Knock off kamados

TheToast

What’s the verdict on other brands of kamado? My neighbour is envious and asked for advice on the ALDI version - which is a third the price of a BGE in the uk and sells out every year. I’m sure it’s not as good but if it’s 70% as good it’s prob worth it. 

https://www.aldi.co.uk/gardenline-kamado-ceramic-egg-bbq/p/710081460879600

cookingdude555

I’d say it’s worth the risk. 

WeberWho

For 1/3 the price you're right around the big box store gas grill prices. I wouldn't treat it much different than your typical gas grill. If it lasts 3-4 years I'd call it success. 

HeavyG

I'd say the significant difference between all the kamado brands is what happens when something cracks/breaks.

Cooking-wise I don't believe there is any real difference between any of them.

TheToast

Useful to know. Thanks everyone 

caliking

As mentioned above, the warranty makes a difference. They all cook pretty much the same, because there’s only so much that fuel and oxygen can impact the cook. 

Heck, one could even build a kamado style cooker with a couple of large flower pots.  But, may make more sense to grab the Aldi version. 

Don’t count on the Aldi forum being nearly as entertaining, though

RyanStl

I would rather get a used BGE, which is what I did. If you are patient you can find some good deals.

beteez

RyanStl said:

I would rather get a used BGE, which is what I did. If you are patient you can find some good deals.

You are going against the biggest argument to get the egg, the warranty. I got a classic Joe full warranty & divide and conquer for $700. The Classic 3 is up to BGE prices, but you do get the gasket upgrade and vortex.

ColbyLang

beteez said:

RyanStl said:

I would rather get a used BGE, which is what I did. If you are patient you can find some good deals.

You are going against the biggest argument to get the egg, the warranty. I got a classic Joe full warranty & divide and conquer for $700. The Classic 3 is up to BGE prices, but you do get the gasket upgrade and vortex.

This. I know 2 different family members that did the exact same thing. $700 for a Lg Joe. No looking back. I’d buy a knock off for the deer lease, use it 6-8 times a season and be satisfied I didn’t spend an arm and a leg to get it (especially if it broke)

CPFC1905

The Aldi one is like hen's teeth. They sell out in minutes.  
To be fair, the cost of BGE or KJ is prohibitive when most UK BBQ-ists would get a touch of the seconds at £300 for a gasser.  
Do you follow James Buckley on YouTube?  Not only is he far more personable than you would assume (no that's wrong, I assumed) based solely on The Inbetweeners, but he does some great cooks on a Weber and recently a Traeger.  
I would point fellow Brits to the Hellzar Yama, but they're coming in at 600 notes.  Still fancy one though despite no temp gauge and the handle getting hot. 

HeavyG

RyanStl said:

I would rather get a used BGE, which is what I did. If you are patient you can find some good deals.

I'm betting that the used marketplace for a BGE in the UK is not near as vigorous as in the US. Might be waiting a long time for a good used BGE in the UK.

Hub

I've had a few different ones.  The Blaze Kamado blows them all away, in my humble opinion.  Ain't nothing ever going to crack, and the little things make the difference.

CPFC1905

HeavyG said:

RyanStl said:

I would rather get a used BGE, which is what I did. If you are patient you can find some good deals.

I'm betting that the used marketplace for a BGE in the UK is not near as vigorous as in the US. Might be waiting a long time for a good used BGE in the UK.

Virtually no second-hand market yet. Quick look on Ebay, no Eggs at all. 

RRP

Hub said:

I've had a few different ones.  The Blaze Kamado blows them all away, in my humble opinion.  Ain't nothing ever going to crack, and the little things make the difference.

Had never heard of that aluminum Blaze. A few years back there was another metal kamado being made from cast iron. The company contacted me. I don't recall the name, nor ever heard of it again. 

I did get a kick out of the Blaze video putting several slugs through their cooker...if that's what you like to be able to do to show off after a few beers with your buddies! Yup, a BGE couldn't withstand all those shots like the Blaze! LOL

HeavyG

RRP said:

Hub said:

I've had a few different ones.  The Blaze Kamado blows them all away, in my humble opinion.  Ain't nothing ever going to crack, and the little things make the difference.

Had never heard of that aluminum Blaze. A few years back there was another metal kamado being made from cast iron. The company contacted me. I don't recall the name, nor ever heard of it again. 

I did get a kick out of the Blaze video putting several slugs through their cooker...if that's what you like to be able to do to show off after a few beers with your buddies! Yup, a BGE couldn't withstand all those shots like the Blaze! LOL

The cast iron kamado you're talking about is probably the Golden's. They are still around and folks seem to love them. Like the Blaze there are some advantages over all the ceramic makes.

https://www.goldenscastiron.com/kamado-grills/

RRP

HeavyG said:

RRP said:

Hub said:

I've had a few different ones.  The Blaze Kamado blows them all away, in my humble opinion.  Ain't nothing ever going to crack, and the little things make the difference.

Had never heard of that aluminum Blaze. A few years back there was another metal kamado being made from cast iron. The company contacted me. I don't recall the name, nor ever heard of it again. 

I did get a kick out of the Blaze video putting several slugs through their cooker...if that's what you like to be able to do to show off after a few beers with your buddies! Yup, a BGE couldn't withstand all those shots like the Blaze! LOL

The cast iron kamado you're talking about is probably the Golden's. They are still around and folks seem to love them. Like the Blaze there are some advantages over all the ceramic makes.

https://www.goldenscastiron.com/kamado-grills/

Yes, Sir! That is the product! 

GrateEggspectations

If I was to do it again, I’d go Blaze in a heartbeat. I’ve read two distinct downsides to the Blaze relative to ceramics: i) less efficient, and ii) they get crazy hot. Even so, I think the advantages (e.g., durability, no parts that will crack, etc.) would steer me to get one.

And really, who doesn’t want to cook on a rocket ship?

Hub

I had also consider Goldens cast iron model.  It was a close second to the Blaze.  I don't plan to drop my kamado off of a loading dock or blast it with a shotgun, but I do like that I don't have to worry about cracks.  I also love that I can add lump during the cook, and the removable plug for temperature probes.  The only thing I don't like is the place setter.  It is flat and without legs, so picking it up off a flat surface can be difficult.

nolaegghead

Cast iron is brittle and can crack/shatter like ceramic.  Just takes more force.

Ozzie_Isaac

nolaegghead said:

Cast iron is brittle and can crack/shatter like ceramic.  Just takes more force.

There is such a thing as "Ductile Cast Iron" which had improved impact resistance and fatigue resistance due to nodular graphite.  Hence the other moniker nodular cast iron.

nolaegghead

Ozzie_Isaac said:

nolaegghead said:

Cast iron is brittle and can crack/shatter like ceramic.  Just takes more force.

There is such a thing as "Ductile Cast Iron" which had improved impact resistance and fatigue resistance due to nodular graphite.  Hence the other moniker nodular cast iron.

Leave out most of the carbon that makes iron "cast iron" (from 2-3% carbon) to below 0.5%, and you increase ductility and reduce fractures.  I think they call that "cast steel". 

Ozzie_Isaac

nolaegghead said:

Ozzie_Isaac said:

nolaegghead said:

Cast iron is brittle and can crack/shatter like ceramic.  Just takes more force.

There is such a thing as "Ductile Cast Iron" which had improved impact resistance and fatigue resistance due to nodular graphite.  Hence the other moniker nodular cast iron.

Leave out most of the carbon that makes iron "cast iron" (from 2-3% carbon) to below 0.5%, and you increase ductility and reduce fractures.  I think they call that "cast steel". 

Yes, cast steel would be a good option.  I think there is probably a market for a unit machined out of a large billet.  I am sure a competent marking team could sell it.

RRP

Ozzie_Isaac said:

Yes, cast steel would be a good option.  I think there is probably a market for a unit machined out of a large billet. 

I don’t suppose you could recommend a big yellow tractor company that might want to give that idea a try do you?

Ozzie_Isaac

RRP said:

Ozzie_Isaac said:

Yes, cast steel would be a good option.  I think there is probably a market for a unit machined out of a large billet. 

I don’t suppose you could recommend a big yellow tractor company that might want to give that idea a try do you?

Woooooo, you are a gentleman and a scholar!  Badging a grill with CAT would be epic, you could mark that thing up like crazy!!

Eoin

nolaegghead said:

Ozzie_Isaac said:

nolaegghead said:

Cast iron is brittle and can crack/shatter like ceramic.  Just takes more force.

There is such a thing as "Ductile Cast Iron" which had improved impact resistance and fatigue resistance due to nodular graphite.  Hence the other moniker nodular cast iron.

Leave out most of the carbon that makes iron "cast iron" (from 2-3% carbon) to below 0.5%, and you increase ductility and reduce fractures.  I think they call that "cast steel". 

Nodular is a cooler word though.

SonVolt

HeavyG said:

RRP said:

Hub said:

I've had a few different ones.  The Blaze Kamado blows them all away, in my humble opinion.  Ain't nothing ever going to crack, and the little things make the difference.

Had never heard of that aluminum Blaze. A few years back there was another metal kamado being made from cast iron. The company contacted me. I don't recall the name, nor ever heard of it again. 

I did get a kick out of the Blaze video putting several slugs through their cooker...if that's what you like to be able to do to show off after a few beers with your buddies! Yup, a BGE couldn't withstand all those shots like the Blaze! LOL

The cast iron kamado you're talking about is probably the Golden's. They are still around and folks seem to love them. Like the Blaze there are some advantages over all the ceramic makes.

https://www.goldenscastiron.com/kamado-grills/

If only they made an equivalent XL size I'd be all over it. 

nolaegghead

Eoin said:

nolaegghead said:

Ozzie_Isaac said:

nolaegghead said:

Cast iron is brittle and can crack/shatter like ceramic.  Just takes more force.

There is such a thing as "Ductile Cast Iron" which had improved impact resistance and fatigue resistance due to nodular graphite.  Hence the other moniker nodular cast iron.

Leave out most of the carbon that makes iron "cast iron" (from 2-3% carbon) to below 0.5%, and you increase ductility and reduce fractures.  I think they call that "cast steel". 

Nodular is a cooler word though.

Sure, if you think the things they surgically remove from various internal body parts translates well to iron.

Eoin

nolaegghead said:

Eoin said:

nolaegghead said:

Ozzie_Isaac said:

nolaegghead said:

Cast iron is brittle and can crack/shatter like ceramic.  Just takes more force.

There is such a thing as "Ductile Cast Iron" which had improved impact resistance and fatigue resistance due to nodular graphite.  Hence the other moniker nodular cast iron.

Leave out most of the carbon that makes iron "cast iron" (from 2-3% carbon) to below 0.5%, and you increase ductility and reduce fractures.  I think they call that "cast steel". 

Nodular is a cooler word though.

Sure, if you think the things they surgically remove from various internal body parts translates well to iron.

I'm not a medic, so CI comes to mind first when using 'nodular'.

nolaegghead

Eoin said:

nolaegghead said:

Eoin said:

nolaegghead said:

Ozzie_Isaac said:

nolaegghead said:

Cast iron is brittle and can crack/shatter like ceramic.  Just takes more force.

There is such a thing as "Ductile Cast Iron" which had improved impact resistance and fatigue resistance due to nodular graphite.  Hence the other moniker nodular cast iron.

Leave out most of the carbon that makes iron "cast iron" (from 2-3% carbon) to below 0.5%, and you increase ductility and reduce fractures.  I think they call that "cast steel". 

Nodular is a cooler word though.

Sure, if you think the things they surgically remove from various internal body parts translates well to iron.

I'm not a medic, so CI comes to mind first when using 'nodular'.

I'm just being difficult.  Rough day = churlish behavior.

Ozzie_Isaac

nolaegghead said:

Eoin said:

nolaegghead said:

Eoin said:

nolaegghead said:

Ozzie_Isaac said:

nolaegghead said:

Cast iron is brittle and can crack/shatter like ceramic.  Just takes more force.

There is such a thing as "Ductile Cast Iron" which had improved impact resistance and fatigue resistance due to nodular graphite.  Hence the other moniker nodular cast iron.

Leave out most of the carbon that makes iron "cast iron" (from 2-3% carbon) to below 0.5%, and you increase ductility and reduce fractures.  I think they call that "cast steel". 

Nodular is a cooler word though.

Sure, if you think the things they surgically remove from various internal body parts translates well to iron.

I'm not a medic, so CI comes to mind first when using 'nodular'.

I'm just being difficult.  Rough day = churlish behavior.

Churlish or childish?

nolaegghead

Yes