Komado Joe at Costco (pics)

thailandjohn

They are Komodo Joes....I was very impressed with quality and price.....included are several extras....my next ceramic cooker will be the Komado Joe 24" model to go with my current XL Egg I really liked the hinge on the 24" model Komado Joe will be doing roadshow sales all around the country at Costco's

FATC1TY

I really want a minimax, but I tell ya.. that XL joe is solid.

I really like the Black and Red ( Go Dawgs ), but their nests, stands, and hinges are far nicer than BGE.

r8rs4lf

If I see that joe jr. at my local costco I'm going to buy it. Basically now it comes down to which I see first. The maxx or the joe jr.

HDumptyEsq

How much is a Joe Jr?

BYS1981

Haha, 2 years ago medium eggs "mysteriously" arrived at Costco around the country, but the company supposedly didn't honor the warranties. They should have sold large or XL, and honorees the warranties to get the exposure.

thailandjohn

Not sure of the Jr but the XL is $1149.99 and the L was $749.00, both include many extras....call their main office in Georgia and they will tell you what Costco's will be having the road show

HDumptyEsq

@thailandjohn. Wilco

Legume

I stopped by the Ceramic Grill Store once and Tom gave me five reasons in ten minutes why KJ is better than BGE. I would agree the hinge and the nest appear to be better design. I can't keep the springs hooked up on my XL, they might as well not be there.

thailandjohn

I see you are from Austin....I saw on their computer they are having a road show there this year

Legume

One is enough for me for now, but I will definitely look into everything avail when the time comes. I think what I really need is a reducing ring from CGS to be able to scale down the XL.

thailandjohn

I have the reducing ring and I find very handy

BuckeyeBob

I'm just curious but why come on a board sponsored by BGE and give the big sales pitch for the Kamado? I'm not a BGE snob and don't personally care what cooker anyone uses. I just don't think this is the right venue.

Legume

If you're referring to my comments, I'm not pushing it. Just referencing a conversation I had in a store that sells, among other things, KJs and well made accessories for BGE. No kool-aide here in either direction.

Lit

@Legume‌ if your springs are coming off you need to flip them. One way they hook from the top and the other the bottom and I forget which is right but I know one way they came off and the other they didn't.

FearlessTheEggNoob

Indeed. Lets discuss beer...or raccoon removal.

3:-O Eat Mor Chikin!

Legume

@Lit thanks! I picked mine up assembled and haven't really messed with it too much. Still have a Rutland gasket from RRP that I bought weeks ago and need to install, so I'll take a look at the springs then. I guess that will be the end of my arm workouts

Ladeback69

Costco must be selling them at a lot lower cost. The dealer near me wanted $1800 for a 24" with a nest and side tables. They are also 45 minutes away, my egg dealer is only 3 miles away from me and $300 cheaper. What is the warranty on the KJ?

Eggcelsior

Hmmm... I might consider it if my local Costco gets them since the money won't go directly to KJ.

Kosko

I bet Kamado joes customer service is no where near BGE customer service!

bboulier

I really like my medium BGE, cooking on it 3 or 4 times per week.  But, I really like the design and features of the Kamado Joe.  The price of the Classic (equivalent in size to the large BGE) is about the same as the medium Egg.  If I were to start anew, I would probably get the KJ Classic.

Gogogordy

BuckeyeBob said:

I'm just curious but why come on a board sponsored by BGE and give the big sales pitch for the Kamado? I'm not a BGE snob and don't personally care what cooker anyone uses. I just don't think this is the right venue.

Nobody's trolling here. Competition is good for the consumer. Despite this being a BGE forum, the admin of this site would be foolish to deny the existence of competition or ability to discuss it here. In fact they discuss theBGE on the KJ forum (much lesser a forum) and thats how capitalism works. There are lots of great products in every market, BGE and KJ are likely the premier Kamados these days....unless of course you own a Primo, or Akorn, or Visions etc. Point being, this is like a big cocktail party, and the conversation kind of goes where it goes.

BuckeyeBob

Again, I don't have an issue with the discussion or when there is a mention of another cooker. I just think it's a little odd to have the whole thread including the title focused on pushing the competing cooker. No question that competition is good or even any hint about the admin denying competition. I just don't think a BGE hosted and sponsored forum is the right place to shill the competing cookers. Just my very humble opinion.

Gogogordy

I see your point, but as I see it (and I could be wrong) this forum is provided as a value added service to People who enjoy BBQ and cooking, and centers around but is not limited to the BGE products. Everyone here has a different story, and different path leading to their BGE ownership. Many of us are SKO's....Serial Kamado Owners who have product from different manufacturers. There are plenty of discussions about sous vide, competing lumps (BGE often fares poorly in THIS discussion) and any number of other non-related and BGE competitive subjects. Like I say, as the host of a forum in this internet age, restricting (voluntarily or not) the content of the discussions makes it less of a forum, and more just another form of advertising....not a true exchange of ideas. Since the host of this forum has a vested interest in further their brand, and market-share the wisest thing they could do is use what WE discuss here, to continue to refine their products, marketing plans, and consider this a focus group...thats exactly what it is.

cookingdude555

People tend to get upset when talk of other cookers comes up. I am not sure why, it just does. I think competion, and that includes talk of competition in any form, is great.

thailandjohn

Gogogordy....you express my view exactly......I did not start this post to promote the Kamado...a friend of mind purchased one yesterday at Costco so I went by Costco to check them out...as someone that has purchased 3 XL Eggs (1 for myself and 1 for each of my sons) I certainly like the BGE, however if I make another Ceramic cooker purchase, it would be the XL Komodo....the quality looks superb and it comes with many items that are extras on the BGE

CGW1

Well for what it's worth, being a dealer for 3 brands of kamados, BGE, GD & KJ. I see pros and cons in all the brands. Some folks want to be educated while others come in knowing exactly what they want. My only concern about the KJ brand is the fact that it's being sold in big box stores. I feel that the level of expertise is diminished at these types of stores. Hopefully this will be short lived and the folks at KJ do what BGE does. Just my 2 cents.

SmokyBear

bboulier said:

I really like my medium BGE, cooking on it 3 or 4 times per week.  But, I really like the design and features of the Kamado Joe.  The price of the Classic (equivalent in size to the large BGE) is about the same as the medium Egg.  If I were to start anew, I would probably get the KJ Classic.

Funny..I have a KJ (Classic) and was actually considering selling it and getting a Medium BGE!  The only thing that keeps me from doing that is how high in the dome I can get spatchcock chick and pizza on my CGS AR which makes both come out awesome!

No doubt the hardware on a KJ is better than BGE's..better spring, gasket, nest, tables, handle, "divide and conquer" cooking grid and pull out ash drawer.  It's a fine piece of gear, AND cheaper to boot.  That said, I often wish I had just bought a MBGE as I was originally considering as the KJ is just too big for our use (2 people)..

If KJ ever came out with a Medium size, that'd be a killer grill.

SmokyBear

Also..while they've been great to work with (for the most part), KJ is still a pretty small company and they seem to get overloaded easily.  Customer service still seems pretty good - but there are constant delays in getting the products they announce (eg: BBQ Wizard, Divide & Conquer) to market..and from the outside looking in they seem to not entirely have their stuff together at times..

Nice people, but definite growing pains and adding Costco to the mix probably ain't gonna help that part of things one bit..

Gogogordy

CGW1 said:

Well for what it's worth, being a dealer for 3 brands of kamados, BGE, GD & KJ. I see pros and cons in all the brands. Some folks want to be educated while others come in knowing exactly what they want. My only concern about the KJ brand is the fact that it's being sold in big box stores. I feel that the level of expertise is diminished at these types of stores. Hopefully this will be short lived and the folks at KJ do what BGE does. Just my 2 cents.

Well, the assumption is if youre shopping at Costco for expensive ceramic grills you're probably over 21 and inasmuch able to make a decision such as this...(we arent talking mortgages or retirement plans here). Im not sure what "level of expertise" you refer to, but since you are a KJ and other Kamado dealer this could be considered competition to your retail business and I get that. So your statement is likely motivated by yet another vested interest....youll be competing with Costco, clearly an 800 lb gorillla of retail, for Kamado sales for a period. From the consumers standpoint though, anything being sold through Costco, which is at the top of the food-chain in the big box store category, is a product of the highest quality (or they wouldnt sell it, and stand behind it) and with one of the best return/exchange/warranty policies in retail. In short, Costco selling a particular product, any product automatically has a halo of good mo-jo surrounding it if only for Costco's reputation to make its customers satisfied, basically regardless.

Charcoal_Addict

Most of the growing pains seem to be under control. I think KJ was a bit too ambitious this year and had too many new products going on at once. Hopefully they pace themselves better in 2015. The Costco exposure will be great.

jonnymack

Hey I love my BGE but would consider anything that makes the best food.  I'm curious what the people who have used both consider are the pluses and minuses to KJ and BGE.  What's the biggest draw to KJ's that would make me consider not getting an new BGE if needed?

I don't think there is anything wrong with this discussion whatsoever.  Nobody's here saying BGE sucks, just pointing out a relevant item to the ceramic cooking gurus here.