Kamado Joe Big Joe III vs Big Green Egg 2XL
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Quick take: The Big Green Egg 2XL costs $499 less; the Kamado Joe Big Joe III offers more cooking space (864 vs 672 sq in).
| Spec | Kamado Joe Big Joe III | Big Green Egg 2XL |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$3,299 | ~$2,800 |
| Rating | 4.8★ (629) | — |
| Type | Kamado | Kamado |
| Cooking Area | 864 sq in | 672 sq in |
| Max Temp | 750°F | 750°F |
| Fuel Type | Charcoal | Charcoal |
| Build Material | Ceramic | Ceramic |
| Hopper Capacity | — | — |
| Burners | — | — |
| WiFi / App | No | No |
| App control | No | No |
| Meat probe | No | No |
| PID controller | No | No |
| Side burner | No | No |
| Rotisserie | No | No |
| Searing | Yes | Yes |
| Dimensions | 52 x 32 x 55 in | 35.4 x 29 x 29 in |
| Weight | 406 lbs | 375 lbs |
| Warranty | Lifetime (ceramic) | Limited lifetime warranty on ceramic components |
Pros & cons
Kamado Joe Big Joe III
- ✓The 24-inch grate swallows a full packer brisket or multiple rib racks flat with room to spare - the capacity headroom the 18-inch Classic never has
- ✓The 3-tier Divide & Conquer system creates up to 864 sq in across levels, letting you run different foods at different heights and temperatures in one cook
- ✓The SloRoller insert genuinely evens out heat and smoke circulation at low temps, producing more consistent bark than a plain deflector setup
- ✓Thick ceramic walls sip charcoal - a single load can run 12+ hour overnight cooks and the moisture retention keeps long smokes from drying out
- ✓The Air Lift hinge reduces the massive dome's effective weight by about 96%, so opening it is genuinely one-finger easy despite the size
- ✓The Kontrol Tower top vent holds its setting when you open the lid and gives repeatable temp control from 225°F smoking to 750°F searing
- ✓Stainless charcoal basket, half-moon grates, heat deflectors, ash tool, and the locking-wheel cart are all included - the accessory bundle costs real money elsewhere
- ✓Lifetime warranty on the ceramic body plus 5 years on metal parts is about the strongest coverage in the category
- ✗At over 400 lbs assembled it effectively lives wherever you first place it, and delivery/assembly realistically takes two or three people
- ✗The $3,000+ price is deep into premium territory - a Classic III plus a second cheap grill costs less than one Big Joe
- ✗The bigger firebox burns noticeably more charcoal than the Classic for small weeknight cooks, so it's inefficient as a one-steak grill
- ✗Ceramic can crack from thermal shock or a dropped deflector plate, and while the warranty covers defects, replacement logistics for huge parts are slow
- ✗A big ceramic mass takes a long time to come down in temperature, so overshooting your target early in a cook is punishing
- ✗The included aluminum side shelves feel light-duty compared to the rest of the build
- ✗Accessories like the JoeTisserie Big Joe size and extra half-moon grates are expensive, and Big Joe sizes cost more than Classic equivalents
- ✗There is no built-in temperature electronics at this price - WiFi fan control means buying an iKamand or third-party controller separately
Big Green Egg 2XL
- ✓672 sq in is 49% more grid than the XLarge and roughly two and a half times the Large
- ✓Ceramic mass this thick holds a low-and-slow temperature overnight on a single load of lump
- ✓Same limited lifetime warranty on ceramic parts as every other Egg size
- ✓Handles a full 200 lb hog load or 20+ chickens, which is genuinely restaurant capacity
- ✓Sears to 750°F and cold-smokes at the other end, so the size does not cost versatility
- ✗375 lbs needs a reinforced pad and several people to place; it is not relocatable once set
- ✗At $2,800 before a nest, table or any accessory, a working setup lands well past $3,500
- ✗The wide grid is hard to use at low volume — a small cook wastes a lot of charcoal heating the mass
- ✗Reaching the far side of a 29-inch grid over an open fire needs long tools and a plan
- ✗Big Green Egg sells mainly through dealers, so delivery and setup vary by region