Kamado Joe Big Joe Series I 24-inch Ceramic Charcoal Grill and Smoker with Cart, Side Shelves, Stainless Steel Grates and 450…
Best for
Best for low-and-slow
Amazon rating
Amazon aggregate, one input among many in the Verdict Score
Based on 2 trusted sources
Current price
$1,395.97
Updated Jun 27, 2026 · 1 min read
Sources behind this verdict
10 reviewers weighted by source trust
The consensus
What reviewers found
Synthesized across the trust-weighted source mix below.
Across the reviewers we read, the Kamado Joe Big Joe Series I is the large-capacity ceramic pick for cooks who want to smoke big or feed a crowd. With 450 square inches and a 24-inch ceramic body, high-trust r/smoking and r/BBQ threads praise kamados of this type as superior to kettles for heat retention and stability, with owners reporting they hold 225°F for many hours and even citing 22-hour holds on a Big Joe. Retailer reviews echo strong heat retention and easy vent-damper control for ribs, pulled pork and brisket.
What reviewers liked
- High-trust communities cite ceramic efficiency and very stable long-hold temps
- 450 sq in 24-inch capacity suited to large smokes and crowds
- Retailer reviewers praise heat retention and easy damper control
- 4.6-star average across reviews
Where it falls short
- r/BBQ notes it uses more fuel and is harder to stabilize than smaller kamados
- Related-model owners report the top grate holder isn't very sturdy
- Very heavy ceramic body that is difficult to relocate
- Small Amazon review base (125) and high price
Embed our score
Sell this product? Show off the rank.
Free badge for the brand, retailer, or anyone covering this product. Copy the snippet and paste it anywhere HTML works. Updates automatically when the ranking changes.
Includes a credit link back to this page. No tracking; no JavaScript.
Across the reviewers we read, the Kamado Joe Big Joe Series I is the large-capacity ceramic pick for cooks who want to smoke big or feed a crowd. With 450 square inches and a 24-inch ceramic body, high-trust r/smoking and r/BBQ threads praise kamados of this type as superior to kettles for heat retention and stability, with owners reporting they hold 225°F for many hours and even citing 22-hour holds on a Big Joe. Retailer reviews echo strong heat retention and easy vent-damper control for ribs, pulled pork and brisket.
The trade-offs are inherent to the size. A high-trust r/BBQ thread notes the Big Joe uses more fuel and can be somewhat harder to keep at a stable temperature than a smaller classic, and r/KamadoJoe owners on related models flag that the top-level grate holder isn't very sturdy and grates can occasionally drop when you brush or move food. The ceramic body is also extremely heavy.
The synthesis: reviewers consider it an excellent low-and-slow and big-batch cooker with the versatility kamados are known for, but it's a major investment with a relatively small Amazon review base (125), and the size brings higher fuel use and more weight to manage.
- Premium 24″ Ceramic Grill with Cart & Locking Wheels – The Kamado Joe Big Joe I gives the perfect cooking size of 24 inches along with its premium cart that comes with the purchase of your grill
- 2-Tier Divide & Conquer - Divide & Conquer Flexible Cooking System transforms the humble grill grate into the most powerful cooking tool in your arsenal. The revolutionary multi-level, half-moon design frees you to cook different foods in different styles at different temperatures—all at the same time
- Cast Iron Top Vent - Maintains consistent air setting for precise airflow management during dome opening and closing. Perfect for smoking from 225°F all the way to searing at 750°F
- Patented Ash Drawer – With a slide-out drawer, cleanup is easy. Unlike other Kamado style grills, you no longer must remove the inside components from the grill to clean out the ashes. Simply remove the Patented Ash Drawer, dump your ashes and keep on grilling!
- Other Features and Accessories included
- Stainless Steel Cooking Grates, Built-in Thermometer, Finished Folding Side Shelves/Handle, Grill Gripper & Ash Tool
The Big Joe will use more fuel and be somewhat more difficult to maintain a stable temperature. Being ceramic however it has to be more efficient and stable ...
It is superior to the Weber in just about every way. It gets way hotter, uses way less charcoal and the temperature is much more stable which is ...
Trust tier reflects our editorial assessment of the source, not the individual quote. Hover for the rationale. See how we tier sources →
“Kamado Joe Classic III & Big Joe III Review” · BBQGuys
If the consensus convinced you
Check current price on Amazon
Pricing and availability change frequently. Tap through to confirm before buying.