GeoQue Posted June 20, 2008 Report Share Posted June 20, 2008 I have a K7 and it does appear the KK is a superior product. With that said, the only real problem I've had in the 4 years I've had the K7 is that the stainless steel main grill warped and the lump saver fell apart...not enough to discourage me from buying another K. I'm considering buying another K-7 or a smaller K-5. After spending time on this site, I am very interested in a Supreme Plus or Supreme. My question to those of you who have used both the K and KK..Is a KK really worth the extra $1500 over the sale price of a K-7? and why do you feel that way? This price difference is the only reason I haven't already ordered a KK. Please note, I am concerned about the K customer service (or lack thereof); but not enough to bridge the cost gap. I am sincerely interested in a valid comparison based on those who have experience with both products. If this is not the format to ask these questions I apologize in advance. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primeats Posted June 20, 2008 Report Share Posted June 20, 2008 Oh my goodness, you have the audacity to ask such a question here?!? You may have to be banished to the Green Egg forum!!!!...Just kidding, ask any question you like, to paraphrase Mel Brookes " we will tell you the truth,whether we know it or not". But really seriously, I've only cooked on a KK, and had food cooked on an Egg, so my opinion on the idiosyncracies would be a little skewed. If your K is that old and haven't had any issues with self repair, you may have gotten one of the "good" ones. I very nearly bought a K, but the innovations Mr. Linkletter brought forth swayed me like a sail boat in a hurricane over to the KK. Couldn't be happier! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duk Posted June 20, 2008 Report Share Posted June 20, 2008 I have had 2 K-7s they both worked well-- at least I thought so. Then they started to fall apart ( that's another story ) fast foward to now---I have a Gen ll and I can say that they are a world apart---the first thing I noticed was how much more efficient the KK is in the burning of lump. It has to do with the heat retention I guess, just amazing--I also noticed how just the slightest adjustment in the vents made a diff--the way everything fits together with no gaps and not to mention it's a very nice looking piece of art-- and of course customer service is top notch......shall I go on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primeats Posted June 20, 2008 Report Share Posted June 20, 2008 I guess I didn't really read your statement carefully, you have had issues with your unit. Had this happened with a KK, Dennis would have replaced your defective parts immediately, free of charge. I looked at the 1500 extra you are talking about and over $500 worth of extras for the K are include with the KK as well as being more eye appealing as well. No ugly and almost useless prop tubes needed( ever had one jam up on you?) So many innovations have been built in you should never have to buy another unit EVER. You mentioned Customer service, that's what Dennis is all about. Your product is only as good as the warranty, it seems the K's warranty is highly suspect. This is the only reason I would ever consider buying anything, why would you ever sink any amount of dough into anything if what you are going to buy may( and allegedly has with great frequency) fail with little or no hope of replacement?When he visits the states he even posted his personal cell phone number, something I'm not sure I would do, but he did! To quote the Boy Scouts--" Character counts" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeDJ16 Posted June 20, 2008 Report Share Posted June 20, 2008 Welcome to the forum Geoque. That question used to come up more often (not so much anymore) and there have been several threads on the subject. It does not take long looking at pics of Dennis' professionally welded, precision bent SS parts, superior features and materials (not portland cement and ash like Mexi-K) to answer your question. But add in actual customer support and a real warranty, that takes the cake! So my answer is absolutely the KK is worth any difference over a Mexi or WhereEver-K. Though I believe that difference to be less since Dennis includes most accessories needed. And yes, I have owned them both. Just on quick search, I found this thread - viewtopic.php?t=305&highlight=komodo+compare+kamado . I really wanted to post the thread that shows direct picture comparisons of parts from a Mexi-K to a kk, but unfortunately the pic links are dead (Dennis needs to update those!! http://www.komodokamado.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=90 ) Might also find http://www.kamadofraudforum.org/ an interesting read, though you probably already know about it. Looks like there are two KK's very close to you; I am sure U2PLT or his son would be happy to show off their KKs to you! -=Jasen=- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firemonkey Posted June 20, 2008 Report Share Posted June 20, 2008 Geo, I have a K5 thats about 5 years old, and a Gen2 OTB. Here are the differences as I see it; My K5 still has all its tiles, but there are big patches that are barely attached, and it doesnt get used any more - that has to help it stay together. It has cracks all over the place, and i have to make sure I spin and oil the damper repeatedly or it will rust shut again and I will likely break it trying to get it loose. The K5 has a crappy lumpsaver that is rusting away like it spent a year under the ocean. The "stainless" grills have a coating of light rust, too. My KK has none of these concerns and it gets used very often. The stainless is bright and shiny, including the lumpsaver and grill racks. The grill racks are 3/8 inch instead of 1/4 like on my POSK, so there will be no warping going on. The KK opens itself, and until you have that luxury a few cooks, you dont realize how sweet it is. Opening the grill is a one handed ZERO effort affair on the KK. From a feature comparison, there KK is WAY more refined than the POSK. But you know the big picture included some other major concerns, and you will have to decide how much value to place there. I am not sure what the K7 sale price is, lets just assume its close to $1000. You *know* that a great many POSK units have serious defects, and you must also know that the likelihood of getting parts or service is nil. It sounds like you got lucky with the first purchase - are you willing to accept the risk of this unit falling apart? Is the sale price low enough to consider the grill disposable? Yes, there is a significant price difference between the K and KK. But for me, it was a no brainer. I was going to get something where I didnt have to worry about buying another grill in a few years. I hate throwing good money after bad. With the KK, You will get a far superior product, with real support and a valid warranty. With a K7, you will get nothing but interest on your credit card for several months, and then *maybe* you will get a grill. There are scores of stories from people who have been waiting as long as a year to get their POSK delivered, and finally gave up. You can find them on the fraud forum if you havent already had a look. I guess the bottom line is your Mom was right when she told you about things that sound too good to be true. The POSK sounds like a bargain...maybe you will be lucky again, or maybe you could have a several hundred dollar headache? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidS Posted June 20, 2008 Report Share Posted June 20, 2008 My $ worth I have had 2 K7's and 1KK OTB, will soon have a GenII OTB. The difference between the K & the KK are to numerous to state here. Just do some reading on this forum and the kamadofraud forum. You will not go wrong by spending the extra for a KK, most of the extras are included with the KK. You will also not have problems with customer service or communication with the KK company. A VERY HAPPY CAMPER with my KK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naldo Posted June 20, 2008 Report Share Posted June 20, 2008 Hello GeoQue, So far, I can say with confidence in all of the KK owners on this forum that I agree and relate to all the replies that have been posted in reference to your question so far. Ten years ago, I bought a K5, and, to this day it is still working well. At that time (back in 1998), the K folks seemed to be handling their business--at least as it related to my purchase. They were responsive--answering the phone all day long, and also the K5 I received I was very happy with. It still works today and, with the exception of some rust around the lower draft door, it has held it's own (it shouldn't be rusting at all, but there-in lies another story about quality). Fast forward to today... Last May (in 2007), I contacted the K folks and placed an order for a K7. A month later it shipped, but it showed up damaged, and upon quick inspection, I noticed it was shoddily put together, and also the tiles and cement were all crumbly. Thank goodness it was damaged, as I rejected it and the K folks filed a claim and ended up getting paid on it anyway through the freight carrier insurance. However, since that time, I waited through February of this year and still no replacement on my original order and also countless, countless calls, messages left, emails sent to multiple people and email addresses, etc, etc, etc. NO CUSTOMER SERVICE! Finally, upon doing further research I discovered that I was not an isolated incident, and that countless people were having the same contact issues. While doing all this research online, I found KK and Dennis, and I've never looked back! I have not even received my brand new KK yet, and I'm already a happy camper (it's in transit right now)! Dennis has been very responsive, and, as has been posted in some of the other replies, without even seeing a KK in "real life" yet, all I needed to do was simply review all the information on this forum, look at pics, and you can immediately see the difference in quality. So, that all said, if price is an issue for you (agreed it's a big chunk of money--although Dennis's packages include everything and K pricing adds up after all accessories are added in), you should check out Dennis's Lost inventory sale: http://www.komodokamado.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2381 There's some deals in there that will actually SAVE you money over the K package---a NO BRAINER! -Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conodo12 Posted June 20, 2008 Report Share Posted June 20, 2008 GeoQue, If you are like me, the only way you are going to be convinced to even consider this purchase is to go and look at a KK. That being said, I don't know an owner that wouldn't welcome you to their home and show you their KK. After that, contact Dennis either by PM or email. Wait until he gets back to you. After an exchange of emails, or even a phone call, it will be clear which way to go. I'll look forward to having you post pics of your first KK cook! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trish Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 GeoQue. I have both and the comparison is more like a high end lexus to a low end Kia. Both will cook, but the KK is far superior to 'use'. The self opening feature is worth the difference, and when you add up all the improved features, and customer service, It is worth it. Temp control is easier, all stainless products are superior, and there are no unattractive prop tubes. Then the customer service alone should seal the deal. I was happy with my K7 and I thought had a good relationship with the Kpeople... I was ignored and screwed by them for over a year before I discovered their competitor....the KK. Please note recent experience on their forum by TheHandler....a previous major fanboy of theirs. They ignored him as well, when he needed a new rod firebox. His calls and emails ignored for months. This probably will happen to you. Skip their torture which will make you more angry than you can imagine. Just move on to a KK and save yourself the torture. I believed myself to be a civilized person until I dealt with them a second time. Take the detour NOW! Your gut is telling you there is a major problem with Kamado Kustomer service. Do NOT IGNORE your gut feeling. If price is the major factor, grab one of the clearance specials. Any clearance item will be superior to anything they sell. I have had my K7 since 2001 and their complaints have gotten progressively worse, their forum has nearly collapsed. I may have gone over the edge here, but you asked the question and I think you know the answer. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeoQue Posted June 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 Thanks everyone for responding so quickly. Reading the responses, reviewing this site more carefully, and doing a bit more of my own research made me very glad that I hesitated before ordering another K. Although I thought I did not have a real problem with my K, (like tiles falling off or serious cracks) I guess the warped main grill, the lump saver that fell apart, the inability to get my stainless steel parts back to shiny, and the frequent need for band adjustments are problems that may be avoided with a KK. The bright side of this for me is that my K still looks very nice, so I should be able to sell it fairly easily after I replace the warped and broken parts which I have already ordered. I hope to be cooking with a KK within a few months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanny Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 ...after I replace the warped and broken parts which I have already ordered. ... Hope springs eternal. Best of luck with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyboy Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 Amazes me! Guess I'm giving away my age; what the heck, I'm 52. But the collaboration amongst people here is amusing to me. What would we have done 20 years ago? And; most important I think is. I can put a lot of trust into what I read on these forums, and I'll tell you why. I've made custom covers for these cookers for a long time, maybe 4 years now, and still do. So I get to know these people. I haven't met a bad one yet. I understand frustrations of posters when I read their posts; I've been there. Where else do we release!, but unfortunately at times are misunderstood. With that said; I can honestly tell you I've never had one problem with any customer, payment, anything, not one. Hate to admit it, mistakes have all been on my end. But that's what's important to me as building covers to order specs, there's some trust involved. So I think that says something for a community, been an interesting observation for myself. And since not everyone has the opportunity to observe that; thought it's worth sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanny Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 Re: Amazes me! So I get to know these people. I haven't met a bad one yet. Back atcha, Johnnyboy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primeats Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 Oh you Iowa people are just so friendly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyboy Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 Primeats wrote: Oh you Iowa people are just so friendly! Got to do something to attract sandbaggers! Just heard on the news DOT just closed Hy 67, crosses the Wapsicon River (Wapsi we call it); the river has flooded out the highway. and I thought the crest had gone south. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primeats Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 I'll be camping on the Wapsi next month, near Quasqueton(way north of you),also my HS reunion(30-yikes) I'm sure the bugs will be big and strong for us by then.Hopefully not big enough to grill, sorry Dennis. Can you imagine what one of his bugs would sound like when it hits a bug zapper? Probably would cause a brown out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trish Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 primeats wrote: Can you imagine what one of his bugs would sound like when it hits a bug zapper? Probably would cause a brown out! _________________ A bug zapper over there would basically be a microwave! Maybe Dennis could do you tube video to entertain us with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
