Big Green egg or Kamado joe?

Mat the trasher

So I was thinking of buying a Kamado style barbecue and wondered if anyone had opted for either of these? I have a large gas barbecue (3 burners) but wanted to move to Charcoal fired. So one of the other questions is, which size, 18"or 24", the gas one I have can cook for many people but isn't hot enough for steaks really and a straight normal charcoal grill is too hot for smoking or slow cooking.
From what I read the Kamado Joe seems to come with more accessories as standard, given the price it is the better buy. Any opinions on this?

Cheers,

twerg_85

I got Weber smokey mountain and very happy with it.

Get the bigger size - you'll want to do bigger joints low and slow.

F.

paddylonglegs

I was apprehensive about the heat of gas and have had bad experience with cheap ones in the past. Got a weber q2200 recently thiugh and amazed with the heat. It gets up to 300 degrees c with patio gas and the lid down, a doddle to throw on a few pieces of meat coming in after work. I decided to put away a few extra quid to afford it but it's worth the investment.

My summer will be taken up with severe meat sweating I think

Vidcon

Did you end up getting one of the kamado grills?
Thinking of getting one myself in the next few weeks hopefully.
If you did get one which one did you go for and what do you think of it?

Mat the trasher

Not yet actually,

I went to Limerick to see and was going to buy a Medium egg except it wouldn’t fit in the boot, it weights 50kgs or so not something you really want in the back seat. After I was thinking that what I really wanted was a large egg, but wanted a table to go with it rather than the nest, so I decided to build the table and just buy a standalone egg. So the table is nearly finished, just ordered a slate top to finish it and hopefully I’ll borrow a van and go down and buy one in later this month.

In the end I could find very little difference between the BGE and the Kamado Joe in the reviews online, the Kamado Joe is a little cheaper and comes better equipped, but there are more suppliers here for the BGE if something broke or needed replacement parts.

Regards
Mat

MaceFace

I went through the same dilemma earlier this year and in the end went for the BGE for the same reason - easier to find it and accessories in Ireland.
I have the large version and the only disappointment is that I only have it in the nest, so when moving food into and out of the egg, I often need help or have to put the tray on the ground and lift into that. I might get the side table accessories but not sure how stable they are.

Accessory wise, the absolute musts are the place setter and Maverick Redi Chek. The other must follow rule is to use good quality lump. I recently tried the restaurant grade blue bag from A Room Outside and got much better results than the BGE lumpwood. The temperature was incredible stable and in the last few cooks didn't have to get out of the bed at all during the night to adjust.

A word of warning though - if buying it, get it delivered. The large is 10 stone and it it falls, its gone.

johnk123

Have a Kamado Joe and very happy with it. Agree with all the above points though.

Vidcon

I guess some sort of working area is a must have really. Think I'll also go down the route of building something. I've built a few outdoor kitchens for gas bbqs in the past but never bothered with one for myself. Must admit I hate running back and forth between the kitchen and garden everyone I BBQ (4 or 5 tines a week )

I wouldn't have thought to get the maverick until after getting an egg so thanks for that tip. And getting it delivered really sounds sensible now.

Can I ask where you got the kamado Joe from? I can only see them online in a shop in the north and they are crazy expensive compared to the BGE. Thought they were supposed to be the slightly cheaper option but maybe its just that shop.

Dave