The best kamado grills: Big Green Egg, Kamado Joe, Char-Griller and more – CNET [CNET]

Chris Monroe/CNET

At $1,600, the Kamado Joe Classic III may have a steep price tag, but it delivers plenty for the money. That means lots of kamado grilling accessories that don’t come standard with other grills, including the Big Green Egg Kamado. This kamado grill and smoker performs well too. On our slow and low barbecue grill test, we adjust grills to 225 degrees F (107 C) and let go of the controls to see what happens. In this Kamado cooker trial, the Joe demonstrated excellent temperature control.

The grill got a little hot in the first 30 minutes (315 F) but then settled down at the one-hour mark. From there it coasted on cruise control, parking the needle between 253 F and 219 F for almost three hours. Only the Big Green Egg turned in a tighter temperature curve, humming along for hours within the smoking sweet spot.

One feature that really sets the Classic III apart is something called the SloRoller. Billed as a “hyperbolic smoke chamber” by Kamado Joe, it’s an hourglass-shaped metal contraption that sits over the fire. The apparatus functions as both a heat deflector and a convection aid. Essentially it stops radiant heat generated by the coals from striking food sitting above (on the grill grate). This prevents the meat from drying out during long cooks. And according to Kamado Joe, it also encourages air flow (smoke) circulation within the cooking chamber.

In fact, there are a ton of extras bundled with the Classic III right in the box — including ceramic parts. That includes an additional set of ceramic heat deflectors (one for each half of the grill), a coal stoker and an aluminum charcoal basket. You get two halved aluminum grates as well, an ash removal tool, plus a three-level cooking rack that you can configure as needed for grilling.

By contrast, everything on the Big Green Egg except the stand costs extra. Keep in mind, you can also save a little by choosing Kamado Joe’s Classic II. For $1,195 it’s almost identical to the Classic III, but lacks the SloRoller accessory and has a different stand.

The construction of the Classic III feels very solid too. I especially like the sturdy side shelves, ideal for grilling and smoking, also standard. All that makes this one of the best kamado grills, if you can afford it.

Chris Monroe/CNET

Big Green Egg, the company that started the kamado craze, still has a winner. Of all the kamado style grill options in my test group, the Large BGE model had the best temperature performance and stability. Once tuned to a low and slow temperature of 225 F, the Egg pretty much ran itself. According to our temperature gauge, the Green Egg stuck to this temperature range, with only minor and infrequent fluctuations.

The Large Big Green Egg also felt the most responsive. If for any reason I had to make an adjustment to either the top or bottom air vents, I saw a change quickly. I typically noticed course corrections in as little as six or seven minutes. 

The food I cooked in the Large Big Green Egg came out quite tasty as well. While my BGE test unit lacked the extra heat deflector accessory, chicken and pork ribs had convincing barbecue flavor. While not as delicious as what I smoked in the Kamado Joe Classic III, the BGE came in a very close second. Big Green Egg does make a heat deflector accessory, called the ConvEGGtor, but it’s an extra add-on.

True to its name, this kamado grill and smoker is big, giving you lots of space for grilling, smoking and cooking to your heart’s desire.  

That’s why I recommend the Large Big Green Egg as one of the best kamado grills for just about anyone. You’ll have to go through a local dealer, and unlike the Kamado Joe Classic III, everything except the stand is extra. Ultimately though, the total cost of the Large Big Green Egg should be less than the fully decked-out Classic III.

Char-Griller

The Char-Griller Akorn provides real kamado performance at a rock-bottom price. It costs just $323, which is incredible considering typical kamados will set you back $800 to $1,000. The Akorn’s cooking temperature and temperature control isn’t as inherently stable as the more expensive kamado grills I used. I suspect that’s because the Akorn’s body is constructed from triple-walled steel, as opposed to heavy ceramic. The grill’s fire was also harder to ignite and keep lit than the Big Green Egg and Kamado Joe Classic III.

When I let it burn through our low and slow test (adjusted to 225 F), the Akorn’s fire died out within 45 minutes. After relighting, temperatures inside the cooker shot up to 370 F in a mere 15 minutes. I didn’t add extra fuel either, just one paraffin fire starter. Thirty-five minutes later, heat levels inside the Akorn hit 405 degrees. Temperatures then plateaued but remained hot, not dropping below 387 F for the next three hours.

Things were very different when I kept an eye on the Akorn. With a starting temperature of either 225 F or 350 F, it only took a few vent adjustments for the air flow to nudge the grill back on track. And since it’s built from steel, not ceramic, the Akorn weighs less (100 pounds) than traditional kamado grill options (200 pounds or more).

The food I cooked on the Akorn wasn’t bad either. Both slow-cooked baby back ribs and chicken had a pleasing charcoal flavor. That said, they couldn’t match what came out of the Kamado Joe grill thanks to its bundled heat deflector smoker system. A price this low outweighs a lot of the cons, though, so the Char-Griller Akorn adds up to a fantastic kamado bargain.