New Kamado Joe Kettle??


 

Darryl - swazies

TVWBB Emerald Member
Not sure what is happening here.......my local bbq joint has passed on an email regarding their sales and whatnot. Inside the email I seen this what looks to be new Kamado Joe kettle bbq. I have no idea how new it is or whatever, I don't even see this model on the Kamado Joe website, or maybe I just missed it. Anyways here is the link to the bbq and accessory store where it is for sale. Just for reference they have it up for $699 where my performer premium, not deluxe retails for $499. So considerable more money. Not sure what to think, they use ceramic in the fire box and considers it's competition as " flimsy kettles ". Nice diffuser plate, looks like it would messy quick though.
Link is below goes right to the store

 
I see people talking about them online forum style last year in the fall season. Looks like they were announced but not out yet.
It looks like it would smoke well, like in my situation where I have a kettle but not a WSM. You would be able to use the entire portion of the 22" not just where the SNS is not, or basically half the kettle grill. Other than that I don't see any real big " selling " features it has going for it. Seems like a good idea but when deciding to cook indirect and then direct like a steak or a roast it appears as though it may not work as well as a kettle would, and missing nice features like the ability to reload charcoal on the fly like I can do now seems to be a miss on this too. Basically looking at it's design it would appear as though you are using the diffuser style smoke ring it has or you are not. To go back and forth appears as it would be the Achilles heel for this grill. Hard to say but that is my initial impressions. Maybe a good addition if you need a dedicated smoker but did not have one, and you wanted to pay more than you would for a WSM.
 
Also that diffuser ring or slo-roller they call it is an insert. Adjust the hinge and it closes higher when the diffuser plate is in.
I also read in a " comments section " that some guy seems to think it will fit with a Weber 22' kettle, possibly a WSM too I don't know.
If so it would appear to make an easy diffuser set up for the Performer and allow anyone to use the entire grill in a only smoking situation rather than leaving room to the side for fire....like Mr. Richards set up with his Aura smoking unit. Looks funny though, a big red ring between the kettle and your lid........I am sure it would cost over $100 too.
This appears to be a new item as well......With some retailers saying expected to be available for April 2021.
Apparently here in Toronto you can get one in May...there ETA is May anyways.

Looks like a dedicated smoker to me, grilling would less fun as the ceramic in the bottom totally changes the game.
Look forward to pricing the slo-roller once it is determined to fit. This would instantly take my need to own a WSM away. I have been looking at them.
Better pic on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GQCMWR3/?tag=tvwb-20
 
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The hinged lid and diffuser set up does sound pretty nice. I know they were released over in Europe first. I wasn't aware it was in the USA already. If I want one I will have to wait longer here in Canada, it's how it goes up here. Also It would probably run around the $399 mark. It would serve as the dedicated smoker for sure...and easily swap to just bbq'ing. Apparently I don't need to buy another bbq....the MRS. has instructed....:confused:. I was thinking of selling the broil king and the Traeger and then maybe just maybe I am allowed to get another Weber. :LOL:
It is interesting to see something new, KJ is getting into the everything game it seems, pellet grill now and then this kettle style setup. Indirect looks like a nightmare on this unit though. I wonder why they did not incorporate the divide and conquer cooking system to address this situation.
 
Seems like in the same ballpark as a MT -- take a kettle grill and add a diffuser plate for smoking. Which lets you use the whole grill grate rather than leaving one third empty for a direct/indirect set up.

For the couple hundred extra bucks you'd spend for this, you could go regular kettle plus a Cajun Bandit smoker conversion kit. Or just buy the Kamado Joe slow roller as a kettle accessory instead of the CB extender ring. Or go 26 kettle and a big Slow n Sear. Or use your 22 WSM as a grill in addition to a smoker (probably the pick I'd make if I only wanted to have one charcoal burner).

Main difference among those alternatives would be getting the ceramic firebox inserts for a quasi-kamado effect I guess? All are probably pretty good as a charcoal grill/smoker all in one.

But a kettle plus WSM seems to always turn out to be the best function/value ratio. So long as you are OK with 2 charcoal burners.
 
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I'm no KJ fan boy by any means, I actually considered getting one before my performer purchase. I am glad I went with the Weber, it was what I was looking for. I posted this up just showing something new. I was hoping for a smoking diffusing system at some point. Not sure if I will be able to buy the ring and diffuser plate online anytime soon to make my performer work both ways ( I want the additional space for smoking ), or I will have to buy the whole master touch and just have 2 grills. Having both grills would be okay by me, but my space is fairly limited and I would be inclined to sell my propane or pellet that I haven't used since about September......
Do we know if these new master touch accessories are available to purchase yet or not?
 
Looks like we have it available her in Canada now the MT premium with hinged lid and charcoal ring / diffuser plate.
$429 is a bit, but cheaper that the $700 for that KJ for sure.
I like this master touch option a heck of a lot more I think. It is a smoker when you want it to be.....and easily swapped out with any of the sns stuff or regular baskets anytime you need the capacity for 2 bbq's just get the performer going and the MT premium......
The performer had a $500 Canadian price tag on it and this one feels a bit steep at $429 but I think I will have to go ahead and order one for spring. No need for another grill if you have both of these in your back yard, my opinion anyways.
Thanks for reminding me about that one Mr. Richards......I seen them months ago but forgot about them because at the time it was not available.

 
Looks like we have it available her in Canada now the MT premium with hinged lid and charcoal ring / diffuser plate.
$429 is a bit, but cheaper that the $700 for that KJ for sure.
I like this master touch option a heck of a lot more I think. It is a smoker when you want it to be.....and easily swapped out with any of the sns stuff or regular baskets anytime you need the capacity for 2 bbq's just get the performer going and the MT premium......
The performer had a $500 Canadian price tag on it and this one feels a bit steep at $429 but I think I will have to go ahead and order one for spring. No need for another grill if you have both of these in your back yard, my opinion anyways.
Thanks for reminding me about that one Mr. Richards......I seen them months ago but forgot about them because at the time it was not available.

Darryl,
I know above you mentioned the Aura Kettle Zone Cooking System that I have, but are you able to purchase and get that shipped to you in Canada? If you can, I really think that is another option to really think about. I continue to love mine more and more with ever slow cook. Just did my first over night cook with it last night. Adding it to your performer would be a lot less cost than adding another high end 22 inch kettle and to the wife it is not another grill, but an accessory. I never want to stop someone from buying another Weber and I really like the Master Touch Premium, but if the main reason for thinking about the MTP is to get the diffuser plate, the Aura system has completed solved that need for me!
 
Darryl - why not get a Cajun Bandit stacker for $225? Gives your Performer a coal ring, a diffuser plate, brackets for two elevated grates, and the second grate.
 
In related news, Chrysler makes a car that looks vaguely like a Bentley to get people to buy them. Is a Chrysler as good as a Bentley?

Just stick with the Webers. Just saying.
 
Darryl - why not get a Cajun Bandit stacker for $225? Gives your Performer a coal ring, a diffuser plate, brackets for two elevated grates, and the second grate.
Yeah that is a cool product, I had never looked at that before.

 
I think a lot of people that have a Performer would like to have the Weber charcoal ring and diffuser that comes with the MT Premium. It would be nice to know if it will be offered as an accessory. Until then........

20210117_140402 (1).jpg
 
I think a lot of people that have a Performer would like to have the Weber charcoal ring and diffuser that comes with the MT Premium. It would be nice to know if it will be offered as an accessory. Until then........

View attachment 23074
Colin,
I wanted to tell you, I tried a new way to lit the coals last night and was really happy with it. I went on a deep dive and learned that Weber and many other recommend just putting two Weber starter cube in the center of the charcoal and lighting those. So I tried it last and the kettle come up to temps at about the same amount of time as a small minion method, but controlling the temps was way easier then when I used a minion method. I will be doing this again.
 
Seems like in the same ballpark as a MT -- take a kettle grill and add a diffuser plate for smoking. Which lets you use the whole grill grate rather than leaving one third empty for a direct/indirect set up.

For the couple hundred extra bucks you'd spend for this, you could go regular kettle plus a Cajun Bandit smoker conversion kit. Or just buy the Kamado Joe slow roller as a kettle accessory instead of the CB extender ring. Or go 26 kettle and a big Slow n Sear. Or use your 22 WSM as a grill in addition to a smoker (probably the pick I'd make if I only wanted to have one charcoal burner).

Main difference among those alternatives would be getting the ceramic firebox inserts for a quasi-kamado effect I guess? All are probably pretty good as a charcoal grill/smoker all in one.

But a kettle plus WSM seems to always turn out to be the best function/value ratio. So long as you are OK with 2 charcoal burners.
All these are great options.
There is a part of me that just wants to have another new bbq out back, I can afford one, I was even looking at the summit. It is priced a lot more but seems like the real deal.
So it almost gets to a point where it is a want more than a need, but I know I will need another one of something eventually and I have so many accessories for my performer already I really don't know where to put any more....lol, sounds funny but it's mostly true.
My other 2 bbq's are both 10 years or older and they are nothing special, starting to get hard on the eyes a bit.....
 
Colin,
I wanted to tell you, I tried a new way to lit the coals last night and was really happy with it. I went on a deep dive and learned that Weber and many other recommend just putting two Weber starter cube in the center of the charcoal and lighting those. So I tried it last and the kettle come up to temps at about the same amount of time as a small minion method, but controlling the temps was way easier then when I used a minion method. I will be doing this again.
Thanks for the tip Michael, I'll give that a try. 👍
 

 

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