Questions about the 19.5 inch Komodo Kamado

[tleaton]

Help. Have any of you used the KK 19.5 inch?

We would just go ahead and get the 23 inch, but we are soon moving to Europe and 560 plus pounds is a lot to handle.

We mostly cook for the 2 of us, and occasionally have 2 or, rarely 6 or more people over for dinner.

If you have the 19.5 inch, we would like to know your impressions of it.

If you have used both, your comparisons would be appreciated.

Thank you.

Tom and Bo

[Firemonkey]

Re: Questions about the 19.5 inch Komodo Kamado

I have not used the 19.5, but I can give you some insight based on the full-size KK.

The question you need to be asking yourself, is what you typically grill? If you typically grill only your main course, then the 19.5 will probably do fine, even when cooking for 6 or more. However, if you typically grill your entire meal, including the sides, then that requires more grill real estate, and you would probably do well to get the full size model so you have the flexibility to cook whatever you want.

The 19.5" does have a smaller footprint but its still not portable. Actual Weights: a 23†at 648 lbs while the 19.5†weighs in at 482lbs

Unless you have space issues, I would consider getting the full size model...Its better to have free overhead then be out of room and wish you had more, even if it only happens occasionally. I have the full size unit, a family of four, and plan to get a second full size unit,but that is more for the ability to have 2 different temperatures going at once than for the extra space. A full meal for a family of four fits on the full size KK, but depending on the menu, you still may need to be creative with the placement.

BTW, you can find similar discussion in the following thread:

viewtopic.php?f=37&t=3853&p=35771&hilit=lil+isla#p35771

[jdbower]

Re: Questions about the 19.5 inch Komodo Kamado

Do you know where you're moving in Europe? The US is full of suburbs which handle BBQ very well, but much of Europe tends to be much more boolean where you either live in the city or you're in the middle of a rural area. If you're not sure you'll have a yard the 19.5" does do well on a balcony - assuming it's allowed.

Having both a 19.5" and a 23" I can say that the moving of either is about the same. Either needs multiple people and careful packing, about the only time saver with moving the 19.5" is that you may want to remove the dome on the 23" during the move to make it a little more manageable - but I wouldn't base your decision on this.

My preference is for the 23", I just find it to be a bit more pleasing aesthetically (the 19.5" is a bit tall and narrow which is ergonomically correct in that it keeps the grilling surface at the right height) and having the extra space when I need it is a much better thing than running out of room. Dennis will probably chime in with his very apt furniture analogy as well, the 23" is only slightly larger than the 19.5" but it feels a lot bigger.

[Tucker]

Re: Questions about the 19.5 inch Komodo Kamado

I own one of each also and agree with FM and JD in their assessments.

May I suggest that if your move is imminent, why not place your order with Dennis and have him deliver it to your new abode in Europe? You would not have to worry about repackaging and shipping.

[tleaton]

Re: Questions about the 19.5 inch Komodo Kamado

Wow. Quick replies. Thanks to all of you for additional the information and the link. We are moving to a small village in Eastern Europe, where grilling is still allowed... sometimes it seems that grilling over burning tires is allowed!

Firemonkey says the 19.5" weighs 482 lbs, the 23" is 648 lbs.

Elsewhere posted, weights of 19.5" = 368 lbs and 23" = 476 lbs are reported.

I really would like to know the correct weights. I've had some issues with "curb side deliveries"; the drivers tend to be anti-social if not a bit sadistic. Often they come with a massive truck so they cannot even "drop" the delivery onto the driveway; on the street seems to be adequate.

A 648 lb crate on the street would never make it over the slight lip onto our driveway without a skid steer pushing it. In Europe, we would have to move it 50 meters over cobble stone to the back terrace. Once it is in place, we wouldn't be moving it, but nobody I know can move 648 lbs!

[Firemonkey]

Re: Questions about the 19.5 inch Komodo Kamado

I grabbed my weights from a post by JD in the thread I linked to... Not sure what is accurate - Dennis will probably have to chime in with accurate current weights. JD may have gotten his weight from the BOL on the crate?

I have taken delivery of two 23" KKs. ONe was moved from my driveway, around the house on an hand truck. The whole crate was loaded on the dolly, and the driver rolled it to my back patio - through grass and mulch. The second one had a pallet jack only, and dropped it off right in the driveway. I had to uncrate that one and move it by hand. It is not as hard as it may seem.

After removing the crate, the KK comes with ropes around that legs that you can slip a couple of wooden 2x4 beams through, then a couple of average joes can pick it up and carry it. This picture shows 4 people, we moved mine with 2 of us.

The lid can be very easily removed, saving about 120 pounds of the weight if you need to lift and carry the grill across soft surfaces. If you prefer more finesse than brawn, the wheels on the KK are large enough roll easily over small bumps - but not cobblestone. What many people do is use a couple of pieces of plywood, and roll the grill from one onto the other, leapfrog style, until you get to an area where you can roll it:

(NOT a KK in the below picture...BTW, if you ever see a grill with these metal tubes on the side, RUN! )

If you have steps, you just have to recruit a couple of able bodied people to lift it up there. They don't have to be body builders, either. My wife helped me lift the first one off the crate onto the patio.

In the upper right hand corner of the forum pages, there is a search dialog - if you search on "delivery" or "moving" you should find lots of discussion of how people have moved it. Most are surprised by how easily they roll and can be transported.

[johnnyboy]

Re: Questions about the 19.5 inch Komodo Kamado

(NOT a KK in the below picture...BTW, if you ever see a grill with these metal tubes on the side, RUN! )

Ha! Rolling on the floor laughing my a$$ off!!

[tleaton]

Re: Questions about the 19.5 inch Komodo Kamado

Thank you, Monkeyman! What a qreat reply, and with photos even!

I seems to us that there is one very devoted group out there, devoted to the KK. We know we are making the right decision based on you guys.

[DennisLinkletter]

Re: Questions about the 19.5 inch Komodo Kamado

Firemonkey says the 19.5" weighs 482 lbs, the 23" is 648 lbs.

A 648 lb crate on the street would never make it over the slight lip onto our driveway without a skid steer pushing it. In Europe, we would have to move it 50 meters over cobble stone to the back terrace. Once it is in place, we wouldn't be moving it, but nobody I know can move 648 lbs!

19.5" weighs 482 lbs crated and 400 lbs net., the 23" is 648 lbs. crated and 544 lbs net. .

You could slowly roll it back using it's wheels if the cobblestones were relatively level... Like the old Roman ones.. As shown above.. you could roll it on thin plywood sheets.. I've rolled one on 1/4" plywood sheets over gravel for 30 meters with my wife..

[tleaton]

Re: Questions about the 19.5 inch Komodo Kamado

Thanks,Dennis.

[Tucker]

Re: Questions about the 19.5 inch Komodo Kamado

Regarding moving... I have used a handtruck and straps to strap the crated KK to the handtruck and rolled it round back of my house across grass and pavers to the back porch, then uncrated it there.

The 19.5 i handled by my self, the 23 i had one other guy help me.

Just another way....

[tleaton]

Re: Questions about the 19.5 inch Komodo Kamado

Hello Tucker,

A hand truck with only 2 guys. Sounds good.

The problem with European delivery is the pickup at the port... a very long distance away. Our shipping company can handle it from our home in Wisconsin and the KK should make it all the way to our house overseas. We are now leaning toward the 23" but no firm decision yet.

Since you have both sizes, what is your impression of the two? Which do you use more, which one do you prefer, and, if you had to donate one to cousin Joey, which one would you be willing to discard?

[mguerra]

Re: Questions about the 19.5 inch Komodo Kamado

If you use the 2x4 method shown in the photo, PAD the 2x4's!!! I gouged the hell out of my tiles doing that.

[Tucker]

Re: Questions about the 19.5 inch Komodo Kamado

tough to say which i like most, i do use the smaller one more for just my wife and I, but when we entertain, i have one running low, slow, long for brisket, butt, roast, etc.. and the other for fish, ribs veggies, etc...

If I had to give one to cousin joey..... I'd give him a absenth cocktail instead

[tleaton]

Re: Questions about the 19.5 inch Komodo Kamado

Understood.

[bwright]

Re: Questions about the 19.5 inch Komodo Kamado

I have the smaller one. It has been mostly adequate but I sometimes wish I had the larger one. My 20 lb Thanksgiving turkey was something of a problem but it was one of the first times I used the KK. As to the moving: My delivery was scheduled simply to the driveway. I told the driver of the truck that I would make it worth his while to get it to my backyard and on my deck. There is one small step, a relatively long ramp and the one larger step. The driver had a screw dolly (or whatever it is called). He easily rolled it back the sometimes rough concrete driveway but then the first problem arose. It was just a little too large to get through the gate in my fence in the crate. So we uncrated it and i t rolled through fine on the dolly. The next hiccup was that my very short step was just slightly too high for his dolly to lift it on. I should mention that I had been suffering from a serious back problem and unable to lift more than twenty pounds. My friend, a contractor and therefore not always reliable about time, had not shown up. But the driver was able to tilt the KK enough to get it up the first step. He then simply pulled it up the ramp with me just staying behind to keep it from rolling back. Complaining all the time that this was the hardest delivery he had every done, he managed to get it up the ramp and then was able to tilt it again enough to roll up the larger step and it then rolled very easily along my deck. I did make it worth his time. The long and short of it is that it is actually possible for one strong man and an old fart who can't lift anything to move the smaller KK with no other help. I am sure that two able bodied and determined guys would have had no trouble. I had been very worried about it but was determined that I would get it up by hook or crook. A little hard cash solved the problem. My contractor friend (yes, we are still friends in spite of it all) had talked about getting four of his guys to come do the job. But since this would have taken at least eight man hours (their main work site is nearly an hour from my house--the joys of Southern California) it would have been overly expensive. I am an old fan of the Imperial Kamado and was kind of sad to give it up after over thirty years but the KK is really wonderful. My first wife was fine too but the second is marvelous. The same for the Kamados but at least I don't have to pay support for the old one that is now in the hands of one of my friends.

[jdbower]

Re: Questions about the 19.5 inch Komodo Kamado

Something I recently was reminded of it that, ironically, over uneven surfaces I find the 23" to be a bit easier to handle than the 19.5" thanks to the bigger wheels. This is a good thing in many cases, I'd imagine that the 23" is more at home on an uneven patio while the 19.5" would be likely to live on a smooth concrete balcony - meaning in their native environment both are equally as easy to push.