I purchased a Kamado Joe Konnect on 6/22/2023. Once I unboxed it, I started to realize that it was improperly assembled at the factory. The lower lid band bolt was stripped, the lower gasket was improperly installed. These problems made it so the lid would not close properly. I tried to adjust the lid accordance with their instructions, but had to cut the lower band belt bolt and replace with another bolt in order to adjust. I opened a support ticket with customer support and it took over a month for them to respond. Currently, the grill sits out on my patio unusable, and I am getting very little support from Kamado Joe. Kamado Joe has poor quality control and the warranty is worthless because they don't respond to customer issues.
I was in HD today and they had their last brand new Classic ll on clearance. The gasket was unattached badlly in 3 places by 4-6" in each place. Nah . . .
Great video, informative and entertaining...but I bought the Konnected Joe anyway! I am coming from owning a Traeger, so I appreciate the connected grill features, and I'm coming from a different history (oh charcoal, how I've missed you). A Konnected Joe with a (separately purchased) SloRoller is *still* $50 cheaper than a KJ Series 3. It has all the same features except it only has 2 vs 3 tiers of divide-and-conquer. That's not nothing, but on the plus side it has the electric starter and the fan/controller. I press start and the grill is at temperature in
Have to agree with you on this one. All the 'innovations' seam like just extra headaches. Looking forward to the slow roller with the BGE. If it works well I'll be adding it to my shopping cart 🛒
Part of the fun of having a bbq is prepping the grill, putting in the charcoal and lighting the fire. I love watching the flames and the grill getting up to temp. I am not sure about this new Kamado. I have the good old faithful series one and couldn't be happier. I am with you, too many gadgets. You might as well, dare I say, fire up the gas grill.
Oh that’s there reason why. His feelings got hurt. Oh poor man! I will buy it, why not if it’s going to make my life easier with an extended cook. I have the classic III for regular cooking.
You should definitely go out and buy it Preina! Whatever you do, don’t buy a $300 grill controller that will make your Classic 3 a more powerful and reliable grill than this $1,700 now one. That would be silly! 🤣🤣🤣
Exactly, beside the automatic fire ignition there are no advantages. The display let's you know the position to put the draft door and the top tower vent. When using a KJ classic 2 for several years now I can perfectly dial in these positions myself. I also wonder if the automatic fire ignition gets clogged overtime with left over charcoal (dust) or fat drippings? For now I'am not that excited or thinking about replacing my classic 2 grill
I agree with you. Buy a SloRoller if you don’t have one (there’s a discount link in the description) and you have a more advanced grill than the Konnected IMO.
I think Kamado Joe is likely trying to attract some of the pellet posse people with this hybrid approach. Many friends are into smoking meats now with the Traegers and the like; 15 years ago, when I got my egg, they thought it was a fad. All of those people could have gotten Kamado cookers instead, but the unlikely scenario that they cook while they are at work sort of sealed the deal. Personally, I'd do the same set up as you, instead - the Big Jow 3 and the thermoworks and billows.
I sure do. I didn’t know about the no rain or no removeable basket things. Those negate the convenience factor and then some. I’ll stick with my classic 3 and flameboss 400.
Great explanation Al! No ash basket makes it such a pain to clean! Nice honest review, not j7mping on the band wagon just to please the company!! Awesome job
Really appreciate your review. We all like new stuff. However, BBQ is the basics: air and combustion. Just need to make the better out of it. I use my Kamado Joe classic 2 with the ThermoWorks controller whenever I do long cook and it’s fantastic. But let’s be honest, 80% of the time we do quick cooks during the week which only requires to light up the coals and get to temperature.
Love the satire, Al. I'm with you on this. Team Red for sure, but this new grill is unnecessary. The zip lock bag, in fact, is more innovative than the grill 😂
Part of the fun with the Kamado's, at least for me, is building up/maintaining the fire "manually" on a long brisket/butt smoke, it just gives me a sense of accomplishment, lol...Besides, my Big Joe III, Large Green Egg and Joe Jr. are so efficient and maintain stabile temps so well they're practically self-regulating anyway and require virtually NO adjusting even on "very" long 14-20 hour smokes using the Joe III and Egg. I now rarely even use my Yoder YS480s pellet smoker anymore because of this (which was my "first" serious smoker) unless I'm just a hurry-or just feeling lazy AF that day.😂
Well done Sir !!!! less marketing hype.... more real innovation ! I Love Kamado cooking... but this new product just seems like making a complicated , less effective solution where there was no problem. .. Thank you for getting to that point !
Great video. I agree with everything you said. Those of us that have a Kamado grill won't buy it, but they may sell some to new users. I'm sure it will do better than the pellet joe.
Heck, even my Weber Smokefire can stay outside and be used if the sky is crying (you know and understand why I have it, though I do miss my WSM and Kettle, but the massively reduced shoulder and back pain when cooking is a godsend - and unless windy, have a decent sized outdoor umbrella for keeping the area dryish for when doing anything with the bbq’s in such conditions That’s a real shame they haven’t allowed for those times and might well put off people who need some assistance with controlling our bbq’s The 2 biggest flaws (other than weather conditions) I think are where the probe is, and the starter. It might take a number of people a while to realise about the starter - I do know you, James, and various others love your little friends Great educational video Al, and many of your points I didn’t realise after watching James video just before yours. PS was this shot on the new “camera” equipment, looks great
Thanks Andrew - and you know we agree on everything you said. And yes everything you see now is on the new camera equipment. It blows my mind how good the quality is!
I totally agree with you, everyone is all hyped up about the new Joe and forget that there's options out there with similar results. I'm a huge fan of Kamado style grills but don't have the $$ for a good one like Kamado Joe you got. I picked up a used $40 Weber kettle premium and cleaned it up, bought a defuser attachment for indirect smoking and will soon be getting the spider venom temperature fan controller attachment. I think with this set up the results will be great and still be under a quarter of the price of a Kamado Joe.
Yeah you can buy a fan for 50.00 ,a nice probe another hundred,the rotisserie another 100 and so on buy the time you do your about at the cost of the new Joe but it's all already in the box ,so it depends do you already have a Joe yup piece by piece , you're going to get therw ,if you don't have one get the new one over the older one there the same .
My guess is that historic kamado people aren’t the target market here. I am guessing this is their attempt to target the people who would typically buy pellet smokers and offer them the similar ease except they get the benefits of charcoal.
Yes exactly that this isn’t for joe 2-3 users to upgrade it’s targeting the pellet grill users to be or pellet user that want more smoke ring/flavor with 5here bbq. I think the cost is very good compared to a good pellet grill for what u get. I don’t get that a bbq can’t be outside in the elements though. The just bad Design on there part should’ve made the unit removable with a blanking plate when not needed
I agree with both of you. If they want to go after the pellet market (they failed once with their attempt at making an actual pellet grill) they need to make a unit that's better than the pellet grills in the same price point. And you can use a Traiger Timbeline in the rain.
@@bigdmc6459 When was the last time you saw someone you respect cook on one? The proof is in the pudding. Just like that release, you'll see videos for the next week or so from KJ channels showing their cooks on them (I'm really looking forward to James' video tomorrow from Smoking Dad BBQ I'm sure he'll cook on it now that he did the unboxing), but then once the hype dies down and we all have to decide what to cook on, we go back to the products that make the best food and that the audience has purchased.
Adding electronics exposed to an outside environment that experiences all seasons . . . I$ the beginning of the end. Period. A mild environment will just take a little longer. Common sense . . .
Don’t disagree with your points. Even if this product isn’t for you, I’m just happy to see Kamado Joe continue innovating unlike there competitors. Also we need Kamado Joe to continue to be a successful company so they can continue to support our warranties etc, don’t hate on them trying to sell more grills
Hi George. I'm with you on needing them to be successful - and I will continue to cook on and show the value in the Kamado Joe core products and their actual innovations. If you watched the end you saw me plead with them to please stop messing around with gimmics and get back to the kind of innovation that brought us the SloRoller, the DoeJoe, the airlift hinge, the superior gasket, the most stable temperature controlled grill in history - those things are what we should all expect of them. I saw they also came out with some new carbon (Karbon) steel tools - I'll be getting my hands on them and I would bet you'll see me say nice things.
When I ordered my Big Joe 3 I also ordered the Ikamand. Having never used a Kamado Joe I thought I might need it. Once I started using the Big Joe I realized it was so good at holding temps that I had no use for the Ikamand. I think I've used it once in a year and that was just to try it out. That was a waste of $300 🤷♂ lol.
Learn to cook without the electronics. You don’t need them. Most controlled waste more charcoal with unstable burns where you ramp up and down. You get better food from a stable consistent fire. Electronic controllers lower the quality of food with inconsistent fires and uneven wood burning.
Was the Mousetrap Department at Komado Central pressured to come out with “something better”? 216 lbs - who’s going to move that if it starts raining? Could you please put a link to the ThermoWorks Rain Protection System you use in N.C. for the Mouse Trap Dept.? Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these EMV’s from the swift completion of their cooking duties.
I agree with you 100%. I am still proudly using the Big Joe I. Kamado Joe I, II, & III are simply the best and most innovative acrylic cookers on the market. Kettle Joe, Pellet Joe, Konnected Joe are not what Team Red is all about.
Woof woof AL there is also a pop in thermo works air dampener that let's you tune natural air draw. IE 1 finger on bottom vent is like 3 notches open. So my Temps do not fall then spike by more than 10 degrees
Quick -- What is the best car? That's a crazy question. It depends on what you're going to use a car for. How many passengers. What fuel economy do you need. Are you going to carry big loads? The new Joe is great for some people. It's not good for me, but that's okay. I like my Big Joe.
Thanks for jumping into the conversation. My take I think was clear at the end. There's nothing wrong with electronics - I own some for my BGE. The real question is whether it's smart to include them in the cooker (no it's not), or whether it's even necessary (I don't think it is given KJ's temperature stability). I am having a hard time thinking of a consumer that would be better off with this than with a KJ Classic 3 with one of any of the external controls.
Hi Carlos thanks for the kind words. Honestly I wouldn’t. I’ve heard lots of horror stories about it burning its own internals and failing to work. Just get a Kamado cooker - brand doesn’t matter - and learn fire management. You will be much happier IMNSHO.
Thanks for the reply! I will put it on hold then... But one more question, lets say the electronic parts fail eventually, i can still use it as a regular egg right? even if i never use the feature it would still be cheaper than the classic joe II... Thanks again for your insight!@@BehindTheFoodTV
@carlosluisbr yes and no. All of those electronics, lighter, etc take up space and affect airflow. I’d wait for the classic II to go on sale somewhere before buying a brick 😂
My wife and I had the same conversation. We couldn't come up with any pros, and lots of cons. For example, how does the ash get through those tiny holes in the igniter? Time will tell. Good video Al, thanks.
Your take is 100% spot on. I think KJ is wanting to make things alot easier and more "phone friendly" for the new generation of bbq fans to entice them into buying these new Joes. Nothing wrong with innovation at all but I also wouldn't push it as the next best thing either when it has been done and let's not forget their ikammand has been hit or miss for the past couple of years so who knows how this one will pan out.
I'll be honest, i would take the konnected joe. I have a big green egg and i love it, but i like the idea of the fan doing the work, even if the consumption of coals is slightly increased.
It seems they DC'd the iKamand and left us all holding the bag! I tried to use it for my July 4th cook and found they have removed the app and now it's rendered useless and removed my account. I went round and round with their customer service over emails(Becauser they don't have a phone number to call), that should tell you something! So my last email was this, from them: We would like to assist you with your iKamand issue however, we have recently discontinued technical support for this product and it will no longer function. We apologize that the iKamand has not lived up to standards and is not allowing you to have a successful grilling experience. Thanks again for your continued support of Kamado Joe. We look forward to delivering new ways for you to Serve Up Adventure with future products. Enough said. $250.00 down the drain. My grill is awesome but after spending $3000.00 on a grill and accessories, is this the the kind of customer service you want?? I am not sure about the Green Egg, but i would buy that instead of dealing with these people, the service can't be worse. Enjoy this new innovation-they won't support if it doesn't work! Steer clear!
Wow that's really upsetting. If you want to use electronic controls, I HIGHLY recommend the products from ThermoWorks (links to follow). They are a fantastic company with fantastic support and I've been a customer for years - long before I started working with them on the show. And I have it on good authority that next week (starting Sunday) you're going to be able to save a bunch of money on the products you need for this project. Here's what to look at: Signals Grill Thermometer and Controller: emv4.me/TWSignals Billows Fan Kit: emv4.me/TWBillows Fan Adapter for Kamado Grills: emv4.me/TWBillowsMount
Im on Team Red, too! but maybe I'm talking about a diff team red... in any case, question about the iKamand. does it sub for the thermoworks+signals? thats a PITA to deal with for me...
Your observations are on point. It seems like you have persuaded many minds to go to team red. Looking forward for your review of Big Green Egg with SloRoller.
Thanks, CoolJay. I will hopefully convince many more to go Team Red - but not with this product I hope. I'm looking forward to that SloRoller test too!
Awesome , I’ve ran with a BBQ guru since purchasing mine, in fact bought them together. And as far as the pellet Joe goes, when I heard it I thought it was a joke because it would be foolish to buy one, the whole purpose of a Kamado is for the low and high temps and that charcoal smoke flavor you don’t get from a pellet cooker. They lost there vision when they sold out to the big boys I believe.
I think they're struggling for new ideas. They did come out with some carbon steel cookware that might be cool - I haven't got my hands on any of it yet but I'll let you all know if I think they are moving back in the right direction.
Can’t use it in the rain or snow?!?!? Thank goodness I don’t live in a place like Chicago where the weather is horrible most of the year! Oh, wait…I do live in Chicago. Looks like the connected Joe isn’t an option for me! Thanks for the honest review, Al.
The slo roller is NOT a game changer. And the Konnected Joe is just a bunch of electronics on an old model that will fail, something you can add with aftermarket parts quite easily and cheaper. It’s a gimmick to stay up on the tech trends.
Pretty cool! Thr automation is cool. Komodo Kamado is the ultimate cooker. Does everything better. I have all the electronics for it. Never use them. Holds temp forever like the Joe’s do. Nice review. Fun video-thx😃😃
My friend Jake from Rum and Cook swears by his. I’ve got my eye on some other coolers before I rethink my Kamado strategy though. I’m super happy with my Big Joe.
@@BehindTheFoodTV Jake is a great guy! Your Joe for the $ is solid. The slight improvement for the additional cost is a tough call. Your doing great. There’s other fun stuff to buy! Having all the toys for outdoor cooking is the best! Imo the “joes” are the best plan for 99% of people. They are better than the green ones by a considerable margin. Nice to meet you, I’ll start watching your videos. I like your style 💪😃 Best Eric
Oh your feelings got hurt! 😂. Wow why don’t you test it first and see if it does what you want it to do. Thanks for the Video, I will definitely buy it.
Rats! I thought you were going to give me your Joe II. I would even drive half way across the country to pick it up. I put my blower controller under a plastic pan when it snowing of raining here so I can sleep through the night. I can't wait to see your test with the sloroller in the Green Egg. The Konnected Joe will just make easy for my niece to cook her own BBQ instead of coming over to my place to eat which I enjoy very much.
It's a tradeoff for me. If I am willing to do the work a stick burner requires, it's always the best food. But for a fire it up and leave it alone cooker, it's hard to beat the experience and taste of a KJ - especially now that I've mastered the double-indirect method that Smoking Dad BBQ teaches.
@@BehindTheFoodTV doesn’t even come close to the taste and set it and forget it of a Stumps Gravity smoker which taste very close to a stick burner. My Joes have cobwebs, not to even mention the huge real estate of a Stumps vs Kamado
Nice honest take, refreshing. Where abouts in NC are you? I’m in Raleigh area and wondering if you’re close by and have some recommendations on where to buy meat.
It’s a product for lazy people who don’t learn how to use a Kamado. It’s a silly over engineered thing Brennan would never have designed if he still owned the company. Masterbuiit loves gimmicks.
I purchased a Kamado Joe Konnect on 6/22/2023. Once I unboxed it, I started to realize that it was improperly assembled at the factory. The lower lid band bolt was stripped, the lower gasket was improperly installed. These problems made it so the lid would not close properly. I tried to adjust the lid accordance with their instructions, but had to cut the lower band belt bolt and replace with another bolt in order to adjust. I opened a support ticket with customer support and it took over a month for them to respond. Currently, the grill sits out on my patio unusable, and I am getting very little support from Kamado Joe. Kamado Joe has poor quality control and the warranty is worthless because they don't respond to customer issues.
I was in HD today and they had their last brand new Classic ll on clearance. The gasket was unattached badlly in 3 places by 4-6" in each place. Nah . . .
Great video, informative and entertaining...but I bought the Konnected Joe anyway! I am coming from owning a Traeger, so I appreciate the connected grill features, and I'm coming from a different history (oh charcoal, how I've missed you). A Konnected Joe with a (separately purchased) SloRoller is *still* $50 cheaper than a KJ Series 3. It has all the same features except it only has 2 vs 3 tiers of divide-and-conquer. That's not nothing, but on the plus side it has the electric starter and the fan/controller. I press start and the grill is at temperature in
Congrats and welcome to the Kamado family!
You are the first person that I have seen not only give an honest review but offer options for other units! Thanks you!
You’re welcome! Thanks for watching!
Have to agree with you on this one. All the 'innovations' seam like just extra headaches. Looking forward to the slow roller with the BGE. If it works well I'll be adding it to my shopping cart 🛒
We agree on a lot it seems Karen! I hope you're doing well.
Part of the fun of having a bbq is prepping the grill, putting in the charcoal and lighting the fire. I love watching the flames and the grill getting up to temp. I am not sure about this new Kamado. I have the good old faithful series one and couldn't be happier. I am with you, too many gadgets. You might as well, dare I say, fire up the gas grill.
Ok let’s not go too far. Gas grill? Lol. But I’m with you on the rest!
Sure, if you want flavorless food.
Sorry guys. I had a moment of weakness mentioning the “gas grill”
„So I’ve got that going for me, which is nice“ love it in fact it gives me total consciousness!
Can't bite that hands that feeds you, if it doesn't feed you. Great video!
True story.
Oh that’s there reason why. His feelings got hurt. Oh poor man!
I will buy it, why not if it’s going to make my life easier with an extended cook. I have the classic III for regular cooking.
You should definitely go out and buy it Preina! Whatever you do, don’t buy a $300 grill controller that will make your Classic 3 a more powerful and reliable grill than this $1,700 now one. That would be silly! 🤣🤣🤣
Exactly, beside the automatic fire ignition there are no advantages. The display let's you know the position to put the draft door and the top tower vent. When using a KJ classic 2 for several years now I can perfectly dial in these positions myself. I also wonder if the automatic fire ignition gets clogged overtime with left over charcoal (dust) or fat drippings?
For now I'am not that excited or thinking about replacing my classic 2 grill
I agree with you. Buy a SloRoller if you don’t have one (there’s a discount link in the description) and you have a more advanced grill than the Konnected IMO.
I like all your real comments for us non cashed up BBQ'er's. You've made my mind up in buying a Series 3 Big Joe with accessories.
Thanks Kane. Enjoy your new cooker!
Do you agree with my conclusions?
yes i do
I think Kamado Joe is likely trying to attract some of the pellet posse people with this hybrid approach. Many friends are into smoking meats now with the Traegers and the like; 15 years ago, when I got my egg, they thought it was a fad. All of those people could have gotten Kamado cookers instead, but the unlikely scenario that they cook while they are at work sort of sealed the deal. Personally, I'd do the same set up as you, instead - the Big Jow 3 and the thermoworks and billows.
@@robbackstrom3365 I’m sure they are. I just wish they would go back to actually innovating.
100%
I sure do. I didn’t know about the no rain or no removeable basket things. Those negate the convenience factor and then some. I’ll stick with my classic 3 and flameboss 400.
you can also get that Ziplock in Ghanda and any drought-stricken African country
Good to know these tools are available everywhere! 😉
Thanks for these, I've been looking at one of these for a while and have been wondering all the differences.
Glad I could help!
Great explanation Al! No ash basket makes it such a pain to clean! Nice honest review, not j7mping on the band wagon just to please the company!! Awesome job
Thanks, Brian. I hope you know how much I appreciate your continued support!
Smobot is amazing for overnight cooks. It doesn’t push air in, which slightly defeats the point of a kamado cooker.
I've never tried one but I've heard great things. Thanks for chiming in Daniel!
Really appreciate your review. We all like new stuff. However, BBQ is the basics: air and combustion. Just need to make the better out of it.
I use my Kamado Joe classic 2 with the ThermoWorks controller whenever I do long cook and it’s fantastic.
But let’s be honest, 80% of the time we do quick cooks during the week which only requires to light up the coals and get to temperature.
You know I'm with you Fred. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!
Love the satire, Al. I'm with you on this. Team Red for sure, but this new grill is unnecessary. The zip lock bag, in fact, is more innovative than the grill 😂
That’s “Zip Lock AI Powered Waterproofing Device 2.0” sir! 🤣🤣🤣
Part of the fun with the Kamado's, at least for me, is building up/maintaining the fire "manually" on a long brisket/butt smoke, it just gives me a sense of accomplishment, lol...Besides, my Big Joe III, Large Green Egg and Joe Jr. are so efficient and maintain stabile temps so well they're practically self-regulating anyway and require virtually NO adjusting even on "very" long 14-20 hour smokes using the Joe III and Egg. I now rarely even use my Yoder YS480s pellet smoker anymore because of this (which was my "first" serious smoker) unless I'm just a hurry-or just feeling lazy AF that day.😂
I’m with you Moe. Of o want to work for it I cook on a stick burner and if I don’t I cook on the BJ3 or BGEXL.
Well done Sir !!!! less marketing hype.... more real innovation ! I Love Kamado cooking... but this new product just seems like making a complicated , less effective solution where there was no problem. .. Thank you for getting to that point !
Thanks for the kind words, Ken. You and I agree.
Great video. I agree with everything you said. Those of us that have a Kamado grill won't buy it, but they may sell some to new users. I'm sure it will do better than the pellet joe.
They make such amazing products, Darin. I just hope they go back to innovating on ways to make better food.
1) Yeah, you're right. 2) Yeah, you're right, KJ ain't gonna send you nothing.
Lol yup
So glad for your honest opinion on the Kamado. Looking forward to see the sloroller on the xl egg
Thanks so much. Filming it next week. Figure 4-5 weeks it will be published.
Heck, even my Weber Smokefire can stay outside and be used if the sky is crying (you know and understand why I have it, though I do miss my WSM and Kettle, but the massively reduced shoulder and back pain when cooking is a godsend - and unless windy, have a decent sized outdoor umbrella for keeping the area dryish for when doing anything with the bbq’s in such conditions
That’s a real shame they haven’t allowed for those times and might well put off people who need some assistance with controlling our bbq’s
The 2 biggest flaws (other than weather conditions) I think are where the probe is, and the starter. It might take a number of people a while to realise about the starter - I do know you, James, and various others love your little friends
Great educational video Al, and many of your points I didn’t realise after watching James video just before yours.
PS was this shot on the new “camera” equipment, looks great
Thanks Andrew - and you know we agree on everything you said. And yes everything you see now is on the new camera equipment. It blows my mind how good the quality is!
I totally agree with you, everyone is all hyped up about the new Joe and forget that there's options out there with similar results. I'm a huge fan of Kamado style grills but don't have the $$ for a good one like Kamado Joe you got. I picked up a used $40 Weber kettle premium and cleaned it up, bought a defuser attachment for indirect smoking and will soon be getting the spider venom temperature fan controller attachment. I think with this set up the results will be great and still be under a quarter of the price of a Kamado Joe.
That sounds really resourceful! Enjoy your new rig!
Yeah you can buy a fan for 50.00 ,a nice probe another hundred,the rotisserie another 100 and so on buy the time you do your about at the cost of the new Joe but it's all already in the box ,so it depends do you already have a Joe yup piece by piece , you're going to get therw ,if you don't have one get the new one over the older one there the same .
My guess is that historic kamado people aren’t the target market here. I am guessing this is their attempt to target the people who would typically buy pellet smokers and offer them the similar ease except they get the benefits of charcoal.
Yes exactly that this isn’t for joe 2-3 users to upgrade it’s targeting the pellet grill users to be or pellet user that want more smoke ring/flavor with 5here bbq. I think the cost is very good compared to a good pellet grill for what u get. I don’t get that a bbq can’t be outside in the elements though. The just bad Design on there part should’ve made the unit removable with a blanking plate when not needed
I agree with both of you. If they want to go after the pellet market (they failed once with their attempt at making an actual pellet grill) they need to make a unit that's better than the pellet grills in the same price point. And you can use a Traiger Timbeline in the rain.
@@BehindTheFoodTV I didn’t realize the kamado pellet grill was a failure saw some really good reviews on it.
@@bigdmc6459 When was the last time you saw someone you respect cook on one? The proof is in the pudding. Just like that release, you'll see videos for the next week or so from KJ channels showing their cooks on them (I'm really looking forward to James' video tomorrow from Smoking Dad BBQ I'm sure he'll cook on it now that he did the unboxing), but then once the hype dies down and we all have to decide what to cook on, we go back to the products that make the best food and that the audience has purchased.
Adding electronics exposed to an outside environment that experiences all seasons . . . I$ the beginning of the end. Period. A mild environment will just take a little longer. Common sense . . .
Yup. It’s sad to see this development.
I agree i feel like an electronic charcoal grill defeats the purpose of charcoal grilling
Right?
@EatMoreVegans I just order a classic series 3 got 300 off
Man. Thank you so much. This was very informative. You help me make my decision. 😊
You're very welcome - happy to help!
Thank you so much for your great review, comments and humour. You just saved me lots of money: less is better… thanks!
You're very welcome!
Don’t disagree with your points. Even if this product isn’t for you, I’m just happy to see Kamado Joe continue innovating unlike there competitors.
Also we need Kamado Joe to continue to be a successful company so they can continue to support our warranties etc, don’t hate on them trying to sell more grills
Hi George. I'm with you on needing them to be successful - and I will continue to cook on and show the value in the Kamado Joe core products and their actual innovations. If you watched the end you saw me plead with them to please stop messing around with gimmics and get back to the kind of innovation that brought us the SloRoller, the DoeJoe, the airlift hinge, the superior gasket, the most stable temperature controlled grill in history - those things are what we should all expect of them. I saw they also came out with some new carbon (Karbon) steel tools - I'll be getting my hands on them and I would bet you'll see me say nice things.
When I ordered my Big Joe 3 I also ordered the Ikamand. Having never used a Kamado Joe I thought I might need it. Once I started using the Big Joe I realized it was so good at holding temps that I had no use for the Ikamand. I think I've used it once in a year and that was just to try it out. That was a waste of $300 🤷♂ lol.
Right? We really don't need it!
Learn to cook without the electronics. You don’t need them. Most controlled waste more charcoal with unstable burns where you ramp up and down.
You get better food from a stable consistent fire. Electronic controllers lower the quality of food with inconsistent fires and uneven wood burning.
"How to get subscribers?" Videos like this! Thanks for the honest review.
Not wanting it heating from the bottom was the perspective I needed.
Thanks and welcome to the family!
Was the Mousetrap Department at Komado Central pressured to come out with “something better”? 216 lbs - who’s going to move that if it starts raining? Could you please put a link to the ThermoWorks Rain Protection System you use in N.C. for the Mouse Trap Dept.?
Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these EMV’s from the swift completion of their cooking duties.
I love the disposable rainproof device, I use the same.
It’s extremely effective right?
I just know that I use my grill rain or snow, so if that voids the warranty, no go!
What's the point if you can't use it outside?!?
Right?
That's the way to tell them! Enjoyed the commentary!
Thanks man!
I agree with you 100%. I am still proudly using the Big Joe I. Kamado Joe I, II, & III are simply the best and most innovative acrylic cookers on the market. Kettle Joe, Pellet Joe, Konnected Joe are not what Team Red is all about.
Have you got a SloRoller for your BJ1 yet? I can't tell you how impressed I am with mine.
Not yet...I think you just convinced me
Thanks
must be a Svengoolie fan... the chicken is a cue... I like USING the grill (Primo XL)... and the 'automated' world isn't much fun...
😂 I’m with you obv
Woof woof AL there is also a pop in thermo works air dampener that let's you tune natural air draw.
IE 1 finger on bottom vent is like 3 notches open. So my Temps do not fall then spike by more than 10 degrees
Just fits in 2 inch hole and has a Daisey wheel
@@lazydog274 I hadn’t seen that! Great idea!
Billows® Damper
SKU: TX-1609X-BD
Ahhh I see. It goes on the fan to further reduce airflow. Thanks for the tip!
Quick -- What is the best car? That's a crazy question. It depends on what you're going to use a car for. How many passengers. What fuel economy do you need. Are you going to carry big loads? The new Joe is great for some people. It's not good for me, but that's okay. I like my Big Joe.
Thanks for jumping into the conversation. My take I think was clear at the end. There's nothing wrong with electronics - I own some for my BGE. The real question is whether it's smart to include them in the cooker (no it's not), or whether it's even necessary (I don't think it is given KJ's temperature stability). I am having a hard time thinking of a consumer that would be better off with this than with a KJ Classic 3 with one of any of the external controls.
My local Home Depot has it on sale for $1020, think i should take advantage? Great content BTW
Hi Carlos thanks for the kind words. Honestly I wouldn’t. I’ve heard lots of horror stories about it burning its own internals and failing to work. Just get a Kamado cooker - brand doesn’t matter - and learn fire management. You will be much happier IMNSHO.
Thanks for the reply! I will put it on hold then... But one more question, lets say the electronic parts fail eventually, i can still use it as a regular egg right? even if i never use the feature it would still be cheaper than the classic joe II... Thanks again for your insight!@@BehindTheFoodTV
@carlosluisbr yes and no. All of those electronics, lighter, etc take up space and affect airflow. I’d wait for the classic II to go on sale somewhere before buying a brick 😂
Great video!! Just what I was thinking about the Konnected Joe!!
Great minds think alike, eh Stephane?
My wife and I had the same conversation. We couldn't come up with any pros, and lots of cons. For example, how does the ash get through those tiny holes in the igniter? Time will tell. Good video Al, thanks.
Good question! I’m such a huge fan of KJ. It makes me sad that they did this.
Your take is 100% spot on. I think KJ is wanting to make things alot easier and more "phone friendly" for the new generation of bbq fans to entice them into buying these new Joes. Nothing wrong with innovation at all but I also wouldn't push it as the next best thing either when it has been done and let's not forget their ikammand has been hit or miss for the past couple of years so who knows how this one will pan out.
We agree my friend.
I'll be honest, i would take the konnected joe. I have a big green egg and i love it, but i like the idea of the fan doing the work, even if the consumption of coals is slightly increased.
@@Trigger200284 You can do this with a fireboard 2 drive with your current bge no problem. I have it on my kamado joe and it's amazing!
@@ElSenorBbq ya I figured it would be easy enough.
Nice Al ! You bring up some extremely valid points ! Job well done Sir !
It seems they DC'd the iKamand and left us all holding the bag! I tried to use it for my July 4th cook and found they have removed the app and now it's rendered useless and removed my account. I went round and round with their customer service over emails(Becauser they don't have a phone number to call), that should tell you something! So my last email was this, from them: We would like to assist you with your iKamand issue however, we have recently discontinued technical support for this product and it will no longer function. We apologize that the iKamand has not lived up to standards and is not allowing you to have a successful grilling experience. Thanks again for your continued support of Kamado Joe. We look forward to delivering new ways for you to Serve Up Adventure with future products. Enough said. $250.00 down the drain. My grill is awesome but after spending $3000.00 on a grill and accessories, is this the the kind of customer service you want?? I am not sure about the Green Egg, but i would buy that instead of dealing with these people, the service can't be worse. Enjoy this new innovation-they won't support if it doesn't work! Steer clear!
Wow that's really upsetting. If you want to use electronic controls, I HIGHLY recommend the products from ThermoWorks (links to follow). They are a fantastic company with fantastic support and I've been a customer for years - long before I started working with them on the show. And I have it on good authority that next week (starting Sunday) you're going to be able to save a bunch of money on the products you need for this project. Here's what to look at:
Signals Grill Thermometer and Controller: emv4.me/TWSignals
Billows Fan Kit: emv4.me/TWBillows
Fan Adapter for Kamado Grills: emv4.me/TWBillowsMount
The baggie got me LOL ;)
LOL
Great review! I subscribed.
Thanks! And welcome to the family!
Love that your hair color is a perfect match with the Kamado Joe. 😆 good video.
LOL Thanks!
Im on Team Red, too! but maybe I'm talking about a diff team red... in any case, question about the iKamand. does it sub for the thermoworks+signals? thats a PITA to deal with for me...
Lol we’re both on 2 team reds Andrea! DM me this week and we will talk temp control.
You makes a lot of sense. I think you have just saved me some cash.
Thanks Roger. I appreciate your watching!
Your observations are on point. It seems like you have persuaded many minds to go to team red. Looking forward for your review of Big Green Egg with SloRoller.
Thanks, CoolJay. I will hopefully convince many more to go Team Red - but not with this product I hope. I'm looking forward to that SloRoller test too!
You could put a BBQ Guru on the kamado you already have.
Excellent video. Was going to buy one of this but now will buy piecemeal
Glad I could save you the trouble!
@@BehindTheFoodTV Big Joe III and Fireboard 2 Drive Pro is favourite. Cheers
Awesome , I’ve ran with a BBQ guru since purchasing mine, in fact bought them together. And as far as the pellet Joe goes, when I heard it I thought it was a joke because it would be foolish to buy one, the whole purpose of a Kamado is for the low and high temps and that charcoal smoke flavor you don’t get from a pellet cooker. They lost there vision when they sold out to the big boys I believe.
I think they're struggling for new ideas. They did come out with some carbon steel cookware that might be cool - I haven't got my hands on any of it yet but I'll let you all know if I think they are moving back in the right direction.
I'm with you AL, there is absolutely no advantages in the hybrid don't take it outside kamado grills , the simple the better . Thanks for the video.
Thanks Artur. I’m filming it next week. Figure 4-5 weeks before it comes out. -Al
@@BehindTheFoodTV Awesome Thanks!
Can’t use it in the rain or snow?!?!? Thank goodness I don’t live in a place like Chicago where the weather is horrible most of the year!
Oh, wait…I do live in Chicago. Looks like the connected Joe isn’t an option for me!
Thanks for the honest review, Al.
Lol I agree with your analysis.
Own they got electronics? I hate when my toys are outdated. Bought a iPhone 6s one week before the 7 came out back in the day. We all do it
This is less innovative than the iPhone 7 😂
where can i get those waterproofing devices in the UK? Never seen one of those before
LOL we must be technology leaders here in North America 🙂
@@BehindTheFoodTV As a fellow N. American, I will confidently say that the Americans kick our butts in tech of ALL kinds! hahaha (I'm Canadian.)
The slo roller is NOT a game changer. And the Konnected Joe is just a bunch of electronics on an old model that will fail, something you can add with aftermarket parts quite easily and cheaper. It’s a gimmick to stay up on the tech trends.
Pretty cool! Thr automation is cool.
Komodo Kamado is the ultimate cooker. Does everything better. I have all the electronics for it. Never use them. Holds temp forever like the Joe’s do.
Nice review. Fun video-thx😃😃
My friend Jake from Rum and Cook swears by his. I’ve got my eye on some other coolers before I rethink my Kamado strategy though. I’m super happy with my Big Joe.
@@BehindTheFoodTV Jake is a great guy! Your Joe for the $ is solid. The slight improvement for the additional cost is a tough call. Your doing great. There’s other fun stuff to buy! Having all the toys for outdoor cooking is the best!
Imo the “joes” are the best plan for 99% of people. They are better than the green ones by a considerable margin.
Nice to meet you, I’ll start watching your videos. I like your style 💪😃
Best
Eric
Oh your feelings got hurt! 😂.
Wow why don’t you test it first and see if it does what you want it to do.
Thanks for the Video, I will definitely buy it.
Hey if you disagree with my conclusions you can go ore-order one on their website now. You should Di it quickly before they sell out of the first run!
You nailed this one. Also, the grill itself will last practically forever. Electronics, not so much.
Thanks, Matt. I agree with you of course.
I don’t think they’re inviting you for the next one…great video!
Maybe not. Which is too bad - but I’m not going to lie for a brand.
@@BehindTheFoodTV that’s why I’m a subscriber. I want your honest opinion. Thank you!
@@benwagoner9741 thanks man. I appreciate the support!
Great idea
Great video my man, very informative.
Thanks, Mike! I appreciate your support!
Totally agree Al. 👍🏽Feels like going the way of the Borg ….yeah that other sci-fi serie😉
😂 I see the resemblance. But this grill is no Jeri Ryan! 🤣🤣🤣
@@BehindTheFoodTV 👍🏽😂
Rats! I thought you were going to give me your Joe II. I would even drive half way across the country to pick it up. I put my blower controller under a plastic pan when it snowing of raining here so I can sleep through the night. I can't wait to see your test with the sloroller in the Green Egg. The Konnected Joe will just make easy for my niece to cook her own BBQ instead of coming over to my place to eat which I enjoy very much.
lol sorry man no such luck! I do like your plastic pan hack!
@@BehindTheFoodTV Controller on the table and invert the clear plastic pan or tub over the top to keep rain and snow off the controller.
Great video, definitely a miss from KJ for me. Still can’t believe they built this of the series 2 frame. Agree with you 100%
Thanks Justin. I'm shocked - KJ is such a good product. They know how to do this better than they did.
At least I’ve expected the probes to be wireless like Meater. Now the “innovation” is just an build in for more money 🤷♂️. Good review
Thanks, Ossie. We agree.
2:17 lol
😇
Yea it takes the fun out of cooking with charcoal. I’ll stick with my series 2
I’m with you Nick.
You make some great points, Al. 👍😊
Thanks for watching, Bobbi. You know me - my opinion is not for sale!
I agree
Thanks for watching!
That my friend was entertaining…👍👍👍
Glad you enjoyed it!
Awesome video!
Thanks!
I’ve got two Kamado joes but wouldn’t buy a Kamado cooker again, I prefer real smokers like a stick burner or gravity fed like a Stumps.
It's a tradeoff for me. If I am willing to do the work a stick burner requires, it's always the best food. But for a fire it up and leave it alone cooker, it's hard to beat the experience and taste of a KJ - especially now that I've mastered the double-indirect method that Smoking Dad BBQ teaches.
@@BehindTheFoodTV doesn’t even come close to the taste and set it and forget it of a Stumps Gravity smoker which taste very close to a stick burner. My Joes have cobwebs, not to even mention the huge real estate of a Stumps vs Kamado
Great video!
Thanks Corey!
Brilliant vid - well done - we shouldn't take all this so seriously
Thanks!
Nice honest take, refreshing. Where abouts in NC are you? I’m in Raleigh area and wondering if you’re close by and have some recommendations on where to buy meat.
great review. this is what i needed not to buy the konnected joe 😂
So glad I could help. Let's stick with their traditional Kamado products right?
I Think i’ll do that and buy me a Big Joe III 😂
waste of money. get a traeger or a clone, there of. too much bs only to act like a real cooker on this new gen. blah!
I will NOT be purchasing the new Joe!
Me either (obviously lol)
@@BehindTheFoodTV BTW……how are you liking your offset?
@@Rbouch it still makes the best tasting food in my yard. Not sure I would do the 2-zone again - I rarely use both chambers at the same time.
@@BehindTheFoodTV I agree on that….
9:30 ziplock !
I knew there was a technical name for it! 😂
It’s a product for lazy people who don’t learn how to use a Kamado. It’s a silly over engineered thing Brennan would never have designed if he still owned the company.
Masterbuiit loves gimmicks.
You're not going to find me arguing with you.
The hair just throws me off. You’re too old for it brother. Tell me you voted for Biden without telling me you voted for Biden.
So other than that you liked the video? Oh - and #LGB
its crap
KJ makes good products. This one I think was just a bad idea
Kamadoo joe is a joke. Too expensive
What do you cook on?