Komado?

First, I'm not trying to ruffle any feathers. I have a WSM that I use ocasionally and feel that I get pretty good results with. I had a NBBD and had terrible luck regulating temp and with a creosote problem. I did many suggested modifications and had some improvement but still had to work hard to maintain a proper temp. There is a night and day difference between the NBBD and the WSM. Is there an equal difference between the WSM and the Komado? A friend says they maintain temp better, burn less fuel, dry the meat less, and on and on. The Komado is the only smoker he has used. Does anyone have experience with both? For the $700.00 price tag that ceramic beast better go to the store and get the meat and start it's own fire! I'm not rolling in money but if money were no object is the Komado better?

Don't worry, there won't be any ruffled feathers around here! There's no reason not to discuss other cookers and their pros/cons, let's just not get into a pissing match about it. No name calling, either!

I've not cooked with a Kamado or the Big Green Egg, which is a similar concept. Perhaps someone who has cooked on both a ceramic and the WSM can give a better comparison.

My understanding is that they're both very good products and you can cook some very good barbecue in them. They can be brought to extremely high temps for searing steaks. Some people use them for baking things like pizza. I also understand they use less fuel, and are very heat efficient due to their ceramic construction. I wouldn't knock either of these products.

Is it the best if money were no object? Well, if you want the versatility they offer, perhaps. Some of the Kamados are almost like works of art, covered in beautiful tiles, so there's an aesthetic there you won't find in other products. But if my interest were strictly in making the best barbecue possible, and money, space, time, and fuel were no object, a high-end offset like a Klose pit or the awesome Jedmaster might be the ultimate choice.

I think the downside to Kamados and Big Green Eggs are price, capacity, and portability. The WSM costs much less, has greater cooking capacity, and is easily disassembled and transported by one person in the trunk of a car or the bed of a truck.

Both of these fine products have Web sites you can visit:
<UL TYPE=SQUARE>


<LI> www.kamado.com

<LI> www.bge.com

[/list]

Regards,
Chris

I have cooked on a Komado and it's a good cooker. For the money you can get other cookers with more cooking surface.
Those that own them seem to be avid about them, I didn't find it to fit my needs, space and portability, I competition cook.
There is a need to build cooking chambers with ceramic plates and fire brick to get it cook in the different methods (high heat, slow cook, and for breads), you would need to contact those user to get info on those details.
One thing I have found over the years is decide how cooking area you need and then go at least one size larger.
If you are cooking only ocasionally and the WSM has the room you need, $700 buys a lot of meat and charcoal, at the end of the so called BBQ season I can get 500 pounds of Kingsford for $60 (Sams Club close-out).
The WSM can cook as good Q as any cooker made, I've taken Washington and Idaho State Champ using WSM, it's spending the time and learning the correct methods that creats great Q, not the pit.
Jim

I think that Jim has some really good points and I fully agree. I do own a couple of BGE's and they are good cookers, but you are limited on the cooking space. It will do most of what is advertised and somethings better. They are kinda stingy on lump for low & slow, but quite hungry when cooking batches of pizza and bread. The one thing that I really like is the ability to do both forms of outdoor cooking.

I purchased a total of four WSM's from Mercata when they had that killer deal, but have given two away as gifts. My reason for buying them in the first place was all the praises I saw here and at Ray's place. The WSM's will be my choice cooker when we start doing the contest thing next year.

To be honest about things here, I feel the WSM is just about as efficient as the egg for the most part. I have been doing most of my butts, collars, and ribs on the WSM for the last month, just to get a feel for it. I have been using lump in the WSM and getting pretty good results.

Tom, feel free to email me if you have any questions about the comparing the BGE and WSM.

Zip - Ashley

I too have owned and used the Komado, and also just picked up an WSM not too long ago. Yes the Komado can hit higher temperatures than the WSM but I can only think of a handful of recipes that require those temperatures which by the way the WSM could hit with the right rigging and vent control. Capacity is about the same with I think the Komado with only a slight bit more room, but unless your cooking for an army the WSM is efficient enough. As far as cooking bread, I still use a regular oven, but could'nt the WSM do the same thing with the same temperature? And as for refilling the water pan, let's see take off the top chimney cover, open the main cover, take the meat or item off the rack, remove the rack, ( depends on how much racks you may have ) remove the inner ceramic ring, remove the water pan, refill the water pan, replace in the opposite order above? I think pulling teeth are easier and less painful. WSM? just open the door and using a spout can refill, simple. If you should break a Komado part getting replacements are next to impossible and very expensive in my corner of the world ( Hawaii ). And don't try to lift the Komado by yourself unless your an Arnold Schwartzenegger that thing is heavy, and if you drop it and it cracks well your S.O.L. ( "Sh*t out of Luck" ). And Komados are also prone to cracking and disolving if left to the elements like rain, sun or snow and must be kept well covered against the elements when not in use. And I don't think you want to waste $700.00 or more to have the Komado break after a year or so. Don't get me wrong I still use my Komado for certain recipies but I thik the WSM is sooo much easier to keep, clean, use. I think both are good it's comes down to what you want to use it for and how much time and effort your willing to spend. Shaka Bra!!

Thanks guys! I wasn't going to run out and buy a Komado anyway. Now I'm even more comfortable knowing that I have as good a smoker as is out there or at least as good as I need...at least for the near future!??

Tom, I just went through the komodo/Weber choice and realized that for me to use the komodo as an everything tool (meaning grill and smoker) that at 18" the komodo would not be big enough for grilling for a crowd. So I sprung for the Weber Performer - this is a gas start/charcoal cook model with a 22 1/2" grilling surface. And a WSM - both great.