General kk questions

[Shuley]

I have a few questions about kk`s that can be applied to several of the models.  The first is how easily they are moved (after then are initially out in their place).  I know several models have wheels but would it be 1. Practical and 2. Necessary to move them out of the rain or hail?  I have had grills with covers before and know that I just never use the cover.....

Another question was about tiles becoming broken or chipped by the gardeners using a weed eater and throwing rocks into it.  Because I have a small yard and patio area if I got a kk it would be within a few feet of the edge of my lawn.  Has anyone experienced this?  Is it a relatively easy fix?

 

Finally， and most importantly， how did you know kamado cooking was going to be a permanent hobby in your life?  I have always loved cooking.  I bought my akorn 250 expecting to use it once per month whenever I felt like bbq.  I severely underestimated the quality of food I would be turning out and it's versatility.  I typically use it 3 or more times per week.  I actually get sad when I can't use it (like right now when I am sick and dont feel up to it) but I have only had it since August.  I have had other cooking “fads”  for example I baked a cake once a week for a few months.  I don't think I have ever felt as into any particular kind of cooking before， and I don't think I would get bored of it， but I would be wasting a huge amount of money if this wasn't a hobby I kept up for a substantial amount of time.  I feel almost addicted. to kamado cooking， so I guess what I'm asking， is does that feeling wear off? That makes me sound crazy but I am legitimately concerned.

[EGGARY]

I cover my KK after every use, no ifs and or buts.  My BGE that is next to it isn't.  I guess I have my priorities.  LOL.   As to  knowing Kamado Cooking as a hobby, I feel it is a way of life.  I don't see it as a hobby.  Even with the BGEs, a lot of those users use theirs instead of using the oven.  The same can be said here.The KK can be used for grilling, smoking, baking, and cooking like an oven.  I don't know about you but everytime I go to a BBQ Restaurant or Steakhouse, I am disappointed because I know what come from my KK is better.   LIke I say, "You gotta eat" !  We all go through phases of cooking certain foods but to fire up KK is not a phase.  You aren't going to eat BBQ everyday or ice cream everyday.  Do I use my KK everyday, no.  I try for 2-3 times a week.  Don't make it as hard at you think it is.

[bosco]

for me I was a griller more than a smoker but I liked the idea of being able to do it all.  The Kamado is the Swiss Army knife of BBQ.  More so, the KK is the Ferrari of the Kamado world.

Ypu probably turn out great meals on your current model, however, you will find the quality will be twice as good with a KK.  The cooker actually plays an important role in the food quality.  

Mug you live in a colder climate area Dennis recommends a cover to protect the grout jacket.  Plus it is nice to keep clean and out of the elements.  Dennis makes a great heavy weighted cover out of sunbrella material that lasts.  

Mad for loving it, it is super easy with the wheels.  

 You are going to get a bunch of spare tiles and they are easy to replace if needed.  I don't think you will have any issues with cracks.  

Just do it you won't regret this purchase.  In fact you will likely cook more now 

[MacKenzie]

Shuley, it is not that hard to wheel the KK, the hard part is to get it started and from there it is easy. I keep mine in an outdoor kitchen and especially in the winter I need to move it out a little to cook. I'm moving it to keep the dome hat from hitting the winter shades that are over the windows. Once I discovered the vast improvement in taste there was no way I was going to be using the kitchen stove to do my meats, poultry, etc. I know it's a little more work to light the KK than to turn the knob on the kitchen stove but the improvement in flavour is well worth it. I live where we get lots of snow and lots of freezing temperatures in the winter but I still use the KK all winter long. The KK is another appliance in my cooking arsenal, one that has made a huge flavour improvement, definitely not a fad. If great tasting food is your goal you won't be disappointed with the KK.

[ckreef]

I too do not look at kamado cooking as a hobby any more than cooking on/in a stove/oven is a hobby. Right now it's all new and exciting to you and that may wear off some over time. Even if the new factor wears off you're still going to go back to cooking on a kamado every time you want a grilled or smoked meal. So much nicer to use a quality kamado for those times.

.

With that said, a lot of us are fairly addicted to kamado cooking and could probably throw our oven away if we had too and never really miss it. A KK will take that cake baking to a whole new level. Mrs skreef has done a triple layer carrot cake on the KK that was to die for and I'm not a big carrot cake fan.

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[Stile88]

I cant answer on the questions of the kk cause i dont have one yet like you i am gathering all the info i can get from all the gurus but hopefully soon i can pull the trigger 

But as far as kamado cooking being a hobby i will echo the same as others its not its an addiction and a lot more fun cooking on one i have a bge and love cooking on it when ever i can from what i have been told and read any kk no matter the size will raise the bar in your cooking experience 

Good luck with your choice of what you will be getting 

Also i cover my bge as soon as she cools down i will do the same when i get the kk 

[cschaaf]

Great questions - keep 'em coming.

Ease of moving - I have a 23" and it's pretty easy to move on a paver patio. The hardest part is getting it started, but a good lean on it will start the process. My patio has a slight grade away from the house (as most probably do), and for extra insurance (as suggested by @ckreef when he help me set it up) , I put some toilet shims under the wheels to prevent accidental moving. (http://komodokamadoforum.com/topic/6377-245-to-save-my-kk/#comment-67834)

I believe @wilburpan moves his around regularly.

There's no reason to move it out of the rain (see Cover below), but if you wanted to do that, I don't think it would be a problem. I'd worry move about an accidental sudden stop while moving it than I would about rain or hail ;). You know the line, it's not the fall that kills you, it's the sudden stop at the end.

Getting it in place is a different story - you'll need some extra help getting it in place. You might be able to get the delivery person to use a palate jack to get it there depending on your setup. 

Cracked tiles - As @bosco said, you'll get replacement tiles and grout patch if something happens. I've never had to replace a tile, but it shouldn't be difficult. Easier to fix a cracked tile than a cracked ceramic shell of other kamados.  

Cover - I always cover both my KK and my KJ. I don't think it's necessary, I just like doing it. 

 

Edited May 18, 2016 by cschaaf

[Shuley]

4 hours ago, MacKenzie said:

Shuley, it is not that hard to wheel the KK, the hard part is to get it started and from there it is easy. I keep mine in an outdoor kitchen and especially in the winter I need to move it out a little to cook. I'm moving it to keep the dome hat from hitting the winter shades that are over the windows. Once I discovered the vast improvement in taste there was no way I was going to be using the kitchen stove to do my meats, poultry, etc. I know it's a little more work to light the KK than to turn the knob on the kitchen stove but the improvement in flavour is well worth it. I live where we get lots of snow and lots of freezing temperatures in the winter but I still use the KK all winter long. The KK is another appliance in my cooking arsenal, one that has made a huge flavour improvement, definitely not a fad. If great tasting food is your goal you won't be disappointed with the KK.

You are one of the people with a 22， correct?  If so， what was it that made you go with the 22 over the 23?  

[Shuley]

I want to clarify that I live in a fairly hot， dry climate.  It has only snowed in my town twice since I have been born and I'm 29.  That is why I am not inclined to use a cover.  Plus I would want to be able to see my kk if I get one.

[CeramicChef]

@Shuley - I have both the 19" TT (aka Beauty!) and the 32" BB (aka TheBeast).  Moving Beauty is entirely manageable by one person.  TheBeast, well that's another matter entirely.  TheBeast is just a pork butt shy of 1,0000 pounds!  You aren't going to moving a 32" by yourself.  I've cooked only a few times on the 23" and it might be too much to move by yourself.  Understand that each KK has great castors underneath and once you overcome the inertia of a  few hundred pounds of concrete and stainless keeping it moving isn't much of a problem.  Stopping all that moving mass could be probleNowmatic for a lady.  Having a guy move a KK isn't much of a problem.  I'm 6'1" and about 200#s and I have no real problems moving Beauty! at all.  When I do move TheBeast, overcoming inertia is the biggest challenge.  I've only moved TheBeast once since I got him.  WE get hail storms and really sever weather that moves through here on a regular basis from March through November.  All I do is keep the covers in place during those times.  Moving my KKs isn't high on my list of priorities.

I, like you, live in a hot place during the summer months, Oklahoma City with day time highs routinely between 95 - 105.  I always keep my KKs covered when not in use.  

Now, let's talk how often do I cook on my kamados.  Shuley, I cook most evenings on my kamados.  Its gotten to the point that the only evenings I don't cook on my KKs is when I'm out for dinner.  You know how I always welcome new member with "Welcome to Komodo Kamado and welcome to The Obsession!"  There is a reason for The Obsession part ... I"m obsessed with trying something new, innovative, and trying to out do myself.  I, and my guests, absolutely love the food from Beauty! and TheBeast.  The best and most versatile cookers I have sit on my patio.  I've got some kind of high dollar oven sitting in my kitchen and about the only reason I turn it on is for keeping things warm.  MY KKs are at once roasters, smokers, braisers, smokers, low-n-slow, and grills.  No other single thing I have is that versatile.  It never gets old and I've been cooking on kamados over 20 years spanning 3 decades.  And it just keeps getting better.

I wish you well on your journey to owning a KK no matter which size you and your family chose!

[MacKenzie]

Yes, Shuley, I do have one of the original 22 and it was that fact that it is the same depth as the 23 only 2 inches less from left side to right side but it has the high top and that I really wanted that. I believe my charcoal basket is bigger too, it is the same shape as the bottom of the grill. I am very  happy with it! 

[Shuley]

52 minutes ago, MacKenzie said:

Yes, Shuley, I do have one of the original 22 and it was that fact that it is the same depth as the 23 only 2 inches less from left side to right side but it has the high top and that I really wanted that. I believe my charcoal basket is bigger too, it is the same shape as the bottom of the grill. I am very  happy with it! 

Thank you for your response!  Have you found that you needed the hi cap for any particular kind of cook?  Have you done cooks that take more horizontal space (racks of ribs/brisket， etc.) and found it difficult to fit?  I am very appreciative of your input!

[MacKenzie]

Shuley, I really don't do big cooks so that means I really don't need the 32 and the 23 is pretty much the same except for the high dome. I like to do my pizzas up high and also my breads and some times things that I want to do direct but get as far from the fire as possible.  

[wilburpan]

22 hours ago, Shuley said:

I have a few questions about kk`s that can be applied to several of the models.

I can move my KK 23” by myself. I’m 5’ 6”, and not particularly strong, and the hardest part is getting the grill moving. Once I’ve got it moving, it moves reasonably easily, and that’s on a patio made with pavers, so it’s not the smoothest surface. The casters used for KK grills are really top notch, as is everything else.

As far as leaving the grill out of the rain, I’ve left Smaug out in the elements here in NJ, and there’s been no issue so far. That includes rain, ice storms, and snow. It hasn’t hailed here in a long time.

I can’t speak to a KK grill’s durability for rocks and stuff. I would say that if a tile or two are damaged, the repair will be pretty easy.

As far as the hobby aspect goes, I didn’t know how much I would like using a KK grill, or kamado cooking. But for what it’s worth, I bought a KK grill as my very first kamado grill without having had any experience with low and slow BBQ. It’s been 1-1/2 years, and I haven’t regretted that decision one bit.

[5698k]

My wife is 5'2", and she moved my 23" no problem. As long as the surface is relatively smooth and level, moving the grill isn't really an issue.

Whenever someone new joins this or the kg forum, CC says, "welcome to the addiction", because, it's just that, particularly with kks. I believe you have an akorn? You're literally going from one end of the spectrum to the other. It'll be an addiction, from cooking on it to just looking at it, to the point that you just might want to use a cover. I've been known to wax mine, and I'm regularly cleaning and polishing mine still, particularly when I see pics of new bronze grills in their new homes. Kks are much more than grills, they're works of art.

Edit...CC says "welcome to the obsession", but you get the idea.

Rob

[tinyfish]

All I can say is go for it you won't regret it at all.

[CeramicChef]

2 hours ago, tinyfish said:

All I can say is go for it you won't regret it at all.

@Shuley  - Tinyfish speaks mostly the truth.  You will actually regret you didn't get your KK sooner!

[bosco]

^^yup agree 100%^^

[Shuley]

On 18/05/2016 at 1:27 PM, MacKenzie said:

Shuley, I really don't do big cooks so that means I really don't need the 32 and the 23 is pretty much the same except for the high dome. I like to do my pizzas up high and also my breads and some times things that I want to do direct but get as far from the fire as possible.  

Can you use a rotisserie when the basket splitter just goes front to back?

[MacKenzie]

In the 22 the basket splitter only goes one way front to back and while U have not tried it with the rotisserie I don't doubt it would work. What are you thinking, Shirley?