compared a wide range of options at different price points and sizes available to put together my recommendations. I also read user reviews to understand the benefits or drawbacks of each kamado grill and watched videos of the grills in action.

Large Smoker

Fans of the Big Green Egg—Eggheads—gather at grilling events called EGGfests held all across the country. Not surprisingly, more than 1,800 restaurants use The Big Green Egg as one of their cooking appliances.

The Big Green Egg’s temperature gauge maxes out at 750 degrees Fahrenheit (perfect for quick-firing pizzas) and the ceramic body is effective at maintaining low temperatures (think brisket, slowly smoking overnight).

This grill is large enough to feed a crowd—we’re talking about smoking a 20-pound turkey for Thanksgiving—or leave beautiful grill marks on the half dozen burgers you’ve seared over charcoal on a weekday night.

Classic II 18-Inch Grill

Kamado Joe is a well-regarded brand that’s become a frontrunner in the world of kamados. All of the brand's ceramic grills are a distinctive fire engine red, and the full-sized models have a versatile cooking system with racks that can be used in multiple configurations including a two-zone setup.

The Classic II is the most popular grill in the lineup, featuring an air-lift hinge top with a vent that’s water- and mold-resistant, a fiberglass mesh steel gasket, and a slide-out ash drawer.

There's also a multi-panel firebox designed to prevent breaks and cracks. The grill is set on a cast-iron cart with locking wheels and comes with a grill gripper and ash tool.

6-In-1 Kamado Grill

The Lifesmart 6-in-1 grill looks sharp and offers all the features you'd expect from a kamado-style grill—and at a lower price than you'll find on other models. It has the same innovative cooking system found in more expensive kamado grills, and offers a wide variety of functions such as smoking, roasting, searing, braising, and even baking.

The top and bottom vents allow you to adjust airflow to control the temperature so that nothing is over- or undercooked. This grill also comes with a cover, pizza stone, and electric starter. The only drawback: the cooking surface and 13-inch grill grate are a bit smaller than those in comparable models.

Kettle Joe

This Kamado Joe Kettle Joe (it’s a mouthful) has a 22-inch grate, which is 4 inches larger than that of the Classic model. The ceramic grill comes with a rolling cart (front wheels lock) and foldable metal side shelves so you can start cooking once it’s assembled.

Split grill grates let you brown sausages over the charcoal (via direct heat) or cook them through on the raised grate (via indirect heat). The charcoal basket and fire box are built-in, so they can be removed in one piece for easier cleaning or maintenance.

Ceramic Kamado Grill

This sharp looking kamado grill from Pit Boss offers a large amount of cooking space (for 38 burgers) and rivals other brands in its price range for desirable features.

The grill’s ceramic body has 662-square-inches of space, with a 24-inch grate, dual-tier stainless steel cooking grates, and a spring-loaded hinge top, plus laminated bamboo fold-down side shelves.

There’s also a cast-iron damper on top that’s easy to adjust, and the unit is set on a base with wheeled casters, two of which lock. One of the drawbacks: you have to remove the grates to clean the ash pan through the bottom damper using a steel brush, which is included.

Big Joe II 24-Inch Grill

If you’re a Kamado Joe fan and want to upgrade, consider the Big Joe II. It has 604 square-inches of cooking space (room for 22 burgers) with the included grill expander, plus the brand’s standard package of fantastic features.

Expect two-tier stainless steel grates, an air lift hinge top, and a wire mesh fiberglass gasket, along with a six-panel firebox designed to prevent cracks, a slide-out ash drawer for simplified clean-up, and folding side shelves.

Heads-up: This grill’s price tag isn’t the only thing that’s a bit hefty. It weighs 372 pounds!

Junior 13.5-Inch Grill

The Kamado Joe Jr. is one of the brand’s portable models, though at 77 pounds it isn't what would typically be considered lightweight. However, if you want a smaller kamado with many of the same features as the brand's larger grills, this one won’t disappoint.

It’s ideal for cooking up meals for two to four people, and its cast-iron stand makes it safe to set on a wood deck or tabletop.

The grill has 150-square-inches of grill space on its stainless steel grates, a felt gasket to trap heat, and a cast-iron vent to control the temperature. There’s no ash pan like in Kamado Joe's full-size grill, but cleaning it out isn’t too much of a hassle because of its size.

Large Ceramic Kamado

There’s lots to like about this ceramic kamado grill with its attractive design, eye-catching color, and excellent lineup of features. For starters, the front panel has two dials to separately control temperatures for grilling and smoking, just like you would on a range top.

For cooking space, there is a 604-square-inch area with dual-level stainless steel grates that are hinged making two-zone cooking a snap. An electric starter is included, which slides directly into the ProZone starter port for effortless charcoal lighting. A removable ash drawer allows for easy clean-out.

There’s a cast-iron vent on top, two fold-down wood shelves on each side, a flexible LED grill light, and the powder-coated stand has two heavy-duty locking castors, plus the grill comes with a vinyl protective cover.

Digital Charcoal Grill and Smoker

The Konnected Joe is a mix of old world—a ceramic-coated charcoal grill—complemented by modern convenience (set the temperature on the digital controls and then monitor it from your phone on Kamado Joe’s app).

The WiFi-enabled smoker features an automatic fire starter that’s similar to high-end pellet grills to assist you in beginning your cooking quickly. It heats and holds the cooker at your desired temperature selected by a dial on the digital control board where you can also set a timer.

This grill’s bright red ceramic shell is well insulated, with split-level grates that enable you to cook foods at different temperatures, and there are three ports for digital temperature probes (one meat probe is included).

The Konnected Joe has a pair of removable aluminum side shelves (the lift handles are below if you’re placing the kamado grill on the wheeled cart) which are handy for storing plates or utensils while you’re cooking.

Summit Kamado E6 Charcoal Grill

The high-end Weber Summit Kamado E6 Charcoal Grill is engineered to be used all week and right into the weekend. The double-walled insulation is effective in retaining heat, and the Weber Summit has a well-designed lid damper to let the grill release gas exhaust while also pulling in more oxygen to help the grill reach higher temperatures faster.

Its oversized grate, at 24 inches, can be adjusted to two different levels for direct or indirect cooking while a stainless steel diffuser plate helps to regulate low temperatures for smoking. Clean-up is easy and hassle-free with the grill’s One-Touch system—just toggle a lever to drop ash into a removable ash catcher.

Pack n Go 13-inch Kamado Charcoal Grill

The LifeSmart Pack N Go kamado grill is like having a personal pizza oven at your tailgate or on your camping trip. The ceramic grill with 86 square inches of cooking space has a 10-inch grate—roomy enough to fit a small chicken or a pair of pork chops—and comes with a four-footed stand. It has a built-in grill thermometer and can hit 750 degrees Fahrenheit if you’re wanting to quickly fire a pizza (you’ll need to buy your own pizza stone).

The grill offers the same dual vents for temperature control as the larger 6-in-1 model from Lifesmart (reviewed earlier in this article), but doesn’t have an electric starter.

A set of side bamboo handles and a front handle on the hinged lid make it easier to lift or move around. It also comes with a black tote bag for storage or carrying.

Planning a Pizza Night? Expert Jonathan Bender Shares Why a Kamado Grill Is a Great Go-to Option.

What’s the difference between a kamado grill and a charcoal grill?

The obvious part is the distinctive egg-like shape. But kamado grills also often have a ceramic body as opposed to the cast iron or porcelain-coated steel often used for conventional grills. Ceramic is effective at trapping heat, moisture, and smoke, which means you get to enjoy juicier kebabs.

Can I leave my kamado grill outside year-round?

Yes. And you should use it every season as well. If you keep your grill outdoors, consider a grill cover. This accessory helps prevent water from getting inside, which can freeze and potentially lead to cracks in the ceramic. Likewise, you’ll want to open the vent on your grill after it’s cooled to keep moisture from being trapped and mold forming.

For making pizza, is a kamado a good choice?

Cooking pizza on a kamado is a great way to get a little bit of char that will remind you of a Neapolitan-style pizza. The key is to preheat a pizza stone (if you have one) and the grill before cooking your pie at a high temperature.

If you find yourself having pizza night once a week, you might want to look into accessories like this Kamado Joe DoJoe Pizza Oven Grill Accessory.

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