Kamado Joe
Kamado Joe Classic Joe III
$2199.99
Released 2019
Best Charcoal Grills · head-to-head
Kamado Joe Classic Joe III vs PK Grills PK360
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. PK Grills PK360 is cheaper at $999.99. Every spec and price links to its source.
PK Grills
PK Grills PK360
$999.99Cheaper
Which is better: the Kamado Joe Classic Joe III or PK Grills PK360?
On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The PK Grills PK360 is the cheaper at $999.99.
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Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | Kamado Joe Classic Joe III | PK Grills PK360 |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $2199.99 | $999.99 |
| Brand | Kamado Joe | PK Grills |
| Released | 2019 | — |
| Type | kamado | kettle |
| Primary cooking area sqin | 250 | 360 |
| Material | Thick-walled ceramic dome with 304 stainless steel grates and hardware | Cast aluminum body with marine stainless steel cooking grate |
| Hinged cooking grate | No | No |
| Ash catcher | No | No |
| Built in thermometer | Yes | Yes |
| Diameter or size (in) | 18 in | 24.8 x 15.8 in |
| Release | 2019 | — |
Sources — Kamado Joe Classic Joe III: kamadojoe.com (verified 2026-06-19). PK Grills PK360: pkgrills.com (verified 2026-06-19).
What's the difference between the Kamado Joe Classic Joe III and PK Grills PK360?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (4 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.
- Type: Kamado Joe Classic Joe III kamado vs PK Grills PK360 kettle
- Primary cooking area sqin: Kamado Joe Classic Joe III 250 vs PK Grills PK360 360
- Material: Kamado Joe Classic Joe III Thick-walled ceramic dome with 304 stainless steel grates and hardware vs PK Grills PK360 Cast aluminum body with marine stainless steel cooking grate
- Diameter or size (in): Kamado Joe Classic Joe III 18 in vs PK Grills PK360 24.8 x 15.8 in
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
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.
PK Grills PK360
One whitelisted hands-on source: WIRED's Joe Ray tested the PK360 across multi-day cooks (chicken, steak, ribs, brisket), rating it 9/10. He praises the tank-like cast-aluminum build and excellent temperature control, holding within 10-20°F all day. Main gripes: 360 sq in is small for crowds, and side tables and interior are hard to clean. No Popular Mechanics, Serious Eats or Wirecutter PK360 test found. (1 sourced review, 1 lab-tested.)
Praised: Excellent temperature control on long cooks — held within 10-20°F of target all day; Tank-like cast-aluminum build expected to last for decades; Versatile two-zone direct/indirect grilling and smoking.
Flagged: 360 sq in cooking surface too small for large cuts or big groups; Side tables' etched crosshatch and interior bottom are hard to clean; Utensil hooks placed on the back; no notch for thermometer probe cables.