When we first saw the Big Green Egg, we thought it was just some weird novelty grill design. We mean…. the darn thing looks like an egg… that’s green. Turns out, it’s based on the principles behind the Japanese kamado stove, although modern kamado grills actually look more like the traditional tandoor ovens widely used in Western, Central, and South Asian cultures. At any rate, these versatile backyard grills have become a favorite among many barbecue enthusiasts and it’s not just because they look cool sitting in the backyard.
The best kamado grills won’t just allow you to grill steaks and burgers like your favorite charcoal grill. Instead, they’re versatile enough to let you smoke briskets, roast chicken, bake cakes, cook pizzas, and a whole lot more. This is made possible by the kamado grill’s thick walls, which allow it to retain a lot of heat to cook food efficiently.
Traditionally, the best kamado grills were made with durable ceramic. However, modern designs utilize different materials, from ceramic and aluminum to steel and cast iron. So long as the material is able to insulate the cooking area to maintain even temperatures for long periods without temperature fluctuations, it’s perfectly viable for use in the form factor.
Why do they have those oval egg shapes? From what we heard, the shape enables air to flow freely both above and below the cooking surface. The taller profile also makes it possible to adjust the height of the grates to you liking, allowing you to put it close to the fire for fast grilling or set it much higher up when smoking meats for longer periods.
These are the best kamado grills to bring versatile cooking chops to your backyard.
Char-Griller Akorn
Pros
- Very affordable
- Maintains heat efficiently while staying cool to the touch
- Includes steel cart with rubber wheels
Cons
- Not very good at searing
If you want a kamado grill, but aren’t quite looking forward to spending anywhere in the vicinity of four figures, you’ll probably do best steering clear of grills made with hardened ceramic bodies, as those tend to be the pricier designs. Instead, you can go for more affordable models like this one, whose body is clad in triple-walled 22-gauge stainless steel, allowing it to retain heat just as efficiently, while a powder-coated exterior and porcelain-coated interior should allow it to hold up for the long haul. As a bonus, the exterior actually stays cool, which is a pleasant surprise for a steel-bodied grill.
It can maintain temperatures from 200 to 700 degrees Fahrenheit without any wild fluctuations, allowing it to handle a wide range of dishes, while dual adjustable dampers and a thermometer gauge makes it easy to control heat levels to cook food exactly the way you like. We also appreciate that the dampers are indexed with labels, so you can see exactly what settings you need to use to reach specific temperatures, making cooking easier the more familiar you get with the grill.
Big Green Egg MiniMax
Pros
- Most portable kamado grill in the list
- Fits four full-size steaks, despite compact size
- Comes with superb accessories
Cons
- Expensive for such a small grill
- Assembly can be challenging
You want a kamado grill, but don’t have room for one of those big drum-like contraptions? Maybe, this short and stout MiniMax model will be enough to satisfy your kamado craving. The size and 88-pound weight makes it the easiest way to bring a kamado grill to balconies and porches, while being portable enough to bring to tailgate parties and camping trips.
It retains the same ceramic housing as bigger versions, so it retains heat very well, while the cooking grate offers enough room to cook four full size steaks or a rack of ribs pretty easily. Despite the grate’s proximity to the firebox, it cooks very well, although you might have to adjust your cook times, so there’s a bit of learning curve involved. We especially love the included heat deflector accessory, which lets you cover up the firebox, so you can cook with indirect heat, making it possible to use it to smoke meats and other low-and-slow cooking methods (we initially thought it won’t be possible with a kamado grill this small). It performed excellently during high-heat cooking, too, allowing you to adjust heat easily using the vents and measuring temperature accurately using the gauge.
Broil King Keg 5000
Pros
- Family-sized cooking area
- Superb at high heat cooking
- Cart, shelves, and accessories included
Cons
- Temperature can occasionally fluctuate
Using materials other than ceramic is one of the best ways to lower the cost of a kamado grill. This one, for instance, manages to slip under $1,000 with stand and accessories thrown in by using powder-coated double-walled steel with fiberglass insulation, a setup that also manages to keep high heat levels while keeping the outside reasonably cool enough to touch. Plus, it looks like a keg, which is pretty swell.
It has a spacious enough cooking space to accommodate a large turkey, eight steaks, or 12 burgers in one go. The grates can be placed in one of two heights, so you can put it low if you want a good sear or a little higher if you prefer to cook low-and-slow. We appreciated the numbered dampers, so you can note what kind of ventilation is needed to reach specific temperatures, while the integrated ash tray makes cleanup a lot easier. We especially love the range of accessories included, from the dual-wheel stand and the shelves to the handy multi-tool.
Big Green Egg Large
Pros
- Superb heat management with no fluctuations
- Perfect size for backyard use
- Accurate temperature gauge
Cons
- No stand or cart included
The Big Green Egg is, easily, the most recognizable name in kamado grills. It’s no surprise, since they, pretty much, pioneered the category 50 years ago, as far as these modern versions are concerned. This Large model isn’t the biggest the outfit makes, but it’s the one that makes sense for most homes, since there’s enough room to cook for a whole family without taking up too much space.
The brand’s calling card has always been its exceptional ability to maintain even cooking temperatures from 150 to 750 degrees Fahrenheit and that really shines in this model, rarely requiring you to adjust the dampers unless you add more food or fuel. And yes, adding fuel can be a challenge, but it’s, pretty much, a challenge with all kamado grill designs we’ve seen. It uses fuel very efficiently, too, so you can smoke meats for a long time without having to add in new charcoal. The grates, by the way, fit a dozen burgers easily, while letting you cook six chickens or seven racks of ribs if you orient them vertically.
Weber Summit Kamado E6
Pros
- Enough cooking space for backyard cookouts
- Grills and smokes well
- Looks like a cross between a kettle and kamado grill
Cons
- Frequent temperature fluctuations
Kamado grills have become so popular that even Weber makes their own version of the design. The result looks like a glorious hybrid between a kettle grill and a kamado that you absolutely can’t help but love. It’s, basically, a kettle grill with the bottom extended downwards, so the firebox sits a lot lower than it normally would on a Weber Kettle.
It has a whopping 452 square inches of cooking space, so it’s big enough to cook for a party, while the dual-walled steel construction allows it to manage heat better than a standard kettle grill. However, that insulation isn’t enough to prevent frequent temperature fluctuations, so you’ll definitely need to monitor the gauge and play around with the dampers regularly to maintain your desired heat levels. Yeah, it’s not the kind of kamado grill you can leave to its own devices. We do like the built-in cleaning system that makes it pretty easy to clean out ash, as well as the three legged wheeled stand that’s bundled with the grill.
Kamado Joe Classic Joe III
Pros
- Superb heat regulation
- Unique Sloroller smoke chamber
- Split grates let you cook at different heights at once
- Split firebox with split deflectors let you cook two ways at once
Cons
- Very expensive and very heavy
Many people hail Kamado Joe as the best kamado grill in the category. It’s hard to argue, since they do bring some clever innovation to the space, on top of being built for longevity and delivering superior heat retention at the same level as Big Green Egg. This one is their family-sized model, coming with 250 square inches of cooking space, allowing you to cook up to 13 burgers at a time.
It comes with grates that cover only half the available area, allowing you to place two grates at separate heights, so you can cook each food item differently. The charcoal basket is also split in half, so you can create two separate cooking zones, complete with a heat deflector that you can place on only side for even greater versatility. It also comes with the outfit’s patented Sloroller insert, which covers up the firebox to create rolling smoke for those low-and-slow dishes, essentially producing cyclonic airflow that we’ve just never seen in kamado grills before. Do note, the Sloroller is only advised to be used for 500 degrees max, requiring you to switch to the regular deflector plates for higher temperatures. All accessories are included, too, from the wheeled cart, side shelves, and more, so you’re getting a whole lot for the price.
