The Bastard

Origins and track record

The Bastard is a Dutch brand founded in 2014 that carved out a place in the European market by betting on dense ceramic, serious finishes and a modular accessory system priced below the big American names. Born in the Netherlands, it grew on the back of solid European distribution and an unusually active community in Spanish and Dutch — rare in a category dominated by US brands.

What sets it apart

The whole range — from Compact to XLarge — shares the same glazed ceramic, a firm lid hinge and a long warranty on the ceramic body. The idea is straightforward: deliver high-end performance without the brand premium of a Kamado Joe or Big Green Egg. Our catalogue features the The Bastard Compact, built for terraces and tight spaces, and the The Bastard Large Complete 57 cm, the most versatile format for cooking for the whole family with room for long roasts and several cuts at once.

Our assessment

We include The Bastard in the mikamado catalogue because it solves the performance-to-price equation particularly well within the European kamado world. Based on the specifications, on user-community feedback and on our own experience cooking on our Big Green Egg Large, the Large Complete 57 cm plays in the same usable-diameter league as a BGE Large, with the advantage of arriving better equipped out of the box.

The honest caveat: the accessory and spare-parts ecosystem of Big Green Egg and Kamado Joe is still broader and has more years behind it. If ten-year availability of every gasket and grate matters to you, that history counts. If you want a serious, well-finished ceramic kamado at a friendlier entry price, The Bastard is a very reasonable alternative.

Who it's for

For anyone wanting to step into kamado cooking with quality ceramic without paying the premium of the benchmark American brands, and who appreciates a complete accessory package from day one. The Compact fits small terraces; the Large Complete 57 cm is the natural pick if you often cook for groups.