Kamodo ceramic grills

I love cooking BBQ. I have been smoking meat for years. I even built my own smoker because I couldn’t find one exactly like I wanted. I’m often ask to cook for gatherings and groups.
I really have been wanting to add a kamodo style cooker to my stable. I think there would be a place and time for me to need one, especially since my smoker is big and heavy and just takes a lot of time to get ready and clean up if I just want to do say, one brisket or a few racks of ribs.
I’m learning about these egg style grills. The Big Green Egg, Kamodo Joe and even Webber has one now.
I just want to hear from you guys anything you might want to pass on if you own one or cook on one.
Thanks

I have a Kamodo and really like it.

Is is a Kamodo Joe or another brand?
Do you use the charcoal they recommend or do you use something else?

They are all basically the same. The only real difference is size, shape and accessories. We have both a Primo and Big Green Egg and enjoy both of them.

If you can't do it on a Weber Kettle it's not worth doing.

Been smoking and grilling on 2 different sized Big Green Eggs for the past 12 years, 3-5 times a week for the patio cooking. It’s all about controlling the temp with the air flow. If you study each brand’s air flow system, it is very apparent the BGE is sealed up better than the rest, by far. If I need 3 degrees temp change, I can get it with theBGE. I can load 15 lb’s of lump charcoal in my XL BGE, get the temp set, throw on a 14 lb. brisket, and never open the BGE or add charcoal for a 250 degree, 12 hr. smoke, and have charcoal left over for a couple more grillings. I can start a brisket, go to bed, and 45 minutes per lb. later have as good of a brisket as you have ever eaten! There was a learning curve for sure, but once I figured it out my other conventional smokers were gone from the patio. Still use a conventional for competion, but only so I don’t lose my man card!
BGE is the best of the ceramics, IMO!

How do you get a decent smoke ring on your brisket in a BGE?

There is a place here in Abilene that has a XL BGE will all accessories and 2 bags of charcoal for $1450...decent deal?? Seems like it

Get just as good a smoke ring in the BGE as my wood burner. Sometimes, I’ll add 2-3 fist size chunks of mesquite, hickory, or pecan on top of my lump charcoal for some added flavor, if desired.
That price doesn’t seem out of line, but I will say the basic BGE nest leaves something to be desired. I quickly upgraded my nests to custom built nests.

are you using a plate setter in your BGE?

Yes, all the time when smoking, baking, and cooking pizza. Put the plate setter in legs up, and a foil drip pan fits nicely between the platesetter and under the grill rack to catch drippings. Legs down and slide a pizza stone on top when cooking pizza.

I found a Komando Joe for a very good price at Ace
Picking it up tomorrow

metal or ceramic plate setter? Thanks

Ceramic.

Would you mind sharing the price with us?

I was searching for local dealers who stocked Kamado Joe
Ace showed up in Sweetwater, about 50 miles from me.
They had the Larg 18” for $699 on clearance.. That’s a normal price of $999
I went to the store today and found out they were new , but last years model.
The main difference is the felt instead of fiberglass gasket, plus the fire box is one piece, whereas the newest ones are multi piece.
I couldn’t pass it up and I bought it
I had just priced that size of a BGE yesterday for $1150 plus I had to buy the ash remover, deflector shield and rack system extra for $150 more
This Kamado Joe came with all of that

I’m headed out later to get some of the lump charcoal, seems Lowes has it on sale for $13 / 18 lb bag

Great deal. Post some pics when you get it going.

Will do that.
Going to just get things ready for now.
I might fire it up Saturday with some ribs or whole chickens
I will definitely run a couple of small fires in it prior to cooking on it first to help season it a bit

Kinda hard to get in the mood when it’s 105 outside...

a smoke ring has nothing to do with actual smoke, nor does it determine taste, flavor etc on a piece of meat. BBQ enthusiast often see a nice beautiful red smoke ring and proclaim what a great smoke they just accomplished. Great smoked meat may or may not have a smoke ring. Thats why you can smoke with charcoal and still get a "smoke ring"

I lit it off and let it burn at 200 for a couple of hours and put some pecan chunks on the coals
Then I shut it down
I did this to attempt to start seasoning it

Had it awhile now
Love it
Cooked ribs, chops and even pizza

RTIC is releasing one in the fall. I will prolly get one

have a bge and an akorn and honestly love both, the akorn only last about 3 years but cooks imp as well as the egg,

How do you open one of those up (without losing all the heat) to baste the meat at the first of a brisket cook?(In the quest for that holy grail of “the red ring.”) The meat has to be moist at the first of the cook before it reaches 145 degrees. I never see a deep red ring on those or electric cookers. It’s also about the amount of smoke. My smoker is large enough to really put out the smoke and I can open the lid and lose very little heat. And I know the ring is for appearance mainly.

I saw that, Rtic is really ramping up this fall with new products. They are also building a larger retail store here in Cypress.

.

I just got into the kamado game on Thursday. Sams club had a vision b series classic for $349 and I couldn’t pass it up. Really pumped to start smoking/grilling on it.

I had to have the bge which I love but it replaced my four year old chargrill akorn which for the money you cant beat hold temp great and a super nice grill. best kamodo for the money imo

I have a ceramic and I have a akorn egg cooker, I actually prefer the akorn, excellent temp control and less than 300 bux, look at the reviews and for the money it cant be beat. Mine hold temp for 16 hours and uses only lump charcoal.

I borrowed a buddies Akorn this past weekend and it held temp very well. Too well as I probably had too much lump oak. Cooked 2 shoulders at 300 and they were awesome. Wanted 250 to 275 but I couldn't tell a difference. Left it at the ranch as my buddy bought it right there.