Used KK Questions

[PWK5017]

First post on the forum, and i am finally in a position professionally to buy one of these great grills. I started out with a BGE in my 20s, and then upgraded to a Primo XL that ive had for 3ish years now. I like the Primo considerably more than the BGE, but still, there is a LOT to be improved upon. My firebox is in two pieces. The plate setters/deflectors holders have warped due to the heat and now no longer sit where they are supposed to. Anyway, enough critique leveled at the Primo, its a fine cooker. I seem to have my heart set on the BB 32. I dont often use the entire 400sqin of the primo, but its nice to have space when you have protein, veggies, bread etc going at once. Also, hopefully my wife and i have a family soon, and a little more size to grow into is a good thing. I assume all KKs rock and will blow my mind; however, how is the used market? Call me cheap or a penny pincher, but i am a "gently used" kind of person when it comes to machines and tools. For example, my other main hobby is woodworking, and i have multiple $15,000+ tools that i picked up for $5,000 a piece that work just as new. Id go as far to say, i wouldnt recommend another woodworker buy new tools. Its too easy to buy top shelf machinery at deep discounts that will last 30,40,50+ years. Heck, even my car is a bmw executive loaner that is 'new' with 2,000 miles.  I take it KK's dont come up for sale that often. I dont know a soul that actually owns one and ive never seen one in person, so they cant be common. Are they as bulletproof as marketed? Would i be stupid to buy one sight unseen and have it shipped if i cant find one within 2-3 hour drive distance? If they are moved within a box truck or similar, do you need to build a platform to take the grill's weight off the casters? I can see why that would be necessary in a trailer or other means with no suspension. Is there a certain vintage one would do well to avoid, or is anything of the last 10+/- years of similar design and quality? Finally, is it a bad sign if the KK sheds tiles? I know diddly about this space age grout, but ive seen photos of grills losing large patches of tiles, which seems a little alarming. Then again, i just read an entire thread about a KK that was beat with a hammer and the second owner did a great job retiling it. Fortunately/unfortunately, my woodworking hobby has me setup and well accustomed to moving 1-2,000 lb machines. Its never a good time, but i do own a pallet jack and 2 ton engine crane for unloading and moving heavy things. Appreciate any advice/info, thanks.

 

Patrick

[5698k]

First and foremost, as to all your questions about are kks that good..yes they are, and then some.

There’s not much of a used market, buyers simply don’t get rid of them. Secondly, the warranty doesn’t transfer, but it’s actually fairly rare that that’s an issue. The other issue is that when used ones do appear, the value holds up really well, so it’s unlikely you’ll find a “deal” on a used one.

Kks don’t lose tiles, if you’ve seen pics of large patches missing, it’s either a damaged grill, a grill that got moisture under the grout and freezing occurred, typically from not being covered, and most commonly, it’s not even a kk, but likely a Richard Johnson Kamado, which is a story in itself.

I highly recommend biting the bullet and ordering a new one from Dennis, because all new grills come with him, almost literally. He’ll help you with a used one, but it’s not the same.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[tony b]

I 2nd what Robert says. Just bite the bullet and get a new one. You could be waiting a very long time for a used 32 to come on the market and there's no guarantee that the owner would ship it to you - you would probably have to arrange shipping yourself or go pick it up. 

[Tyrus]

If your lucky enough to find a used KK in your area it would definitely be worth the trip to travel down and take a look. On location your could easily assess the condition and possibly strike a better deal vs over the phone or on line, but then you'd be taxed with bringing it home safely. On the other hand, if you bought new and ever had an issue you'll find the owner Dennis Linkletter standing beside it's well known reputation. Think of the the purchase as a one time expense meant to last a lifetime giving you many years of reliable performance. Like the tools you purchase don't settle for second best, your in the right place...no regrets here

[Basher]

PWK if you do find one for sale nearby, transporting it is another conversation.
It’ll be important to have a solid box or right size brick placed under the centre to take pressure off the legs.
One or two 2nd hand KK’s float through here each year, they are few and far between.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dono]

I double down on everything everyone has said.  Robert said they hold their value really well….I agree.  I’m speaking for myself, but I would be concerned about trying to safely transport a heavy, $5k + grill without damaging it.  It’s been done, but not something I would personally want to navigate.  There are years of experience shipping them and they are crated incredibly well. And Dennis offers so many great choices of tile colors including some super nice looking new ones that he just recently introduced.  Like others here, I’ve also have no regrets.  There’s also the incredible excitement of tracking your order while it’s on the boat and the anticipation of delivery day.  There’s sort of a high a person experiences on delivery day.  It’s the whole experience that makes the KKs so incredible. There’s a lot to be said about expensing it out over many years as well. A lot of information to process.  Good luck with your decision!  
 

Haha, disclaimer, my statements are NOT a paid commercial.  Just a super satisfied customer of the best Kamado style cooker on the market.  😊

[C6Bill]

I’ve done the BGE to Primo to KK thing too. There is no comparison. With the egg I was constantly re centering the lid. With the Primo I was on my third firebox. With the KK I just cook. I’ve only had my KK for a month now but I love it, the others are fine cookers but this is in a different league altogether.

[bgrant3406]

I was one of those very lucky folks who found a gently used KK, as soon as it was posted, I jumped and was the lucky new owner. The great thing for me was it had everything I wanted, was the size, had pebbles (yes they cook better than tiles :)) and the color I wanted. It only took ~8 years for the one I wanted to "pop up".

So I got incredibly lucky, saved a little money, but if you want a specific size/color/pebble/tile combo, the chances of that exact KK coming along is pretty slim, you would be better off just ordering what you wanted.

If you do find one close at hand, here is how I moved mine:

Moving a KK

Regards.

Bruce.

[PWK5017]

Thanks to everyone for the enthusiasm towards the product and the advice. Its encouraging when people emphatically support a product years after the purchase. The warranty is a catch-22 of sorts to me. Yes, id love to have the warranty for 20 years, but at the same time, the build quality kinda negates the warranty. It seems like the only way to harm the grill is by dumping it during a move. 

 

Im not in an enormous rush, but im definitely at the point where i want to upgrade. The primo is becoming more disappointing day after day. I might put in some time occasionally searching the country for the next 6ish months. Another fear i have with buying a new model is i do not have a covered deck, so my brand new awesome grill will be exposed to the Pittsburgh elements. Also, this is our first house out of college, and i would buy the new grill only to have to relocate it in 2 years when we move. I feel like the warranty and ease of having the grill shipped safely and directly to your house are 90% of the reason to buy new. 

 

It is interesting that a nationwide craigslist search turned up exactly ZERO komodo kamado grills. 

[5698k]

One tiny detail, Dennis sells covers made specifically for kks, so don’t let the uncovered area stop you!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dono]

5 hours ago, PWK5017 said:

It is interesting that a nationwide craigslist search turned up exactly ZERO komodo kamado grills. 

Does not surprise me in the least.  An infrequent occurrence.  BUT, you might get lucky and run across one like @bgrant3406 did.  It’s a big investment of time and $$$. I recommend you be patient, continue to seek out info here, and weigh all the options.  Either way, I think your patience and perseverance will be rewarded.  

[C6Bill]

I’m in New England so I bought the cover. I have it on right now as there is a tropical storm right off the coast and will use it for snow but most days it is uncovered. I was done with Primo when my second brand new fire box cracked on it’s first cook. They both cracked in the exact same spot during a rib cook. I really liked my Primo but I think there is a design flaw with the new fire box.

Edited July 9, 2021 by C6Bill

[tony b]

I live in Iowa and we have some pretty harsh winters. I have had a cover for my KK since almost the beginning. No worries about the weather. 

[PWK5017]

Not the right size for me, but this doesnt appear to be a bad deal for someone local. The unfortunate part of these grills is they will be somewhat expensive to ship due to the weight. You almost have to have a lift gate, which typically adds $150 on each end of the delivery. It is the right color though, i love the cobalt.

 

Komodo kamado - general for sale - by owner (craigslist.org)

[johnnymnemonic]

One of the reasons why I waited so many years to buy a KK was because I knew that I would move and I was worried about moving the KK.

Mine will be here this fall.  @PWK5017I ordered a BB32 in Matte Black Pebble in late June.

This forum has put any 'buyer's remorse' at bay.

Don't forget the community of KK owners.  I have been a big green egger for about a dozen years and often look to the web for advice.

 I have gotten more well thought out answers from experienced hobbyists about grilling, smoking, and vacuum sealing (and why KK owners do things certain ways) and I have seen more great examples of cooking in one place in 1 month of being on this forum than 12 years of searching elsewhere.  That's because everywhere else they're either trying to sell something or you have people who just love to go on and on for an hour on their youtube channel.

I'm thankful to have found the komodo kamado forum, and I have concluded that this group of people is one good reason to buy one. 

The other is, I believe in the value proposition.  - An over-engineered grill that is sold direct to consumer makes me feel that more of the price tag of my KK goes into the materials, whereas who knows what % of a BGE or KJ or a Primo goes to profit for the middleman.

 

Edited August 3, 2021 by johnnymnemonic
added detail and at-mention

[jeffshoaf]

3 hours ago, johnnymnemonic said:

 I have gotten more well thought out answers from experienced hobbyists ...
 

I think you misspelled "obsessives"...

[DennisLinkletter]

If they are missing tiles, 12 out of 10 times they have gone thru repetitive freeze cycles which are destructive to anything with nooks and crannies.
Water gets into small areas and when it freezes it expands 9%.. That 9%  again and again tears open the solid areas and when water gets under the acrylic jacket into the porous insulation and freezes not only can it loose tiles but the vermiculite insulation can turn to mush also. The tiles are not actually attached to the grill itself but rather the acrylic jacket.
Most damage is done from water getting into the damper tops and freezing.. Once water gets into the lips cracks them open and then water gets into the straps and freezes, the grills are pretty much a write off..

 

[BigO]

PWK5017 I'm cut from the same "slightly used" cloth you are. I took about a 5 yr journey to finally having the most beautiful KK (Cobalt Pebble). 

I did nation-wide CraigsList searches regularly and found a few. Inevitably one of three factors killed the deal.

1) The price: The price being asked was rarely worth the hassle of assessing condition, etc., BUT, and its a big but  Everyone once in a while a unicorn would show up, just have your case monies ready to go!

2) The logistics: The more I got close to pulling the trigger on this, the more I realized its a royal pain. The Crate this thing comes in is heavy duty. You dont have to build a crate, but at minimum you have to stabalize the grill and put a box under it to help carry all that weight

3) The choices: I'm a picky bastard, and having all the stars line up is a lot to ask for, even if you're a lucky guy.

 

The rest of the story: COVID helped me bank some cash and hand it over to Dennis with a smile on my face. This isnt a grill or a tool, its a lifestyle and one I get enjoyment out of. Same reason i have motorcycles

So this guy got a new 32" because I find it to be the most versatile size.

Cook on.

Oscar

[BigO]

One last comment, I did find "DEALS" of KKs that were not maintained. That's not a deal.

Like a Ferrari, a KK requires maintenance to run optimally. Its so easy, but I've seen neglected grills in my search. Water is always the culprit. Here's a video I did on venting (getting rid of water or solvent in your grill on my You Tube channel.