Kamado Style Smoker Suggestions?

wlwasser · Feb 7, 2013

Hi Im in the market for a Kamado Style Smoker.

I currently have a cheap knock off version of the Weber Smokey Joe and a Chargriller offset smoker.

I have seen a lot of good reviews of the Kamado Joe and Grill Dome models and of course everyone has heard of the big green egg. But what about the Lowes Model Bayou classic and Big Keg? There was also a chargriller Kamado grill but that seems to have been discontinued?

Any SmokingMeat Forum suggestions? I trust you guys over the random feedback posts on these websites trying to sell grills. I want to spend at most $800 but i dont mind spending the full amount if its really going to be that much better. I live in the northeast and i prefer smoking in the winter so controlling temp has been my biggest problem with my other two grills. This kamado could help me with temp so i can focus on the rest of the smoking experience.

Thanks very much

-Bill

jirodriguez · Feb 7, 2013

You might also consider a 22.5" Weber Smokey Mountain (WSM) for the following reasons:

Costs $400 - leaving you $400 for MEAT!
Has two large grates to smoke on vs. 1 in the kamodos. So lots of room for that $400 worth of MEAT!
Doesn't weigh in at 2 tons! Kamodo's are extremely heavy! If you get one make sure you get the wheeled base to move it around.
I call my WSM "smoking for dummies easy" to use, and the "set-it-and-forget-it" of charcoal smoakers. It just plain works all year round with no issues.

Only thing I do in the winter is wrap a $45 6 ft. x 8 ft. welding blanket around it and I'm good to go in both cold and windy conditions.

grinder · Feb 9, 2013

I would highly recommend looking into a Primo Oval XL. You might get lucky and find one on CL or in a swap sheet, that would fit your price range. They have lots of great accessories and are very versatile. You can cook low and slow, bake and grill, temps from 180-800+ degs. The oval shape allows indirect cooking and the thermal mass provides steady temps. I've cooked in single digit temps and in 30 mph winds, with great results. A firebox full of good lump can last 24+ hrs., for low and slows.

At around 200 lbs. without a stand, it's definitely not something you'd want to take tailgating, though. Here's a review.

http://www.youtube.com/user/bbqguys/featured?kw=primo+grills&ad=6226227366&v=9OhVAGLAAqQ&feature=pyv

kyle11 · Feb 11, 2013

I have the chargriller kamado. It is not discontinued however. They are coming out with one that is like the webber performer with a side table however.

If I was going to spend $800 I would go ceramic, maybe a joe or something. With saying that I would not hesitate to recommend the chargriller kamado for $300 or less.I have had it for 2 months and have done everything from 225 for 6 hours to 650 for 5 minutes for steaks. It uses hardly any fuel. It is not a lifetime grill like a ceramic is though. It is steel but it has a firebox insert that can be replaced easily and that would be the only spot on the grill that should fail anytime soon.

Also do not get the bayou classic. I have read some horrible things about those. I was offered it by lowes for $499 because they didn't have the akorn instock and luckily read some reviews on it real quick.

GL

gigantor · Feb 15, 2013

Vision Grills Kamado Pro...$549 at Costco. Lifetime warranty.

toby bryant · Feb 17, 2013

I have had my Chargriller Kamado Kooker since July and absolutely love it. For less that $300 it is a steel. My brother in law has a BGE and he has very impressed with my Kamado Kooker. I have cooked everything from pork shoulder to ribeyes, 225* to 700*. It makes a wonderful pizza and I even do cobblers and bread on it. The are a bunch of YouTube videos by "mancavemeals" reviewing this product, I would suggest checking them out before making a decision. If you spend $300 on the smoker the other $500 would go a long way towards filling up your freezer, lol.

michael ark · Feb 17, 2013

The primo is made in the u.s.a!

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Kamado Style Smoker Suggestions?

wlwasser

Newbie

jirodriguez

Master of the Pit

grinder

Smoke Blower

kyle11

Newbie

gigantor

Newbie

toby bryant

Smoking Fanatic

michael ark

Master of the Pit

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