Kamado Joe
Kamado Joe Classic Joe III
$2199.99
Released 2019
Best Charcoal Grills · head-to-head
Kamado Joe Classic Joe III vs Royal Gourmet CC1830 28" Barrel Charcoal Grill
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Royal Gourmet CC1830 28" Barrel Charcoal Grill is cheaper at $117.99. Every spec and price links to its source.
Royal Gourmet
Royal Gourmet CC1830 28" Barrel Charcoal Grill
$117.99Cheaper
Which is better: the Kamado Joe Classic Joe III or Royal Gourmet CC1830 28" Barrel Charcoal Grill?
On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The Royal Gourmet CC1830 28" Barrel Charcoal Grill is the cheaper at $117.99.
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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 | Royal Gourmet CC1830 28" Barrel Charcoal Grill |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $2199.99 | $117.99 |
| Brand | Kamado Joe | Royal Gourmet |
| Released | 2019 | — |
| Type | kamado | barrel |
| Primary cooking area sqin | 250 | 475 |
| Material | Thick-walled ceramic dome with 304 stainless steel grates and hardware | Steel with porcelain-enameled cooking grates, black finish |
| Hinged cooking grate | No | No |
| Ash catcher | No | No |
| Built in thermometer | Yes | Yes |
| Diameter or size (in) | 18 in | 28 in |
| Release | 2019 | — |
Sources — Kamado Joe Classic Joe III: kamadojoe.com (verified 2026-06-19). Royal Gourmet CC1830 28" Barrel Charcoal Grill: royalgourmetusa.com (verified 2026-06-19).
What's the difference between the Kamado Joe Classic Joe III and Royal Gourmet CC1830 28" Barrel Charcoal Grill?
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 Royal Gourmet CC1830 28" Barrel Charcoal Grill barrel
- Primary cooking area sqin: Kamado Joe Classic Joe III 250 vs Royal Gourmet CC1830 28" Barrel Charcoal Grill 475
- Material: Kamado Joe Classic Joe III Thick-walled ceramic dome with 304 stainless steel grates and hardware vs Royal Gourmet CC1830 28" Barrel Charcoal Grill Steel with porcelain-enameled cooking grates, black finish
- Diameter or size (in): Kamado Joe Classic Joe III 18 in vs Royal Gourmet CC1830 28" Barrel Charcoal Grill 28 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.
Royal Gourmet CC1830 28" Barrel Charcoal Grill
No sourced tester review yet.