Experienced thoughts on Kamados

Go to youtube, search ManCaveMeals. He has reviews of the Akorn and also the Kamado Joe.

I bought a KJ based on MCM's video reviews. I love! I had no experience with Kamado grilling until I bought one.

They are all copies of the BIG GREEN EGG. The Big Green Egg is a ceramic cooker that will last you many many years. Make sure it is in the mix when you look.

wmrrock said:

They are all copies of the BIG GREEN EGG. The Big Green Egg is a ceramic cooker that will last you many many years. Make sure it is in the mix when you look.

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lol

Actually the Kamado's came before the Egg. :wink:

BamaMatt42 said:

Go to youtube, search ManCaveMeals. He has reviews of the Akorn and also the Kamado Joe.

I bought a KJ based on MCM's video reviews. I love! I had no experience with Kamado grilling until I bought one.

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Well said.

His excellent videos were the catalyst to me jumping into the kamado cooking deal.

I'm so glad I did.

I've been grilling with various gassers and simple charcoal grills for decades. No expert, but I could turn our decent burgers and steaks. Once I bought my Chargriller offset, my world opened up significantly....chicken, ribs and even butts were doable with some work and careful pit monitoring.


I was a bit unsure about jumping in and spending big bucks on a BGE or Primo......MCM video reviews of the Akorn and my past great experiences with Chargriller support had my confidence high on the Akorn.

I've been using it for almost a year now and have been very impressed with it. It's not a $1,500 BGE set-up......but then again, it's not a big blow to your wallet either.

It was well worth the $350 for me to experiment with kamado cooking. The Akorn, cover and their Smoking Stone have served me well.

I've had a few leaks that show up around the seals occasionally that can be aggravating, but not show-stoppers.

The lightweight portability of the Akorn make it a fairly easy affair to roll it and lay it in the bed of my pickup and drive over to friends homes. Nothing like having your pit wherever you are.

This Akorn has proven it's worth to me and my family loves the vastly improved level of food I've been putting on the table for them using it.

My wife has given me the green light to go big if I want to. I see an XL BGE in my near future. I'm very confident that it's the style of cooking that will see me through for decades more.


Good luck.

I got an original Komodo from my gf grandma and it has produced some of the best meat I have cooked. I don't smoke on it but its such a great way to cook quick and easy meals.

If you can get the vision from your local costco in the spring, I'd do that. Costco has a good price on it and the best return policy anywhere. However, its not as portable as the akorn. The akorn did also come out with the new performer side table model at home depot which is also cool, and the one without the side table is extremely portable.

I can vouch for the Vision kamado. Its an excellent cooker and they have excellent customer service speaking from my experience as well. I have the Vision Pro from Home Depot and my bro has the classic from Costco that I bought for him as a gift. Two of my buddies picked up Visions after they saw mine and we're all happy. Comes with all the extras and a cover. BTW they are showing up at Costcos here again already. If you're on a strict budget though I wouldnt dismiss the Akorn. Good luck!

I'm super happy with my Kamado Joe Classic. If you are looking for something a bit larger check out the Big Joe from Kamado Joe. Great company that stands behind their product. Best part is all the standard items included with the purchase.

The kamadojoe is kickarse, but it sounds like he was going for something a little lower in price.

After doing tons of research, I ended up with a Primo XL. It has tons more cooking surface than the BGE.
Being made in the USA is important, finding out the BGEs are being made in Mexico sealed the deal.

Jon David said:

Bama I have seen his videos on the Akorn and I it doesn't look like the firebox is as thick on other Kamado grills. I'm just curious if its like a "wanna be" kamado?

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The fire box on the Akorn is not thick like a ceramic kamado fire box. The Akorn is a good grill and smoker. It just takes some patience and overcoming a learning curve to learn to control it. It's not as easy to control as some of the ceramic kamados because it's not as air tight. I think I have already done the legwork to show that it is controllable though.

Midnight Smoke said:

Actually the Kamado's came before the Egg. :wink:

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The real question is, did the chicken come before the egg

I know it may be considered a "wannabee" But, I love my Akorn and at the very least it has shown me what a wonderful cooker this style is! So very versatile. Dialing in the Akorn is not that tough after a couple cooks. So, if budget is a concern- as it is for many of us- not a bad bang for the buck IMO.

Love my akorn but I also want a ceramic. Hopefully towards the end of summer. I'm leaning towards the big joe or primo I would go for the egg but I think the green is ugly if they had a Big Black Egg than I would consider it.


Jrow

Jon David said:

I am looking a little on the cheaper side just to help coax the wife into letting me get one. I had read somewhere the Visions were going for like 499 at Costco, then I looked they 699 so I have no clue what they will be "in season." I'm leaning more towards the Vision either way. And thanks for all the input, I just recently got into Q in the last 4 months. I've built a UDS and purchased a 22.5" OTG and can't seem to stop. Y'all have all been big help!

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They're $699 delivered from Costco and Home Depot with the exception of the HD model being the PRO (with the pull out ash drawer) but if you go into a Costco they shouldn't be more than $549. At the near end of summer they close them out for $399 and some guys even got lucky to get them for $199 with Costco just wanting them gone to make room for fall products.

If you are going to pay $699 might as well get the Kamado Joe Classic. I promise you that you won't be disappointed.