Best Kamado BBQ 2026: 10 Ranked

The AKORN Jr is the best kamado BBQ value on this page: 1,000 cm² of grid for £169.99, which is 31 cm² less than the £1,316.34 Classic II. That works out at £17.00 per 100 cm², and 5,093 owners rate it 4.6.

The grid, 155 sq in, takes roughly eight burgers or two racks of ribs at once, and the triple-walled insulated body holds anywhere from 200°F to 700°F, so a slow smoke and a hot sear use the same basket of lumpwood. It weighs 16.2 kg with side handles, which means one person can move it to the car.

Steel and a powder coat cool faster than ceramic when the lid comes up, and 1,000 cm² will not feed a party of twelve. For that, the 21-inch Kamado Bono gives 2,262 cm², which is 1,262 cm² more grid, for £849, or £679.01 more.

The Joe Jr suits a household of two that wants real ceramic rather than an insulated steel shell. It is a 13.5-inch egg with a 958 cm² grid, a cast-iron stand and a 4.8 average from 764 owners, the best rating of any kamado here with more than 100 reviews.

Two figures define it. The grid is 958 cm², 42 cm² less than the £169.99 AKORN Jr, and the cooking range runs from 110°C to 400°C, so the same shell handles a six-hour smoke and a two-minute sear. The 304 stainless grate and the ceramic heat deflector come in the box, and the cast-iron air vent gives fine control at the top.

You pay £339.99 for 958 cm², which is £170 more than a steel grill with 42 cm² more grid, and the ceramic body weighs 34.3 kg. If the same brand appeals with more cooking area, the Classic I gives 1,613 cm² for £764.15, or £424.16 more.

The Classic I is the 18-inch ceramic kamado for four to six people, with 1,613 cm² of cooking area, two racks and a slide-out ash drawer for £764.15. It also beats its own dearer sibling, because the £1,316.34 Classic II carries 1,031 cm², which is 582 cm² less grid.

Divide the price by the grid and the Classic I comes out at £47.38 per 100 cm², against £127.68 for the Classic II. The Divide & Conquer system splits the grate into half-moon sections on two levels, so you can sear over the coals on one side and finish slower on the other. The heat deflectors, grill gripper and ash tool are in the box, and 16,000 BTU of heating power is the highest figure here.

The 18-inch dome limits a full packer brisket, and at 85.3 kg the grill stays where it lands, so pick the spot before assembly. The 4.4 average from 333 owners also sits behind the Joe Jr's 4.8 from 764, though the grid is 655 cm² larger.

The Classic II is for the buyer who wants the complete Kamado Joe package: cast-iron cart, locking wheels, patented ash drawer and heat deflectors, at £1,316.34.

Its grid measures 1,031 cm², which is £127.68 per 100 cm², the steepest rate on this page. The two-tier Divide & Conquer system and the Control Tower top vent hold a steady airflow through a long cook, and the slide-out ash drawer means you empty the ash without lifting the inner parts out of the dome. It weighs 105 kg, and 924 owners rate it 4.6.

The gap to its own siblings is the story. The Classic I gives 1,613 cm², which is 582 cm² more grid, for £552.19 less, and the £169.99 AKORN Jr lands 31 cm² short of this grid for £1,146.35 less. Buy this one for the cart, the vent and the finish rather than the area.

The 21-inch Kamado Bono is the one for a long guest list: 2,262 cm² of grid, the largest here, and a lifetime warranty on the ceramics at £849.

At £37.53 per 100 cm² it undercuts the £1,316.34 Classic II by more than £90 on the same measure, and it gives 402 cm² more grid than the 23-inch Grande, which costs £100 more. The dual-zone system and two racks let you run direct heat on one side and indirect on the other, and 4.9 from 20 owners is the highest average on this page.

Three things work against it. It weighs 50 kg, only 20 buyers have rated it so far, and a 2,262 cm² grid wants a full basket of lumpwood every time it is lit. For a household of two, the 1,257 cm² Kamado Bono Minimo at £399 is £450 cheaper and plenty.

The Grande is aimed at ten or more people at once: a 23-inch dual-zone egg with 1,860 cm² of grid, two side tables, and the ceramic chicken sitter, rain cover and ash remover in the box, at £949.

Its rate is £51.02 per 100 cm², still well under the £127.68 the Classic II asks, and 89 owners rate it 4.5. The dual-zone layout lets you grill over the coals on one side and bake or smoke on the other, and the ceramics carry a lifetime warranty, the same cover given on the other two Kamado Bono models here.

Two things work against it. It weighs 100 kg, so it is a permanent garden fixture, and the 21-inch Kamado Bono gives 402 cm² more grid for £100 less. Buy the Grande for the 23-inch footprint and the included cover and chicken sitter, not for the grid maths.

The Classic Joe III is the top of the range: three cooking tiers, the SlōRoller smoke chamber and an Air Lift hinge that takes the dome weight down to one finger, at £2,199.

Here you pay for flexibility rather than area. Three tiers mean a long smoke can hold ribs on one level with a drip tray underneath, and the SlōRoller recirculates smoke inside the dome for a milder flavour. The cart runs on locking wheels and the side shelves fold, so a 130 kg grill can still be shifted around a patio. The 4.5 average comes from 249 owners.

That 130 kg is the heaviest kamado here, and £2,199 is £882.66 more than the Classic II and £1,434.85 more than the £764.15 Classic I, which both cook on an 18-inch dome. If you grill twice a week and smoke twice a year, the Classic I covers the same footprint for a third of the money.

The Joe Jr Essentials Pack suits the buyer who wants the 34 cm Joe Jr with the cart, folding side shelves and cover sorted in one order, at £549.

The grid measures 0.1 m², which is 1,000 cm², so it matches the AKORN Jr's 1,000 cm² and slightly beats the £339.99 Joe Jr on its own. The hinged stainless grate lets you drop in more charcoal without lifting the whole cooking surface, and the cast-iron air vent gives the same fine control as the bigger Kamado Joe models. It weighs 46.6 kg with the cart, and 13 owners rate it 5.0.

The price is the sticking point. You pay £209.01 more than the plain Joe Jr for the cart, shelves and cover, and 13 buyers have rated it so far, the smallest pool here. If no cart is needed, the £339.99 Joe Jr does the same job on a cast-iron stand.

The Minimo is the entry point to ceramic cooking that still takes a proper grate: a 15-inch egg with 1,257 cm², a heat deflector, a cover and an ash remover in the box, for £399.

At £31.75 per 100 cm² it is the cheapest ceramic kamado here, and it gives 299 cm² more grid than the £339.99 Joe Jr for £59.01 more. The 40 cm grate cooks for up to five people, the fibreglass gasket seals the lid against smoke loss, and the ceramics carry a lifetime warranty.

Two limits matter. It weighs 46 kg, so it is not a grill to carry to a campsite, and 4.3 from 51 owners is the lowest average among the ceramics here. If portability comes first, the 21 kg Alivio at £69.99 saves £329.01 and fits in a car boot.