Hi, I’m Chef Tony Matassa with BBQGuys.com.
In this video, we will be answering a question that I get asked all the time.
When customers are looking at Kamado Joe Kamados, they always want to know.. how does it stack
up against the Big Green Egg?
Now, Big Green Egg has been around since 1974, they make a great Kamado, I’ve cooked on
it plenty of times.
Today we will cover the similarities and differences between the two.
Ceramic Kamados have been popular in Japan for centuries, and they can be identified
by their distinct egg shape.
If you want a charcoal grill that is versatile enough to smoke, bake, grill, barbecue and
cook wood fired pizza, kamados are the perfect choice.
When it comes to comparing Big Green Egg and Kamado Joe, there are some definite similarities.
They are both made out of high fire ceramics & Glaze which comes backed by a lifetime warranty.
This ceramic design makes them excellent charcoal grills when it comes to heat retention & distribution.
Big Green Egg comes standard with stainless steel cooking grids & a one level cooking
system.
On the other hand, Kamado Joe comes standard with their versatile divide and conquer cooking
system.
The stainless steel cooking grids on Kamado Joe are in two half moon sections, which allows
you to cook with two different temperature zones at the same time, we were able to sear
steak on one side & roast bell peppers on the other side so that everything stayed hot
& came off the grill at the same time.
Divide and Conquer also comes standard with this accessory rack and two half moon heat
deflectors.
The included accessory rack is a perfect place to set a water pan when using an indirect
heat setup for cooking something like ribs low and slow.
You can also use it to set a wok or pizza stone on, the gaps on the side allow you to
have enough space to throw in extra charcoal or wood chips throughout the cooking process.
If you need to add charcoal while cooking with the grids set in, Kamado Joe has you
covered with an included grid lifter tool & fire poker accessory.
It is worth noting that with Big Green Egg, there are many great accessories available,
but they all have to be purchased separately.
Now let’s take a look at the lower portion of both grills..
Beneath the cooking grids on the big green egg, you will find a ceramic fire ring sitting
on top of the ceramic fire box.
On the other hand, Kamado Joe uses a multi panel firebox that is retained with a stainless
steel ring.
This design provides added protection against cracks and chipping in the firebox ceramics.
Both Big Green Egg and Kamado Joe have a cast iron fire grate that is perforated for charcoal
airflow & can be removed for cleaning.
For adjusting your airflow, both grills feature a stainless steel bottom draft door.
Big Green Egg has this mesh air screen, with a sliding door on top of it.
Kamado Joe’s draft door can be set in various positions as well, and their secondary air
screen is built into a removable ash pan for easy cleaning.
For secondary airflow control, Big Green Egg has a cast iron chimney cap.
It features a daisy wheel design for setting your ideal airflow.
This wheel can also be pivoted out of the way for high heat cooking.
Big Green egg includes a ceramic chimney cap for times that you want to completely block
airflow, or keep rain out of the kamado when not in use.
Kamado Joe features a cast aluminum control tower top for maximum durability.
The design of their chimney cap allows you to set your temperature with this tab, while
still having protection from rain.
The top section of the cap can also be pivoted out of the way for maximum airflow, and this
piece can be removed without tools for cleaning.
To retain smoke and heat, Big Green egg is sealed by a felt gasket where the lid meets
the lower body of the grill.
Kamado Joe uses an oven grade wire mesh gasket here & there is also a latch that keeps the
lid sealed tight.
The lid hinge of Big Green egg is spring assisted, this helps disperse some of the weight of
the grill lid.
Kamado Joe features an innovative air lift hinge, this reduces 96% of the lid weight..
allowing you to lift the lid with the touch of a finger if you want.
For temperature accuracy, both Big green Egg and Kamado Joe include a hood mounted thermometer.
Thank you for watching, for more Kamado information..
please give us a call or check us out online today.
I’m Chef Tony Matassa, and remember..
at BBQGuys.com, we SMOKE..
The competition!