The Kamado Joe Classic is one of the most popular Kamado style grills on the market today. And now, with summer in full swing, what better way of cooking your favorite food in one of the most versatile Kamado grill available today.

Our detailed Kamado Joe Classic review will not only show you why you shouldn’t go past this high-quality ceramic cooker that even comes with a lifetime warranty on the ceramic parts.

See for yourself how this versatile ceramic cooker would be a fantastic addition to any outdoor kitchen.

Related post: What Is A Kamado Grill

Due to the premium price tag of Kamado style grills, I usually recommend them to people who are serious outdoor cooks and love a charcoal grill that does it all, from smoking a juicy beef brisket, baking a crispy wood-fired pizza, searing, and slow cooking.

People who fire up their charcoal grill only occasionally, may find the Kamado Joe and other ceramic cookers to pricey. To find budget-friendlier options please read my post Top 5 Best Charcoal Outdoor Grills In 2018.

Without further ado, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty and check what the Kamado Joe Classic has to offer.

* Please note: all product links in this product review are affiliate links. That means, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Kamado Joe Classic Review

Kamado Joe Classic Quick Overview

Our Detailed Kamado Joe Classic 18″ Review

The Kamado Joe Classic comes in three different sizes: the 18″, 24″, and the Kamado Joe Jr with 13″ in diameter.

The 18″ sized Kamado Joe is the most popular model since its size is sufficient to grill enough delicious food for a family of five.

That’s why our review focusses on the 18″ model. In saying that, the features of the bigger sized Kamado Joe Classic are exactly the same as the Classic 18″ Kamado Joe grill.

If you are looking for a portable ceramic cooker, then the Kamado Joe Jr might be a perfect choice.

Related post: Ultimate List Of The Best Small Portable Charcoal Grills

The Kamado Joe has become a favorite with Kamado grill enthusiast for excellent reasons.

The company claims that the Kamado Joe is the “BEST BUILT, Flat out the best ceramic grill on the planet!” They back up their statement with a lifetime warranty on the ceramic parts and free shipping on all warranty parts.

That is fantastic and will give you peace of mind when making a purchase.

The Kamado Joe 18″ features a generous cooking surface of 254sq inches which can be expanded up to 660sq inches by using two grates and an expander. Talk about feeding the crowd!

You may have heard of  Kamado Joe’s unique ‘divide and conquer’ flexible cooking system: You can either cook on one level.

Or, the other option is that one-half of the cooking grate sits on the upper and the other half on the lower level, closer to the coals. It really is up to you and depends what you are going to grill.

How To Cook In The Kamado Joe Classic

With a ceramic cooker, you’ll always grill with the lid closed. And of course, the KJC is no exception. A ceramic cooker basically works like a convection oven. The hot air circulates around the food and cooks it at the desired temperature.

The KJC cooks at temperatures as low as 250ºF and can reach high temperatures of up to 750ºF which is ideal to cook a perfect wood-fired pie.

This is possible thanks to the Tower Top vent in the dome and vent in the bottom to make sure that the grill reaches a consistent temperature through the right airflow. The ceramic vessel retains the heat for many hours. Also, the coal burns more efficiently.

photo credit: Amazon.com

Another important part in cooking with the KJC is lifting and closing the heavy dome. Kamado Joe has made this job effortless with their airlift hinge.

According to the company, it reduces the weight of the dome by 96%!

Please remember, you need to ‘Burp’ the grill before fully opening the lid to prevent flashbacks. Read more about the right use of a kamado style grill here.

To top things off, the inbuilt temperature gauge shows you the precise temperature no matter what kind of grilling jobs you want to tackle. Perfect!

Step-By-Step

1. Fill the firebox with lump charcoal.
2. Light the coal and close the dome.
3. Open the bottom and top vent until the temperature gauge shows the desired temperature.
4. Once you reach the temperature, open the lid (remember to burp it first) and add your steaks, hamburger patties, and other delicacies. Don’t forget to wear heat resistant gloves.
5. Close the lid.
6. Regulate the temperature by using the top vent.

Here is a video by Kamado Joe that shows you how easy it is to cook with the KJC.

How to clean the Kamado Joe Classic

That is one of my favorite parts. Let’s face it, cleaning a charcoal grill can be a messy task.

Related post: How To Clean A Charcoal Grill 101

Not with the Kamado Joe. It features a slide out ash drawer that makes cleaning a breeze. As the name says, simply take out the ash drawer and dispose of the ashes.

By the way, their won’t be many ashes because when you use lump coal, it burns very efficient.

Last but not least, here is another important feature. The Kamado Joe grill comes with a durable and sturdy cast iron cart with locking wheels.

Above all, moving this heavy ‘beast’ (188lbs) around is effortless and makes sure you’ll find always the best spot for your ceramic cooker.

Let’s Recap

With your purchase, you’ll get a good selection of accessories: a well-written instruction booklet, an ash tool, a grate gripper, and the ‘divide and conquer’ cooking system are included as well.

Here Are The Pros And Cons Of The Kamado Joe Grill At A Glance:

Pros

• well-constructed
• incredible heat retention due to the thick ceramic body
• most versatile, suitable for smoking, grilling, searing and baking
• foldable side shelves
• generous cooking surface
• divide and conquer system
• multiple accessories included
• a lifetime warranty on the ceramic parts

Cons

• heavy but that is normal for a Kamado Grill
• ceramic is a fragile material so please handle with care

Summary Kamado Joe Classic Review 

First of all, the KJC ceramic charcoal cooker is one of the best Kamado style grills on the market.

It is well crafted using high-quality materials like thick ceramic layers for the best possible heat retention, a precise temperature gauge, an innovative ash drawer for easy cleaning, and an airlift hinge for effortless lifting of the dome.

The lifetime warranty on the ceramic parts shows that the company stands 100% behind their product.

To find out more details on the warranty, here is the link to the Kamado Joe website.

The Kamado Joe Grill is the ideal ‘toy’ for any pitmaster and grill enthusiast. With the extensive array of accessories, especially the JoeTisserie, it is probably the most versatile Kamado style cooker available today.

For the best deals, you can either shop around or check out the price on Amazon.

Kamado Joe Grill Classic Accessories

The Kamado Joe Grill has a variety of accessories available that makes this ceramic cooker even more versatile.

Before I get into more detail, here is a list of the accessories you can purchase separately:

• a pizza stone
• a rib rack
• cast iron griddle
• stainless steel cooking plate
• cast iron grate
• heat deflector plate
• ceramic chicken cooking stand
• a half moon cast iron cooking grate
• a half moon cast iron reversible griddle
• a cover, and a few more …

If there is one must-have accessory then there is one, you should check out:

The Kamado Joe Classic JoeTisserie

Without a doubt, a chicken, lamb or beef roast doesn’t taste better than roasted on a spit over flaming hot charcoal.

Kamado Joe’s invention of the cast aluminum JoeTisserie is simply ingenious. In the blink of an eye, your KJC 18″ grill transforms into a rotisserie oven.

By the way, the JoeTisserie is also suitable for any other 18″ ceramic cooker.

With its innovative design, it fits perfectly between the lid and lower body, so there are hardly any air gaps when the lid is closed.

Consequently, that means better heat retention, less use of charcoal, temperature control which results in finger-licking deliciously roasted meat on the spit.

The spit is powered by a 120V motor that rotates up to 40lbs of meat until cooked to perfection.

What Are The Pros and Cons

Overall, the JoeTisserie is one of my favorite accessories for the Kamado Joe Classic (besides the pizza stone). Rotisserie chicken right at home. It can’t get better than that. 🙂

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