Hey folks,
I'm new to the Kamado scene. Been researching different brands and ended up deciding Kamado Joe might be the best fit for me. I'm an average grill/que guy, meaning I whip out the pit a handful of times during the cold months and once or twice a month during the warmer ones. I heavily considered buying one second hand due the savings but that warranty is tough to pass up. My question is do I go for the Big Joe or The Classic. I like to cook slabs of ribs at a time and worried about the size of the cooking surface with The Classic. Plus, i'd like to get back into brisket cooks as well. Any thoughts or suggestions?
by Fast_Try_1252
12 Comments
Buy the Big Joe. Buy once cry once .
If you are worry about the size then go with big Joe, but I use classic and only use half moon most of the time lol
I bought a classic because there are only 2 of us, but if I could do it again, I’d get the Big Joe and a Joe Jr… Big for the extra space for parties and the Jr. for the smaller regular meals.
Big Joe all the way. I freeze a lot of my cooks since it’s mainly just two of us. Pulled pork and such freezes and defrosts great. It’s nice to be able to put a huge chunk of whatever on the grate or rotisserie. Even for smaller cooks, the extra space makes it easier to access the coals or what have you.
I am also glad that I went with the series 1 and spent the savings on a joetisserie, etc. The spring-assisted hinge is simple and easy to open. I like the daisy wheel vent control.
Or look at the grilla kong i have a big joe classic and the grilla no it doesnt have the airlift hinge but its been a great grill along with there offroad cart
If you grill a lot of items at once, get the big joe. With the classic I can get by cooking on it for maybe 3 people, sometimes 4 depending on what im cooking, but when I get 5-8 ppl wanting some bbq and everyone brings fajitas, jalapeno bombers, chicken quarters, sausage, etc…its suck a daunting task unless I got a 2nd grill going..the damn quarter legs really eat up space + time compared to everything else that cooks hot and fast.
Now if your smoking 2 racks of ribs, or a pork butt, a classic works just fine. I have a classic, but wish I had a big joe. Unfortunately price is a big factor, and at the time I was in need of a new grill, and not enough $$$ for a big joe. Still enjoy my classic though.
If you can spring for it, get the big joe and dont look back.
Budget reasons aside, you’ll never get the big Joe and wish you had smaller but you could wish you went bigger.
The downside is charcoal consumption is less efficient for smaller cooks if you go up a size.
I have both, my classic gets more use, I’ve also cooked several briskets in it as well. But the big joe cooks 2kgs of wings at once in no time, brisket lay flat no need to prop it’s so that it fits, rotisserie two picanha at the same time, 3 pork butts at the same time, rotisserie 3 whole chickens at the same time, probably even 2 turkeys if you are adventurous. All am saying I could do everything in the big joe that the classic does but not vice versa.
Search your home depot for any more clearance.
Big Joe every time
I’ve cooked 3 full racks of ribs on the regular, it was tight but it’s doable. Off you need more than that get big.
Big Joe. I have a classic and have wished for more space multiple times (including when making ribs).