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  • Writer's pictureJoe
    • Jan 30, 2021
    • 9 min read

The Best Kamado Grill? Why I picked the Kamado Joe vs. the BGE, Akorn, Primo, Vision etc.

Updated: Sep 11, 2022

So first of all, I will let you know that I'm an average Joe with a blog. I haven't received any products for free yet! I hope to make it big time one day! If you like the site please share it. I do participate or at least attempt to participate in affiliate marketing. It does help support the site or maybe one day it will because I've only made $2 bucks off of someone buying some Jealous Devil Lump Charcoal. Perhaps it was a mercy purchase. Either way I thank the person that clicked a link and bought something!



Why did I put that at the top? One, I'm legally required disclose by clicking links the site may make some money, and two, if you google "best kamado grill" you will be inundated with review pieces from bloggers much like myself. But buyer beware, or to sound really professional "caveat emptor", many will of the articles will claim to be Top Kamado's for 2021. Diving deeper in the articles it looks like one is reposted from 2016 and one is posted on the 3rd of 4th of January claiming 200hrs. of cook times between testing the grills. 200hrs./24=8.33 days... Not quite sure how that is possible by the 4th? I guess it was really done in 2020. Most of these are reposts with titles changed to reflect the current year. So unless it's really updated, there may be a fancy new grill out to challenge what they've wrote about.


I've read plenty of blogging and review sites out there where I question if they have even ever used a product remotely close to what they are reviewing. The grill pictures look like they are fresh out of the box. I believe maybe some of these bloggers live in their mom's basement and never have cooked anything other than a hot pocket in the microwave. These websites know how to do SEO, to be highly ranked and get clicks to their sites . Perhaps that was a bit harsh and I'm sure I'll get flamed for that one. I don't trust a site where it's all stock photos and regurgitated product descriptions.



KJ Classic II delivery to my garage
KJ Classic II delivery to my garage


I use a Kamado Joe II and the Pit Barrel cooker you will see that in my cooks. I'll state if I own the item I'm writing about or if it's on my bucket list. Or I'll try to speak about a specific brand that I have hands on experience with. I feel confident that I can speak to that brands product line having owned a product from that brand. Which is in my opinion better than product regurgitation for clicks to make some $$$.





With that being said, what pops up when you google "best Kamado grill'? Once you get past the ads these are the top ten sites listed for me in order of appearance. Which products did they rank as their top 3 grills? Many went Top Ten but we will pick the Top Three


Top Search result. The Best Kamado Smokers and Grills | Serious Eats www.seriouseats.com › 2016/06 › best-kamado-big-gre... Jun 20, 2016 — All Hands on Deck: Char-Broil Kamander Charcoal Grill · Self-Starter: Vision Professional S-Series Kamado · Rule the Backyard Roost: Big Green


I read a lot of Serious Eats. Originally posted in 2016, they actually partnered with Amazingribs.com another great site. They note it's been updated in 2018. They also don't rank the grills in a traditional sense.


The Best Kamado Grills Reviewed. Best Overall Kamado Grill – Kamado Joe Classic II 18″ Charcoal Grill. Runner up – Pit Boss 22″ Kamado Ceramic Grill. Best Budget Kamado Grill – Char-Griller Akorn Kamado. Best Small Kamado Grill – Char-Griller Akorn Jr. Best High-End Kamado Grill – XLarge Big Green Egg.‎The 10 Best Kamado Grills... · ‎The Best Kamado Grills... · ‎What Is a Kamado grill?


I don't frequent this site. There are a lot of reviews for a lot of products.


Best Overall: KJ Classic II

Runner Up: Pit Boss 22"

Best Budget: Akorn Kamado


2. The 9 Best Kamado Grills of 2021 - The Spruce Eats www.thespruceeats.com › ... › Grills & Grilling Jan 4, 2021 — Best Overall: Kamado Joe Classic Joe III at Amazon. Most Popular: Kamado Joe Classic II at Amazon. Best with Smoker: Char-Griller Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill at Amazon. Best Budget: Char-Griller Akorn Jr. Best with Table: Best Under $1,000: Best Splurge: Best Egg:


I frequent the Spruce Eats as well. They rank in a few different categories. They also disclose which ones they tested and which ones they did not. Which is nice.


Best Overall: KJ Classic III

Runner Up (most popular): KJ Classic II

Best Budget:Akron Jr.


3. The best kamado grills for 2021: Kamado Joe, Big Green Egg ... www.cnet.com › news › the-best-kamado-grills-for-202... Jan 3, 2021 — The best kamado grills for 2021: Kamado Joe, Big Green Egg, Char-Griller and more. The best out of the box. Kamado Joe Classic III. $1,699 at Amazon. The best all around. Large Big Green Egg. $899 at Big Green Egg. The best value. Char-Griller Akorn. $299 at Amazon.


CNET reviews a lot of stuff and have for a long time. I don't really visit them much any more but I remember reading PC reviews from them back in the day.


Best Overall: KJ Classic III

Runner Up(best all around): Large Big Green Egg

Best Budget: Char-Griller Akorn


4. Best Ceramic Kamado Grills for 2021 : BBQGuys www.bbqguys.com › bbq-learning-center › top-rated Top Rated Kamado Grills 2021 Primo Oval XL Kamado Grill Kamado Joe Classic III 18-Inch Grill · Egg-shaped Grills are Versatile & Efficient Want one charcoal ...‎Kamado Grills Comparison... · ‎Kamado Grill Buying Guide


I love these guys. If you go to my retailer page you will see they are my top choice. They also have a price match guarantee. They ranked in a Good, Better, Best format.


Best Overall: Primo Oval XL

Runner Up(best all around): KJ Classic III

Best Budget: KJ Classic II


5. The Best Kamado Grills of 2021 - Reviewed Kitchen & Cooking www.reviewed.com › cooking › best-right-now › best-... Nov 18, 2020 — Kamado grills light almost as quickly as a gas grill, are easy to use, and can be transformed into a smoker or an oven. I liked this Big Green Egg ...


I've never actually heard of this site or been to it prior to the search. Interesting note... published in November 18th 2020 for the best grills of 2021. They review everything from hiding tattoos to what to splurge on when winning the lotto. The BGE egg is fired up, however the others are not. They do picture the Kamado Joe and the Akorn. A popular tactic for some affiliate bloggers is to buy the product and return the item. I'm not saying that is what was done with these product reviews. The KJ III ranked 4th on their list.


Best Overall: Big Green Egg Large


Jump to Weber Summit Charcoal Grill - Best Upgrade of an Old Favorite — There's not much that a kamado grill and smoker can't do! If you're in the ...


I don't frequent this site either. But they are BBQ specific. They review a ton of grills in many different styles. Maybe they specialize in a burnt ends recipe. They didn't do a traditional best overall so I'll list the best high end first.


Best Overall(High End): Blaze 20" Cast Aluminum Kamado

Runner Up(Best Value): Kamado Joe Classic II


Jan 2, 2021 — 8 Best Kamado Grills – Buyers Guide and Reviews of Top Ceramic Grills. Take a look at the best ceramic kamado grills on the market in our ...‎Best Kamado Grills... · ‎Best High End... · ‎Buying Guide – Features... · ‎Budget


Also not a site I frequent but it has some of my favorite things, food, fire and friends. They didn't go with a budget pick but went with a high end pick of the Kamodo Kamado.


Best Overall: Kamado Joe Classic II

Best Budget (High end): Kamodo Kamado 23


TOP 10 Best Kamado Grill 2021 - Read This 100% Ultimate Guide Before Buying Kamado Grills - Explore #1 TOP-Rated Kamado Grills in The World.


Also never read this site other than for the review. A lot of stock photos. In fact he lists the Kamodo Kamado as #7 on his list but I'm 99.99999% sure that's our friend Big Joe II. He didn't outright list a budget one but falling to #10 on his list is the Akorn.


Best Overall: Kamado Joe Classic


The Second Place Holder! Pit Boss 71220 Kamado BBQ Ceramic Grill Cooker, 22″. Made of ceramic material ...Feb 6, 2018 · Uploaded by Mark In The Pit


I should really strike this website from the list... how they show up as the 9th ranked google search for me is beyond me... Here is where I have the problem. Right below the "Why you should trust us" blurb is this:

Who Are Kamado Grills For?

The fact is that if you know someone who likes to do a lot of outdoor cooking, then this is the grill that will make life a whole lot easier. Not only does this grill provide an outstanding taste, but they are so versatile that they allow a person to cook all different types of food on the grill, and this is why people are looking for great kamado grills for sale.

If you aren’t sure if this is for y0u, here is who this smoker was built for:

  • People Who Like Hassle Free Grilling and Smoking – kamado grills are exceptionally easy to use and hassle-free. They not only allow you to have succulent, juicy meats and other foods, but the smoke flavor you will have will be unbelievable. Plus, there are many aspects to these grills that make them even it easier for you to be able to use, including such things as:

    • An automatic ignition

    • An auto fuel feed

    • Ability to maintain temperature control

    • Easy to clean functions

    • Portability

I believe they are mistaking a Kamado for a Pellet grill... But what do I know, I'm just an average Joe, like you(Thanks for reading the blog). Their "team" has analyzed 49 most important features of the said grills... Heck I even spelled analyzed wrong. Spell check FTW! Oh and thanks to my buddy Ryan and my daughters for proof reading my blog for grammar errors. I blame to a many hockey pucks to the head and I'm not even a goalie. But I'm sure others will pick my blog apart. Someone once told me about glass houses and such.

Anyways on to their rankings!




Dec 8, 2020 — Kamado Joe is undoubtedly one of the best, if not the best brand when it comes to kamado grills. They are well known and well respected, and ...


To get to the 10th website listed by my Google search I had to go to the 2nd page to get past the myriad of ads. There's another big blogging word! Another website that I don't go to other than to read the review. So what did they come up with?


Best Overall: Kamado Joe Classic II



But wait I thought this blog article was why I picked my KJ Classic II over all of the others!!????!? Well it is... On to the nitty gritty:




When it comes down to selecting a product, the decision for most is when the value exceeds the price. For some people price does not matter, however for an average Joe every dollar counts. I saw the Vision Grill (I believe they were called Icon at the time) advertise in my local Home Depot ad. I figured wow I can have a gas grill and a Kamado. Well the gas insert was separate and more $$$. So after reading many, many, many reviews... I kept seeing the Kamado Joe mentioned.


In fact if you read all of the top 3 picks from the top 10 websites on Google listed above, the Kamado Brand is listed #1 SIX times. With the KJ brand being in the Top 3 TEN times (Some listed KJ as best over all and best value) The only one that comes close is the Akorn being the best bang for your buck.


So for me I wanted something that would last. The KJ Classic II scored high and many people loved it. Plus it comes in my favorite color red. My budget was $1000 and the Classic II fit just under that. What many of the websites mention is the included accessories. They don't always mention, and is a huge oversight is the aftermarket accessories that are available for the Joe, such as the DōJoe and the JOETISSERIE. Kamado Joe also makes the SLŌROLLER for the older models. Go check out BBQguys.com for a legitimate site to buy your next grill from. If you find a better price they will match it.



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The top 3 kamado Grills
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I use the Kamado Joe Classic II and the Pit Barrel Cooker! Check out flavorflamebbq.com for more information on the Kamado Joe, accessories, fuel, meats and more! FFBBQ participates in some affiliate programs so by purchasing from links you are helping support the site! So far FFBBQ has made 2 dollars! Really excited about that! Help keep the flame going add the items to your cart! Check out the essential accessories and the Online Butchers!







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