I had a medium size BGE for several years. I recently sold my egg and intended to buy a larger one. The hardware store I buy all my smoking supplies decided to drop BGE in favor of Komodo Joe. I am a bit torn between the two. Interested in hearing anyone's thoughts on which is a better product.
BGE or Komodo Joe
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ososmokeshack
Smoking Fanatic
I love the egg but I also have never used a Komado Joe or even see one in person. I don't think you can go wrong with either.
lowcountrygamecock
Meat Mopper
- Feb 4, 2009
- 243
- 44
I have a kamado Joe classic and love it. At the time it was a better deal than the big green egg as far as what was included. Also got mine with a free joetissery which sweetened the deal. I like the flexibility of the divide and conquer rack. It eliminates needing an additional accessory for the green egg. Al in all I would do it again in a heartbeat. We cook on it 2-3 times a week.
- Sep 5, 2013
- 234
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I have an XL BGE and love it. I cooked 2 20# turkeys at once for a wedding reception and got many compliments. That being said, I believe that either one would work. There are pros and cons I’m sure, but they are similar enough that either one should work well for you.
meskc
Meat Mopper
ososmokeshack
Smoking Fanatic
Oh, OK.
1. Multipiece fire bowl, instead of one piece. The multi piece setup minimizes the chance of cracks in the fire bowl due to repeated heat and cooling cycles which lead to expansion and contraction, and yes, cracks. BGE is still using a single piece firebox. https://www.bbqguys.com/kamado-joe/classic-multi-piece-firebox-kj-mpfb23
2. Fiberglass gaskets in the Kamado Joe vs felt gasket in the BGE. BGEs still use a felt gasket. https://www.bbqguys.com/kamado-joe/fiberglass-gasket-for-18-inch-classic-grills
3. Improved Airlift hinge in the Kamado Joe requiring less effort to lift, and the ability to open the lid partially and have it remain partially open if desired.
4. Divide and conquer system with a split diffuser plate setup allowing two zone cooking is standard in the KJ. VS a single rack in the BGE.
5. Two piece easy to assemble cart, which comes standard with the KJ vs multi piece cart for the BGE which takes considerably longer to assemble than the KJ cart. And the Eggs cart is not included with the Egg.
6. Better and more heavy duty casters on the KJ cart vs the wheels on the BGE cart.
7. Larger metal bands on the KJ vs the BGE, and SS nuts holding the hardware on the KJ.
8. An even newer and improved version cart is now coming with the current KJ.
9. The latest KJ Classics ship with the SlōRoller insert (do some research on it). It is easily swapped out for heat deflector plates when searing or grilling at higher temperatures. vs EGG continuing with the ceramic, one piece diffuser plate......which you have to pay extra for if you want to cook low and slow.
10. A built in ash tray at the bottom vent, which collects ash and allows for removal of ash in the KJ vs no such setup in the BGE. Unless you want to go aftermarket.
All those differences and they charge you more for a BGE. And when you buy a BGE, all that you get is the BGE. Things which should come standard, a roll cart, side shelves, ability to do multi level or two zone cooking, a ceramic deflector plate for goodness sake, so that you can at least do that first cook low and slow, are extra. I was at ACE and saw one, the 18in version, priced at $859.99 just for the kamado. No cart, no side shelves, nothing but one single grate, no deflector plate, no ash rake, just the egg and one grill rack.
If you go on into accessories. KJ built and offers the Joetisserie rotisserie setup. Which coincidentally, BGE owners use as well as it will fit a BGE and BGE doesn't innovate themselves to amount to much, and doesn't offer their own rotisserie setup.
Kamado Joe DoJoe pizza oven setup.
I could go on. But the following explain it better than I ever could. For around 3 decades, BGE controlled the home Kamado market. They still enjoy a reputation. Indeed the word "Egg" is even used to refer to non BGE cookers. But around 2009, Kamado Joe showed up and changed the game. But again, have a look at the following videos. And with the same warranty, well, the decision was easy for me.
I'm waiting for BGE to innovate. But somehow, I don't think they will.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMZ7-obD6vs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JnDEs6GiDo
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ososmokeshack
Smoking Fanatic
Some good points. I would say its more refined and not the premium that BGE wants. As far as innovated, its still a ceramic cooker that has the same basic properties as the original. Including a stand, cart or better casters is not refined if people don't need those. What about the people that put them on a table? They don't need any of those.
I agree on the price point and have thought about buying a KJ as well to compare the differences first hand.
I'll get to your other points later in my response.
But to wit, an even more telling point begins here. Below is pictured the Kamado Joe Classic I. It is more comparable to the current and recently past, Large BGE. Both are 18in in diameter.
The older version KJ, which you can still get, there are 3 in stock at my closest Lowes, sells for $749.99. It has the old felt gasket, which is still "current" in the latest BGEs. Still has the old spring hinge setup, similar to the current and recent BGEs, and not the new "airlift" hinge in the newer KJs. And it has the Divide and Conquer multilevel cooking grate setup, where the current BGE offers one rack. It has the updated sectional firebox where the current and recent BGE still uses a one piece firebox. And last, but not least, it comes with the easy to assemble 2 piece cart, side shelves, and a grate removal tool.
All for 749.99. It can be had through Walmart, and Lowes at that price.
I just saw a current large BGE at ACE yesterday for $859.99. JUST the Kamado. No cart. Just the Egg and a one level grate.
These two products are similar in that they use the same gasket, same hinge. Only difference is, it's the prior model of the KJ. But the current model of the BGE still has the features as yesterday's discontinued KJ which you can still get.
It has the same limited lifetime warranty on it's ceramics as the Egg, the same 5yr warranty on the metal parts.
Oh, I left one other point out.
This is the current cart that the new KJs come with pictured below. "New" Eggs still come with no cart, and if you do buy their cart, you get something which is ancient in it's design and a PITA to assemble..
I want to order one of these newer carts for my older model KJ classic. Another good thing about KJ is that many of their accessories will fit not only earlier models, but other brand Kamados as well. But anyway, here is the new cart which the new KJs come with and that I want to order for my 2 yr old model.
Kamado Joe Metal Stand For Classic 18-Inch Grills - Galvanized Steel - KJ-MC3 : BBQGuys
The Kamado Joe Metal Stand for Classic series Kamado Joe kamados is a great freestanding cart option. Constructed of heavy-duty galvanized steel makes this stand resistant to harsh weather and outdoor conditions. This stand is equipped with 4 caster wheels on each leg that are lockable to keep...
www.bbqguys.com
That cart, that's innovation. One piece. With storage. BGE is still on page one of the innovation book.
???????That's like arguing that both a car and a horse drawn buggy will still get you from point A to point B. The horse drawn buggy still has the same basic properties as my car. 4 wheels on it and will roll just like my car. It's still 4 wheels and a passenger compartment. But I'd rather not get to work in a horse drawn buggy.
But even if one doesn't subscribe to the above analogy, I still have to say, that if one is going to make the argument,...... " its still a ceramic cooker that has the same basic properties as the original...", well then why not buy a Vision Kamado or one of the cheaper ones. After all, a Vision kamado, well, it's "still a ceramic cooker with the same basic properties as the original" kamados out there including the BGE. And it's dirt cheap in comparison. Forgive me, but this is a strange argument coming from the owner of a BGE, which is one of the most expensive Kamados out there.
As far as selling a grill without the stand........How many other grills are out, intended for backyard grillers and smokers, which come with no stand or cart?
Even stick burners these days from Lang, Shirley, etc, come on wheels. To say nothing of Webers, Charbroils, Oklahoma Joes, and most home pellet smokers. They come on carts or wheels.
But consider, if carts, side tables and stands were not "needed" features, or likely to be needed features, let alone ceramic deflector plates in a kamado for low and slow cooking, well then BGE wouldn't still carry them, and nickel and dimeing people for them.
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Sure. Cards on the table. I currently own two WSMs, an 18in and a 22in. A 22in Weber Kettle, a Kamado Joe Classic, an Otto Wilde over fired infrared broiler, a Rec Tec RT 590 pellet grill, and last but not least, a Camp Chef outdoor stove. I am the former owner of several grills, including more Weber’s and 2 offset stick burners. If I wanted a BGE, I could have bought one at most any point along my purchasing history.
I research my purchases and comparison shop before I buy. And I generally look for value without sacrificing quality, warranty and customer support.
The "cliffs notes" of this post boil down to this. I would strongly recommend to anyone considering either of these two units, to do a side by side comparison. See them in person if possible, or over the internet, and also preferably without the salesman throwing you his pitch. Research warranty claims and customer satisfaction. You likely cannot go wrong with either the Egg or the KJ. Both are great units. But one may work out better than the other depending on your personal wants and/or needs, and how much money you spend for what you get. Value. A word which means different things to different people. But look at/evaluate both before you buy.
BGE is a name like “Kleenex” or “Q-tip”. As I mentioned earlier, even non BGE kamados are sometimes innocently referred to as “eggs”. Last week I heard an Acorn owner claim that he was about to fire up his “egg”. A couple of yrs ago, a friend of mine was over, looks at me searing steaks on my KJ and innocently remarked; “Wow, I didn’t know you had a Big Green Egg”. While my Kamado Joe is sitting in the middle of my deck as red as any traffic light he’s ever stopped at.
My point? At this point in time, BGE is a recognized “name”. And IMO, benefitting from off past reputation and a time now past. To the unknowing, BGE is the pinnacle of kamado grills. To some, it’s the pinnacle of all outdoor cookers. To some, once one owns a BGE, well then they’ve “arrived”. At least amongst kamados anyway. Ask them why, and the reasons vary. But few justify the general position. Other than”want”. It’s like the word “Cadillac” or "Lexus" to some. The "creme de la creme". However to those who know cars, know that Caddys and Lexus are anything but. Good cars they are. No doubt. But hardly the top of the heap.
Because BGE knew no real competitors for nearly 3 decades, it likely was the case that they were the be all and end all in the home Kamado market.
Once upon a time.
Now, that belief, position, sentiment, is in at least some amount of doubt amongst comparison shoppers. The evidence of that is in those KJ sales which no doubt would have otherwise gone to BGE. People looking to spend in the $800.00 or more range, are wising up. And have been since about 2009. And not just in the United States. The KJ has made a dent in BGE sales, no doubt. And with good reason.
A thorough step by step comparison between the same sized BGE and KJ leaves, as they say in boxing a; “tale of the tape”.
That tale shows at every point, from it’s top vent to it’s casters, that the KJ is possibly a better buy at it’s price point than the BGE is at it’s price point.
I posted vids in support of this observation from an owner of both, a reviewer, and at least one seller. More exists.
The warranties are equal in length on both. The KJ can be bought online, no secrets about its price. Search the Internet and tell me how long it takes for you to find the retail price of say, a Large BGE. Thats if you find it's price. I wonder why. The KJ can be purchased at local hardware chains such as Lowes. It can be purchased at Dicks/Field and Stream, even K-Mart online, etc. Even Costco. If you want to buy a brand new KJ right now, Classic I, Classic II or the latest and greatest Classic III, all you need do is search the internet and have your credit card in hand. Its price is out there for all to see. You don't have to go to Craigslist looking for a used one unless you just want to. Don't have to go to some dealer in some specialty fireplace shop on the other side of town, waiting for him to gouge you to make up for his out of season loss of fireplace sales.
The weird thing though, is that even in the face of this new competition, BGE has basically done little to nothing in terms of innovation. They will still sell you .....Just the Kamado, ( kamados are heavy), no cart, no way for you to move it across your deck or patio. And they sell it with a simple single one level grate, no side shelves for you to place even a beverage or bottle of sauce on. You want that, guess what. It’s extra. .....an item at that price point. Not even a ceramic diffuser plate do that you can do a low and slow brisket or pork shoulder cook. You want that, it’s extra. Talk about resting on your laurels.
The Kamado Joe Classic I and Kamado Joe Classic II are the more common of the Kamado Joe line. But when I see KJ innovation like shown in this following vid, and which comes in their latest versions of the KJ, the new Classic III models, I ask myself; "what exactly is it that BGE is doing in terms of innovation, which commands that big coin they ask for their kamados?" And I can't come up with much, if anything. In fact, if I'm pulling no punches, I can't come up with anything.
Where is BGE when it comes to innovation and improvements?
One other thing. Some Eggheads will point out that the KJ is made in China. The BGE gets its clay from Mexico.
Well, the Chinese have been skilled in pottery for centuries. Artifacts from the Ming Dynasty indicate as much. I have no problem with the KJ ‘s clay originating from China.
I'll close my comments out by again reiterating, if you are considering either of these units, then you owe it to yourself to do a side by side comparison. In person if possible. But at least over the Internet. Or looking at one in one store and the other in another store. And also preferably without the salesman throwing you his pitch. By all means research and compare warranties, get as much information as you can on warranty claims and overall customer satisfaction. You likely cannot go wrong with either the Egg or the KJ. Both are great units. But one may work out better than the other depending on your personal wants and/or needs.
Good luck.
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Of course either will work. But he didn't ask if either one or the other would "work". He asked which one of the two was a "better product". Presumably for him if he's buying for himself. But yes, certainly either will "work". So will a Weber kettle.
Said that he was "interested in hearing anyone's thoughts on which is a better product".
Didn't say that he was interested in hearing anyone's thoughts on which of the two would "work".
And I've stated the facts so that he can decide on which one of the two he feels is better for him. He may want to go a step further and ask the place where he buys "all of his smoking supplies", just why they decided to drop BGE in favor of Kamado Joe for even more perspective.
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Let's try this again.
On the question as to whether or not one or the other will "work", we are in agreement. Our opinions are the same. They will both "work".
However it seems that the original poster may have already been clear as to whether or not one or the other or even both would "work". It appears that he was seeking opinions as to which of the two was "better". Even uses the word "better" in his inquiry/post.
He now has the facts, some of which he may or may not have had before, and can decide on his best answer to that question.
I suspect that this may have played a role in the original poster's former merchant deciding to no longer carry BGE and instead is now carrying the Kamado Joe.
I wonder why. Since either one will "work". Our original poster might get his best answer to that question by speaking with the merchant.
On the question as to whether or not one or the other will "work", we are in agreement. Our opinions are the same. They will both "work".
However it seems that the original poster may have already been clear as to whether or not one or the other or even both would "work". It appears that he was seeking opinions as to which of the two was "better". Even uses the word "better" in his inquiry/post.
He now has the facts, some of which he may or may not have had before, and can decide on his best answer to that question.
I suspect that this may have played a role in the original poster's former merchant deciding to no longer carry BGE and instead is now carrying the Kamado Joe.
I wonder why. Since either one will "work". Our original poster might get his best answer to that question by speaking with the merchant.
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His merchant's opinion might carry more weight than either yours or mine. Especially if combined with the information in this thread which has been provided for his perusal.
ososmokeshack
Smoking Fanatic
You’re awfully passionate about your opinion. Everyone is entitled to one. I think you make very good points. Doesn’t mean nobody else can.
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