Kamado
A ceramic, egg-shaped charcoal cooker (like the Big Green Egg) known for excellent heat retention, versatility, and efficiency — from low-and-slow to searing.
A kamado is an egg-shaped ceramic charcoal cooker based on ancient Asian clay cooking vessels. Modern kamados (Big Green Egg, Kamado Joe, Primo) use thick ceramic walls that provide extraordinary heat retention and insulation.
How It Works: Lump charcoal burns in a fire bowl at the bottom. Airflow is controlled by a bottom vent (intake) and top vent (exhaust). The ceramic walls absorb and radiate heat evenly. Wood chunks placed on the charcoal provide smoke.
What Makes Kamados Special: - Incredible heat retention: The ceramic walls hold temperature for hours with minimal fuel. Once stabilized, a kamado barely needs attention. - Fuel efficiency: A full load of lump charcoal can burn for 18-24 hours at smoking temperatures. Extremely economical. - Temperature range: From 200°F low-and-slow smoking to 700°F+ searing. No other single cooker type covers this range as well. - Moisture retention: The sealed ceramic environment holds moisture, producing very juicy results.
Limitations: - Heavy: Large kamados weigh 150-300+ pounds. Not portable. - Price: Quality kamados start at $800-1,000 and go up to $2,500+. - Thermal shock risk: Rapid temperature changes can crack the ceramic. Don't open the lid and let oxygen rush in all at once ("flashback"). - Limited capacity: The round shape limits how much meat you can fit compared to a rectangular offset or pellet grill. - Smoke flavor: Good, but not as deep as an offset. The efficient lump charcoal combustion and limited wood chunk capacity means less total smoke output.
My Experience: I've cooked on kamados at workshops and events. They produce excellent BBQ — juicy, tender, with good smoke flavor. The convenience factor is high: load it up, set the vents, and it holds temperature like a ceramic thermos. For a backyard cook who wants one do-everything cooker, a kamado is a fantastic choice.