Big Green Egg
Big Green Egg Large
$1199.99Cheaper
Best Charcoal Grills · head-to-head
Big Green Egg Large vs Kamado Joe Classic Joe III
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Big Green Egg Large is cheaper at $1199.99. Every spec and price links to its source.
Kamado Joe
Kamado Joe Classic Joe III
$2199.99
Released 2019
Which is better: the Big Green Egg Large or Kamado Joe Classic Joe III?
On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The Big Green Egg Large is the cheaper at $1199.99.
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Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | Big Green Egg Large | Kamado Joe Classic Joe III |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $1199.99 | $2199.99 |
| Brand | Big Green Egg | Kamado Joe |
| Released | — | 2019 |
| Type | kamado | kamado |
| Primary cooking area sqin | 262 | 250 |
| Material | Ceramic with stainless steel hardware | Thick-walled ceramic dome with 304 stainless steel grates and hardware |
| Hinged cooking grate | No | No |
| Ash catcher | No | No |
| Built in thermometer | Yes | Yes |
| Diameter or size (in) | 18.25 in | 18 in |
| Release | — | 2019 |
Sources — Big Green Egg Large: biggreenegg.com (verified 2026-06-19). Kamado Joe Classic Joe III: kamadojoe.com (verified 2026-06-19).
What's the difference between the Big Green Egg Large and Kamado Joe Classic Joe III?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (3 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.
- Primary cooking area sqin: Big Green Egg Large 262 vs Kamado Joe Classic Joe III 250
- Material: Big Green Egg Large Ceramic with stainless steel hardware vs Kamado Joe Classic Joe III Thick-walled ceramic dome with 304 stainless steel grates and hardware
- Diameter or size (in): Big Green Egg Large 18.25 in vs Kamado Joe Classic Joe III 18 in
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
Big Green Egg Large
Two whitelisted testers who hands-on cooked on the exact Large model — Reviewed (USA Today) and Pro Tool Reviews — both strongly recommend it, praising precise temperature control, 700°F+ searing heat, and fuel efficiency. Both survived verification with all quotes literal and all measured values supported in the source text. Main gripes: costly required accessories, weight, and price. (2 sourced reviews, 2 lab-tested.)
Praised: Precise, wide-range temperature control via top/bottom dampers; Reaches high searing heat over 700°F; Fuel efficient — lump charcoal lasts and leftover coals relight.
Flagged: Key functions need extra paid accessories (ConvEGGtor for indirect heat, griddle for searing); High price for the grill itself; Heavy, stays hot long after cooking, hard to move or store.
Kamado Joe Classic Joe III
Only one whitelisted tester — Reviewed (USA Today), reviewed by professional chef Lindsay D. Mattison — produced a hands-on write-up of this exact model, listing it among the kamado grills the team tested. She was unimpressed: she praised the generous bundled accessories, an easy-to-remove ash drawer, and the locking lid with a burp release, but flagged a heavy lid that won't stay open, a screenless draft door as a safety risk, and side shelves that don't sit flat. No measured numbers were reported for this model. (1 sourced review, 1 lab-tested.)
Praised: Purchase price includes several accessories (stand, drop-down shelves, two-tier grates and deflector/pizza plates); Easy-to-remove ash drawer inside the firebox makes cleaning easy; Lid locks in place with an easy release button for burping.
Flagged: Heavy lid won't stay open; air-lift hinge adjustment isn't intuitive; Draft door has no screen, a potential safety risk of live coals escaping; Drop-down side shelves don't sit flat, resting at an upward angle.