Kamados worth your fire

If you have to buy a kamado today, the Kamado Joe Classic III tops our selection at 9.4 out of 10. But the brand matters less than the size: a 46 cm kamado covers 4-8 people, a 33 cm one is enough for 2-4, and the 61 cm models are for anyone cooking for 8-12.

We've reviewed 31 kamados with an editorial score, and the brand, price and diner filters narrow the list down to three or four candidates. For the benchmark, compare the Classic III with the Big Green Egg Large, the one we cook on every day. To spend less without giving up ceramic, look at the Monolith Classic Pro 2.0 or the Kamado Bono Media; for two people, the Joe Jr, and for big groups, the Big Joe III.

We score every grill on the same criteria: ceramic quality, gasket seal, vent precision, included accessories and upkeep cost. We check manufacturer specs against the community (Naked Whiz, AmazingRibs) and against six years of cooking in Torrevieja. No brand pays to appear or for its score; Amazon links are flagged and the real price is whatever Amazon shows when you buy. Torn between two? The calculator settles it in thirty seconds, and the reasoned ranking lives in best kamado 2026.