Big Green Egg
Big Green Egg Large
$1249.99Cheaper
Best Kamado Grills · head-to-head
Big Green Egg Large vs Kamado Joe Classic III
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Big Green Egg Large is cheaper at $1249.99. Every spec and price links to its source.
Kamado Joe
Kamado Joe Classic III
$2199.99
Which is better: the Big Green Egg Large or Kamado Joe Classic III?
On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The Big Green Egg Large is the cheaper at $1249.99.
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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 III |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $1249.99 | $2199.99 |
| Brand | Big Green Egg | Kamado Joe |
| Released | — | — |
| Main cooking area sq (in) | 262 | 250 |
| Total cooking area sq (in) | — | — |
| Grid diameter (in) | 18.25 | 18 |
| Body material | ceramic | ceramic |
| Wall thickness (in) | — | — |
| Max temp f | 750 | 750 |
| Weight (lb) | 162 | — |
| Included cart | No | Yes |
| Side shelves included | No | Yes |
| Air lift hinge | — | Yes |
| Tiered rack system | No | Yes |
| Warranty body years | — | — |
Sources — Big Green Egg Large: biggreenegg.com (verified 2026-07-11). Kamado Joe Classic III: kamadojoe.com (verified 2026-07-11).
What's the difference between the Big Green Egg Large and Kamado Joe Classic III?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (5 of 12). Matching specs are omitted.
- Main cooking area sq (in): Big Green Egg Large 262 vs Kamado Joe Classic III 250
- Grid diameter (in): Big Green Egg Large 18.25 vs Kamado Joe Classic III 18
- Included cart: Big Green Egg Large false vs Kamado Joe Classic III true
- Side shelves included: Big Green Egg Large false vs Kamado Joe Classic III true
- Tiered rack system: Big Green Egg Large false vs Kamado Joe Classic III true
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 (Reviewed, Pro Tool Reviews) hands-on cooked the Large Big Green Egg; both rate it excellent, praising precise temperature control across a wide range, cooking versatility, and charcoal efficiency. Both acknowledge its premium price; Reviewed additionally flags the weight, slow cooldown, fragile ceramic, and messy ash cleanup, while Pro Tool Reviews notes high-heat searing benefits from a griddle or cast-iron add-on. Serious Eats was paywalled and dropped. (2 sourced reviews, 2 lab-tested.)
Praised: Precise temperature control across a wide range, from low smoking (150–225°F) up to 700°F searing; Versatile across cooking modes — low-and-slow smoking and hot-and-fast searing; Reviewed also uses it as an outdoor oven for pizza and bread; Charcoal-efficient thanks to insulated ceramic walls (Reviewed: leftover coals relight for the next cook).
Flagged: Expensive — a premium grill that also burns pricier lump charcoal; Reviewed warns that add-on accessories quickly inflate the total bill; Large, heavy, and slow to cool down, making it hard to relocate or store; Ash cleanup is tedious and the unglazed ceramic interior components are fragile.
Kamado Joe Classic III
Only one whitelisted tester, Reviewed (USA Today), hands-on tested the exact Kamado Joe Classic III; its professional-chef reviewer wasn't impressed, placing it in the 'Other Kamado Grills We Tested' tier behind the Big Green Egg and Char-Griller Akorn. She praised the bundled accessories and easy-to-clean ash drawer but flagged a heavy lid that won't stay open and a screenless draft door. No other whitelisted tester reviewed this exact model. (1 sourced review, 1 lab-tested.)
Praised: Purchase price bundles several accessories: a stand, drop-down shelves, and a two-tier flexible cooking system with half-moon cooking grates and deflector plates (which double as a pizza stone); Easy-to-remove ash drawer sits inside the firebox, making cleanout much easier; Lid locks in place when closed with an easy release button to 'burp' the grill on opening.
Flagged: Heavy lid doesn't stay open; the air-lift hinge adjustment isn't intuitive and may cause problems; Draft door has no screen, risking live coals escaping the grill; Drop-down side shelves don't sit flat, resting at an upward angle.