Kamado Joe Big Joe III vs Kamado Joe Konnected Joe
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Quick take: The Kamado Joe Konnected Joe costs $1,300 less; the Kamado Joe Big Joe III offers more cooking space (864 vs 250 sq in); the Kamado Joe Big Joe III reaches a higher max temp (750 vs 700°F).
| Spec | Kamado Joe Big Joe III | Kamado Joe Konnected Joe |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3,299 | $1,999 |
| Rating | 4.8★ (850) | 4.6★ (480) |
| Type | Kamado | Kamado |
| Cooking Area | 864 sq in | 250 sq in |
| Max Temp | 750°F | 700°F |
| Fuel Type | Charcoal | Charcoal |
| Build Material | Ceramic | Ceramic |
| Hopper Capacity | — | — |
| Burners | — | — |
| WiFi / App | No | Yes |
| App control | No | Yes |
| Meat probe | No | Yes |
| PID controller | No | Yes |
| Side burner | No | No |
| Rotisserie | No | No |
| Searing | Yes | Yes |
| Dimensions | 52 x 32 x 55 in | 47 x 30 x 48 in |
| Weight | 406 lbs | 216 lbs |
| Warranty | Lifetime (ceramic) | Lifetime (ceramic) |
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
Kamado Joe Konnected Joe
- ✓The Automatic Fire Starter lights lump charcoal at the push of a button - no torch, chimney, or fire-tending, which removes the single biggest barrier to kamado cooking
- ✓The Kontrol Fan holds set temperatures from 225°F to 700°F automatically, so overnight brisket cooks are genuinely set-and-forget on charcoal
- ✓You get real lump charcoal flavor and searing power that pellet grills can't match, with roughly the same effort level
- ✓The Kamado Joe app handles temp control, timers, cook programs, and up to three meat probes from your phone
- ✓Full manual fallback - close the fan door and it cooks exactly like a normal ceramic kamado, so dead electronics never brick the grill
- ✓Thick ceramic construction gives the same fuel efficiency, moisture retention, and 700°F sear capability as the Classic series
- ✓The 2-tier Divide & Conquer grate system enables two-zone cooking at different heights, and the Air Lift hinge makes the dome feel weightless
- ✓Slide-out ash drawer makes cleanup faster than scooping out a traditional kamado firebox
- ✗At around $2,000 it costs the same as the larger-capacity Classic III while giving you an 18-inch, 250 sq in primary grate
- ✗The electronics that justify the price carry only a 3-year warranty, versus lifetime coverage on the ceramic itself
- ✗It needs a 120V outlet within reach, which complicates placement compared to a fully analog kamado
- ✗The fan can overshoot low smoking targets if you load too much charcoal or leave the top vent too far open - there's still a small learning curve
- ✗216 lbs of ceramic means moving it is a two-person job and it should live under cover on a stable surface
- ✗WiFi setup and app pairing are hit-or-miss for some owners, with occasional mid-cook disconnects reported
- ✗Grate expansion racks, half moons, and other accessories are all extra, pushing real-world cost well past MSRP
- ✗The control panel and wiring add failure points and weather exposure concerns that traditional kamados simply don't have