Kamado Joe vs. Big Green Egg

Due to its innovative design, popular newcomer Kamado Joe is often pitted against timeless classic Big Green Egg. Both egg-shaped grills are known for excellence in both grilling and smoking. Either one will give you an amazing cooking experience, but one may be a better fit than the other. So, take a look at this comparison to know which one is best for you.

 

Kamado Joe Classic II Charcoal Grill

Big Green Egg vs. Kamado Joe Comparison

Kamado grills are quite popular thanks to their impeccable reputation in ceramic and clay cooking. They come with a plethora of features to better your cooking experience and give you one you’ll never forget. Experience grilling grandeur with this excellent grill with an exceptional ceramic finish! Kamado grills offer incredible cooking versatility with great heat retention.

This manufacturer is known for producing grills with remarkable fuel efficiency. You will find grills with many wonderful features, including evocative smoky flavor. As far as earthenware grilling is concerned, the curious kamado grill is one you can count on.

Kamado Joe is one of the most innovative grills in Kamado’s world, while Big Green Egg is the most popular option. The former is also the fastest-growing, which is why it's always pitted against the Big Green Egg. These two models have built a powerful reputation for quality products, great workmanship, and customer service.

If you’re looking to buy a good ceramic kamado, we are certain that you'll be satisfied with any of the choices above. Here's a comparison of the Big Green Egg and the Kamado Joe.

What Are The Available Models?

Model	Grill	Weight	Diameter
Kamado Joe	Big Joe II	485 lbs/220 kg	24 inches
Kamado Joe	Big Joe III	507 lbs/ 230 kg	24 inches
Kamado Joe	ProJoe	485 lbs/220 kg	21 inches
Kamado Joe	Classic II	187 lbs/ 85 kg	18 inches
Kamado Joe	Classic III	282 lbs/128 kg	18¼ inches
Kamado Joe	(Joe Jr)	68 lbs/ 31 kg	13 ½ inches

 

Kamado Joe Pros and Cons:

Pros

• The design allows for a wide range of cooking temperatures
• Remarkable fuel efficiency
• Insulation retains the moisture in your food
• Excellent performance even when it’s cold outside

Cons

• It takes longer to cool down
• They are heavy

Kamado Joe Features:

Big Joe II

• Air Lift Hinge
• Kontrol Tower Top Vent
• AMP Firebox
• Grill Gripper
• Ash Tool
• Wire Mesh Fibreglass Gasket
• Patented Slide-Out Ash Drawer

Big Joe III

• All of those in the Big Joe, plus
• Finished Folding Cast Aluminium Side Shelves/Handles
• Heavy-Duty Galvanised Steel Rolling Cart & Locking Wheels
• 3 Tier Divide and Conquer Flexible Cooking System
• Patented SloRoller Hyperbolic Smoke Chamber
• 304 Stainless Steel Charcoal Basket

ProJoe

• 3-Tier Divide & Conquer®
• AMP Firebox
• Flexible Cooking System
• Patented SloRoller Hyperbolic Smoke Chamber
• 304 Stainless Steel Air Lift Hinge
• 304 Stainless Steel Charcoal Basket
• 304 Stainless Steel Charcoal Basket
• 304 Stainless Steel Kontrol Tower Top Vent
• Ash Tool
• Wire Mesh Fibreglass Gasket
• Built-in Thermometer
• Grill Gripper
• Patented Slide-Out Ash Drawer

The Classic:

• Ash Tool,
• Cast Iron Cart & Locking Wheels,
• Patented Slide-Out Ash Drawer,
• Divide & Conquer Flexible Cooking System,
• Finished Folding HDPE Side Shelves/Handle
• Grill Gripper,

Classic II

• All the features in the classic plus
• Wire Mesh Fibreglass Gasket
• AMP Firebox,
• Kontrol Tower Top Vent
• Sprung Air Lift Hinge

Joe Jr

• Built-in Thermometer
• Premium 34 cm Ceramic Grill with Cast Iron Stand
• Ceramic Heat Deflector
• 304 Stainless Steel Cooking Grate
• Grill Gripper
• Ash Tool

 

Model	Grill	Weight	Diameter
Big Green EGG	2XL	375 lbs/ 17 kg	29 inches
Big Green EGG	XL	205 lbs/ 93 kg	24 inches
Big Green EGG	Large	162 lbs/ 73 kg	18 ¼ inches
Big Green EGG	Medium	113 lbs/51 kg	15 inches
Big Green EGG	Small	80 lbs/36 kg	13 inches
Big Green EGG	MiniMax	90 lbs/40 kg	13 inches
Big Green EGG	Mini	39 lbs/18 kg	10 inches

 

Big Green EGG Pros and Cons:

Pros

• Ventilation maintains an even cooking temperature
• The outer ceramic shell remains cold irrespective of the internal temperature
• Cooking versatility
• Safe and easy to use

Cons

• It is very pricey when accessories are added
• The stand is sold separately

Big Green EGG Features:

2XL

• 2XL XXXntegrated Nest+Handler
• 2XL convEGGtor®
• 100% Natural Lump Charcoal
• EGG Mates – Composite 3 Slat
• Mitts – EGGmitt® BBQ Glove
• Pizza & Baking Stones

XL

• convEGGtor®
• XL XXXntegrated Nest+Handler
• XL EGGspander
• 17 in. Acacia Wood EGG Mates
• Modular Nest System
• 76 in. Custom Cooking Island
• Tool Set – Custom Stainless Steel, 3 Piece
• Cast Iron Cooking Grids
• Mitts – EGGmitt® BBQ Glove

Large

• Large XXXntegrated Nest+Handler
• convEGGtor®
• Instant Read Thermometer
• Large EGGspander
• Pizza & Baking Stones
• 49 in. Custom Cooking Island
• Rib and Roast Racks
• rEGGulator
• Modular Nest System

Medium

• convEGGtor®
• EGG Nest for a Medium or Small EGG
• rEGGulator
• Mitts – EGGmitt® BBQ Glove
• 17 in. Acacia EGG Mates
• Instant Read Thermometer
• Pizza & Baking Stones

Small

• 17 in. Acacia EGG Mates
• convEGGtor®
• Disposable Drip Pans
• Vertical Roaster – Stainless Steel Chicken Roaster
• EGG Nest for a Medium or Small EGG
• EGG Genius
• Rib and Roast Racks

MiniMax

• Portable Nest for MiniMax EGG
• rEGGulator Rain Cap
• rEGGulator
• EGG Mates®for the MiniMax EGG
• convEGGtor®
• Cast Iron Cooking Grids
• EGG Genius
• Quick-Read Thermometer

Mini

• convEGGtor®
• Charcoal Starters – All Natural SpeediLight
• Tool Set – Stainless Steel with Wood Handles, 3 Piece

How do these two cooking systems compare?

Available accessories

Kamado Joe offers more accessories and features on their larger sizes than the Big Green Egg packages. Here’s a comparison table to help elaborate on the accessories offered by these two models.

	Big Green Egg	Kamado Joe
Cooking System Levels	1	2 to 3
Grates	Stainless steel	Stainless steel (half-moon)
Fire Ring	Ceramic	Stainless steel
Deflector Plates	Ceramic	Ceramic (half-moon)
Extra Tools	Grate lifter	Grate lifter, fire poker
Fire Grate	Cast iron (perforated)	Cast iron (perforated)
Fire Pot	Ceramic (single)	Ceramic (multi-panel)
Bottom Vent (Cover)	Stainless steel door, mesh screen wall	Stainless steel door, removable ash drawer
Cooking Rack	No	Yes
Top Vent (Cover)	Ceramic chimney cap	Cast aluminum control tower top
Lid lock	No	Yes (automatic)
Ceramic Lid Hinge	Spring-loaded assisted hinge	Airlift hinge
Gasket Material	Felt gasket	Oven-grade mesh gasket

 

Standout Features

Kamado Joe emphasizes more on innovation than Big Green Egg. This can easily be seen in its three-tier Divide and Conquer flexible cooking system and the Sloroller hyperbolic smoke chamber. Kamado Joe grills can distribute heat and smoke in rolling, recirculating waves thanks to patented Harvard science. You’re sure of a grill with improved smoky flavor and minimal hotspots.

With its half-moon heat deflector, Kamado Joe grills can block off heat. The Kamado Joe II and III have multi-level tiered grates that can increase the cooking area and allow you to cook meals at different temperatures.

Conclusion

Both grills are excellent and will surely give your food that characteristic smoky flavor you crave. However, Kamado Joe grills' pricing covers all the accessories, unlike that of the Big Green Egg. If you’re not ready to purchase everything at once, the BGE is the perfect option for you. Whichever grill you go for, you will end up with one that makes cooking a lot better!