Primo Oval XL 400 All-In-One vs Blaze 20-Inch Cast Aluminum Kamado
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Quick take: The Primo Oval XL 400 All-In-One offers more cooking space (400 vs 314 sq in).
| Spec | Primo Oval XL 400 All-In-One | Blaze 20-Inch Cast Aluminum Kamado |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$2,299 | ~$2,299 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Kamado | Kamado |
| Cooking Area | 400 sq in | 314 sq in |
| Max Temp | 850°F | — |
| Fuel Type | Charcoal | Charcoal |
| Build Material | Ceramic | Cast Aluminum (up to 1¼ in thick) with Stainless Steel 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 | No |
| Searing | Yes | Yes |
| Dimensions | Oval, 400 sq in primary grate | 21.875 x 27.875 x 33.875 in |
| Weight | 250 lbs | — |
| Warranty | 20-year limited warranty on ceramic components | Lifetime |
Pros & cons
Primo Oval XL 400 All-In-One
- ✓The oval firebox with its divider gives a genuine side-by-side hot and cool zone, which round kamados cannot replicate
- ✓Made in Georgia — the only major ceramic kamado not imported
- ✓151-850°F is a wider published range than Big Green Egg's 200-750 or Kamado Joe's 225-750
- ✓All-In-One ships with the cradle, shelves, heat deflectors and divider, so nothing else is needed to start cooking
- ✓One of the tallest domes in the category, which lets whole birds stand vertically
- ✗Sold only through dealers; Primo publishes no price on its own site, so street price varies by region
- ✗$2,299 puts it against a Big Joe II and above a Big Green Egg Large with change to spare
- ✗The oval shape is off-standard, so third-party kamado accessories mostly do not fit
- ✗250 lbs and no factory ceramic-only option below this size in the oval XL body
- ✗Primo's own product page omits price, dimensions and warranty terms, which makes comparison shopping harder than it should be
Blaze 20-Inch Cast Aluminum Kamado
- ✓Cast aluminum cannot crack from a thermal shock the way ceramic can — no dead-grill risk from a cold-water hose or a fast temperature ramp
- ✓Non-porous body means lighter fluid, fire starters and any fuel are all permitted, which no ceramic kamado allows
- ✓Lifetime warranty covering the body, stainless grids, hinge and hardware, not just the shell
- ✓Hinged cooking grid lets you add charcoal or wood without lifting a hot grate full of food
- ✓Designed as a built-in head, so it drops into an outdoor kitchen island with the matching sleeve — most kamados cannot be built in
- ✓Much lighter than an equivalent ceramic, so a counter or island does not need reinforcing
- ✗$2,299 for 20 inches — a Big Green Egg Large is 18.25 inches for $1,199, so you pay roughly double for the metal body
- ✗Aluminum has lower thermal mass than ceramic; it recovers faster but holds a low-and-slow temperature less stubbornly overnight
- ✗Blaze is dealer-only and publishes no price of its own; the figure here is the common street price across three authorized dealers
- ✗The cart and the built-in sleeve are both extra — the head alone is what $2,299 buys
- ✗No maker or dealer review base large enough to cite a rating from
- ✗Blaze does not publish a temperature range or a shipping weight for it