Kamado JoeClassic Joe Series II 18-inch Ceramic Charcoal Grill and Smoker with Cart, Side Shelves, Stainless Steel Grates and 250 Cooking Square Inches in Red, Model KJ-23RHC

This grill is a game changer! I have been a gas grill dude for a long time because of its convenience and affordability. The problem with a frequent griller is that these consumer metal grills die after a few years even with good cleaning practices and I really missed the smoke/charcoal flavor that you don’t get from a gas grill. Tired of buying replacement parts every year, for the next grill search, I wanted to look into a ceramic style grill because of all the great feedback heard for several years. These aren’t budget grills and are pricey but getting a grill every 5 years adds up and gets frustrating. This time I decided to stop the cycle and spend some money on a high quality unit; the Kamado Joe Classic was my choice.My first thought is wow, I can’t believe how great this grill cooks and it seems the more I cook on it, the more it cures. I’ve cooked brisket, burgers, chicken, sirloin tip roast, baked cornbread, and tons of vegetables. This thing just continues to amaze me and my family is super happy not no have to lie about the char from my past grills.I’m not saying that this grill automatically turned me into a award winning grill master, but the divide and conquer set up gives more options to perfect your cook as opposed to traditional grills where shoving the delicate stuff on the top rack and closing the lid is about your only option.The grill arrives in a crate and is extremely well packed.This is a heavy grill and is simple to set up, however, you need two to three people to lift this beast on to the base.Once on the base, the inside fire box parts and the rest of it goes in really easy.The construction is thick ceramic and has a beautiful red glaze. It’s essentially a giant pottery cooker.Owning charcoal grills back in the day, I assumed that clean up was going to be a fairly dirty affair, however I found that with using the recommended chunk charcoal, there is a lot less to clean up than with briquettes.The Kamado can use chunk charcoal and wood. While briquettes will work as well, I personally will not use them in this grill to avoid that fuel smell imbedding in the grill.There are several chunk coal brands on Amazon that will work great including the Kamado brand charcoal.Lighting this grill is easy as long as you have good charcoal and a good starter. I use the haystack looking starters and food chunk charcoal.The included divide and conquer system is an innovative way to maximize a cook, meaning that it allows for indirect and direct grilling simultaneously.There are other accessories available as well which extends the options of use.The top and bottom vent work together to provide consistent heat through your cook. Once you learn how to work the vents to control heat, you can walk away with confidence that nothing crazy is going to happen. This pottery marvel keeps the heat better than any grill I’ve used.I found the Kamado to keep a 300 degree temp with the vents closed after a cook for about 3 hours. I was blown away. Knowing this, a batch of cornbread followed my last cook.The thermometer works well, but was hard to see, so it was replaced with a more visible model.The ash drawer is a nice addition and helps with cleanup.The side shelves are solid metal and match the metal legs. I like that they fold down and are metal-wood always rots away.The wheels work well. Be sure to assemble the locks to the front the grill instead of the back in case you set up in a corner like I do.There are tons of videos available to help you on your way if needed.I am extremely happy with the quality and versatility of this grill and am confident that this grill will outlast me.I highly recommend this to anyone that is looking for a heavy duty ceramic style cooker!

The grill was delivered quickly and on time to my patio out back by the logistics folks. It arrives on a large pallet. First things first, I inspected the packaging for any damage as other reviews I saw had some issues with that. Thankfully, everything was in tact and undamaged.Assembly:Unpacking it took a while, just due to the sheer size. LOTS of Styrofoam!! I ended up putting the large outside box back on the pallet and just filled it with all the packaging. First things first, I assembled the stand. Not too bad at all. From there I ended up having to lift the grill by myself onto the nest. The bottom vent provided a handy handhold - but I would recommend getting at least another person if you're lifting it up. I'm in decent shape but the process would've been MUCH easier with a little help! These grills are HEAVY! Getting the bottom ceramic plates assembled was a bit tricky - but I eventually got them all in there. Note, I've had them fall out from the ring attachment here and there, so I've had to re-assemble them a few times. From there it was just putting everything else on, the side shelves, the Slo-Roller, the x-ring attachment, deflector plates, and grill grates. The directions were very clear and concise.Initial burn:I also purchased some Kamado Joe lump charcoal as well as their fire starters. I filled the charcoal basket, fired it up, and just let it burn for a while. I did this to burn off any dust/lingering Styrofoam/manufacturing residue. Easy peasy!First cook:I had watched a hefty amount of YouTube videos leading up to my decision to buy this beast. It seemed to be pretty easy to use and control the temps. I did futz around with the vents a lot, but that was mostly just out of anxiety, worrying I was going to ruin my beautiful meat!! I ended up doing a pork shoulder and following a recipe and game plan from Smoking Dad BBQ (HIGHLY recommend this YT channel if you have a KJ or are considering one). Dry brined the pork with a rub the night before, then the day of the cook, followed his instructions. A big thing to keep in mind when cooking on the KJ is to be very patient and deliberate when building the fire. You need to wait for the ceramics to heat up and the dome to get heat soaked. This is super important as this grill is incredibly efficient and it helps you ensure you've got the right temps. Even though I messed with the vents a lot the temperature stayed very consistent. Long story short, the pork turned out great, but I didn't put in enough charcoal so I ended up having to transfer the pork to my oven for the final hour of the cook. Either way, my family was very happy with the results! Great bark, first smoke ring I've ever achieved while grilling/smoking anything, and phenomenal flavor. It really does make a difference!Maintenance:I haven't really had to give this one much thought so far as it's basically cleaned itself. You can crank up the temps and burn most of the grease and other residue off after you're done cooking. I imagine I'll have to clean and de-grease my Slo-Roller soon as I've had some drippings come down on the outer ring. Haven't had any issues yet. That's one of the reasons I went with the KJ over like a Traeger to be honest - even though there's more of a learning curve, long-term the maintenance aspect is just so much easier with a charcoal grill.Final thoughts:I love this thing. It's a jack of all trades. I'm still learning, still experimenting. Fuel management is a big thing for me right now. It's a constant give and take trying to figure out the perfect amount of charcoal to throw in for whatever I'm cooking. We've done whole chicken, ribs, chicken wings, and another pork shoulder, all have turned out amazing. Brisket is on the list but it's also pretty intimidating!! Keep in mind that this does have a learning curve but it isn't as bad as you might think. Just do your research, watch lots of videos, and experiment on your own.Extra thoughts:I would highly recommend getting a Meater thermometer - this really takes the guesswork out of the cooking. I'd say it's a must for any grilling and smoking regardless of the type of cooker you get. Also get lots of tin foil, the foil boat method is a keeper. I also ended up getting one of those grill guns. They're super fun to use, a little scary, but they make starting the fire insanely easy. Which was really the biggest rub for my first couple cooks, lighting the charcoal could be a PITA and required a lot of babysitting. Buy good meat, take your time, and plan your cooks, and you will be loving your KJ as much as I love mine.