by far the best side by side comparison video i have ever seen.

Fantastic effort to go to the expense of buying two new models for a direct comparison. I have an older, medium sized Big Green Egg and a Large size Bayou Classic Cypress Kamado. No complaints with either but the new features on the Kamado Joe have me jonesing for something new. The sales rep at the Costco road show told me a couple of weeks ago the new features on will be available on the Big Joe this summer (2017).

Well-produced video. Right to the point, and a very fair comparison without bias. Thank you.

thank you, i'm shopping for a Kamado and found this video very helpful. Good unbiased review!

you guys are humble and positive, was really nice watching your video. thanks

That was cool. You guys did a good job showing the differences you were able too without showing any biases.

I have the Big Joe and I couldn't be happier. It is a great piece of equipment. Really good Video Guy's.

What a great video. I already have my setup, but it's good to see what is out there. Grills have come a long way.

That was an excellent point by point comparison. Thanks for posting this. Very helpful for me.

Thanks for the time and detail of your review! I had no idea another ceramic grill was even out there. You rock!

@MrJoshcc600

6 жыл бұрын

94Greenbean even more. My favorite is the monolith guru . Cheaper then both these and comes with every accessory these charge extra for

Thanks for the review! It is is really useful for me as I am choosing between those two now!

Best comparison video of anything ive ever seen gentlemen!!

Fantastic review, thank you both :)

I don't know about the Kamado Joe, but the BGE has a lifetime warranty, and they do honor it. I've had my medium BGE since 1997 and just replaced the ceramic fire box and fire ring in 2019 (cracked from heat like they all do) at no charge and no hassle. Good people if that makes a difference.

@tez8754

4 жыл бұрын

I own the Joe and just replaced my firebox at no charge also. Kamado had great customer service. Both grills are great purchases.

@danieldotter6077

4 жыл бұрын

@@tez8754 Just bought a joe classic 1 for less than $600 at Lowes (I think they are phasing out the classic 1). That said, I've cooked on a BGE and I think either are a fine choice. Another brand to watch is PRIMO. They're made in the US and have an oblong shape for longer cuts like a whole brisket and ribs.

@JohnWicksPencil14

4 жыл бұрын

Quality customer service makes a huge difference, to me at least.

Fantastic evaluation. Thank you so much for the experiment. I am going Kamado Joe.

Thanks very much for this comparison - This really helped me to decide!!!

@phillylawyer

4 жыл бұрын

Which did you decide?

If you live much above sea level, don't forget to consider altitude when calibrating the thermometer to boiling water!

Hi folks, I have had my bge for just about 18 years, I love the way it smokes grills and baked. I did have one issue with it about 3 years ago, for some reason the sides were leaking out black moistured ooz and I found hair line fractures in it. I called the BGE corporate and they sent me out a new bottom piece no charge even for shipping. They did ship it to a BGE store that I had to pick it up from. And I made a very cool strawberry planter out of the fractured one. Other than that I love my BGE. I am sure the KJ can hold up as well. Peace and happy cooking.

@belavet

5 жыл бұрын

Supposedly this is normally and recommended if you mostly Cook low and slow. I just picked up a used unit and did a burn out. Lots of lovely ooze. The glaze (green color) is supposed to be porous from what I've read.

Great Video. I’m a XL BGE owner going on 9 years. I will admit the KJ looks to have improved some features over the egg but as mentioned the lifetime warranty is 100% percent true. I purchased mine from a butcher meat shop that went out of business. Another local dealer was able to come out and replace bottom half of my egg which got a hairline crack in it about 6 years after owning. No questions. In the end both are great and again great video.

Great review, thanks! Given that there are so many similarities (where the Kamado is the winner). For me the easier clean up of the charcoal with the Kamoda is what really sold me...

Great video. I have a BGE and after 18 years it's still going strong. The only thing I have done to it is replace the thermometer one time and the felt a few times in those years. I will say that KJ is clearly doing a much better job on updating their grills with really nice, innovative and useful features. BGE is pretty much still the same as it was when I bought mine. It's not necessarily a bad thing but it would be nice to see BGE keep up with the times. As my BGE is still fine I probably won't be replacing it, but, if I were in the market today I think KJ would earn my business.

This was great! Thanks you guys!!

This is a great video and helped me alot on my purchase decision, thanks alot guys!

Friends just purchased an egg, and thought I'd watch this. I am a noob to ceramic grills, and found this very informative. The food off of the egg was phenomenal for sure! Thanks!

Remember when you assemble your Eggs, use the gauges when assembling the lid to avoid it being off-center.

@NUKINATOR44

3 жыл бұрын

I wish I had seen this 2 hours ago

What an excellent video. Thanks for presenting this information.

I’ve sold both Kamado Joe and BGE and the changes KJ has made to their cooker definitely separates them from the competition. The air lift hinge is great.

@marceloovg1873

3 жыл бұрын

So you noticed KJ greatly surpasses competition and yet sold both? hmmm

@chrisscalia3746

3 жыл бұрын

@@marceloovg1873 Kamado Joe didn't introduce the air lift hinge and cast aluminum "Kontrol Tower" until 2017. We sold both KJ and BGE up until then.

I got interested after seeing a friend's BGE. Ended up with a Big Joe about 6 months ago and couldn't be happier!

That was an awesome side by side comparison!! Answered every question I have about the two grills! Thank you so much for taking the time and considerable expense to put this up on the web! One question...Do either of you guys wish you had bought the other grill? I'm going with the Kamado Joe!!!

Awesome comparison guys!

Really helpful guys. Thank you!

I've got a Medium Egg. I'm happy. Anyone who buys either an Egg or a Joe will also be happy.

@BIGBOIDUALLY

5 жыл бұрын

I just bought a med egg today. Tomorrow I'm cooking everything

@richardcagle5475

4 жыл бұрын

I am feeling a tiny bit of buyers remorse at all the little extras you get for free with the joe. They have to offer something though to offset the fact that all warranty claims will not be handled in store with a joe from Home Depot, but that peace of mind is worthwhile to have. BGE has also realized the competition and upgraded the hinge and regulator and the price seems better now. Got a large egg with placesetter, grate lifter, ash tool (which why tf is that not just included anyway), bag of charcoal, grate cleaner and a nest(stand) for $1000, assembled. The same size joe was $1200 at Home Depot and weren’t in stock anywhere, so I don’t really see the cost savings there.

@davidluck3539

3 жыл бұрын

They are both excellent products.

Had the opportunity to buy the Big Joe via Costco but the wife couldn't stand the color. Lol. Then she saw the Louisiana/Pit boss Kamado grill in blue and said "This looks really nice. I like the color better". Well, happy wife happy life. Cooked my first whole chicken in it and it turned out fantastic. Crispy outside, juicy inside. Temperature held rock steady at 300 with a two hour cooking time I was impressed. As a bonus it didn't use all the charcoal up as I looked in the grill the next day. Still had around 30% left. So these grills are efficient too. As I type I'm sitting on my patio grilling chicken breast at 275. Smells delicious.

@michaelcarton3299

5 жыл бұрын

you picked a grill based on color?! omg.....happy wife sad life for you!

@rxonmymind8362

5 жыл бұрын

@@michaelcarton3299 15 years together I'm not sure where you get I'm not happy. I couldn't stand the color either that orange was a bit off. We both prefer blue all day.

@michaelcarton3299

5 жыл бұрын

@@rxonmymind8362 I was just kidding man. But seriously, it's like basing what car you buy off of color.

For me, there is no comparison because I think I would be perfectly happy with either. They both cook great food. The edge on features goes to the Joe obviously but I'm really glad you did a taste comparison on the food because at the end of the day, it's the Indian and not the arrow providing the food taste. I'd rather spend time swapping recipes than debating grill features anyway. I think this video does a good job illustrating that as well. Great job! I hope you enjoy some very nice meals from your two grills!

I gotta say the cleaning of the joe sold me personally

Excellent video!! Thanks!

Maybe the single best review video on KZread.

Great video. Thanks guys.

Great review! Thanks.

this is what I was able to conclude as well once I saw kamado in home depot. Everything was stainless steel, no rust as compared to the egg, which seemed like reg steel. I guess they changed to plastic. Not sure about that. I also liked the kamado seal. Really nicely done and easy to maintain on the outside.

Boy does that help. Thanks!

Wow. Great review guys!

really great video! Thanks!

Great comparison. This helped me solidify my decision in purchasing a Joe TODAY!

@jerry69nolan

7 жыл бұрын

pecoswild Got to go pick up the Joe I just bought today. The 18 in was the model I purchased. Already have 3 THICK T-bones and some bison & some THICK pieces of pork to grill tonight. 😊

@pecoswild

7 жыл бұрын

KJ had a road show at Costco, so I purchased the 18 in classic there. So far I've made pizzas, burgers and smoked a brisket. All turned out great! I just bought another pizza stone in preparation for my son's graduation. With family and in town, I'll be making pizzas and brisket. Now I'm looking to sell my electric smoker.

@pecoswild

7 жыл бұрын

Stephen Hickey thanks for the heads up. I will do just that.

@davekenkel

7 жыл бұрын

Well the last I heard Bobby was still throwing around the idea of a lifetime warranty on the new gasket so I would bet it will do well. I don't think they've pulled the trigger yet on that warranty but they're confident enough in the gasket to at least be considering it.

@mastifflover504

7 жыл бұрын

Me too!

Lou, great catch with the thermometer! That would have REALLY made a hash out of any attempts to do a long smoke. Another great video. Keep'em coming!

@HowToLou

7 жыл бұрын

+Matthew Sams - Thanks Matt! I actually found out the hard way on my first low slow cook. Surprisingly inaccurate, out of the box, for such an expensive grill, but calibration was simple. For high temp, fast cooks, it does not make much difference, but these kamado-style grills are specifically made to be the final word in low and slow

@williamrimes7005

4 жыл бұрын

Jaime Alonzo lol

I have a BGE, and enjoyed this comparison. The BGE now has an aluminum rain cover and better top adjustment setup...a MUST for an upgrade. They also have a larger-dial thermometer as well. Not sure if the Joe has a large aftermarket accessory selection, but my local Ace Hardware has an entire wall of BGE accessories, including an automated temp system, pretty cool. Great vid!

@HowToLou

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you. Yes, Joe has a temperature system and a rotisserie and many other options

I️ loved this video!

Good Vid boys!!! I a HUGE Egger Fan ,, But cool to see about the Joe... Thanks !! LOVEEEE MY EGG! :)

those are SUCH beautiful grills. I love quality products like this, even though the price is like buying a bunch of weber grills, it's a price you pay for quality. Treat either of those with respect (as all your expensive devices should be treated!) and they will be with you for ages.

Great job! Thanks!

Thanks for this comparison

That is one badass grill!! Congrats on your purchase 👏

Cool. Thx for an honest review.

Very good review of both products. I liked how unbiased you both were in reviewing each others system and in the end it comes down to personal preference as to which ceramic cooker to purchase. Happy cooking to both of you!

This was awesome. Thanks.

Love the video! all that I need in one box! 😃

A word of caution about their calibration method: Boiling water is only 212F at sea level. In Denver, water boils at about 202F and in Flagstaff, it's around 199F. But this video was extremely helpful in making my decision, thanks!

@HowToLou

4 жыл бұрын

Good point. Use the boiling point in your area.

What an AWESOME review Lou!! Kamado Joe seems to be a clear winner in my eyes as well!

Great review. Really helpfull

Thank You! Made my decision for me!

This was such a useful, well put together video! Thanks.

Great video. Covers everything I wanted to know. Except cleaning.

@impact2187

5 жыл бұрын

On the KJ, open the top and bottom vents all the way. It heats up and everything burns away. Mine got up to 950 before it started to cool off. Supposed to do it twice a grill season or so.

@VelveteenRabbit77

5 жыл бұрын

You dont need to heat up or clean anything. Just rake out the ashes out of the bottom.

Excellent review. Have had a BGE for about 10 years now and love it, but if I was in the market for a new one I'd have to think about the KG.

I have both, the Green egg (smallest version) in a restaurant,wich I use on adailly bases .I use it only to bake entrcôte in it ,with gives a real smoky flavor then.I never had the feeling that it's to small for the amount off people we do every service. I have a bigger Kamado at my house ,where I just could cook on it one evening ,because of the very cold, rainy weather this year .But that went really wel and fast .I grilled vegetables and fish in it with also was delicious! I am going to use both in my restaurant ,to make other plates with this cooking technique.Thanks for this video!

Be careful pulling out the first big piece of styrofoam from inside the Kamado because there are 2 half moon pieces underneath that can fall out and break if they hit the ground. This is the voice of experience talking.

Great review!

I would like to know how well the seal does on the Joe with a high temp cook, such as one over 800 degrees.

@HowToLou

7 жыл бұрын

+Steve Prins - I have had the temp gauge pegged all the way high with flames shooting 3 feet out of the open chimney, several times, to clean the plates and grates. The seal is totally fine.

So basically, its yeti vs. rtic. Apple vs. Microsoft. green egg vs. joe. Anybody see a pattern here, Your paying for the name? If your a person who could care less bout prestige of names, then a joe is for you. Apparently Costco sells the joe for a decent price. I can’t say enough bout Costco member service. In 25 years, not 1 time I or anyone I know has had any problems that couldn’t be resolved with Costco. I’ll have to keep my eye out when Costco has this joe in stock. Thank you for taking the time to make this video, It’s a great help.

Great review. By the way, the Akorn is a similar style grill, but is a real deal at around $325. It doesn't not have a high level of fit and finish, but in use it is a great smoker, grill, and oven.

@mikesonlinemailbox2076

6 жыл бұрын

I agree that the Akorn is a excellent value and a great product for anyone wondering if komado cooking is for them. I loved mine before moving to ceramic.

@cytranic8602

6 жыл бұрын

Bought an acorn and lasted two years in South Florida before rusting to pieces. piece of crap. I bought an egg and I'm on year 4 and it looks brand new, even the paint. The kamoda looks good as well. Stop buying metal smokers and grills.

@joshb898

6 жыл бұрын

Akorn is not even near the same level as these grills. I ditched my Akorn for a green egg years ago; world of difference.

@jaebiggz

5 жыл бұрын

Cytranic didn’t use a grill cover would’ve saved it for 5more years

@1marMusa

5 жыл бұрын

Been using my akorn for almost 2 years now, maybe in 90 or so cooks. It's beat up now but I keep it covered and still works just fine. With some spare parts and TLC I can see it lasting 5 years of almost weekly cooking.

I was looking at the big green egg not too long ago I really like them .. thanks for sharing other options

Great video guys! I would return the Big Green Egg altogether! Have fun cooking!

This was a well done comparison. Thank you. Can anyone tell me the major differences between the Big Joe model and the Professional ceramic model of the Kamado ? Is it just size and price ?

Well done guys. I'm leaning to the Joe.

Very nice comparison video. It would have made my decision to buy a Kamado Joe much easier. What I tell the folks that I talk to is that the BGE is a fantastic product. The problem I have with it is it is virtually unchanged since it was created in the '70s. The KJ has so many improved features that it should be a no brainer.

My local BBQs Galore store has a cookout every Friday for the staff, and after considerable cookouts, they went with the Kamodo Joe. They love it. And its tailgate feature as well, goes on a 2" slider hitch to go on holidays with you or to the Game.

Thanks for this video! I’ll have to pick up a Kamado Joe! 😎👍🏻👍🏻

I want to build one, thanks for the tips about what works and what doesn't

@HowToLou

5 жыл бұрын

Probably the closest thing would be a dome top brick pizza oven. I have seen some DIY videos on youtube. I would start there, but make sure you make a way to close it and make it fairly airtight. You can cook steaks and burgers on any grill. These kamados excel at the low and slow smoke cooks. Air flow control is crucial to keeping the fire down at 225 degrees, not 600, like open grills. The ceramic is like a big shock absorber that eliminates heat spikes. Buy firebrick for the inside walls. House brick will eventually crumble in the heat. Clay flue liners may be another good option. I think they come in at least 24x24, and maybe bigger. Good luck!

Great video thanks

Thank you for sharing.. :")

Great review

Eggs now have a sprung hinge. The springs don’t make the lid weightless like the Joe, but it does make it lighter and you still have some weight to keep the lid closed. Thermometer is also larger on the new Eggs. And lastly, the air regulator on the lid has been redesigned; mine does not move when the lid is opened.

That was a really good video.

My wife won our medium green egg in a contest, so I have no complaints.

WHat size was the Joe in this one? an 18" model?

Quagmire said that you shouldn’t grill burgers on such a high quality fig Grill :D

The lid alignment can be adjusted on the egg.

@HowToLou

7 жыл бұрын

+Bruiser2117 - We did not see any adjustments. It all just bolted together.

@Bruiser2117

7 жыл бұрын

Just do a Google search and you'll find what you need, very simple to adjust.

@NicWilliamsMeatSmokeFire

7 жыл бұрын

Alignment can easily be remedied. If you'd used the plastic alignment tools that came with it properly it would have aligned perfectly. It's just a simple adjustment.

@HowToLou

7 жыл бұрын

Guys, we took another look and while there is indeed a way to use the plastic shims to make sure the Egg lid is aligned such that it seals all the way around, there does not seem to be a way to adjust the lid to correct overbite, underbite, or sidebite (our problem). The hinge bolts seem to fit perfectly in round holes and do not allow lateral movement.

@NicWilliamsMeatSmokeFire

7 жыл бұрын

You'll find you have an overbite/underbite/sidebite because your metal bands aren't level. Level them up and the problem will be solved. I've put hundreds of Eggs together as I do the dealer installations here in the UK.

One of the best review videos out there. Outstanding! It would be very interesting to know the temperatures and cooking times on each of the tested meats - i.e., low temp cooking on ribs and higher temp cooking on the burgers / t-bone. Thanks for a great video.

Terrific video guys. I might not ever be considering the Joe. Now I might be leaning more towards it...price I get being the main determining factor. Even if the Joe looks to be better put together. Was also nicer to have a larger gauge to read. Does make a difference. Little things. And I think the Joe comes in several colours...if that matters.

I bought my ''big green egg''-like ceramic grill 50+ years ago. I hadta go to Flying Tiger Lines at LAX to get it, but at that time they were only $25 and I loved it. Wish I still had it.

Amazing video

If I had to do it over again I'd probably get the Joe over the BGE just because the stand is nicer and you get more with it. I'm still happy with my BGE and didn't have any alignment issues with the lid that you had. One test you should have done is how long it takes to get to temp and to burn off bad smoke and how much charcoal you had left over and which one cooled down quicker.

It makes sense. The BGE came out decades ago. During that time, it's design has been tested and users created "wish lists". The KJ makes took those decades of comments, critiques and wish lists, and made a product with those desired upgrades. If I were to get one, I'd lean towards the Joe. It looks like it has more features. ... then I'd paint it green so people think I splashed out for the BGE. :p

My Big Joe is on order! Can't wait to get it up and going!

@beechris1815

4 жыл бұрын

How's the big Joe keeping up nowadays?

great review

Which of these (if any) can be hooked up to Natural Gas?

Well, job ever ...One of my best

great side by side video

@BrianSappRVTRPhS

7 жыл бұрын

The Primo Xl beats both.

Big Green Egg loses out in a huge way in the assembly that is required. As a former retailer of BGE, we charged an additional $125.00 for delivery and set up..which pissed a lot of customers off, understandably.

The top vent of the Kamado Joe does flip out to allow much more air flow.

@HowToLou

7 жыл бұрын

+Robert Rihtar - Thanks. Good add. I never needed it open that big, so I forgot it could.

Thank you for that.