Thoughts on 38 vs 42 KK?

[Pultzar]

Hello,

I'm trying to decide on my first Komodo Kamado, and am heavily leaning towards the 38/42 vs the 32.

Pros for the 38 vs 42

-I like the looks of the 38 a little better, how it is proportioned

-Maybe the lid is easier to lift?

Pros for the 42

-Bigger size, in particular 4 more inches of valuable rectangular space in the middle

They seem pretty close and maybe I am splitting hairs, but curious what other people thought. The price difference isn't a driving factor for me.

[5698k]

The 38” is still relatively new as far as there’s not been much posted about it. All KK’s are excellent, so there’s no reason to be concerned about any issues.

The lids of all KK’s are spring assist, so no difference in felt lifting weight. I also understand that there’s not a lot of weight difference between the 38” and the 42”.

My usual thought would be go as big as you care to, not that the 38” isn’t big.


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[MacKenzie]

No matter the size the food you cook is at the next level, awesome no matter what KK you cook on.

[Pultzar]

When I'm trying to make a decision like this, my wife always says "just get the big one."

[Cheesehead_Griller]

If you are constantly doing large cooks then it makes sense to get the 42. If you want to cook a few chicken breasts or a few steaks for you and you wife the 32 or 38 will be sufficient. I own the 32 and feel it 's a great size. The smaller size requires less lump for those smaller cooks. From a capacity standpoint, I can easily get 8 pork butts on my 32's two top racks Whatever fits your needs. That being said, I have considered adding the 22 Beast to use for smaller cooks as my 32 can seem a bit large for doing just a few steaks, pork chops, etc.  

[tony b]

I'm not a direct help here, as I own a 23". But, in all the years on this forum, I've never heard anyone complain/regret going bigger on their grill size when choosing between sizes. 

[Hx31416]

I’ve owned both a 23” and a 32”.   Doing indirect cooks on 32” became much simpler plus adding the basket splitter helps on charcoal management for smaller cooks of just 1-2 steaks..   The one thing i would say is that the bigger you go, the heavier the grates.  This is probably the only cons I noticed  when kickstarting any cook plus the cleanup process afterwards.   But if I had the option of a 38” when buying the 32”, I would have definitely gone with the 38” just for maximizing those large piece cooks on a rotisserie spit, or for having more real estate of a 2 zone cook setup..

[Pultzar]

I also like how in the 38 and 42, the grates are divided into thirds which I'm hoping makes them a little easier to manage (although perhaps a little slower, but I have the time)..

 

Hx31416, why would you choose the 38 over the 42?

[Pultzar]

@DennisLinkletterFor the 38 grates vs the 42, how does the square middle grates (lower and main) compare in width?  Has the 4" been removed from the center section, the outer sections, or both?

[jonj]

If you haven't yet seen it, here is video from Dennis comparing the main grate sizes among his KKs: 

Toward the end of video, you can see the 38" compared to the 42" and he removes the ends and center section of the 38". It doesn't precisely address your question, but may help.

 

 

 

 

[Pultzar]

I think this i where the splits are? Looks like the middle grate is the one that changes size between the 38/42

[C6Bill]

I don't think we have any 38 owners on the forum yet ????

[Pultzar]

Does anybody know the dimensions of the charcoal caddy for the 32, 38, or 42?

[5698k]

Does anybody know the dimensions of the charcoal caddy for the 32, 38, or 42?

I believe all dimensions are on the website.


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[C6Bill]

You might want to just pick up the phone and call Dennis, he can probably answer all of your questions in one call 👍

[Pultzar]

Good idea

[Hx31416]

On 5/8/2025 at 4:53 PM, Pultzar said:

I also like how in the 38 and 42, the grates are divided into thirds which I'm hoping makes them a little easier to manage (although perhaps a little slower, but I have the time)..

 

Hx31416, why would you choose the 38 over the 42?

I feel that a 38 would give just enough to fit a small pig/lamb/goat on the spit but also reduced heat soak / charcoal usage for smaller cooks vs a 42.   The effort to setup and or relocate (I’ve moved multiple continents with my 32”) would also be a bit less I would think.   

[DennisLinkletter]

The 32, 38, and 42" are the same grill with different center sections.
The outside sections of the grates are the same on the 38 and 42; only the center section changes.