Kamado Joe Kettle Joe 22-Inch Charcoal Kettle Grill - KJ15040320

Have done about 6 cooks on this kettle and the flaws and corner cutting in design have started to show through. The biggest issue is ash management, the thin, shallow ash collector warps and melts after extended exposure to the hot coals falling on it and becomes full quickly snuffing out your coals and stalling your cook. Would have liked to have seen a flanged ash basket with a handle fully utilizing the deep well of the kettle and tighter spacing on the ash basket bottom to prevent smaller chunks from falling through. As stated by others this thing leaks air pretty badly and you will lose a good bit of your unused charcoal after you close your dampers. I have added high temp seals on the lid and slo-roller attachments and that helped but the top and bottom air vents are still the weak links in the seal. That said it does do a good job of keeping the temps up and stable with the ceramic inserts and basic grilling is great. I would like to see Kamado joe step up and revise the ash pan issues (warranty ticket already submitted, reach out if you want to work on this together), focus on releasing accessories i.e., rotisserie, charcoal divider for better dual zone cooking, and maybe even a pizza oven option.

4 users found this review helpful

Be warned, this is not a ceramic smoker, not even close! I had too high expectations when I bought this. I've had the Kettle for about a year now. For the first 2 month's I hated it and thought I wasted my money. Out of the box temperature control was impossible. With the top and bottom vents closed it would heat up to between 400 to 450 (depending on the charcoal load) and burn until out of charcoal (about 4 to 5 hours). My old kettle that I paid 1/3rd for controlled the temperature better. However, with some experience and the addition an aftermarket part, I am much happier with it. I added a felt gasket to the lid and the bottom of the sloroller. An incredible improvement!!! Still not equivalent to a ceramic Joe but I can now control the temperature (smoke as low as 175 and I've run it for 12 hours on a super full basket). With the gasket installed, when I close all the vents the charcoal will extinguish. However, it is very sensitive to the ambient temperature. In cool weather I'm lucky to get 9 hours on an over full charcoal load. But, it isn't a ceramic smoker. Kamado Joe really needs to provide an upgrade to improve the sealing of the lid. This would only make their product exponentially better. If they can have students from MIT design the sloroller they surely KJ can design/provide some sort of gasket for the Kettle Joe. Despite the initial frustration I do think this is better than a Weber kettle and worth the additional cost. With a gasket added, it uses much less charcoal than a Weber, controls temperature better, and with the sloroller is a much better smoker. Without a gasket, mine was glorified patio heater. The stand and the folding side tables are excellent! When compared to the Weber Performer, the Kettle Joe is a much better option. The one area the Kettle is not at the same level as the Weber kettle is the porcelain coating. This maybe that mine was one of the initial run (the inside of my base is red). It arrived in excellent shape but I have noticed more and more chips on the rim/edges of the lid and sloroller. It's not to the point of putting in a claim yet but it will get there soon. Also, be warned… you'll need to figure out a place to store your sloroller when not in use. It will not fit underneath and gets rather filthy with grease and creosote. Not a huge deal but something that you don't have to deal with on the ceramic smokers (Classic/Big III) The ash tray is junk. I've already but a claim in for the original. Mine warped and was burn though. It's literally slightly thicker than a beer can. If full, you'll literally bend it trying to remove it from the base. This needs to be improved by Kamado Joe! If they made it to the same standard as the ceramics that would fix the issues! The hinge is good but not really good. I'm being really picky on that one, it does it's job and works. Switching from the sloroller to without takes a bit of practice but once you figure out what works, it's easy. Kamado Joe's Warranty claim process is fantastic. They are fast and I received my replacement ash tray in about a week from initial contact to delivery at my door. I've had a few friends ask me if they should buy a Kettle or Ceramic (Classic/Big). My advice was if all you want is a kettle that will control temp very well, do medium length smokes on a single load, and use less charcoal, go with the Kettle Joe. If you want a ceramic smoker buy a ceramic smoker (Classic/Big); the Kettle Joe is not a ceramic smoker. That said, if I were to have a redo, I would have gone with a Classic. I give the Kettle Joe a 3.5/5 as it is sold today. If Kamado Joe would provide a gasket update to improve the seal, it would be a 4.5/5. If they improve the durability of the porcelain and ash tray, it would be 5/5.

6 users found this review helpful

I am a Weber kettle lover. I see this as an upgrade from the stand to the ceramic fire box and hinged dome but compared to a Weber when you close the vents the fire goes out and you have charcoal leftover with the Kamado Joe Kettle it leaks so much air the fire burns overnight I purchased a gasket and installed on the lid and done vent

2 users found this review helpful

Received this as a Xmast gift from my kids and got to use it last night for this 1st time. I used Kingsford charcoal and firelight starters to start the fire. We grilled for 4 people and to my surprise when I cleaned it this morning the ash catch tray started melting away. I'm now really concerned about what we actually ate last night. THIS IS REALLY BAD!!!!

10 of 15 found this review helpful

I have had Traeger pellets, Pit Boss pellets, Weber kettles and Char-Grillers. After having The Kettle Joe for only 8 days and cooking virtually everyday on it, I have found it to be easy to use with outstanding flavor and performance. Yesterday I put a small pork shoulder on for some pulled pork. It held a constant temp at 240 for six hours. When done I wrapped the shoulder for an hour, then pulled it and it fell off the bone and shredded with ease. Best butt I have ever eaten at home or from a BBQ place. My family tasted and asked what I did differently. I said nothing its the cooker. Next purchase a Kettle Joe Jr. I am sold on Kamado Joe.

3 of 4 found this review helpful

I just received my Kettle joe from a French retailer and was surprised by the system and the "ceramic" cooking. I could smoke beef ribs for 6hours straight without adding charcoal. The cooking surface is a big plus as well as the side tables. On the negative side, you need to add a seal on the lid and SloRoller to avoid the KJ to leak. There is some issues on the details and global quality as my unit lid was damaged before being painted and shipped. I found some paint touch ups from a different red color on the unit, the thermometer has a smole hole under its fitting point from wich smoke escapes and damages it. I recommend the unit but hope Kamado Joe updates and sorts out those quality issues to make the experience perfect.

4 users found this review helpful

I own a Classic I & II, Big Joe II & III, a Jr & now a Kettle. Obviously the quality of the Kettle is much lower than the ceramic grills, but a decent chunk of the enamel cracked and feel off near the handle on my first use. Somewhat expectedly, the grill is far from sealed, even after adding a gasket. Also, rather wobbly. I have had great service from KJ in the past, but the response to the flaking enamel issue was "…does not effect functionality…" This is true, but leaves some distaste and an eyesore in a new grill. I imagine longevity will be problem with the Kettle. Have recommended the ceramic lineup to my family and friends, who have bought several, but can't recommend the Kettle.

4 users found this review helpful

It's a great lighter weight grill/smoker. I have the Big Joe this a good tweener

1 user found this review unhelpful

Received my Kettle Joe in July, used it every week since them, for smiked ham, Montreal smoked meat, brisket, baby ba k ribs, skomed salmon, etc. Never regret buying it :-)

1 user found this review helpful

I bought this is at first came out. It was an upgrade from a smaller Akron. I love the SLO roller and ease of use. I have had several long cooks with not having to add any charcoal. Good less expensive option without sacrificing quality.