KK vs LBGE and Big Komodo Joe

[Tony8919]

Hello all,

Like many others I am contemplating the big purchase of a KK 32’. If I do move forward, I have read enough where everyone suggests more space is better. As you all seem to have so much great insight, I was hoping to get your thoughts on the below: 

 

I currently have a large big green egg I have had for 5 years and absolutely love. I have a gas grill that I never use even for simple cooks. Although the BGG is great, it lacks space for big cooks and many new features the KK and komodo Joe offer. I am deciding between getting rid of the BGE and getting a 32’ KK or keeping the BGE and adding a Big Joe for the added features and space. Obviously this would be the cheaper route but I also like the idea of not worrying about maintaining the KK (dealing with break in period, any tile issues, etc). My second and larger  dilemma with making the expensive purchase of a KK is longevity; with Komodo Joe and BGE being more commercial brands I believe they will always be available for replacement parts or any issues. I have heard about the great customer service Larry provides with KK’s but with this being a $10k grill I hope to keep it for a very long time. I just do not know enough about KK the company to have the assurance. Has anyone had these conversations with KK?

 

I truly enjoy reading all the posts and appreciate any feedback. 

[MacKenzie]

I came over from the Primo cooker, which I thought was the cat's meow until I started cooking on the KK. Everything was improved and easier, noticeable improvement in the taste and moisture of the food. Bought a second KK I was so impressed with the product and there is no better customer service than the KK service. No cracked firebox to deal with and everything is heavy duty and will probably out last me. I know they seem pricey but they are well worth the price. They are properly designed, properly built and backed by the BEST customer service available. 

I hope you decide on the KK so you can experience the pure joy of cooking on these cookers.

Edited August 24, 2023 by MacKenzie

[5698k]

Chris Lilly I believe said ask your grandchildren what color they like, because they’ll be cooking on it. I firmly believe that, because there’s very little consumable material on the KK. I’ve had my 23” since 2012, and the only thing I’ve replaced is the gaskets, which last for years. Search the forum, you won’t find any buyers remorse from anyone once they’ve gotten their KK.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dono]

We have a place nearby in Denton, Ceramic Grill Store, that specializes in KJ and BGE and makes a lot of different and unique, quality non-OEM KJ accessories.  So after visiting them, I was about to pull the trigger on a KJ Big Boy III after many years with my smallish offset. And then I came across the KK website and forum and it changed my mind.  I did a lot of research and after a few months decided to go with KK BB 32….tiles of course.  I based it mainly on the overly engineered quality of the KK products. It was a HUGE decision to spend that kind of money on a grill.  But, I can honestly say I’ve had no buyers remorse and have never been concerned about customer service not being there.  And I echo what Mac said, the KK customer service is head and shoulders above the others and the food always turns out amazing.  It’s a big upfront expense, but you will have it for years to come and if you keep it covered and do some very minor annual maintenance, you will not have a problem with it.  And I personally have not felt the need to have this conversation with KK, as it seems to be a passion with them.  No more than I would feel the need to have it with KJ or BGE.  Good luck with your decision. 

[dstr8]

OP:  Its Dennis not Larry.  The only regret I have about my 23" KK...is selling it (its a long story that involves a woman so I'll just leave it at that...).   I don't do big cooks but used it extensively for cooking/smoking all types of meats, sausages, veggies and even used it consistently to bake Galettes, pies, cakes, biscotti, lasagna and about a 100 other things you might otherwise think you'd never use it for.   Its more than a grill...its a cooking vessel with zero limitations what you can cook/smoke/bake/dry foods.  Even 850ºF Neapolitan pizza bakes.  

its not the Cadillac of cooking machines but truly the Rolls Royce.  The engineering & design along with construction and materials will make you feel like a kid on Christmas Eve...each and every time you use it.   No BS!

I see a 21" in our future.

[PVPAUL]

All, just wanted to chime in on this topic. I understand @Tony8919 comments. Before I bought 2 KK’s I was in the market for a Pellet grill. Part of my buying decision was……is the company going to be there to service me years later? In this buying decision I already owned an electric (non-Pellet) smoker that I did have issues with and was able able to fix it because the company was still in business and this really pushed me in this direction on my Pellet grill purchase. It’s also important to understand that I’m not a handy fix it type guy so I rely on this.

Fast forward to my KK experience. On my first KK purchase (32”) I ended up having problems and Dennis was true to his word and took care of me at no additional cost to myself. I ended us purchasing a second KK 21”. 

I have to say if you own a Cadillac or a Rolls Royce they still break down and you will eventually have problems…..in the case of the KK a wearable part is the gasket. When shipping out KK’s Dennis is great in including spare parts etc. 

 

I think the big question here is when our Kids all inherit our grills will they be able to get parts and service??? This is especially important to us owners that are not handy / fix it type people. Does Dennis have a succession plan in place??? I think this is the big question here and what @Tony8919 is getting at. In my purchasing decision I decided to take this risk and have not looked back…….but it is there. 

All the best,

Paul

[C6Bill]

The only regret you will have when buying a KK is the regret of not buying one sooner. I went from BGE to Primo to KK. I could never go back. The KK makes all the others feel like a toy. And as far as maintenance there isn't any. You do your initial break in and if you do get any venting you patch it and you are done. Just get a cover and put that on when it rains or snows, not that it will hurt it, its just a good thing to do. I love pulling the snow covered cover off and firing it up for a nice low and slow cook in the snow. They will outlive up all. Good luck with whatever you decide 👍

[Paul]

@dstr8 Glad to see you're still around! Used the KK last night...still going strong and looking good.

[David Chang]

@Tony8919 it would be more fair to compare kk to another grill made of refractory material. i don't know of any other cooking vessel that uses refractory other than a wood fired pizza oven or a crucible. if you compare it to another ceramic grill (kj, bge). the kk will always be more $. 

but don't set your expectations so high for high priced items to last forever. nothing is forever. but it just happens that there is little to break on a kk if used properly. just keep it dry and keep open flames away from the gasket. 

i can't sell you on a kk. nobody really needs a kamado to burn charcoal for 85+ hours at 235f. but if you see one in person, you will get it.. 😄

 

 

[wrandyr]

I took delivery of my 21" KK last May. I struggled with the cost mightily. But, as I learned in my professional life, good tools are generally a good investment. @PVPAUL has hit the nail on the head. Dennis is clearly doing this as a labor of love, and it will be a challenge for him to find someone equally passionate to carry the torch when the time comes. That said, I am a handy fix-it guy who likes to take things apart, and the KK is built to last (see this thread for a worst-case scenario) .
As others have mentioned, about the only thing you are likely to wear out is the gasket. Get a couple of extras, put them somewhere you (or your heirs) will be able to find them many years from now, and direct your attention to enjoying the cooks. Nothing that has come off my KK so far has been in any way a disappointment.

[Poochie]

I've owned a Big Green Egg and a Kamado Joe. For the money, they're not bad cookers. After I sold both of them, I purchased a KK and that's when I discovered the big difference. It's one thing to have all that stainless steel and heavy duty everything, but the real test is the taste of the food. In my opinion, the food that comes off the KK tastes like real slow cooked BBQ.  Where I could pull off some good food on BGE and Kamado Joe, they didn't even come close to the taste I get from the KK. And that's was what really mattered to me. The bullet proof build quality certainly didn't hurt. Add in the perfect customer service and you have a real winner. Spend the money now, cry now, and enjoy great BBQ from here on out. Your kids will love it to when they own it one day. Good luck on your decision!

[DennisLinkletter]

Tony8919
     From the top.. the break-in causing actual steaming is a thing of the past. We discovered that the freshly dried grills were absorbing moisture in the container on the way across the Pacific.  Because as you can imagine, we were going to great lengths to ensure it would not happen. Clean cement is hygroscopic, meaning that it absorbs moisture from the air just like wood.  To prevent this from happening, we wrap the grills with PVC wrap to prevent any contact with humidity and then we put a large bag of silica gel desiccant to ensure the grills arrive dry.  You may still get some acrylic vapor smell, but I'm sure the days of overheating and getting steam vapor that causes a bulge are long over.

While I may be the only public face of Komodo Kamado, anyone who ever purchased accessories or spare parts after the fact or bought a grill knows the names Mimi, Cicik, Dewi, and Hartono because I'm not involved in the delivery or shipping out in any way..  After 20 years of being in business, we now have many UPS items going out every day. That segment of the business absolutely does not need me to continue running, and it has enough revenue to easily stand on its own now. 

As far as the company having longevity, my 25-year-old son Dexter started working with me after COVID and is learning the ropes from the bottom up. Komodo Kamado was started when he was 5, so he's been watching me cook for as long as he can remember.  He has eaten so much BBQ at this point Komodo Kamado runs through his blood.

David Chang
Yes, 23" Ultimate, one basket of my coco char 235ºf burned for 85 hours
BUT
42" Serious Big Bad, one basket of my coco char 235ºf burned for 215 hours!
Will post photos soon..

PVPAUL/wrandyr
Before he worked for me and decided to leave hospitality (which he went to college for) Dexter would rant and rave to acquaintances about how the grills are different and perform so well.  He's heard me talk to so many people about them, he can break down the performance of the grill's airflow performance almost as well as I can.

 

 

[Dono]

A very high-five to Dexter for his interest in carrying on the KK tradition of excellence!  

[Berg]

I started cooking on a BGE over 20 years ago. Then I gave it to my brother in-law, wanted something bigger and better. Next came the ugly Kamado that was made in Sacramento. I have two, a K9 and a K6. Workmanship was shoddy at best, but I have used them for around 16 years or so. On a whim I called KK and Dennis sold me on a 32” BB.  I would consider myself somewhat experienced at cooking on a ceramic grill after all this time. Nothing prepared me for the KK, it is hands down the best grill I have ever used. It cooks faster, renders fat like nothing else I have ever used, gets a clean Smokey flavor into the food, sears amazingly well, and I am just getting started. it is the complete package. 
The build quality is amazing, the customer service I have received has been excellent. The pallet comes with a crowbar to help remove the cooker, really? All the spare parts you could ever need. It is very obvious that a lot of care and thought has gone into it. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy again.
I need to find new homes for my old POSKs (piece of s*** Kamado). I don’t even want to use them anymore. My poor Lone Star pellet grill is gathering dust. Could have saved myself a lot of money and trouble if I had just started with the KK. 

[wrandyr]

Quote

my 25-year-old son Dexter started working with me after COVID and is learning the ropes from the bottom up

The ideal solution. Get him in the videos!

[DennisLinkletter]

21 minutes ago, wrandyr said:

The ideal solution. Get him in the videos!

He's my cameraman!

[johnnymnemonic]

@Tony8919 I have owned a large BGE for 14 years.  I still use it once in a while and don't intend to ever get rid of it.  But my 42" KK is amazing.  The only thing I ever question is why I didn't do it sooner.  It was because of the money, but it's some of the best money I ever spent.   Don't wait several years like I did.  Be happy now.  KKs exceed expectation.  When you unbox your very own it is absolutely unreal and impressive. 

I can cook food that it almost as good on my BGE - just because I have used it for 14 years.  My 1st cook on the KK was better than my cooks with years of experience on the egg. The results are consistently better on the KK and you can see and taste the difference in the food.  The first time you use one you will see.  

[Oldsman]

32BB is the way to go.  Had mine over 5 years now and it still performs flawlessly.  Great to know Dexter is on the path to maintain the legacy.  Buy the splitter for the basket, it make the 32BB very versatile.  Everything tastes better and stays moist throughout the cooking process.  I have cooked everything from burgers and dogs to vegetables, pizza, lasagna, etc.  You can cook almost anything on it, including baking bread.  I had a vision prior to the KK and can't speak to other brands but there is no doubt the KK is top dog and is worth the investment

[Stile88]

On 8/18/2023 at 5:24 PM, Tony8919 said:

Hello all,

Like many others I am contemplating the big purchase of a KK 32’. If I do move forward, I have read enough where everyone suggests more space is better. As you all seem to have so much great insight, I was hoping to get your thoughts on the below: 

 

I currently have a large big green egg I have had for 5 years and absolutely love. I have a gas grill that I never use even for simple cooks. Although the BGG is great, it lacks space for big cooks and many new features the KK and komodo Joe offer. I am deciding between getting rid of the BGE and getting a 32’ KK or keeping the BGE and adding a Big Joe for the added features and space. Obviously this would be the cheaper route but I also like the idea of not worrying about maintaining the KK (dealing with break in period, any tile issues, etc). My second and larger  dilemma with making the expensive purchase of a KK is longevity; with Komodo Joe and BGE being more commercial brands I believe they will always be available for replacement parts or any issues. I have heard about the great customer service Larry provides with KK’s but with this being a $10k grill I hope to keep it for a very long time. I just do not know enough about KK the company to have the assurance. Has anyone had these conversations with KK?

 

I truly enjoy reading all the posts and appreciate any feedback. 

i had 2 large bge cooked on them for many many years talked to dennis for 2 to 3 years then pulled the trigger on a 23 best decision of my life the cooker is leagues ahead of big red and bge trust me when i say this i will never go back now if you can afford to go 32 then i wouldn't give it a second thought i would pull the trigger good luck on your decision

[Syzygies]

I came to KK from a POSK which dropped all its tiles. I liked my repair, I gifted it to my neighbor, but it "disassembled" when he then tried to gift it to our gardener. The Kamado Fraud Forum featured my POSK then took it down out of misguided "respect" for my feelings. I was proud of that repair.

I figured I knew how to cook ceramic. Aside from all the superlatives that a KK is simply the best, it was a bit like learning to land a jet after flying Cesna prop planes. One learns, and it's all for the good, but don't kid yourself. Moving to something that "just works" is always an adjustment.

On a parallel note, there's this idea in the tool world that one earns the right to the best tools. I disagree. An expert can make any tool work. A beginner really benefits from the best tools they can find, particularly in woodworking.

For ceramic cookers, one "earns" the right to the best tool if one can come up with the scratch. End of story. No regrets.