How a kamado works
A kamado is a thick, insulated egg-shaped cooker with a gasketed dome and two vents. The walls soak up heat and radiate it back, and the tight seal limits airflow. That's why a kamado holds 225–275°F for hours on one load of lump charcoal and can also climb past 700°F for searing and pizza.
The catch is the flip side of that mass. Once a kamado overshoots, it cools slowly, so you creep up on your target with small vent moves.
Ceramic or steel?
| Ceramic | Insulated steel |
|---|
| Heat holding | Best, especially in cold and wind | Good, but drifts more in bad weather |
| Weight | About 130–230 lb for 18-inch models | About 88 lb for the AKORN |
| Durability | Can crack if dropped or heated too fast from cold | Won't crack; rusts where paint chips |
What size do you need?
An 18-inch kamado's 250 sq in grate feeds a family of four to six, or one pork shoulder. A 15-inch model suits two to four. A larger grate like the AKORN's helps if you grill burgers for a crowd, but most kamado cooks add a second tier rather than a bigger body.
Features that make daily use easier
- Hinge: lift-assist hinges take most of a heavy ceramic dome's weight.
- Gasket: mesh fiberglass outlasts felt at very high heat.
- Top vent: aluminum won't rust and holds its setting better than cast iron.
- Heat deflector: you need one for smoking and baking. Check whether it's included.
- Cart and shelves: a locking cart and side shelves save buying a table or nest.
Lump or briquettes?
Use lump charcoal. It burns hotter and leaves far less ash than briquettes, and the ash from briquettes can choke a kamado's airflow on long cooks. Add a few chunks of wood for smoke; our guide to the best wood chips for smoking covers which to use.
Warranty and parts
Ceramic warranties vary more than any other spec. Kamado Joe covers the ceramic for life for the registered original buyer, while the VEVOR and London Sunshine don't publish clear terms. Gaskets, deflectors and thermometers wear out on every brand, so check that replacements are easy to buy.
A deflector turns a kamado from a searing grill into a smoker and oven; budget for one if it isn't included.
Who shouldn't buy a kamado
If you mainly grill quickly a few times a month, a kettle gives you most of the flavor for far less. The Weber Original Kettle 22 is our pick for that, and our best charcoal grills guide compares kettles, kamados and smokers side by side.
