And for the record, of all the Kamados we’ve looked at, the KJ Classic is our absolute favorite and took top spot in our roundup of the best kamado grills for 2023. What Comes Inside the Box?

Heat retention​ - ceramic Kamado Joe BBQs have a thermal mass that soaks up heat and holds it for a long time. The major advantage of this design is temperature stability that outclasses thin metal grills. Now that we’ve gone over the numbers and features, let’s take a look at some other factors worth considering when you’re buying any kind of grill or smoker, and how the Kamado Joe measures up. Ease of Use Moisture retention – since very little air is used in cooking, meats come out juicy with a minimum amount of shrinkage. Not all kamado grills are equal. Some kamados, such as Kamado Joe BBQs feature a higher quality construction and feature a much better design to create a more versatile grill, such as therevolutionary SloRoller Hyperbolic Smoke Chamber insert.With their novel grill system, you can set up grills at staggered heights and use heat deflectors to create distinct temperature zones, and areas for direct and indirect grilling simultaneously. This is something you might think only possible with a standard-shaped barbecue. Slide-Out Ash Drawer

The top vent now helps to generate more consistent airflow, even if you open the lid. This makes cooking a lot easier and you’re now able to better maintain target cooking temperatures. Aluminium side tables vs Marine Grade Plastic - Thepowder-coated aluminum is stronger and won’t melt if you put something hot on them. The vent is also well-designed to keep rain and snow out of the interior and making a royal mess of your grill. Divide & Conquer Grill System We were hopeful that after the Classic Joe's contents were removed it would be lighter work to lift the egg-shaped body out from the box so we could set it onto its wheeled cast iron frame. We were wrong. If you’re already used to grilling with charcoal, you’re going to have an easier time adapting than someone switching over from gas, of course.At Kamado Joe, they understand very well that you shouldn’t change what works well. So what made the KJ Classic 2 so special has all stayed the same on and in the Classic 3. However, if you're an enthusiastic outdoor chef who is happy to linger over preparing alfresco meals – potentially all year round thanks to that heat-retaining ceramic shell – and you're willing to put in some practice to master your fire skills, then we think the Kamado Joe Classic Joe Series II BBQ could have your name on it. Kamado Joe Elite Authorised Dealer: BBQs 2u is not just an authorised Kamado Joe dealer... we're a Kamado Joe ELITE Dealer! We've been recognised as an exceptional KJ dealership for both online and in-store sales. The grill also performed stunningly well at high temperatures with the vents wide open. We grilled pizzas at 600 degrees and they were gorgeously crisp and blistered on the bottom and puffy on top with a kiss of charcoal smoke in just a few minutes. To cook steaks, we set the grill up for two-level heating: One side of the grill had no ceramic heat deflector above the fire—just a grill grate in the lowest position. The other side had the heat deflector in place and the grill grate on the top position. We seared the steaks over the coals on the hot side, then placed them the other side to finish cooking with indirect heat. Then we placed oiled radicchio on the hot side to char. Perfectly cooked pork tenderloin, grilled over moderate heat, was just as easy with the vents partially open and the heat deflectors in place. Like most good grills, the Kamado Joe Classic Joe II doesn't require too much elbow grease to keep it clean. It does take a while to cool down though, so don't expect to clean it immediately after use.

This isn’t the only upgrade the Classic has seen however. Kamado Joe’s patented ‘Air Lift Hinge’ system has also been given a makeover, and is now easier to lift without any compromise to its structural integrity. The kettle of the Kamado Joe Classic 3 is 7 cm (2,5 inches) higher than that of the classic 2. That doesn’t seem like much, but it has several advantages. First of all, the distance between the glowing charcoal and the grate is greater. This distance is quite interesting for direct preparation if you like to use a rotisserie, for example. Opening the lid of the egg also makes the body wobble a little on the stand which was a little troubling to begin with. Next upgrade can we have a sturdier base please Kamado Joe?We’re not going to talk about the first version of the KJ Classic. If you are looking for a cheaper kamado with good quality, it is certainly an interesting choice. But the differences with the classic 2 and 3 are too much to be able to compare them. What has remained the same

The Divide & Conquer grill system (A split grill and heat deflector combo that allows you to set up direct and indirect grilling at the same time.)

34cm

With the rust-resistant latch, there’s no guessing whether the lid is down or not. Important Details Being versatile is not the same as being easy. There’s a lot you can do with a Kamado, but if you’re used to more conventional grilling, there is going to be a learning period while you master all the nuances of the equipment. Due to the shape of the SloRoller, the air flow in the boiler circulates better so that the smoke gets everywhere before it disappears via the top vent. It prevents hot spots so that you have fewer problems with uneven cooking. And the Joe should also handle combustion more efficiently. We will experience that in the coming months. The Classic 3 is definitely the better kamado. Everything good has staid the same, and the rest has all been adjusted. That makes the Classic 2, not a lousy kamado. On the contrary. The kamados from competitors still show you why the Classic 2 was the best kamado at the time. Very little clean up – all grease and spattering are absorbed by the Kamado and eventually burn off.