Best Kamado Grill for 2024
For grillers, testing a kamado grill can be an intense experience. It requires playing with fire (literally) and heat, albeit in a controlled, responsible way. The most critical factor in kamado performance is heat, specifically temperature control and how well the grill is held at a certain temperature. To smoke meat low and slow, the magic number is 225 F. Good smokers, kamados or otherwise, will maintain this temperature for up to 12, 15 or 20 hours. This means a thermometer is key, as is the ability to control airflow through vents or dampers.
We monitor the internal temperature of the grill while it is operating.
To capture temperature data, we placed a thermocouple on each kamado grill. A thermocouple is essentially a sensitive temperature sensor consisting of a probe and connecting wire suspended 1 inch above the grill. It’s connected to a data logger and eventually to a computer that records changes in heat levels over time.
Then it’s time to fire up each grill.
We try to temperature test all grills at the same time. We also use the same weight and brand lump charcoal (4.4 lbs or 2 kg), usually from the same bag. Same goes for the igniters (one for each grill).
Stable heat levels are key to good performance in kamado smokers.
After that, we light it up according to the instructions in the manual (if there is one). Typically, this means opening the lid, letting the coals burn for 15 minutes, then turning the grill off. At this point, the vents remain open until the grill is within 50 degrees of the target temperature.
We carefully fiddled with the vents to get there. Finally, we let go of control and observe.
We followed the same procedure for higher temperature testing, with a target temperature of 350 F.
We smoked the ribs along with other foods for anecdotal testing.
When it comes to food, we also do a lot of “anecdotal testing.” We smoke a rack of baby back ribs on each grill (225 F). We butterflied chicken (aka spatchcock) or cooked it in beer cans. These products are sourced from your local Costco and weigh approximately 5 pounds each. Finally, we grilled a set of four 8-ounce hamburger patties at high heat (600 F).
Burgers, anyone?
Want more options? Here are two other kamado grill models we reviewed for this test group. They didn’t make it into my picks, but for comparison you might want to look at:
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2024-12-25 10:00:00