Kamado Joe Big Joe III vs Komodo Kamado 21" Supreme
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Quick take: The Kamado Joe Big Joe III costs $1,091 less; the Kamado Joe Big Joe III offers more cooking space (864 vs 346 sq in).
| Spec | Kamado Joe Big Joe III | Komodo Kamado 21" Supreme |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$3,299 | ~$4,390 |
| Rating | 4.8★ (629) | — |
| Type | Kamado | Kamado |
| Cooking Area | 864 sq in | 346 sq in |
| Max Temp | 750°F | — |
| Fuel Type | Charcoal | Charcoal |
| Build Material | Ceramic | Refractory Cast Body with Hand-Set Ceramic Tile Exterior and 304 Stainless Grates |
| 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 | Yes |
| Searing | Yes | Yes |
| Dimensions | 52 x 32 x 55 in | — |
| Weight | 406 lbs | — |
| Warranty | 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
Komodo Kamado 21" Supreme
- ✓3/8-inch solid 304 stainless grates, not wire — the heaviest cooking surfaces of any kamado sold in the US
- ✓Hi-Cap lid gives real usable height on the upper grate, so two tiers are genuinely two tiers and not a warming shelf
- ✓Tile cladding is not decoration — it is a weatherproof outer shell over the refractory body, and it does not fade or chalk the way painted ceramic does
- ✓Wide, shallow charcoal basket sits close under the lower grate, which is why it sears better than a deep-firebox kamado
- ✓Built to order in the tile you choose, with photos of the sorted tile sent for approval before construction
- ✓Four grate positions plus a factory rotisserie cradle cover more cooking configurations than any Egg or Joe
- ✗Built to order with a 50% deposit and a months-long lead time — you are buying a build slot, not stock
- ✗Komodo publishes no spec sheet at all: no weight, no dimensions, no temperature range, no warranty term on the product page
- ✗$4,390 is the matte black floor; tile choice adds several hundred dollars and it is easy to reach $4,900
- ✗Direct-only, shipped from overseas production, so there is no dealer to take a warranty claim to
- ✗Very heavy — these are craned into place, not wheeled