Kamado grills command interest, if not curious admiration. Whether an intrigued shopper or lucky cookout invitee, most people remember their first one: the peculiar ovoid silhouette, impeccable ceramic finish (alternatively, the resilient metallic shell), and many promises of grilling grandeur. To name a few? Incredible heat retention. Evocative smoky flavor. Remarkable fuel efficiency. Exceptional cooking versatility. As the culmination of thousands of years of earthenware grilling history, the curious kamado grill is a celebration of clay and ceramic cooking.

Big Green Egg remains the biggest name in the kamado world. Kamado Joe, meanwhile, has built its reputation as one of the category's most innovative brands. Inevitably, these two heavy-hitters are often pitted against one another, not without good reason! Each has carved out a strong reputation for customer service, quality products, and great workmanship. Both brands build a truly outstanding ceramic kamado. If you're in the market for one, we're confident that you'll be satisfied with either choice. That said, for all their great similarities? In many ways, they couldn't possibly be more different.

The Big Green Egg - Things to Know

  • Kamado grills haven't stopped evolving since Big Green Egg Founder Ed Fisher began importing his models from Japan in the mid-70s. Innovations such as oval shaped cooking chambers, split-level cooking systems, and all-new materials like cast aluminum have pushed cooking performance to new heights. Many brands are still developing new accessories that completely change the way kamados cook, creating more versatility than ever before.

    Learn More About Big Green Egg

How Do Their Cooking Systems Compare?

Big Green Egg: Time-Tested Simplicity

Big Green Egg's packages bundle the kamado base with a few useful extras (a grate lifter, full-moon heat deflector, and a starter supply of lump charcoal), which narrows the price difference against a comparably equipped Kamado Joe once you add a nest or table. The grill itself keeps things classic. Current Eggs ship with the rEGGulator vent cap for weather-resistant temperature control, a high-temperature gasket, and a spring-assisted hinge that helps you raise the heavy ceramic lid. Where the Egg stands out is its deep, well-loved accessory catalog, and it's easier to reach than it used to be: the EGGspander system, rotisserie, pizza gear, and replacement parts are all available online now.

The Skinny

  • Single-level cooking system included
  • High-temperature gasket seals the dome
  • Spring-assisted hinge helps lift the heavy lid
  • EGGspander multi-level system sold separately
  • Deep accessory catalog, including app-connected thermometers

Kamado Joe: The Value in Versatility

Kamado Joe wants a griller to have everything they need as soon as the box arrives. Standard in the core package is the Divide and Conquer flexible rack system: modular, half-moon components for staggered grilling heights, indirect heat, and real versatility. Extra components are widely available, along with add-ons like the JoeTisserie and DoJoe pizza oven. The kamados keep innovating, too: the interlocking AMP firebox flexes with the heat instead of cracking, and the Konnected Joe adds WiFi app control and one-touch fire starting.

The Skinny

  • Multi-level Divide and Conquer cooking system included
  • Wide range of high-value accessories, including the JoeTisserie and DoJoe pizza oven
  • Wire mesh fiberglass gasket delivers a durable, airtight seal
  • Air Lift Hinge removes up to 96% of dome-lid weight
  • AMP firebox resists cracking under high heat, and the cast-aluminum Kontrol Tower vent holds its setting and keeps rain out
  • Konnected Joe option adds WiFi app control and automatic fire starting

Shop Kamado Joe Grills

What's In The Box?

For this comparison, we scrutinized the base package you can reasonably expect standard with any kamado offered by either brand. Note that while Kamado Joe offers additional features and accessories on their larger sizes, authorized Big Green Egg packages do not change between models.

Big Green Egg versus Kamado Joe

Big Green Egg Kamado Joe
Cooking System Levels 1 2 to 3
Grates Stainless steel Stainless steel (half-moon)
Deflector Plates Ceramic Ceramic (half-moon)
Fire Ring Ceramic Stainless steel
Fire Pot Ceramic (single) Ceramic AMP firebox (interlocking panels)
Fire Grate Cast iron (perforated) Stainless steel charcoal basket
Top Vent (Cover) rEGGulator vent cap (metal) Cast aluminum Kontrol Tower top
Bottom Vent (Cover) Stainless steel door, mesh screen wall Stainless steel door, removable ash drawer
Gasket Material Silicone (high-temperature) Wire mesh fiberglass
Ceramic Lid Hinge Spring-loaded assisted Air lift
Lid Lock No Yes (stainless steel latch)
Cooking Rack No Yes
Smart / App Control Optional (app-connected thermometer accessory) Optional (Konnected Joe: built-in WiFi and auto-ignition)

Which Came First: The Kamado or the Egg?

Maybe the best place to end our comparison is, well, the start. Though both companies started during a time of uncertain economic turmoil, their origins differ wildly. What's the story behind Big Green Egg? What added value did Kamado Joe expect to bring the industry? Who founded both companies, and how do their philosophies differ?

Big Green Egg

Ed Fisher wasn't the first to spot the potential of the mushikamado, but he may have tried the hardest. During the mid-70s recession, he began importing the cookers to his Atlanta storefront and selling them by word of mouth, then painted his own green once he entered private manufacturing in the 1990s. Big Green Egg has been a "do it once, do it right" brand ever since: the package rarely changes, and it speaks for itself.

People come together to cook, and they share their food with each other, along with their recipes and techniques. The Egg fosters a sense of sharing that creates community, and that is what matters to me.
Ed Fisher, Founder
Atlanta Magazine interview, May 2015

Kamado Joe

Kamado Joe launched in 2009, mid-recession, chasing one goal: build the best ceramic grill money can buy. Co-founders Bobby Brennan and Kerry Coker left corporate careers in German manufacturing to chase their dream of "grilling on the Ferrari," then backed it with constant, feedback-driven innovation. More than 15 years later, they're still nudging the hobby forward and still refusing to settle for "good enough."

Grilling for me is therapy. It's so much more than enjoying good food… Soon as I strike that match and light that grill, I'm taken to a whole different place.
Bobby Brennan, Co-Founder
Shire Smokers BBQ interview, May 2017

Final Considerations

Fighting the good fight from the start, Big Green Egg is indisputably an excellent charcoal kamado manufacturer; we have a great deal of respect for them. Their track record needs no introduction, decades of success, a passionate fan culture, and a sterling reputation for quality. With that said, Kamado Joe has strongly proven themselves a contender for the kamado crown this past decade. Their overall philosophy similarly speaks for itself: commitment to innovation, incredible value, and industry-shaking ideas brought to execution. We said it at the start, both brands build an outstanding kamado grill, guaranteed to satisfy just about any griller.

If you want a rock-solid ceramic kamado backed by decades of pedigree and one of the most passionate followings in grilling, any Big Green Egg will make you happy. With app-connected thermometers and a catalog that's now available online, the Egg has kept pace with the times more than it often gets credit for. However, if you want a truly innovating kamado that redefines the best of the grilling experience? Well, it's hard to ignore the excellent selection of kamados, accessories, and overall incredible versatility that Kamado Joe has on offer, even from opening their base packages.

For any questions about Big Green Egg, Kamado Joe, or any kamado out there, our awesome phone center representatives are waiting to answer your call. Give them a ring at 1-877-743-2269.