Kamado Grill or alternatives?

[telenerd]

No this isn’t a grill for your Bronco.

Since summer is right around the corner thinking of getting a Kamado grill for my house. Any suggestions? I saw Kamado Joe is popular, Primo and Green Egg. There is even one brand called The Bastard. 🫢.

Any recommendations would be appreciated!

I figured fellow Bronco enthusiasts here also enjoy some good barbecue so why not post here.

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[not on the rug]

No this isn’t a grill for your Bronco.

Since summer is right around the corner thinking of getting a Kamado grill for my house. Any suggestions? I saw Kamado Joe is popular, Primo and Green Egg. There is even one brand called The Bastard. 🫢.

Any recommendations would be appreciated!

I figured fellow Bronco enthusiasts here also enjoy some good barbecue so why not post here.

What are you going to do with it? Grill only? Grill and some light smoking? Make pizza? Roasts? Whole chickens and turkeys?

 

[telenerd]

Mostly smoking and grill. I only cook for myself and maybe one other person. Might have a friend or two over but it’s rare.

Meats I like ribs, steaks, whole chickens, chops. Corn and veggies. I have a gas grill works okay but all rusted out. Looking for more smoke flavor and the Kamado are nice because they are self cleaning and last forever and hold heat for all day smoke if I want to.

 

[userdude]

Those are expensive smokers. The only way to get the real smoke flavor is a smoker; if you're only looking to cook for you and maybe 1-2 others mostly, I'd look at a smaller offset like a Oklahoma Joe (who also has a line called Bronco that's a barrel smoker for low and slow). Green Egg also makes a small form factor version which is a lot cheaper, it's like a table top.

https://biggreenegg.com/products/small-big-green-egg/

I've always though of the ceramic smokers as more for chicken and fish and don't leave a crusty smoke ring. I could be wrong about that, though.

I personally would like a Chud Box, especially if I could get the rotisserie setup. I just don't want to spend that kind of money!

https://www.chudsbbq.com/products/chudbox

 

[monsterfd]

i have the big joe 3 and use it often for my family of 4. i recommend over an bge better construction (air hinge, aluminum shelves) and complete accessories out of the box. for smoking it doesnt beat an offset smoker, but its close and way more versatile than an offset. i can get an bark and smoke ring but what an offset smoker gets you is that meteor black bark. the trade off is i can do 800 degree sears, rotisserie a turkey and grill fish on a soap stone. you get the idea im familiar with my kamado, dm me if you feel you have a question i can answer.

 

[not on the rug]

Mostly smoking and grill. I only cook for myself and maybe one other person. Might have a friend or two over but it’s rare.

Meats I like ribs, steaks, whole chickens, chops. Corn and veggies. I have a gas grill works okay but all rusted out. Looking for more smoke flavor and the Kamado are nice because they are self cleaning and last forever and hold heat for all day smoke if I want to.

I like the Kamado products and had one for a while. I loved it. I wish they made a giant one like the BGE XXL, which I'll likely grab one day.

You have a tough choice to make. I personally don't like to have a "all in one" type of product as my main outdior cooking device. I have a dedicated grill and smoker. I'm also old school so I only use lump charcoal and hardwoods.

I have a Weber 26" kettle that I had my friend weld up a custom stainless steel stand for since a 26" is a little wobbly on that factory tripod, especially when I'm using a 30+ lb slab of carbon steel flat top on it.
I literally cook just about everything you could imagine on my weber and I jse it year-round. When that kettle finally rusts out on me after 15-20 years, I'll just but another one and mount it to my custom stand.

I also have a dedicated smoker. Barrel style right now. The oklahoma joe bronco pro. The standard bronco is a little small for my liking. It works really well and holds a ton of food. I'm saving my pennies for a Yoder.

If tou have $ to spend and a bit of room, you will turn out better food from a dedicated grill and a dedicated smoker, especially when it comes to actual smoking.

 

[CarGuy]

I like the Kamado products and had one for a while. I loved it. I wish they made a giant one like the BGE XXL, which I'll likely grab one day.

You have a tough choice to make. I personally don't like to have a "all in one" type of product as my main outdior cooking device. I have a dedicated grill and smoker. I'm also old school so I only use lump charcoal and hardwoods.

I have a Weber 26" kettle that I had my friend weld up a custom stainless steel stand for since a 26" is a little wobbly on that factory tripod, especially when I'm using a 30+ lb slab of carbon steel flat top on it.
I literally cook just about everything you could imagine on my weber and I jse it year-round. When that kettle finally rusts out on me after 15-20 years, I'll just but another one and mount it to my custom stand.

I also have a dedicated smoker. Barrel style right now. The oklahoma joe bronco pro. The standard bronco is a little small for my liking. It works really well and holds a ton of food. I'm saving my pennies for a Yoder.

If tou have $ to spend and a bit of room, you will turn out better food from a dedicated grill and a dedicated smoker, especially when it comes to actual smoking.

Agree. I've had many Weber kettle grills - very versatile. I agree on the legs and will add cleaning out ash can be a pain - get the one with the collection bucket attached.

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