Kamado Joe - Classic II Stand Alone

I picked up the KJ3 last February and man it absolutely was the best ceramic I have used with the slow roller. I just finished my outdoor kitchen so my son and I removed it from the stand to move it to the pedestal and did it exactly the way. The barbecue dad from Canada said to move it and something popped and it shattered.I reached out to Kamado. They said that was not covered under warranty, after spending 1600 bucks. Another one of their products even though it was the best one I ever used. Absolutely ridiculous. It came out of the stand just fine which was part of the package but when we lifted it back up it broke. Never again Will they get a penny of my money?.

Amazing grill and even better customer service

I've had many successful cooks on the Kamado Joe Classic 2 since I purchased it two years ago. Grilled chicken, wings, ribs, brisket, pork shoulder, cedar plank salmon, kebabs, this thing can do it all. Once you get the hang of it, it's easy and fun to use. On my last cook, I decided to fire up the grill to 900 degrees F to cook Neapolitan pizza - unfortunately, it melted off the wire mesh gasket, rusted all my stainless steel grates, and warped the dome due to the extreme high heat. It was still under warranty so I called customer service and they were absolutely amazing - sent me a new wire mesh gasket, hinge, and all new stainless steel pieces. They even included the two side tables that had gotten rusted. I want to give a shout out to Elisha and Hallie who were ... MoreI've had many successful cooks on the Kamado Joe Classic 2 since I purchased it two years ago. Grilled chicken, wings, ribs, brisket, pork shoulder, cedar plank salmon, kebabs, this thing can do it all. Once you get the hang of it, it's easy and fun to use. On my last cook, I decided to fire up the grill to 900 degrees F to cook Neapolitan pizza - unfortunately, it melted off the wire mesh gasket, rusted all my stainless steel grates, and warped the dome due to the extreme high heat. It was still under warranty so I called customer service and they were absolutely amazing - sent me a new wire mesh gasket, hinge, and all new stainless steel pieces. They even included the two side tables that had gotten rusted. I want to give a shout out to Elisha and Hallie who were so helpful and understanding about my situation and helped me get back to grilling. Kamado Joe is an amazing company!

Excellent Product

I bought the Kamado Joe Classic II to replace the ceramic grill which I have been using for 15 plus years because over the years the KJ company has taken useful steps to improve their product while the manufacturer of the other grill seems to have no desire to improve their product. In its present configuration the KJ has a significantly superior hinge mechanism which allows the maximum access to the interior of the grill while one is cooking. Also the gasket for the grill is a major superior feature of the KJ. I had to replace the gasket on my other grill at least four times and it was a major annoyance. Also the design and construction of the fire box of the KJ seems to be such that the box will not crack and should perform and last indefinitely. I had to replace ... MoreI bought the Kamado Joe Classic II to replace the ceramic grill which I have been using for 15 plus years because over the years the KJ company has taken useful steps to improve their product while the manufacturer of the other grill seems to have no desire to improve their product. In its present configuration the KJ has a significantly superior hinge mechanism which allows the maximum access to the interior of the grill while one is cooking. Also the gasket for the grill is a major superior feature of the KJ. I had to replace the gasket on my other grill at least four times and it was a major annoyance. Also the design and construction of the fire box of the KJ seems to be such that the box will not crack and should perform and last indefinitely. I had to replace the firebox in my other grill three times and was trying, unsuccessfully, to obtain another replcement. In general the KJ seems to be better built: the ceramic is thicker, it retains the temperature better, and it seems to use less charcoal.The only problem and reason that I did not give a 5 star rating is because of the design of the heat deflector plates. With both of the deflectors in place for an indirect heat long smoking (such as ribs or pork shoulder) the access to the charcoal is totally blocked so there is no way to add additional smoking wood chunks to the charcoal. While other people may not do this, when I'm doing a long smoke I always add wood to keep the smoke going. Also, there is a meal that I like to do on the grill which involves indirect heat cooking of a split chicken followed by a direct heat cooking of vegetables in an iron skillet in the grill, however, there is no way to remove the deflector plates for the follow-up direct heat cooking of the vegetables.Other than those two issues I am supremely happy with the KJ and cooking on it is a joy.

Great smoker and really happy with the cooks

As a long time BGE user, I got fed up with my cooks over the last year. I just bought the Kamado Joe Classic II and am back to being anxious to cook/smoke again. The KJoe arrived on time and was well packaged. It was an easy setup and had more accessories and ways to cook/smoke than the Egg. There was a bit of a learning curve as there are more configurations. My first two cooks were OK but the next three were outstanding. Last night I made a rack of pork and my wife volunteered that it was the best I've ever done. I've cooked about 30 racks of pork over the last 10 years.Clean out is bit easier than the BGE. The dome is much easier to lift and top vent is much easier to set accurately.

Hinge problem for Joetisserie

I'm a huge Kamado Joe fan. I have swapped out all of my BGE's and Primos for the Kamado Joe. They have addressed so many issues that the other ceramic smokers had.I normally use my Kamado Joe l but branched out to the Kamado Joe classic ll because it was supposed to be new and improved.I love the new fancy gasket, and top vent control. However there is a hinge problem when you use the Joetisserie. The lid won't stay down for a good seal. I was forced to dangle a brick tied to a strap to keep the lid properly sealed.I'm well aware of hinge adjustments on the KJ ll to help keep it closed freely.I have contacted Kamado Joe service and they gave me the runaround with... We will send you a new hinge. It's not the hinge that is the problem, it's the design that ... MoreI'm a huge Kamado Joe fan. I have swapped out all of my BGE's and Primos for the Kamado Joe. They have addressed so many issues that the other ceramic smokers had.I normally use my Kamado Joe l but branched out to the Kamado Joe classic ll because it was supposed to be new and improved.I love the new fancy gasket, and top vent control. However there is a hinge problem when you use the Joetisserie. The lid won't stay down for a good seal. I was forced to dangle a brick tied to a strap to keep the lid properly sealed.I'm well aware of hinge adjustments on the KJ ll to help keep it closed freely.I have contacted Kamado Joe service and they gave me the runaround with... We will send you a new hinge. It's not the hinge that is the problem, it's the design that doesn't accommodate the Joetisserie.Overall, the Kamado Joe classic ll is still top notch and a huge improvement over all brands. A great buy that will last a lifetime. Still 5 stars and $1000 to boot!

Improvement over the BGE

I owned a large Big Green Egg for years. Unfortunately, the movers would not move when I moved out of state. It gave me many years of really good barbecue with enough space to fit 3 Boston Butt roasts. My major complaint was the weight. Even with the top removed, it took two strong people to lift it. I really like the removable fire box with the Classic Joe. With the firebox removed, the Joe is an easy two-person lift. The ash tray makes emptying ash easy. The manual is almost worthless in using the Joe since it basically just covers assembly in multiple languages. It doesn't even tell you how to light it. You need to buy someone's Joe cookbook to cook with it. After that, it produces some really tasty barbecue! I have smoked two Boston Butts and a set of pork ribs ... MoreI owned a large Big Green Egg for years. Unfortunately, the movers would not move when I moved out of state. It gave me many years of really good barbecue with enough space to fit 3 Boston Butt roasts. My major complaint was the weight. Even with the top removed, it took two strong people to lift it. I really like the removable fire box with the Classic Joe. With the firebox removed, the Joe is an easy two-person lift. The ash tray makes emptying ash easy. The manual is almost worthless in using the Joe since it basically just covers assembly in multiple languages. It doesn't even tell you how to light it. You need to buy someone's Joe cookbook to cook with it. After that, it produces some really tasty barbecue! I have smoked two Boston Butts and a set of pork ribs that are excellent.

It's a workhorse!

Thought about it a few days ago, I should write a review on the Classic Joe after a friend commented on how I use my grill and he wish he had one.I have owned the grill for 5 yrs - 3 months and I finally need to replace the gasket. BUT! I use my grill more than most people. I live on the NC coast in the salt air, the grill stays under a 6' overhang on my deck, but it never gets covered because I use it so much. I average cooking on the Kamado Joe 5+ days a week, many weeks 6-7 days, year around. Rain, snow, freezing rain or high winds have not deterred me from cooking on the grill. The Kamado is the only grill I own, after cooking the first ribeye steaks on the Kamado over 5 years ago, my wife said I should give my stainless steel gas grill away because she didn't ... MoreThought about it a few days ago, I should write a review on the Classic Joe after a friend commented on how I use my grill and he wish he had one.I have owned the grill for 5 yrs - 3 months and I finally need to replace the gasket. BUT! I use my grill more than most people. I live on the NC coast in the salt air, the grill stays under a 6' overhang on my deck, but it never gets covered because I use it so much. I average cooking on the Kamado Joe 5+ days a week, many weeks 6-7 days, year around. Rain, snow, freezing rain or high winds have not deterred me from cooking on the grill. The Kamado is the only grill I own, after cooking the first ribeye steaks on the Kamado over 5 years ago, my wife said I should give my stainless steel gas grill away because she didn't want any more steaks from a gas grill, and I did. My Kamado has had countless pork butts, ribs and pizzas cooked on it, not to mention hundreds of steaks, burgers, chicken and fish.If I have a regret about purchasing the Kamado Joe, it would be not purchasing the Big Joe for additional cooking area.

My new best friend

Excellent product - very happy with the quality to date, though only a few weeks old. Five cooks in - pizza, ribs, roast pork, roast beef and brisket - all turned out excellent - my key finding is charcoal ain’t charcoal - and your choice makes huge difference in finished food quality/cooking reliably.Also - have noticed a few imperfections in the ceramic outer layer, but not sure if that’s how they come. But I’ll watch and see…the product has an excellent warranty in case …but…haven’t been able to log my warranty yet - as no warranty card or instructions were provided when I picked it up.If I need to do this online-and I need a serial number- where on the item would that be found?Overall - wish I’d purchased one of these critters a decade ago!

Terrible Customer Service

I purchased a new Classic Joe II for my friend for Christmas. I own Joe's competitors products (won't say name but they are green). Needless to say my friend let me know there was a hairline crack in the base. He contacted service prior to using the grill for the first time and showed photos of the crack and asked what to do. In short, the agent said if he did not have the receipt for his brand new grill he was up a creek. They would do absolutely nothing to help him. This is unbelievably horrendous customer service. I am hoping to find the receipt for him (my bad for misplacing it). I told him if I find it we can just return the joe and purchase a green one as I have never had this kind of service from them. Very disappointing as there are features on the Joe I ... MoreI purchased a new Classic Joe II for my friend for Christmas. I own Joe's competitors products (won't say name but they are green). Needless to say my friend let me know there was a hairline crack in the base. He contacted service prior to using the grill for the first time and showed photos of the crack and asked what to do. In short, the agent said if he did not have the receipt for his brand new grill he was up a creek. They would do absolutely nothing to help him. This is unbelievably horrendous customer service. I am hoping to find the receipt for him (my bad for misplacing it). I told him if I find it we can just return the joe and purchase a green one as I have never had this kind of service from them. Very disappointing as there are features on the Joe I feel are better than the competitors but not standing behind their product is a deal breaker.

Terrible Customer Service Support

We purchased a Classic I and it came crated up with no cast iron grill grate which is required to be able to use the grill. I emailed their customer service-because there is no contact number to call-on a Thursday advising that we were missing it and to overnight it as we had already spend hundreds of dollars (and now with accessories a thousand) for this grill to be able to use it this weekend. They emailed back asking a millions questions, and then finally email me back today (Monday) to advise that it will be shipped and will take 7-10 days. Seriously? This is not a cheap purchase for us! Additionally this was a part that they missed packing that is crucial for the functionality of the grill! Went ahead and purchased it ourselves and received it Saturday so that ... MoreWe purchased a Classic I and it came crated up with no cast iron grill grate which is required to be able to use the grill. I emailed their customer service-because there is no contact number to call-on a Thursday advising that we were missing it and to overnight it as we had already spend hundreds of dollars (and now with accessories a thousand) for this grill to be able to use it this weekend. They emailed back asking a millions questions, and then finally email me back today (Monday) to advise that it will be shipped and will take 7-10 days. Seriously? This is not a cheap purchase for us! Additionally this was a part that they missed packing that is crucial for the functionality of the grill! Went ahead and purchased it ourselves and received it Saturday so that we could use this grill. Shame on your company for lacking so bad in your customer service department knowing this is not a cheap product. You should have a line for customers that have specific issues-not warranty issues-that are more pressing upon purchase of your product. Review is 4 stars for the actual grill and the value for that grill.