sleebus.jones
is Blowin Smoke!
I'd have to say a Fast Eddie's PG500. Char-grill to low and slow, it does it all.
If you could only have one cooker...? My thoughts.
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- big green egg
Sea Rover
Knows what a fatty is.
I have a Jambo and love it. But my 22 WSM is a awesome smoker for a lot less $.
Rockinar
is Blowin Smoke!
Only one?
A high quality offset. It can do it all and do it better. Plus has more shelf space.
A high quality offset. It can do it all and do it better. Plus has more shelf space.
kls44
is one Smokin' Farker
A kettle if only cooking for 3 or 4, otherwise the OverUnder from Academy. Grill on one side, smoke onthe other.
m-fine
is One Chatty Farker
They are OK for pizza, but the inability to see in without opening the lid is not ideal, especially for Neapolitan pizza that cooks in 2-3 minutes or less. Too easy to go from not done to burnt. I do enjoy the results I get with the occasional pizza on my Pit Boss, but if I was super serious about pizza I would get a blackstone or other purpose designed pizza oven.
dadsr4
somebody shut me the fark up.
That's one of the questions I've had about kamado pizza cooks. In the kettle with a piece of wood raising one side of the lid, I could at least see what was happening, but at a lower temp.
Zin
is Blowin Smoke!
26.75 weber kettle does it all.
Steve S
Take a breath!
I have a 26" kettle, but I am still figuring out how to run it.
dadsr4
somebody shut me the fark up.
Several fire bricks, the Minion method or running a charcoal snake, and this diagram
is all you need.
dadsr4
somebody shut me the fark up.
OK, I've been thinking about this, and here's my question.
I'm lucky, my wife frequently asks me why I don't get a new cooker. But for those who have to justify their purchases to their life partner, with cost a factor, kettle or kamado?
I'm lucky, my wife frequently asks me why I don't get a new cooker. But for those who have to justify their purchases to their life partner, with cost a factor, kettle or kamado?
Ag76
is Blowin Smoke!
If cost is a factor, I would choose a kettle.
THoey1963
somebody shut me the fark up.
Just do what I did and wait till she goes on vacation... Wait. Hey, I still have the WSCG and I'm not sleeping on the couch...
m-fine
is One Chatty Farker
If you are talking about value for the $, and money for the BBQ budget is tight, it is really hard to beat the standard 22.5" Weber kettle. You can get a dozen of the old school no frills models for the price of one Kamado. Even the 26" only runs $300 new at list price. Good luck finding a decent kamado near that size (24") for $300.
I give the Kamado the nod for use in winter because it is less impacted by cold or snow. It also uses less charcoal. The high insulation and low airflow can also mean less moisture loss which is a plus for certain things. Once up to temp, the large heat mass of a ceramic kamado makes it more stable, but also much harder to cool down if you over shoot. I would say the kamado is a better smoker than a kettle but that is relative as neither are great smokers. All in all, I think I could do anything I can do on the Kamado on a kettle, maybe a touch not as well or with a bit more work needed.
The kettle though is cheaper, lighter weight and more portable, less fragile, and the lid comes completely off/more out of the way.
For the same size and price, I would choose the kamado, but with a big price difference and the ability to get a 26" or 37.5" kettle, that is my vote for value. OK, the 37.5" ranch at over $1000 is not really a great value, especially next to its little brothers, but it is a great grill.
Westx
is Blowin Smoke!
Pbc.
cookingdude555
Full Fledged Farker
Only one? I cant answer that. Great video by the way, I was one of the people that watched it last night. I have 5 eggs and it seems like a dozen webers, and I thought your analysis was spot on.
IXL
is one Smokin' Farker
We peer down the four-inch diameter hole in the top of the dome to check for indications of doneness when cooking pizzas.
PnkPanther
is Blowin Smoke!
/Get a divorce get what you want
But seriously, for me a kettle. Maybe even space age dancook
SlowmotionQue
Full Fledged Farker
If I could have only one, it would be the 22.5in WSM.
And this comes from a man who owns a Kamado Joe.
In a pinch, the WSM can be used to sear steaks.
And this comes from a man who owns a Kamado Joe.
In a pinch, the WSM can be used to sear steaks.
Great analysis, agree with many of your points. All good cookers.
For those looking for a non-ceramic Kamado, I went through that thought process recently. My Bayou Classic Ceramic Cypress suffered a fatal lid crack for the very reasons stated by BBM, a misaligned hinge. Something I probably should have paid more attention to although I did adjust it periodically. Was it a great cooker? No, it was a good cooker and my go to was always the Bubba Keg. The fact that the BC is no longer sold and replacement lids weren't available led me to look at other Kamados, non-ceramics.
Tossing ceramics out of the decision process left me with a handful of choices. Blaze Aluminum, Caliber Stainless Steel, another Big Steel Keg/Broil King Keg, Akorn. Had I known about the Weber Summit Charcoal I might have considered it.
With a Google search I stumbled across the Goldens' Cast Iron. Not a well known brand, hardly any reviews, and frankly I took a chance on it. It was cheaper than the Blaze and the Caliber. I wasn't keen on the Akorn reviews. Wanted something different than my Bubba Keg.
I've only had it six weeks or so and am pleased with the purchase. It does everything I need in a Kamado.
Have not tried overnite low and slows yet, those are on the agenda.
Pros:
Cast Iron, not ceramic
Built like a tank
Will outlast me, my great-great-great* grandchildren will get to use it.
Cooks thus far have been effortless, like I've been using it for years
Interaction with the company has been outstanding
Cons:
Unknown company making its mark in the Kamado world (though they've been in business as an iron foundry since 1882)
Price is up there, but for me it was a good value
Won't be tailgating with it :-D
Just another Kamado to consider and solely my opinion based on ownership. I'm probably the only forum member who owns one!
-lunchman
For those looking for a non-ceramic Kamado, I went through that thought process recently. My Bayou Classic Ceramic Cypress suffered a fatal lid crack for the very reasons stated by BBM, a misaligned hinge. Something I probably should have paid more attention to although I did adjust it periodically. Was it a great cooker? No, it was a good cooker and my go to was always the Bubba Keg. The fact that the BC is no longer sold and replacement lids weren't available led me to look at other Kamados, non-ceramics.
Tossing ceramics out of the decision process left me with a handful of choices. Blaze Aluminum, Caliber Stainless Steel, another Big Steel Keg/Broil King Keg, Akorn. Had I known about the Weber Summit Charcoal I might have considered it.
With a Google search I stumbled across the Goldens' Cast Iron. Not a well known brand, hardly any reviews, and frankly I took a chance on it. It was cheaper than the Blaze and the Caliber. I wasn't keen on the Akorn reviews. Wanted something different than my Bubba Keg.
I've only had it six weeks or so and am pleased with the purchase. It does everything I need in a Kamado.
Have not tried overnite low and slows yet, those are on the agenda.
Pros:
Cast Iron, not ceramic
Built like a tank
Will outlast me, my great-great-great* grandchildren will get to use it.
Cooks thus far have been effortless, like I've been using it for years
Interaction with the company has been outstanding
Cons:
Unknown company making its mark in the Kamado world (though they've been in business as an iron foundry since 1882)
Price is up there, but for me it was a good value
Won't be tailgating with it :-D
Just another Kamado to consider and solely my opinion based on ownership. I'm probably the only forum member who owns one!
-lunchman
