Kamado Joe v Big Green Egg – a comparison
Kamado Joe and Big Green Egg are the brand names for two of the top ceramic kamado grills. Their egg-shaped bodies are manufactured from top-quality ceramics, designed to reflect heat of up to 650 °C and to contain the heat by using two draft doors, one at the bottom and another at the top. The bottom draft door slides horizontally creating more or less air flow. This works in conjunction with the top draft door, that swivels left and right, creating more or less updraft, and in turn adjusting the temperature used in the cook.
Lump wood charcoal is recommended to fire both these grills because alternatives such as charcoal briquettes generate a lot more ash and many of them contain additives that can affect the taste of the food.
The distinctive cherry-red Kamado Joe is distinguished by its unparalleled craftsmanship, innovation, choice of models and accessories. Kamado Joe continues to modernize their original model with even smarter features, innovative accessories and a range of flexible cooking surfaces.
The distinctive Big Green Egg pioneered modern kamado-style grills in 1974. Together with the Kamado Joe, it represents the pinnacle of kamado-style grills, with superb build quality and superlative cooking.
| Top Features | Kamado Joe | Big Green Egg |
|---|---|---|
| Reputation | Founded 2009. Rated best grill by SmokedBBQ for 2021 |
Long track record. Currently biggest producer. Founded in 1974. Branded as a favourite of Michelin Star restaurants. |
| Headquarters | Atlanta Georgia, USA | Atlanta Georgia, USA |
| Distinctive feature (All models) |
Emphasis on innovation and build quality
Multilevel “divide and conquer” 2-zone & 3-tier cooking system, which allows you to cook different foods on different surfaces at different temperatures. Not only does this make the unit more versatile, it also doubles the cooking area. Distinctive cherry-red egg shape |
Pioneered modern kamado-style grills in 1974, with constant development and upgrades. Distinctive green egg-shape. |
| Special features | Air-lift hinge that reduces the weight of the dome by 96% Redesigned double thick wire mesh fibreglass gasket and Six-piece ceramic firebox design, with reduced risk of breakage. Patented removable SloRoller hyperbolic smoke chamber to improve heat and smoke distribution. half-moon heat deflector, to partially block off heat Patented Easy to clean, slide-out ash drawer Cast-iron cart Locking wheels Everything you need to smoke and grill comes with the unit so you don’t need to pay extra for accessories, including stand with wheels, flip upside tables, slide out ash drawer, grill gripper ash tool, Plenty of optional add-ons for the Kamado Joe, including the “JoeTisserie” (durable cast-aluminium rotisserie that sits inside the body) cast-iron Dutch oven that turns Kamado Joe into a chilli-making machine stainless steel table iKamand to add WiFi connectivity to your smoker. |
Springs on the hinges
Standard gasket One-piece Ceramic firebox Stand, wheels, tables, tools, etc must be bought separately. Optional add-ons: |
| Warranty | Lifetime warranty on the ceramic components including the dome, base, damper top, firebox, and fire ring. Different levels offered for different parts. 5 yrs on metal parts, 3 yrs on heat deflector 1 year on the thermometer and gaskets. |
Limited lifetime warranty on ceramic components, including the dome, base, damper top, firebox, and fire ring. Different warranty periods for different materials. metal components: 5 yrs ceramic add-ons, such as the plate setter and pizza stones: 3 yrs 1 year on thermometer and gaskets. |
| Cooking ability | Superb, with more options | Superb |
| Versatility | At once a BBQ, Dutch oven, outdoor oven, pizza oven and smoker. Many more features | At once a braai, an outdoor oven, a pizza oven and a smoker |
| Distribution | Authorised dealers in-store and online | Authorised dealers in-store and online |
| Build quality Ceramic shell | Outstanding ceramic shell quality Not much difference in thickness or quality of ceramics |
Outstanding ceramic shell quality NASA engineered ceramic body |
| Build quality components, moving parts and accessories | Moving parts and accessories superior build quality The stand and wheel locks are made from thicker heavy-duty galvanised steel and are welded together |
Excellent build quality BGE stand is screwed together |
| Country of manufacture | China | Mexico |
| Working parts | Significantly better quality than BGE | Excellent |
| Gasket | Wire mesh Fibreglass | Standard |
| Support and Community | Very good reputation for providing reliable customer service. | Very good reputation for providing reliable customer service. Having been in business for longer, BGE has built up a grassroots fan base on their Egg Head forum to offer cooking tips, maintenance advice, etc |
| Models (External diameter and diameter cooking surface) |
Classic (60cm, 46cm) Classic II (60cm, 46cm – expands to 1676 cm2) Classic III (60cm, 46cm) Big Joe II (63cm, 61cm) Big Joe III (63cm, 61cm) ProJoe (55cm, 61,cm) Joe Junior (28cm, 34cm) |
MiniMax (56cm, 33cm) Medium Big (46cm, 38 cm) Large Big (69cm, 46cm) XL Big (82cm, 61cm) 2XL Big (88cm, 74cm) |
(Features vary on different models.) Comparisons based on the Classic III and the BGE Large
