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Serious Eats reviews kamados

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jlsm
jlsm Posts: 1,011
in EggHead Forum
The Egg doesn't win.
*******
Owner of a large and a beloved mini in Philadelphia
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  • tarheelmatt
    tarheelmatt Posts: 9,867
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    Dang it! I'm selling mine now. 
    ------------------------------
    Thomasville, NC
    My YouTube Channel - The Hungry Hussey
    Instagram
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    My Photography Site
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  • yljkt
    yljkt Posts: 799
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    Thanks for the heads up. Gonna run out a slap a for sale sign on the Mini Max.  =)
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  • NorthPilot06
    NorthPilot06 Posts: 1,179
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    I'm a huge fan of dual-zone cooking (if you don't want to use the reverse sear method)...but am I the only one that doesn't see the value in a two-zone setup on a Kamodo-style cooker?  Maybe it's just me....

    DFW - 1 LGBE & Happy to Adopt More...
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  • YEMTrey
    YEMTrey Posts: 6,829
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    I can two zone cook on my XL with no problem.

    Steve 
    XL, Mini Max, and a 22" Blackstone in Cincinnati, Ohio
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  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
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    looks to me like a  group rather than a list.

    not sure those are in any particular order.  if they are, it doesn't make clear whether hey are in ascending or descending order, for example.

    counting down from best? or up to it?

    for example, the primo is listed a few down from the BGE and yet they "like it better than the big green egg"

    interesting take on things. makes some good points, though i don't think some weaknesses listed are weaknesses, nor strengths are all truly strengths.


    [social media disclaimer: irony and sarcasm may be used in some or all of user's posts; emoticon usage is intended to indicate moderately jocular social interaction; the comments toward users, their usernames, and the real people (living or dead) that they refer to are not intended to be adversarial in nature; those replying to this user are entering into a tacit agreement that they are real-life or social-media acquaintances and/or have agreed to or tacitly agreed to perpetrate occasional good-natured ribbing between and among themselves and others]

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  • jeponline
    jeponline Posts: 290
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    I read Meathead's book and browse AmazingRibs pretty often.  A large number of their recipes call for 2 zone cooking, but any reasonable cook can modify a recipe to work on egg or other kamado.

    In their quickness to dismiss kamados, I think they overlook the versatility and variety of cooking styles it allows a home cook to take advantage of with one cooker.
    Large BGE
    Huntsville, AL
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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,731
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    Why did they include a tandoor in the list/group?? 

    The BGE warranty (among other things) clinches it for me. Have folks who own other ceramic cookers had to make warranty claims, and how easily were they handled?

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • BYS1981
    BYS1981 Posts: 2,533
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    That page isn't loading for me
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  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
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    BYS1981 said:
    That page isn't loading for me
    the link is not correctly written. you have to delete the "http//" part in this case

    [social media disclaimer: irony and sarcasm may be used in some or all of user's posts; emoticon usage is intended to indicate moderately jocular social interaction; the comments toward users, their usernames, and the real people (living or dead) that they refer to are not intended to be adversarial in nature; those replying to this user are entering into a tacit agreement that they are real-life or social-media acquaintances and/or have agreed to or tacitly agreed to perpetrate occasional good-natured ribbing between and among themselves and others]

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  • BYS1981
    BYS1981 Posts: 2,533
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    I do 2 zone in XL with ease.
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  • bgeaddikt
    bgeaddikt Posts: 503
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    I can do 2 zones in a Mini-max. I dont see the need for 2 zones, seems like a biased kamado joe review =)
    Austin, Tx
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  • DieselkW
    DieselkW Posts: 894
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    I just went to the serious eats web page and found it from there.

    The article is not exactly "ranking" the various versions - yeah, they "like" being able to two zone a cook, so they gave a nod to Primo, and didn't seem to notice the much heralded "Divide and Conquer" from KJ.

    Surprising for me was the 1000 lb. Komodo monster for $5600 with a grill space for feeding armies.

    Is KJ better than BGE, or Primo, or whatever...

    Who cares? If I need two zones I'll use two grates. If I need to indirect and sear at the same time, I'll use a salt block. Their biggest complaint on the BGE was the "a la carte" pricing for ancillary items.

    Well, somebody's got to be the price leader, and someone has to set the standard. Had I seen a BGE and KJ and a Primo and whatever else side by side, I would likely have bought a BGE anyway - my local dealer sold me on it, in a way the sideshow guy at Costco (KJ) or the pool sales guy (Primo) could never have accomplished - chef JJ fed my wife and I possibly the best breakfast I've ever had, then he told us it was prepared 100% on an Egg. He doesn't have an oven, he doesn't have a stovetop, he doesn't have a smoker. He has a half dozen Eggs. He showed me how to light it, how to set the temp, how to clean it. Yeah, it costs a few hundred more than the KJ, which costs more than the Primo, but nothing sells me better than results.

    Sold. American Style. Better Mousetrap and all that. Sure, I might buy the KJ junior instead of a Mini, because I'm looking for a "to go" size.

    But I'm not second guessing my original purchase. My dealer is the best, and worth an extra 10% to have him close by.

    Indianapolis, IN

    BBQ is a celebration of culture in America. It is the closest thing we have to the wines and cheeses of Europe. 

    Drive a few hundred miles in any direction, and the experience changes dramatically. 



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  • egger ave
    egger ave Posts: 721
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    Broke a pizza stone more or less in half and cleaned it up with my tile saw. Found a 2 zone Weber Grill kit at a yard sale for $5.00 I have a two zone on my large BGE. 
    1 Large BGE, 1 Mini BGE, 1 Minimax BGE, Original wife and 3 dogs living in the heart of BBQ country in Round Rock Texas. 

    "The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it."

    Albert Einstein
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  • yljkt
    yljkt Posts: 799
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    caliking said:
    Why did they include a tandoor in the list/group?? 

    The BGE warranty (among other things) clinches it for me. Have folks who own other ceramic cookers had to make warranty claims, and how easily were they handled?
    Was that the thing that looked like a fire-proof trash can with wheels? 
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  • ryantt
    ryantt Posts: 2,532
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    This is the link. http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/06/best-kamado-big-green-egg-alternatives-smoker-grill-equipment-reviews.html
    XL BGE, KJ classic, Joe Jr, UDS x2 


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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    The thing that has always bugged me about SE and their take on charcoal cookers is that none of them have or have ever used anything but a kettle. Every "how to grill" article I have ever read there assumes the reader has a kettle. Not exactly where I'd go for advice on what ceramic cooker to buy.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • HeavyG
    HeavyG Posts: 10,349
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    caliking said:
    Why did they include a tandoor in the list/group?? 

    The BGE warranty (among other things) clinches it for me. Have folks who own other ceramic cookers had to make warranty claims, and how easily were they handled?
    Kamado Joe warranty is superior to BGE methinks.

    KJ will ship replacement parts right to your house free of charge in just a few days. Don't have to wait for a dealer to get a shipment in. BGE will send parts directly to you but you have to pay for shipping.
    “Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.” ― Philip K. Diçk




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  • DMW
    DMW Posts: 13,832
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    In case anyone is wondering why this review is so similar to that posted on amazingribs.com the author is Max Good, also a contributor and reviewer at Amazing Ribs.
    http://amazingribs.com/meathead/thanks.html

    They/Them
    Morgantown, PA

    XL BGE - S BGE - KJ Jr - HB Legacy - BS Pizza Oven - 30" Firepit - King Kooker Fryer -  PR72T - WSJ - BS 17" Griddle - XXL BGE  - BS SS36" Griddle - 2 Burner Gasser - Pellet Smoker
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  • tjv
    tjv Posts: 3,830
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    a vegan article, no meat with the potatoes.........

    t
    www.ceramicgrillstore.com ACGP, Inc.
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  • Mosca
    Mosca Posts: 456
    edited June 2016
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    If you have a dozen grills, like Meathead, you aren't really motivated to figure out how to do two zone cooking in your BGE.

    But if all you have is a BGE that you dropped $1000 on, you can be damn sure you'll figure out two zone cooking!


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  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 19,087
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    I can do tri-zone.
    A bison’s level of aggressiveness, both physical and passive, is legendary. - NPS
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  • tarheelmatt
    tarheelmatt Posts: 9,867
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    Ozzie_Isaac said:
    I can do tri-zone.
    L, M, MM
    ------------------------------
    Thomasville, NC
    My YouTube Channel - The Hungry Hussey
    Instagram
    Facebook
    My Photography Site
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  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 19,087
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    tarheelmatt said:
    Ozzie_Isaac said:
    I can do tri-zone.
    L, M, MM
    Yep.
    A bison’s level of aggressiveness, both physical and passive, is legendary. - NPS
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  • EGGjlmh
    EGGjlmh Posts: 816
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    HeavyG said:
    caliking said:
    Why did they include a tandoor in the list/group?? 

    The BGE warranty (among other things) clinches it for me. Have folks who own other ceramic cookers had to make warranty claims, and how easily were they handled?
    Kamado Joe warranty is superior to BGE methinks.

    KJ will ship replacement parts right to your house free of charge in just a few days. Don't have to wait for a dealer to get a shipment in. BGE will send parts directly to you but you have to pay for shipping.

    BGE sent me a warranty replacement to my house in a few days when my dealer wouldn't help

    1MBGE 2006, 1LBGE 2010, 1 Mini Max, Fathers Day 2015

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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
    edited June 2016
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    Carolina Q said:
    The thing that has always bugged me about SE and their take on charcoal cookers is that none of them have or have ever used anything but a kettle. Every "how to grill" article I have ever read there assumes the reader has a kettle. Not exactly where I'd go for advice on what ceramic cooker to buy.
    This was done through Max at amazing ribs. He tests every cooker on the planet. He loves primo and kamodo kamodo because of the shape. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • Acn
    Acn Posts: 4,424
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    jeponline said:
    I read Meathead's book and browse AmazingRibs pretty often.  A large number of their recipes call for 2 zone cooking, but any reasonable cook can modify a recipe to work on egg or other kamado.

    In their quickness to dismiss kamados, I think they overlook the versatility and variety of cooking styles it allows a home cook to take advantage of with one cooker.
    I don't think they're quick to dismiss kamados at all.  It calls out things they're very good at, and mentions things that amazing ribs thinks it could be better at.  

    I know we're all on some level of kool-aid consumption,  but ultimately the appeal of the BGE is that it does a lot of things very well, but really isn't the best at anything.

    LBGE

    Pikesville, MD

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  • HeavyG
    HeavyG Posts: 10,349
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    Acn said:
    jeponline said:
    I read Meathead's book and browse AmazingRibs pretty often.  A large number of their recipes call for 2 zone cooking, but any reasonable cook can modify a recipe to work on egg or other kamado.

    In their quickness to dismiss kamados, I think they overlook the versatility and variety of cooking styles it allows a home cook to take advantage of with one cooker.
    I don't think they're quick to dismiss kamados at all.  It calls out things they're very good at, and mentions things that amazing ribs thinks it could be better at.  

    I know we're all on some level of kool-aid consumption,  but ultimately the appeal of the BGE is that it does a lot of things very well, but really isn't the best at anything.
    The AmazingRibs crew has changed their thinking about kamados in the last couple years. It used to be that they were more or less indifferent to kamados.

    They have come around to appreciating that they are a good choice for an all-around cooker. 
    “Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.” ― Philip K. Diçk




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  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
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    Well you have to try both the Primo and the BGE side by side. I have. Love my MBGE, it is a fantastic cooker and was my first kamado, had pizza on it tonight. Also have a Primo Large Oval 300, which is also an excellent cooker. For my needs it is excellent - enough space to cook indirect and direct at the same time, something I missed on the MBGE. 
    The biggest difference between the two companies is their sponsored forums. This forum has frank, open, honest (and sometimes ridiculously off topic) discussions where you can always learn something. Members can usually say what they want and help is always just a click away. Primo has an over moderated forum where the company message is the reason for the forum and the lion's share of posts are actually the moderators. I've learned more about Primo thru folks on the BGE forum than I have on the Primo forum. BGE, still #1 in my mind. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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  • jeponline
    jeponline Posts: 290
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    HeavyG said:
    Acn said:
    jeponline said:
    I read Meathead's book and browse AmazingRibs pretty often.  A large number of their recipes call for 2 zone cooking, but any reasonable cook can modify a recipe to work on egg or other kamado.

    In their quickness to dismiss kamados, I think they overlook the versatility and variety of cooking styles it allows a home cook to take advantage of with one cooker.
    I don't think they're quick to dismiss kamados at all.  It calls out things they're very good at, and mentions things that amazing ribs thinks it could be better at.  

    I know we're all on some level of kool-aid consumption,  but ultimately the appeal of the BGE is that it does a lot of things very well, but really isn't the best at anything.
    The AmazingRibs crew has changed their thinking about kamados in the last couple years. It used to be that they were more or less indifferent to kamados.

    They have come around to appreciating that they are a good choice for an all-around cooker. 
    My impression has been that they would never recommend a Kamado, but rather a grill that makes 2 zones easier or a straight up smoker, they really like Weber products. 

    That being said we all get to make our own decisions, and I've learned a ton about how to cook meat from AmazingRibs and am a huge fan of the site and glad I bought the book since I use it regularly as a reference. 
    Large BGE
    Huntsville, AL
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  • SkySaw
    SkySaw Posts: 656
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    I enjoy Amazingribs, but I think Meathead is partly responsible for two false memes about ceramic cookers. First, he claims that they are difficult to operate because if you overshoot the temperature, the stability of ceramic cookers makes it very difficult to get back down to target temp. The truth is that an overshoot is no problem unless you allow the cooker to sit at that higher temp for 30 minutes or more. It's basically a non-issue.

    The other meme Meathead talks about is that ceramic cookers choke the fire, leading to dirty, sooty smoke.  A ceramic cooker is only choking the fire when you close the vents down on a hotter fire. Sure,if you are cooking away at 400º and close the vents down to a level that supports a 250º fire, you are choking that fire until it becomes stable at 250º. Regardless of the temp you get your ceramic cooker stabilized at, smell the smoke, or try the food; it doesn't taste or smell like bad smoke or soot because the size of the fire was a function of the amount of oxygen it was getting. That fire is being fed all the oxygen it needs, and is not being choked.

    I suspect Meathead knows all this, as well as that 2-zone cooking can be achieved in just about any ceramic cooker. I just think ceramic cookers aren't his thing. 
    https://plantbasedbbq.wordpress.com
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