Kamado recommendations?

Charcoal cookers (such as Weber Kettles)
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fleetz
Posts: 170
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 3:12 pm

Kamado recommendations?

Post by fleetz »

Seriously looking at a Kamado style ceramic BBQ and would love to get any feedback from any owners of the various brands that are available in the Aussie market.

From the sticky on this thread up the top where it has links to the various brands that were available up to 2013 there ain’t too many brands available or at least the companies who represented them still in business.

Anyway would be great to get any recommendations from happy users.

Cheers,

Fleetz
12x7
Posts: 772
Joined: Tue Jul 09, 2013 5:32 pm

Re: Kamado recommendations?

Post by 12x7 »

I own an Akorn (metal) and Kamado Joe Classic (ceramic)

If you want to start out with a Kamado the best way to do that is to buy an Akorn from Bunnings for $499. It comes with everything you need to get started eg smoking stone/deflector, cover, extender. All you need to do is buy the lump charcoal, firelighters and some meat and you are on your way.

Being made out of metal the Akorn is tough. One of the problems with the ceramic is that they crack the firebox over time and if you heat them up too fast.

I would skip the smaller ceramics some Auplex with 18" or 20" (often called large and XL) when the Akorn is the same size or larger and a few hundred dollars cheaper.

Next step is the name brands such as Kamado Joe and Big Green Egg at @1,700 for large 18" grill. They are more expensive but when you factor in they will last longer than the Akorn, over 10 years the overall cost to own is about the same. The brand names have lots of accessories. People rightly argue that you can buy lots of meat for the $1,200 difference between the Akorn and the name brands. In fact you can buy three Akorns for a Big Green Egg.

Have a look at the Kamado 101 I wrote https://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewto ... 15#p150056

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fleetz
Posts: 170
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 3:12 pm

Re: Kamado recommendations?

Post by fleetz »

Thanks 12x7 appreciate your input and pointers to the relavent posts.

Cheers...
Yoder YS640 on comp cart, Grill Grates for the YS640, Weber Smokey Mountain 18.5, CyberQ WiFi Controller, Maverick ET-732, Maverick ET-733, Thermapen, Weber Q 320, A-MAZ-N 6" and 12" tubes
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