Kamado Grills Explained: What They Are and Why People Love Them

A kamado is the egg-shaped ceramic or steel grill you have probably seen and wondered about. The design is ancient, derived from Japanese clay cooking vessels, and it has survived because the physics are genuinely good.

How they work

The defining feature is thick, heavy walls with high thermal mass. Once a kamado is up to temperature, it holds there with very little fuel and very little attention.

Airflow is controlled by two vents, one at the base and one at the top. Adjusting them changes the temperature, and because the chamber is so well insulated, small adjustments hold for hours. A kamado can idle at 110C for a twelve-hour brisket or run at 350C-plus for pizza.

What makes them different

Fuel efficiency. A kamado uses dramatically less charcoal than an open kettle, because it is not constantly losing heat to the air.

Moisture retention. The sealed ceramic environment keeps food noticeably more succulent than open grilling. It is the single thing most new owners comment on.

Genuine versatility. Sear a steak, smoke a shoulder, roast a chicken, bake a pizza. One unit does all of it, which is why they often replace two or three separate pieces of equipment.

Temperature stability. Wind and cold affect a kamado far less than a thin-walled barbecue, which makes it a strong year-round option in the UK.

The honest downsides

They are heavy. Ceramic models in particular are not something you reposition casually, and they need a stand or a built-in cabinet.

They are slower to start than gas. Expect 15 to 20 minutes to reach temperature, and rather longer to cool down. Overshoot your target temperature and bringing it back down takes patience, because all that thermal mass works against you.

They also carry a higher upfront cost than a comparable kettle barbecue. What you are buying is longevity and versatility rather than raw grill area.

Choosing a size

Kamados are usually sold by diameter. An 18-inch model suits a family of four comfortably and is the most popular size for good reason. A 22-inch model gives you room for a larger joint or cooking for a crowd, and handles pizza more easily.

Built-in versions are designed to drop into an outdoor kitchen run rather than stand alone, which is worth considering if you are planning a wider build. Our outdoor kitchen guide covers how to plan around one.

Accessories worth having

A few genuinely change what the grill can do:

• A pizza stone, which turns the kamado into a very capable pizza oven.
• Half moon cast iron plates, letting you sear on one side and cook gently on the other.
• A fitted cover. Ceramic is durable but the metal fittings and hinges are not immune to British weather.

Browse our kamado and barbecue range, or read how kamados compare to other options in masonry vs portable barbecues.