Great video. After 10 years I still have my original Big Joe 1st generation with the wooden tablets. I had to change the firefox, but it was under warranty. Tip for the firebox he's disassembling: put a piece of newspaper behind each firebox walls. It will provide additional support. Clean it regularly, inside and outside. He says 5-6 months, I prefer 5-6 times a year. The charcoal stuck between the walls and the bottom of the firebox doesn't help with airflow.
@@MisterBlue03 cleaning it more is the best policy. I generally clean mine twice a year at minimum but definitely would recommend more depending how much you cook on it. Thanks so much for watching!
Thank you so much for this review! Was looking at the BGE and just settled on the Kamado Joe for the price and accessories you get off the bat. Can’t wait to receive it and start smoking and cooking!
This is an excellent review, and so helpful! Thank you so much!!! I love to cook and finally bought a house, so I am looking to go next level! You have helped me make my decision. Kudos and happy cookin'!!!
Thank you so much for this information. Just bought the Classic I at Loew's this afternoon (April 22, 2021). Retail: $749. Military Discount: $674.10 Thank you, Loew's for this recognition. Very much enjoyed your presentation. Incidentally, I had bought a Traeger Scout at Costco and returned it because I found pellet dust and ashes extensively inside the Sout after seasoning. I decided that the pellets burn because the fan is vigorously moving the air and ashes in the stove and it was obvious to me that those ashes would be all over the food.
@@pattyhatfield9668, good for you. I am really enjoying mine. One accessory I really love is the Meater+. You can learn more about this quality thermometer on RUclips.
Thank you. I've been looking at this Classic 1 for a while now. You just convinced me. Always like looking at reviews once they've been used for a while. Great review sir!
Glad this helped you out. I don't think you'll be disappointed. I've been cooking on it for 3ish years now. I still love it as much today as the day I bought it. Thanks so much for watching!
Love my KJ classic 1. I don’t feel at a disadvantage at all when compared to the 2 or 3. The felt gasket works great and can be replaced easily every few years. The daisy wheel is plenty adequate and with just the heat deflector plate I can get 12-14 hour 225-250 temps with great clean smoke and even heat. There’s really no good reason I can think of to get the 2 or the 3. The only upgrade I would recommend is the Kick Ash basket which helps with air flow.
Couldn’t agree more with your feelings on upgrading to the KJ 2 or 3. I feel there is really no need to. I’ve replaced my gasket once and it’s really easy to do. I just got a kick ash basket at Christmas and I absolutely love it. Thanks for watching!
Great in depth video! Not a lot of videos out there for this model. I was actually able to get my classic 1 from Lowes today for $322 on clearance. Great timing I guess haha. Thanks for the great review brotha
Thank you very much. I ordered a Joe junior from Amazon but they just canceled it today. I watched your video, and I am going to Lowe's tomorrow and pick up the classic one. Thanks again. Jim.
So glad you found the video helpful. I think you will absolutely love your new kamado joe. Such a versatile toy and so much fun to cook on. Thanks for watching!
Thanks, There's a lot of really helpful information here. I just ordered this grill and have never used one before and you answered several questions I had about how to adjust the height of the cooking surface and how to adjust from direct to indirect cooking.
I hope you enjoy your new Joe. I have no doubt you will! I’m glad you found the video helpful. That’s what my channel and videos are all about. Check some of my cooks out on my channel you may find them helpful on your new adventure in Joe cooking. Thanks so much for watching!
Fricken awesome review!! My wife just bought me this for my birthday and it’s still in the box so now I’m ready to get it put together and know exactly what I need to do. Appreciate you and your content 💪
I just bought a classic 1 18 inch for $630, then bought the newest version of the chimney for $60 on the kamado Joe website. The lid isn’t very heavy, and there are upgrades for that. The gasket seems pretty sturdy, and the stand is more than adequate. I don’t see the need to spend $2000+ on a different model. You definitely don’t get $1000+ in added features.
im here watching this because im looking to get into the game. Im feedinga small family of 3 but love the idea of this. im so xcited im writing a comment before i even watch! lol, but ive seen other videos and decided to actually subscribe.
I have a family of 4 and it works great for us. I've fed a crowd of 12-15 people cooking on it. It's all about how you load it up and cook. Thanks so much for subscribing!
RJ, So glad you found the review helpful! There aren’t a lot of Kamado Joe reviews out there really. That is one reason I wanted to do one for viewers. Thanks so much for watching and I hope it helped you in your search for a grill!
Thanks man. I have an old school 80s green egg and the side just got a large crack. I wanted to cry haha. I'm picking up one of these tomorrow for 500. Appreciate your time making this.
Not a bad pickup at $500! I think you’ll love it just as much as your bge. I’m glad you found the video helpful. Have fun cooking on your new joe! Thanks for watching!
Great Review! Its hard to find reviews that are specific to KJ1, as everything right now is about the KJ2 and KJ3. This review nailed it! I just bought the KJ1 floor model from Bass Pro for $699. They knocked $100 off the price because the heat deflector was chipped plus 5% vet discount totaling $660. I canceled my KJ3 order from Premier Grilling because its been on back order for the last 3 months and saved me $1k from the base price! This is my first Kamado style grill!
Robert, So glad you liked the review. When I was looking for reviews on the classic there were very few out there. I got mine and fell in love with it and cooked on it over a year before I felt I could give an honest review. I wanted to give others a leg up I didn’t have when I was buying mine. It’s a lot of money for most folks and definitely an investment. Getting a floor model is the way to go, you got a great deal compared to a cost of the KJ3. I have no doubt you will love it. Have to love the vet discount as well. Thanks for your service and thankyou for watching!
Longtime backyard BBQ cook here, first time ceramic owner. Got the floor model with a broken deflector from Lowes for like $335 on clearance, so now I have a spare deflector. How great is that? Only disappointment has been how few RUclips’s there are with the Classic 1 to help me by showing daisy wheel settings or indirect cooks without the SlowNJoe. Week or so before, believe it or not, I had actually just picked up an Oklahoma Joe’s Judge grill for half the price of a new one after my Weber 26” kettle’s leg sockets finally crapped out on me. So I kind of had buyer’s remorse for getting both the KJ and the Judge until cooking on both of them. Totally different grills with totally different strengths, as I’m sure you well know. Only accessory I’ll probably consider is the kick ash basket, or the KJ one if it’s better. Thank you so much for your thoughts on the grill, and especially you and your fellow vet’s service and sacrifices to our great country!
David, what a deal on your KJ find! I bought an aftermarket kick ash off Amazon and I love it. Half the price of the KJ one. Glad I could give you a little insight about this cooker. I've had mine a little over 3 years now and I love it as much now as the day I brought it home! Thanks so much for the comment and for watching. Enjoy that joe!
Hey brother, I really enjoyed the honest, down to earth and fulsome review of the Kamado Joe Classic I. I just "inherited" a used Classic I with a broken one-piece fire box, missing heat deflectors and somehow both side tables cracked down the middle of the slats. I figure it'll cost me $200 to replace the firebox, buy replacement heat deflectors and a DIY replacement of the cracked slats for the side tables. Since it's second hand, I can't get any replacements from them. Thanks again and before i sign off, I want to say thanks for your service. Cheers!
Hey Joel, glad you enjoyed the review! I try to be as honest and non biased as I can in my videos. That is awesome you inherited a KJ classic. I have no doubt you will love it. A set of deflector plates will run you about $50. I bought my last set off of eBay for about $38 but unfortunately since I got them from eBay I don’t get the warranty. If you buy them directly through Kamado Joe I believe they will give you a 3 year warranty on them. $200 isn’t horrible especially if you inherited the joe. Much better than $749, which is what Lowe’s has them for currently. In my opinion well worth the $200 you will put into it. Come back and check out some of my cooks on the KJ classic. I have quite a few cooks on my channel you may find helpful. Thanks so much for watching, it means a lot to me!
I actually have an after market one I got off Amazon. I love the basket. The air flow is phenomenal and like you said a complete game changer. Thanks so much for watching!
James, I do my best to keep it as real as I can in all of my videos. I tailor my channel to help ordinary folks and make their decision a bit easier. I’m glad this helped you! Thanks for watching!
Great honest review. You did convince me and I will be getting a Kamado grill shortly and enter into the ceramic game. Again, thanks for the good review!
Thanks good review for a person like myself. I’m a forever beginner griller. I wanted to like you said get in the game. This video has helped me to decide to get in.
Eduardo, absolutely can cook on this bad boy in the winter! I live in the south so our temps don't get too crazy low here. This is an all year no matter the weather grilling/smoking machine! Thanks so much for watching!
Haven't even hit the halfway mark yet but I already want to say I love this review. I'm looking at buying the classic 1 in the coming weeks and this is exactly what I needed. Again, I'm not done yet, but it seems like you mention little details that most people don't, or things that seem "unnecessary" to some folks, but that's EXACTLY the stuff I love to hear and is exactly what most people actually want to hear. Made sure to subscribe right away and I'l definitely be checking out your other videos. I don't think you can ever give too many details in a review. Thanks again!
Matt, I appreciate the feedback man. One of the reasons I decided to do reviews was to give people an insight and specifics on bbq products. I give specific detail on things I’d personally want to know about if I were the one watching. These products aren’t cheap, people work hard for their money. Having a leg up on a product is huge. I’m glad you found this review helpful. I know you will enjoy your classic. Thanks so much for watching!
Thanks for the great review and tips. I just bought a Classic 1 because I have a traeger to do most of my smoking. I wanted something for hot grilling and pizza and think the Classic 1 will do the job.
Coastal K, glad the review helped you! I think you will find it is awesome for pizzas. I do pizzas on it every Friday. Does great steaks as well. I have some videos out showing pizzas and steaks. If you haven’t seen ‘em go check them out. Thanks for watching!
Great review - actually bought the cooker from Loewe the day before I found this video after much research, was struggling with whether go ‘all the way’ with Kamado Joe III, and am happy to get my reasons for choosing this less expensive cooker reaffirmed!
Glad you liked the video. I don’t think you’ll have any regrets going with the classic. I have never regretted going with the less expensive classic. The money saved can now go into awesome accessories. Thanks so much for watching!
Hey man really appreciate the review. I’ll check out the other videos as well. I just ordered this grill today and it will be my first time playing around with ceramics. Trying to learn some of the tricks here and your video was great. Do you have any other accessory for it? Are there must have accessories that do not come with the grill? I know you showed two of them. Thanks.
Your going to love the grill. Ceramics are awesome cookers I haven’t regretted this purchase whatsoever. I have a joetisserie, griddle attachment, pizza stone, and rotisserie basket for it so far. Joetisserie is by far my favorite attachment so far. I’m going to be doing a full review on that attachment very soon. Definitely check it out as it might help you decide if you want it or not. I personally would say it’s a must have. Thanks so much for watching !
I appreciate it! I’m working on putting more reviews out. Unfortunately, I buy the products I review which makes it hard to do continuous reviews. I will do my best to put more out as I obtain new items though. Thanks so much for watching!
I am on the edge of purchasing a brand new classic 1 24 inch for $400 with a cracked dome but new!! The dome replacement is $240 that would put me at $640 for a grill that brand new is about $1200 , I hope it’s worth it
I have the Joe Jr and I’m two weeks away from having enough money saved up for the Big Joe III. I think between the two I’m going to be pretty much covered for grilling and smoking.
I’ve been wanting a Big Joe for several years I just can’t seem to pull the trigger due to price. You will have to let me know how you like it once you get cooking on it. I have no doubts you will love it. You should have no issues with space, that’s for sure. Thanks for watching!
@@TeeWayEatzBBQTreatz, I hear you. I have wanted one for years, so I just finally decided to put away $50 with each paycheck to go towards my Big Joe III fund. That seems like forever ago. I’m very excited.
Honestly, one of the best reviews I've seen. I can tell it was genuine and you come off as a trustworthy guy. Was trying to figure which ceramic grill to get and you convinced me to go with this one. I went with the big joe because we need a big grill for when we have small gatherings. I shied away from Kamado initially due to the price of the newer models, but the $1300 (Lowes after sipping and taxes) for the big joe is worth it. As far as I can tell the only differences between this one and the new models are: The top vent (who cares as long as air is flowing through, new ones are better but mostly a marketing scheme), the gasket (really, who gives a s***), the hinge system (without a doubt the only thing that is clearly superior, but is it really worth that extra 1k?...no), and the ash basket which I am getting. One thing I definitely don't like and like about Kamado are the accessories. Firstly, they're imo overpriced. The ash basket shouldn't cost $130, that's insane. My first charcoal grill was cheaper than that! I will be getting it though as I feel it is probably a must have accessory for this grill. Also, it really should come with the rack stack. I like that they have a lot of accessories, but man they are overpriced for sure. I really want that soapstone as steaks are my favorite and I hear it's the best for searing.
Check Amazon for a knock off brand ash basket. I think mine cost around $50 but, I have the classic. Also, you can find great deals on market place and eBay sometimes. The accessories are expensive but in my opinion worth the cash if you use them. The regular big Joe will suit you just fine. My classic doesn’t have the upgrades like the newer models and it suits me just fine (but that’s me). Like you I don’t believe the newer models justify the huge price increase. I have no doubt you will love your big Joe. Glad you found the video helpful, thanks so much for watching!
@@TeeWayEatzBBQTreatz Thank you, I will have a look around at other baskets. Just haven’t found one that I think is good since some are too shallow and/or have too wide of spacing between wires.
Great review. Thank you for showing so much on how to set it up for different cooking themes. Is it still your go to grill, or have you moved on to something bigger or better? I ordered one yesterday by the way. It should get delivered tomorrow. I am really looking forward to it.
Carl, Still one of my go to cookers! I have others I cook on. I'm a huge weber fan and have 5 weber I cook on. However, I wouldn't trade my Kamado Joe for anything......except a bigger Kamado Joe that is! If I want to do long cooks and not have to worry about temp spikes or temps holding for long periods of time the Kamado Joe is my go to. It is my most trusted piece of equipment in my backyard and I still LOVE IT! I'm going on almost 5 years strong with it and it is still cooking like a champ. I have no doubt you will love yours too. Thanks so much for watching!
Great review... I wish i saw this review before I ordered the small Jr... Im just jumping into the whole Kamado way of cooking. Im just not feeling it or tasting it with my propane grill. If I do love it after doing several cooks; who knows, I may get that big one with all its accessories.
I’m sure you will love your Joe Jr. Propane grilling is not for me anymore either. I have a griddle that runs on propane but that’s about it. Happy Kamado grilling/smoking! Thanks for watching!
Great video. Love the channel. I’ve been cooking on a performer for 3 years and got rid of the gasser. Really itching to get a Classic 1. Do you think its a step up from the performer for most things (Ribs, chicken, steaks, burgers)? Thanks
I would first have to say I have a Weber performer as well and I LOVE it. It’s really hard to compare and say whether it’s a “step up”. I can say both produce a different flavor in my opinion. Weber I run briquettes in mostly and my kamado joe I run lump in. As far as smoking goes I think the joe has more indirect cooking space to smoke due to the deflector plate covering the entire grill. Unfortunately you don’t get that with a normal kettle or Weber performer unless you do a mod. Which I’ve done a mod creating a deflector plate for my performer and it isn’t as good as what you get with the Kamado joe. I think the ceramic requires less attention than a Weber for smoking. Once you get your temp locked in your good. It will hold temps for 10-12 hours sometimes. Weber just requires a bit more attention and your temps fluctuate a lot more. I love both of them and wouldn’t trade either one of them. On long smokes I prefer the joe to the Weber. However, both are fantastic grills I wouldn’t trade either of mine for anything.
Nice review, i am Doubting between K J classic 1 and Weber Summit charcoal E6 because it's about the same price level. Weber is little bit bigger and has great ash catcher System. But it's stil no ceramic 🤔 Sinds you said you alsow have Weber products wich one would you recommend ?
If I could do it again I think I might go with the summit. The summit is an awesome cooker and less than half the weight of my KJ. If you move your grills around a lot (like I do) you definitely may want to consider it. However, the summit has a few less accessories than the KJ which kinda stinks. I think you’ll find the summit to hold temps just as good or pretty close to the KJ. I love my KJ it is an awesome ceramic cooker and I wouldn’t trade it. Just some things to think about before you buy. Thanks for watching!
I don't think that's an awful price for what you get. It is all about what's in your budget. I still say if you can snag a KJ 1st gen classic for under $700 it's a heck of a deal too. Thanks for watching!!
Hi, is this lid heavy? I viewed a display at Lowes. The lid was hella heavy and swiftly left my hand as it closed. It turned me away. I went to specifically make the KJ purchase. Please advise, thanks!
I am 78 years old and i don't consider the lid on my classic to be heavy at all..I did tell all of my family that uses it to gently let the lid down instead of letting it go on it's on. This review was very accurate and I would not invest the two and three with all the bells and whistles over my classic 1..Have not done a complete tear down on mine yet but i do use my yard blower on low every month or so. It surprisingly clears a lot of ashes out when directed at the holes in the ceramic liner..
@@jamesbeal8934 I’m also a classic 1 owner and I see no good reason to spend more on the classic 2 or 3. Mine has held up great and it gets used all the time. The lid is not heavy but yes, you should not slam it on the way down. The hyperbolic smoke deflector in the new models is really not worth it...it’s just marketing slick.
Hey Jeffrey, how creative can you get is the real question lol. All jokes aside I've been able to get 4-5 racks on with my accessory rack. For me and my family that's plenty enough. For others it may not be enough if you have a crowd to feed. Hope that helped. Thanks for watching!
The two are pretty different. I love both of them for their differences. The Kamado can exceed temps of 900+ degrees and can hold temperatures longer than my Weber. Both have different flavor profiles. These are both fantastic smokers/grills. I think I need to do a comparison video! Thanks for watching!
It's got a bit of weight to it. Compared to a weber kettle it is much heavier. My version doesn't have the spring loaded hinge that assists with the weight. The newer KJ's come standard with it now. However, not so heavy that a medium size person would have any issues lifting it up. Thanks for watching!
Great video. After 10 years I still have my original Big Joe 1st generation with the wooden tablets. I had to change the firefox, but it was under warranty. Tip for the firebox he's disassembling: put a piece of newspaper behind each firebox walls. It will provide additional support. Clean it regularly, inside and outside. He says 5-6 months, I prefer 5-6 times a year. The charcoal stuck between the walls and the bottom of the firebox doesn't help with airflow.
@@MisterBlue03 cleaning it more is the best policy. I generally clean mine twice a year at minimum but definitely would recommend more depending how much you cook on it. Thanks so much for watching!
Thank you so much for this review! Was looking at the BGE and just settled on the Kamado Joe for the price and accessories you get off the bat. Can’t wait to receive it and start smoking and cooking!
@J1m03 glad the video helped you make the decision!
This is an excellent review, and so helpful! Thank you so much!!! I love to cook and finally bought a house, so I am looking to go next level! You have helped me make my decision. Kudos and happy cookin'!!!
Same here Lori ordered my classic Joe today
Lori,
So glad I was able to help you out with your decision! Congrats on the house, that's a big deal! Thanks for watching!
Thank you so much for this information. Just bought the Classic I at Loew's this afternoon (April 22, 2021).
Retail: $749. Military Discount: $674.10
Thank you, Loew's for this recognition.
Very much enjoyed your presentation.
Incidentally, I had bought a Traeger Scout at Costco and returned it because I found pellet dust and ashes extensively inside the Sout after seasoning. I decided that the pellets burn because the fan is vigorously moving the air and ashes in the stove and it was obvious to me that those ashes would be all over the food.
You are going to LOVE IT! Best investment I ever made as far as outdoor cooking goes. Thanks for watching!
Got mine today at Lowes, close out NIB, $449
@@pattyhatfield9668, good for you. I am really enjoying mine. One accessory I really love is the Meater+. You can learn more about this quality thermometer on RUclips.
Thank you. I've been looking at this Classic 1 for a while now. You just convinced me. Always like looking at reviews once they've been used for a while. Great review sir!
Glad this helped you out. I don't think you'll be disappointed. I've been cooking on it for 3ish years now. I still love it as much today as the day I bought it. Thanks so much for watching!
Love my KJ classic 1. I don’t feel at a disadvantage at all when compared to the 2 or 3.
The felt gasket works great and can be replaced easily every few years. The daisy wheel is plenty adequate and with just the heat deflector plate I can get 12-14 hour 225-250 temps with great clean smoke and even heat.
There’s really no good reason I can think of to get the 2 or the 3. The only upgrade I would recommend is the Kick Ash basket which helps with air flow.
Couldn’t agree more with your feelings on upgrading to the KJ 2 or 3. I feel there is really no need to. I’ve replaced my gasket once and it’s really easy to do. I just got a kick ash basket at Christmas and I absolutely love it. Thanks for watching!
Is it easy to lift the top ? Or too heavy ?
@@happyhusky4283 the classic size is very easy to lift, yes, but def not as easy as the new models
Great in depth video! Not a lot of videos out there for this model. I was actually able to get my classic 1 from Lowes today for $322 on clearance. Great timing I guess haha. Thanks for the great review brotha
Thanks Jon! You got a heck of a deal at $322. Glad the review helped you. Enjoy that Joe!!
Thank you very much. I ordered a Joe junior from Amazon but they just canceled it today. I watched your video, and I am going to Lowe's tomorrow and pick up the classic one. Thanks again. Jim.
So glad you found the video helpful. I think you will absolutely love your new kamado joe. Such a versatile toy and so much fun to cook on. Thanks for watching!
Thanks, There's a lot of really helpful information here. I just ordered this grill and have never used one before and you answered several questions I had about how to adjust the height of the cooking surface and how to adjust from direct to indirect cooking.
I hope you enjoy your new Joe. I have no doubt you will! I’m glad you found the video helpful. That’s what my channel and videos are all about. Check some of my cooks out on my channel you may find them helpful on your new adventure in Joe cooking. Thanks so much for watching!
Fricken awesome review!! My wife just bought me this for my birthday and it’s still in the box so now I’m ready to get it put together and know exactly what I need to do. Appreciate you and your content 💪
Glad you enjoyed the review. Get that sucker out the box and start cooking! Thanks so much for watching!
I loved the depth of this review. Probably the best review of a Kamado Joe I’ve seen.
I try to be thorough on these reviews. It's your hard earned money at stake. Glad you enjoyed the review! Thanks for watching!
I just bought a classic 1 18 inch for $630, then bought the newest version of the chimney for $60 on the kamado Joe website. The lid isn’t very heavy, and there are upgrades for that. The gasket seems pretty sturdy, and the stand is more than adequate.
I don’t see the need to spend $2000+ on a different model. You definitely don’t get $1000+ in added features.
im here watching this because im looking to get into the game. Im feedinga small family of 3 but love the idea of this. im so xcited im writing a comment before i even watch! lol, but ive seen other videos and decided to actually subscribe.
I have a family of 4 and it works great for us. I've fed a crowd of 12-15 people cooking on it. It's all about how you load it up and cook. Thanks so much for subscribing!
great review. one of the few i could find on the market. thanks for the input on the cooker. felt very unbiasedand im glad i saw it
RJ,
So glad you found the review helpful! There aren’t a lot of Kamado Joe reviews out there really. That is one reason I wanted to do one for viewers. Thanks so much for watching and I hope it helped you in your search for a grill!
Hi!
We are on the fence as well... either this or the vision.
What do you think??
And the cracking... were you able to claim it under warranty?
Thanks man. I have an old school 80s green egg and the side just got a large crack. I wanted to cry haha. I'm picking up one of these tomorrow for 500. Appreciate your time making this.
Not a bad pickup at $500! I think you’ll love it just as much as your bge. I’m glad you found the video helpful. Have fun cooking on your new joe! Thanks for watching!
Green eggs have a lifetime warranty
Great Review! Its hard to find reviews that are specific to KJ1, as everything right now is about the KJ2 and KJ3. This review nailed it! I just bought the KJ1 floor model from Bass Pro for $699. They knocked $100 off the price because the heat deflector was chipped plus 5% vet discount totaling $660. I canceled my KJ3 order from Premier Grilling because its been on back order for the last 3 months and saved me $1k from the base price! This is my first Kamado style grill!
Robert,
So glad you liked the review. When I was looking for reviews on the classic there were very few out there. I got mine and fell in love with it and cooked on it over a year before I felt I could give an honest review. I wanted to give others a leg up I didn’t have when I was buying mine. It’s a lot of money for most folks and definitely an investment. Getting a floor model is the way to go, you got a great deal compared to a cost of the KJ3. I have no doubt you will love it. Have to love the vet discount as well. Thanks for your service and thankyou for watching!
My wife just got me one for my birthday on yesterday. GREAT VIDEO!!!
Earl, what a great birthday gift! I bet you will love it. I wouldn't trade mine for anything. Thanks for watching!
First, thank you for your service! Second, thank you for this amazing review.
Thanks so much for watching!
Awesome indepth review. Thanks for taking the time to review the classic. Really enjoyed it. Thanks again
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for watching!
got mine last week floor model for $230. missing grate and heat deflector, so i spent $100 for missing accessories. $330 all in all. sweet deal
Amazing deal! That was a great find. I hope you enjoy your Joe as much as I have enjoyed mine. Thanks for watching!
Longtime backyard BBQ cook here, first time ceramic owner. Got the floor model with a broken deflector from Lowes for like $335 on clearance, so now I have a spare deflector. How great is that? Only disappointment has been how few RUclips’s there are with the Classic 1 to help me by showing daisy wheel settings or indirect cooks without the SlowNJoe. Week or so before, believe it or not, I had actually just picked up an Oklahoma Joe’s Judge grill for half the price of a new one after my Weber 26” kettle’s leg sockets finally crapped out on me. So I kind of had buyer’s remorse for getting both the KJ and the Judge until cooking on both of them. Totally different grills with totally different strengths, as I’m sure you well know. Only accessory I’ll probably consider is the kick ash basket, or the KJ one if it’s better. Thank you so much for your thoughts on the grill, and especially you and your fellow vet’s service and sacrifices to our great country!
David, what a deal on your KJ find! I bought an aftermarket kick ash off Amazon and I love it. Half the price of the KJ one. Glad I could give you a little insight about this cooker. I've had mine a little over 3 years now and I love it as much now as the day I brought it home! Thanks so much for the comment and for watching.
Enjoy that joe!
Thanks for the great basic review! I bought the same one last fall and can't wait to pull it out now that spring has sprung in Atlantic Canada!
Man, this kamado is awesome. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. I bought mine 6 years ago and never looked back. Thanks for watching!
Great job explaining this grill, thank u.
Glad you enjoyed the video. Hope it helps you if you are thinking about buying one. Thanks for watching!
Excellent review, just what I needed to know.
Awesome! Thanks for watching!
Hey brother, I really enjoyed the honest, down to earth and fulsome review of the Kamado Joe Classic I.
I just "inherited" a used Classic I with a broken one-piece fire box, missing heat deflectors and somehow both side tables cracked down the middle of the slats. I figure it'll cost me $200 to replace the firebox, buy replacement heat deflectors and a DIY replacement of the cracked slats for the side tables. Since it's second hand, I can't get any replacements from them.
Thanks again and before i sign off, I want to say thanks for your service.
Cheers!
Hey Joel, glad you enjoyed the review! I try to be as honest and non biased as I can in my videos. That is awesome you inherited a KJ classic. I have no doubt you will love it. A set of deflector plates will run you about $50. I bought my last set off of eBay for about $38 but unfortunately since I got them from eBay I don’t get the warranty. If you buy them directly through Kamado Joe I believe they will give you a 3 year warranty on them. $200 isn’t horrible especially if you inherited the joe. Much better than $749, which is what Lowe’s has them for currently. In my opinion well worth the $200 you will put into it. Come back and check out some of my cooks on the KJ classic. I have quite a few cooks on my channel you may find helpful. Thanks so much for watching, it means a lot to me!
Great review, Cliff! I love my Kamado Joe's and the type of food it produces is incredible! Well done!
Thanks brother, I believe in this product and hope others found it helpful. Thanks for watching!
Kick Ash is an after market item, KJ has their own ash basket. It's a game changer, believe me.
I actually have an after market one I got off Amazon. I love the basket. The air flow is phenomenal and like you said a complete game changer. Thanks so much for watching!
Great review man. You kept it real and that's what I was looking for!
James, I do my best to keep it as real as I can in all of my videos. I tailor my channel to help ordinary folks and make their decision a bit easier. I’m glad this helped you! Thanks for watching!
Great honest review. You did convince me and I will be getting a Kamado grill shortly and enter into the ceramic game.
Again, thanks for the good review!
So glad you found it helpful. Thanks for watching!
Thanks good review for a person like myself. I’m a forever beginner griller. I wanted to like you said get in the game. This video has helped me to decide to get in.
Tanya,
So happy this helped you to decide! You will love cooking with this amazing cooker. Thanks so much for watching!
Nice video. I think is worth mentioning that this grill can cook in the winter time!
Eduardo, absolutely can cook on this bad boy in the winter! I live in the south so our temps don't get too crazy low here. This is an all year no matter the weather grilling/smoking machine! Thanks so much for watching!
Haven't even hit the halfway mark yet but I already want to say I love this review. I'm looking at buying the classic 1 in the coming weeks and this is exactly what I needed. Again, I'm not done yet, but it seems like you mention little details that most people don't, or things that seem "unnecessary" to some folks, but that's EXACTLY the stuff I love to hear and is exactly what most people actually want to hear. Made sure to subscribe right away and I'l definitely be checking out your other videos. I don't think you can ever give too many details in a review.
Thanks again!
Matt,
I appreciate the feedback man. One of the reasons I decided to do reviews was to give people an insight and specifics on bbq products. I give specific detail on things I’d personally want to know about if I were the one watching. These products aren’t cheap, people work hard for their money. Having a leg up on a product is huge. I’m glad you found this review helpful. I know you will enjoy your classic. Thanks so much for watching!
Thanks for the great review and tips. I just bought a Classic 1 because I have a traeger to do most of my smoking. I wanted something for hot grilling and pizza and think the Classic 1 will do the job.
Coastal K, glad the review helped you! I think you will find it is awesome for pizzas. I do pizzas on it every Friday. Does great steaks as well. I have some videos out showing pizzas and steaks. If you haven’t seen ‘em go check them out. Thanks for watching!
Awesome review. This dude is great
Thanks so much for watching! Glad you enjoyed the review!
Excellent, I love it, thank u
Great review - actually bought the cooker from Loewe the day before I found this video after much research, was struggling with whether go ‘all the way’ with Kamado Joe III, and am happy to get my reasons for choosing this less expensive cooker reaffirmed!
Glad you liked the video. I don’t think you’ll have any regrets going with the classic. I have never regretted going with the less expensive classic. The money saved can now go into awesome accessories. Thanks so much for watching!
The price difference between the two is ridiculous.
Hey man really appreciate the review. I’ll check out the other videos as well. I just ordered this grill today and it will be my first time playing around with ceramics. Trying to learn some of the tricks here and your video was great. Do you have any other accessory for it? Are there must have accessories that do not come with the grill? I know you showed two of them.
Thanks.
Your going to love the grill. Ceramics are awesome cookers I haven’t regretted this purchase whatsoever. I have a joetisserie, griddle attachment, pizza stone, and rotisserie basket for it so far. Joetisserie is by far my favorite attachment so far. I’m going to be doing a full review on that attachment very soon. Definitely check it out as it might help you decide if you want it or not. I personally would say it’s a must have. Thanks so much for watching !
Greatest review I’ve ever seen keep up with the good work…
Eduardo, thanks for the positive feedback. It means a lot to the channel. Glad you found it helpful. Thanks for watching!
Love this review. Well done and thank you for the input!
James,
Glad you enjoyed the review and hope you found it helpful! Thanks for watching!
great review .. thanks . i cant wait to get mine .
Luc,
I have no doubt you will love it. The JOE'S are extremely fun to cook on. Thanks so much for watching!
Great review, brother! Did Kamado Joe approve your claim for the firebox panel!?!
I honestly never put a claim in. It really wasn't damaged enough for me to do so. Thanks for watching!
Totally agree. Personally I’m unsure why KJ sell the Classic 2. It’s a lot extra for a hinge.
You need to make more reviews. This one was really good.
I appreciate it! I’m working on putting more reviews out. Unfortunately, I buy the products I review which makes it hard to do continuous reviews. I will do my best to put more out as I obtain new items though. Thanks so much for watching!
I am on the edge of purchasing a brand new classic 1 24 inch for $400 with a cracked dome but new!! The dome replacement is $240 that would put me at $640 for a grill that brand new is about $1200 , I hope it’s worth it
I have the Joe Jr and I’m two weeks away from having enough money saved up for the Big Joe III. I think between the two I’m going to be pretty much covered for grilling and smoking.
I’ve been wanting a Big Joe for several years I just can’t seem to pull the trigger due to price. You will have to let me know how you like it once you get cooking on it. I have no doubts you will love it. You should have no issues with space, that’s for sure. Thanks for watching!
@@TeeWayEatzBBQTreatz, I hear you. I have wanted one for years, so I just finally decided to put away $50 with each paycheck to go towards my Big Joe III fund. That seems like forever ago. I’m very excited.
Amazing review man, thank you so much! Kind of shocked with the price difference. A kamado joe classic 1 is around 1185$ here.
Donny,
Where are you, if you don’t mind me asking? I’m glad you enjoyed the review. Thanks so much for watching!
@@TeeWayEatzBBQTreatz I'm from the Netherlands, which is a small country next to Germany :)
@Donny & Anh,
That’s crazy the price is double what it is in the states! Thanks so much for watching from all the way in the Netherlands!
Honestly, one of the best reviews I've seen. I can tell it was genuine and you come off as a trustworthy guy. Was trying to figure which ceramic grill to get and you convinced me to go with this one. I went with the big joe because we need a big grill for when we have small gatherings. I shied away from Kamado initially due to the price of the newer models, but the $1300 (Lowes after sipping and taxes) for the big joe is worth it. As far as I can tell the only differences between this one and the new models are: The top vent (who cares as long as air is flowing through, new ones are better but mostly a marketing scheme), the gasket (really, who gives a s***), the hinge system (without a doubt the only thing that is clearly superior, but is it really worth that extra 1k?...no), and the ash basket which I am getting. One thing I definitely don't like and like about Kamado are the accessories. Firstly, they're imo overpriced. The ash basket shouldn't cost $130, that's insane. My first charcoal grill was cheaper than that! I will be getting it though as I feel it is probably a must have accessory for this grill. Also, it really should come with the rack stack. I like that they have a lot of accessories, but man they are overpriced for sure. I really want that soapstone as steaks are my favorite and I hear it's the best for searing.
Check Amazon for a knock off brand ash basket. I think mine cost around $50 but, I have the classic. Also, you can find great deals on market place and eBay sometimes. The accessories are expensive but in my opinion worth the cash if you use them. The regular big Joe will suit you just fine. My classic doesn’t have the upgrades like the newer models and it suits me just fine (but that’s me). Like you I don’t believe the newer models justify the huge price increase. I have no doubt you will love your big Joe. Glad you found the video helpful, thanks so much for watching!
@@TeeWayEatzBBQTreatz Thank you, I will have a look around at other baskets. Just haven’t found one that I think is good since some are too shallow and/or have too wide of spacing between wires.
Thank you so much for this review, getting the classic one next week!
So glad you liked the review. I hope you love your Kamado Joe as much as I love mine. Thanks for watching!
Great review. Thank you for showing so much on how to set it up for different cooking themes. Is it still your go to grill, or have you moved on to something bigger or better? I ordered one yesterday by the way. It should get delivered tomorrow. I am really looking forward to it.
Carl,
Still one of my go to cookers! I have others I cook on. I'm a huge weber fan and have 5 weber I cook on. However, I wouldn't trade my Kamado Joe for anything......except a bigger Kamado Joe that is! If I want to do long cooks and not have to worry about temp spikes or temps holding for long periods of time the Kamado Joe is my go to. It is my most trusted piece of
equipment in my backyard and I still LOVE IT! I'm going on almost 5 years strong with it and it is still cooking like a champ. I have no doubt you will love yours too. Thanks so much for watching!
Great review. Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it. Hope it helped in your decision process. Thanks so much for watching!
Great review... I wish i saw this review before I ordered the small Jr... Im just jumping into the whole Kamado way of cooking. Im just not feeling it or tasting it with my propane grill. If I do love it after doing several cooks; who knows, I may get that big one with all its accessories.
I’m sure you will love your Joe Jr. Propane grilling is not for me anymore either. I have a griddle that runs on propane but that’s about it. Happy Kamado grilling/smoking! Thanks for watching!
Excellent review man.
Thanks so much for watching!
Is this model KJ23RH?
Great video. Love the channel. I’ve been cooking on a performer for 3 years and got rid of the gasser. Really itching to get a Classic 1. Do you think its a step up from the performer for most things (Ribs, chicken, steaks, burgers)? Thanks
I would first have to say I have a Weber performer as well and I LOVE it. It’s really hard to compare and say whether it’s a “step up”. I can say both produce a different flavor in my opinion. Weber I run briquettes in mostly and my kamado joe I run lump in. As far as smoking goes I think the joe has more indirect cooking space to smoke due to the deflector plate covering the entire grill. Unfortunately you don’t get that with a normal kettle or Weber performer unless you do a mod. Which I’ve done a mod creating a deflector plate for my performer and it isn’t as good as what you get with the Kamado joe. I think the ceramic requires less attention than a Weber for smoking. Once you get your temp locked in your good. It will hold temps for 10-12 hours sometimes. Weber just requires a bit more attention and your temps fluctuate a lot more. I love both of them and wouldn’t trade either one of them. On long smokes I prefer the joe to the Weber. However, both are fantastic grills I wouldn’t trade either of mine for anything.
Nice review, i am Doubting between K J classic 1 and Weber Summit charcoal E6 because it's about the same price level.
Weber is little bit bigger and has great ash catcher System.
But it's stil no ceramic 🤔
Sinds you said you alsow have Weber products wich one would you recommend ?
If I could do it again I think I might go with the summit. The summit is an awesome cooker and less than half the weight of my KJ. If you move your grills around a lot (like I do) you definitely may want to consider it. However, the summit has a few less accessories than the KJ which kinda stinks. I think you’ll find the summit to hold temps just as good or pretty close to the KJ. I love my KJ it is an awesome ceramic cooker and I wouldn’t trade it. Just some things to think about before you buy. Thanks for watching!
Great info, thx man
Glad you found the info helpful. Thanks so much for watching!
Kamado Joe classic 3 sells for $1050 and that price point doesn't seem too bad for what you get. Your thoughts?
I don't think that's an awful price for what you get. It is all about what's in your budget. I still say if you can snag a KJ 1st gen classic for under $700 it's a heck of a deal too. Thanks for watching!!
Which is the best way to light the charcoal.
The heat deflector is 3 years the firebox and remaining ceramics is lifetime
Hi, is this lid heavy? I viewed a display at Lowes. The lid was hella heavy and swiftly left my hand as it closed. It turned me away. I went to specifically make the KJ purchase. Please advise, thanks!
I am 78 years old and i don't consider the lid on my classic to be heavy at all..I did tell all of my family that uses it to gently let the lid down instead of letting it go on it's on. This review was very accurate and I would not invest the two and three with all the bells and whistles over my classic 1..Have not done a complete tear down on mine yet but i do use my yard blower on low every month or so. It surprisingly clears a lot of ashes out when directed at the holes in the ceramic liner..
@@jamesbeal8934 I’m also a classic 1 owner and I see no good reason to spend more on the classic 2 or 3. Mine has held up great and it gets used all the time. The lid is not heavy but yes, you should not slam it on the way down.
The hyperbolic smoke deflector in the new models is really not worth it...it’s just marketing slick.
Hey Cliff. Nice video. How many ribs can you fit in the Classic Joe? Thanks!
Hey Jeffrey, how creative can you get is the real question lol. All jokes aside I've been able to get 4-5 racks on with my accessory rack. For me and my family that's plenty enough. For others it may not be enough if you have a crowd to feed. Hope that helped. Thanks for watching!
Was that a bong on the table bro!
How does the Kamado Joe compare to your Performer?
The two are pretty different. I love both of them for their differences. The Kamado can exceed temps of 900+ degrees and can hold temperatures longer than my Weber. Both have different flavor profiles. These are both fantastic smokers/grills. I think I need to do a comparison video! Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the info. However, this could’ve been a 15-min video.
Probably could have been. However, that's not my personality. I'm a long winded individual. Thanks for watching!
Don’t have 45 mins?
The Kamado Joe rocks. Buy the classic 3
How heavy is the lid ?
It's got a bit of weight to it. Compared to a weber kettle it is much heavier. My version doesn't have the spring loaded hinge that assists with the weight. The newer KJ's come standard with it now. However, not so heavy that a medium size person would have any issues lifting it up. Thanks for watching!
Jim Breuer really let himself go!!!