Kamado Joe Classic I Review: Good Entry-Level Option? (2024)

Kamado’s are hands-down a great barbecue. They’re versatile, durable and make some darn good food. But, they’re pretty pricey…

Overall, Kamado Joe is one of the best value for money options out there. Their innovation just isn’t seen in any other kamado on the market and their packages mean you’re good to go without buying a whole heap of accessories too.

And, the Classic I is the most affordable option in the Kamado Joe range. Yes, it doesn’t have quite as many features as the mid and upper-tiered Classic II and III. So, is it worth it?

In this Kamado Joe Classic I review, we’ll go over everything you might want to know when deciding if you’re going to buy one or not.

We share what they’re really like to grill and smoke on plus point out any not so good aspects to be aware of.

The Big Green Egg might be what most people think of when you say kamado. But, Kamado Joe have brought so many innovative changes to this age-old type of barbecue that this brand without a doubt, leads the way in charcoal smoking and grilling.

Specializing in kamados only, Kamado Joe have an impressive range of built-in and stand-alone models.

They cater to a range of budgets with different models with varying features. And, they back that up with a solid set of accessories to be used with their kamados.

Kamado Joe is a well-established player in the kamado market. Competing with the industry favorite, The Big Green Egg, Kamado Joe have relied on using innovation to help them stand out from the crowd.

And, that they have done!

Not only are Kamado Joe’s attractively-priced, they’ve taken one of the most traditional forms of outdoor cooking and made it easier and more versatile by letting you add advanced features like WiFi and electronically-controlled rotisseries.

They’re 110% our favorite kamado out there. And, their fans agree. Durable, high-quality and just overall better, Kamado Joe still manages to be one of the best value for money kamados on the market.

The Classic I is Kamado Joe’s entry-level model.

It doesn’t have a lot of the extra features that the more expensive Classic II and Classic III offer. But, the Kamado Joe Classic I still gives you the top quality basics you need for easy cooking. It’s also a long lasting investment at a very competitive price.

Let’s get into the details…

There’s a vent at the top and the bottom of the kamado that helps you to adjust the temperature of the charcoal-based fire. Open one or both of them up to let more oxygen in and increase the heat, and close them up to reduce the cooking temperature.

For a smokier flavor, you can also add wood chunks to the charcoal fire so that these smoulder and burn, giving off a true, wood-smoked taste.

The Classic I is the cheapest in Kamado Joe’s range of kamados.

Check out the table below to check out how it’s features compare to the more expensive Classic II and top of the line Classic III.

In this section you’ll find all the details on what the Kamado Joe Classic I is really like to use.

We used the Kamado Joe Classic I over a period of a few months, testing it’s performance for both low and slow smoking and high-heat grilling in a range of different weather conditions.

We have experience using a very wide range of barbecues including other brands of kamdos like the Big Green Egg and the Pit Boss K22. We have used this experience to judge and compare the Classic I’s performance to other barbecues on the market and you’ll read about it here.

If you can, get your Kamado Joe delivered!

This thing is HEAVY!

It’s also exceptionally well packed to protect all the fragile components while it’s in transit.

This KJ Classic I was packed pretty much on a timber pallet with the stand flipped upside down with a box wrapped around it.

There’s not that many components so getting your Kamado Joe Classic I setup is really simple. But, you’ll need at least two people to safely lift the really heavy cooking chamber out of the stand and the packing and then into the stand once you’ve got it in position.

It’ll also be helpful to have an extra set of hands when it comes to setting up the AMP firebox. Arrange the pieces of the firebox inside the cooking chamber then carefully lift up and slot all the pieces into the metal ring.

There’s 5 in total so that’s where an extra couple of hands takes the job from a bit fiddly to really easy.

Once you’ve got all your components in, you’re ready to follow the instructions to do your initial burn in!

One great thing about the whole Kamado Joe range is that you don’t need to buy any extras (except charcoal and meat of course) to grill, smoke, bake, roast, or cook anything on them.

The Kamado Joe Classic I comes with the Divide and Conquer grates, the heat deflectors, side tables, grate gripper and ash tool.

If you’re not storing it undercover, definitely grab a Classic cover to keep it protected from the weather.

At the bottom, you’ve got one of Kamado Joe’s best features, their AMP (Advanced Multi-Panel) firebox.

Kamado firebox’s are generally one-piece and are prone to breaking because it holds such a hot fire. So, Kamado Joe decided to split their firebox into 5 removable pieces, giving it room to expand and contract without cracking. It’s simple but will probably save you money and a headache in the long-run.

Above that, you’ve got rust-resistant stainless steel grates to cook on. They’re easy to clean and ultra-durable.

But, the Kamado Joe Classic I also comes with the two-tiered Divide and Conquer Cooking System which is a total game-changer when it comes to maximizing the space and versatility of your kamado.

Basically, Divide and Conquer lets you set up half plates at different heights with different surfaces so you’ve got more space and more flexibility with what you cook.

For example, you can sear a steak close to the fire and bake some sides over indirect heat by using the heat deflector half moon. You’ve got a lot of options!

Giving the Classic I a tight seal, it’s got a felt gasket. It’s not as good as the mesh fiberglass one of the II and III ranges (it’ll need replacing before one of those would). But, it still does a decent job of holding in the heat and smoke and is similar to what you’d find on other kamados anyway.

In terms of the all-important hinge on such a heavy lid, the Kamado Joe Classic I has a standard spring-loaded hinge.

It just can’t compare to the Air Lift Hinge that reduces the dome weight by 96% on the Classic II and Classic III. But, the quality is there and we can’t complain. The standard hinge does the job even if it’s nothing fancy.

The side shelves are a true metal too which isn’t a normal thing to see in other kamados at this price point.

The metal will give you that extra bit of durability that you want when you’re cooking hot things.

And lastly, the stand that comes with the Kamado Joe Classic I is the same as you get with the Classic II as well.

The base is welded together well and powder-coated for great rust-resistance and durability.

But, the top ring that warps around the body of the Kamado Joe is screwed in place.

Because the Kamado Joe Classic I comes with the Divide and Conquer Cooking System, you’ve got more options than just a straight 18 inches across.

You can actually set up 2 full grates (you’ll need to buy 2 more half moons) inside the Classic I to give you around about 508 square inches of space.

Use different cooking surfaces, set up heat deflectors on half the whole barbecue, or, set your grates at different heights. You’ve got so much flexibility with the Divide and Conquer on the Kamado Joe Classic Iin terms of capacity and setup.

You can even grill a steak for lunch while you smoke some ribs for dinner.

And, if that’s still still not big enough, there’s always the Big Joe I.

The Big Joe I is easily the best value you’ll get for a very large ceramic kamado.

The wider 24 inch grate ups your basic capacity from 254 square inches to 452. Then, you can also add grates with the 2 Tier Divide and Conquer as well.

While you can definitely entertain for quite a few on the Kamdo Joe Classic I, the Big Joe I gives you that extra width you’ll need if you want to smoke larger cuts like whole briskets.

A rack of ribs will fit easily on the 18 inch Kamado Joe Classic I. They’re what’s wrapped up in the picture below.

Grilling on the Kamado Joe Classic I is really straight forward.

It’s as easy as getting some charcoal going (KJ Big Block is ideal because it’s low ash), throwing it in, adding the grates and putting your meat on when it’s had a bit of time to warm up.

Controlling the temperature is relatively easy. Simply adjust the top and bottom vents to add or restrict airflow until the grill reaches your desired temperature.

On any kamado, this one included, you do need to be careful not to overshoot your target temperature. The high-fired ceramic sides just hold the heat so well that it takes a long time to cool down if you do get the grill too hot.

But, once the temperature’s right for what you’re cooking, throw your meat on there and let it sizzle away.

The grill marks are on point. And, the results are phenomenally delicious!

The tomahawk steaks in the picture above were reverse seared, cooked hot and fast then slow cooked on the Kamado Joe Classic I.

I started by grilling over direct and high heat. Then, once the outside looked perfectly done, I added the heat deflector, a MEATER Plus probe to monitor the internal temperature, and, partially closed the vents to lower the temperature, cooking until the MEATER said it was done to my liking.

But, grilling a steak isn’t the only thing you can do. Because the lid is ceramic too, it’ll radiate heat back onto the food for all-round cooking.

This means it’s perfect for baking and roasting too.

Whole chickens are one of my favorite things to cook on the Kamado Joe.

Smoking on the Kamado Joe Classic I is simply beautiful! It’s easy and doesn’t need much in the way of babysitting.

The heat deflector plate you’ll need to create the indirect heat needed for smoking is included with the Kamdo Joe Classic I so you don’t need to buy anything extra to be able to smoke on it.

Just like when you’re grilling, you want to make sure you don’t overshoot your target temperature so you don’t have to wait for the ceramic to cool down.

But, getting it to that ideal 225°F doesn’t take too much practice.

Initially you’ll leave the top vent closed, open the bottom vent to about 2 inches and then adjust the daisy wheel part of the top vent until you reach your smoking temperature.

You can add wood if you want to.

A little goes a long way inside a kamado. And, I actually prefer the fully charcoal smoked flavor in the Kamado Joe Classic I instead of adding wood. So, don’t assume you have to have wood to smoke on a KJ.

You can also use a pellet smoker tube if you want to use hardwood pellets instead of wood chunks.

The only real complaint we have about the Kamado Joe Classic I is that when you open the kamado lid, the top vent doesn’t stay in place.

Instead it swings open and when you close it, you’ll have to reset the position to keep the barbecue at the right temperature.

It’s a little annoying when you’re grilling. But, more of a problem when you’ve spent time finding that sweet spot for smoking, opened the lid to add your meat and lost your settings.

I always try to look at where it’s set before I open it but there are times when I just forget and need to reset the position to maintain my target smoking temperature.

If that’s a deal-breaker for you, the upgraded Kontrol Tower that’s on the Classic II does stay in place when you open the lid! It also blocks the rain and wind unlike the vent on the Classic I which just lets the rain drop straight through it.

Most of the time, I grill undercover anyway so the weather isn’t an issue. Yes, the Classic II’s Kontrol Tower is better. But, the quality and functioning of the top vent on the Kamado Joe Classic I is perfectly adequate and is what you’d get on most other brands of kamados anyway.

Any ceramic kamado is one of the easiest types of barbecues to clean.

Just as you’d except, scrape down the grates after using them. And, empty the ash which thanks to KJ’s slide out ash tray, can’t be easier.

Once or twice a year, depending on how often you use it, you’re going to need to do a more rigorous clean. The video below shows you how.

No, you don’t NEED any extras to cook just about anything on the Kamado Joe Classic I.

But, if you’re an extra kind of person or like being able to add extra pieces to your kit over time, KJ have an awesome range of add-ons.

So, for the Classic I you can get:

• A whole range of different cooking surfaces that can be used with the Divide and Conquer
• Pizza stones
• Grill cover
• JoeTisserie – To turn the Kamdo Joe Classic I into a rotisserie
• DoJoe – An open pizza oven that’s the real deal!
• SloRoller – An included extra with the Classic III. It creates an Hyperbolic Smoke Chamber for even better results smoking.

They’re all good add-ons and aren’t too expensive.

The DoJoe is definitely our favorite because we love pizza. It just makes it that bit easier to get the pizzas in, out and watch them cook.

Guests have a lot of fun with it when they’re around too.

We told you the Kamado Joe quality was good. And, incase you didn’t believe us, here’s the warranty to prove it.

The Classic I’s ceramic body is covered by a limited lifetime warranty (like for as long as you own the grill), there’s 5 years on the metals, 3 years on heat deflectors and 1 year on the thermometer and gasket.

Plus, Kamado Joe’s customer service is next to none. They’re great and have built the reputation to prove it.

Kamado Joe really does lead the market when it comes to high-quality, functional kamados.

And, their most basic Kamado Joe Classic I brings a more affordable, yet still great quality option to anyone who’s looking for unbeatable value for money.

With features like stainless steel cooking grates, the versatile Divide and Conquer Cooking System, a slide out ash drawer and KJ’s ingenious AMP firebox, the Classic I doesn’t have a lot in the way of extras. But, it does more than just the basics really really well.

Because of that, cooking on the Classic I is effective, simple and the results really speak for themselves.

Perfect for anyone looking for an affordable yet quality kamado that’s got everything you need and will last, the Kamado Joe Classic I is the go-to option.

But, if you’re looking for something with a little more, take a look at our Kamado Joe I vs II comparison to see what next-level upgrades you can get.

The Kamado Joe Classic I is pretty much an entry-level kamado that covers all the basics pretty well.

Another kamado that’s pretty similar is the Pit Boss K22.

You’ve still got the high-fired ceramic sides, a similar capacity and decent quality grates, vents and side tables.

The K22 is a little bit cheaper than the KJ Classic I even. And, I’d say the quality of the extras is a little bit lower. But, it’s got a better grate system included, is easy to use and turns out some great smoked and grilled meats.

If the Pit Boss K22 sounds like it could be for you, check out our full review of it here.

Wondering if the Big Green Egg is worth you taking a look at too?