Pellet Grill or Kamado? Here's How to Decide
The Pros and Cons of Each, From Over 800 Cooks
Looking for the maximum smoke flavor from your pellet grill? Download my free “11 Secrets to Maximize Smoke on a Pellet Grill” guide.
Introduction
Which Cooker Is Right for You?
What's up BBQ fans! Today we're talking about the differences between a pellet grill and a kamado-style cooker, and how to decide which one is right for you.
Why Listen to Me?
I've cooked on kamados for about 9 years: a Kamado Joe Big Joe Series 2, then a Komodo Kamado Big Bad 32, back to a Big Joe Series 3 and the original Konnected Joe, and now the Komodo Kamado 38. That's somewhere between 300 and 400 cooks.
On the pellet side, I tried a couple of Traegers about 20 years ago and decided they weren't for me. Before my channel, if you'd asked me whether to buy a pellet grill, I'd have said absolutely not. Then, about five and a half years ago, I got a Yoder YS640s, and I've done over 500 cooks on it. Times have changed.
Fuel and How They Work
Pellet grill: compressed wood pellets are your fuel and your smoke. A good brand is 100% wood, and you need quality pellets to hit high temps and get good smoke. I use Bear Mountain. Early pellet grills just fed more pellets as you turned the dial. Today's grills use a PID controller, an algorithm that calculates how many pellets it needs to hold temperature, plus apps, displays and built-in probes. There will always be some temperature swing. If your grill doesn't show any, it's lying to you.
Kamado: lump charcoal, never briquettes, plus wood chunks for smoke. Think of it as an upgraded kettle. It's all about airflow: more air in the bottom and out the top means more heat. Once it's dialed in, you can lock it in at 250°F for hours. Don't skimp on lump. Cheap lump won't hold high heat, swings in temperature and burns fast. Premium lump costs less per cook in the long run.
Cold Smoking
Both can do it, typically under 200°F, or under 100°F for cheese.
Pellet grill: fill a smoke tube, light it with a torch, and run the fans without starting the fire.
Kamado: open the vents and let the smoke tube's smoke pass through, or use the Komodo Kamado cold smoke generator, which uses an aquarium pump for clean smoke.
Smoking (225 to 275°F)
Four years ago, I'd have said the kamado wins easily, since you can load it with wood chunks. Since I started using a smoke tube, the gap is much smaller. Not all pellet grills are equal, and cheaper ones produce less smoke. The kamado has a slight edge, but they're pretty darn close if you put in the work.
Grilling
Here's the big difference. My Yoder reaches 600°F, and with grill grates, up to about 800°F, but only over a small area. A kamado can go as hot as you want, 900°F no problem, across the whole grate. For steak, I'll take the kamado any day. I don't like the flavor or sear on a pellet grill.
But on weeknights, the pellet grill wins. I set it to 450°F, change out of my suit, make a rum and Coke, then put the chicken on. The diffuser plate gives radiant heat with no direct flame, so I get some char without babysitting it. About 10 minutes, flip, then another 5 to 10. I do a lot of pork chops and chicken that way.
A kamado can reach grilling temps faster with the GrillGun (use code: RUMANDCOOK to save 10%), about 15 minutes, but you still have to load and light lump.
Pizza
About 90% of pellet grills make mediocre pizza at best. A kamado makes phenomenal pizza, with the stone raised into the dome and a little charcoal flavor. It's so good it requires a fine glass of red wine. The exception is the Yoder Wood Fired Oven, which hits about 750°F with real top-down heat for true Neapolitan pizza. For other styles, they're neck and neck, and a kamado can fit more than one pie.
Head to Head
Brisket: pellet grill. More convection builds a better bark.
Chicken: kamado. Direct fire, with fat dripping into the lump, is tough to beat, and my 38 fits three rotisserie chickens.
Turkey: kamado. Less airflow means a more tender top layer.
Pork butt and ribs: neck and neck.
Cost and Convenience
A pellet grill costs more to run, especially at grilling temps. At smoking temps, they're probably close.
Turn off a pellet grill and it stops using fuel. A kamado keeps burning until it snuffs out, but you can reuse the lump, though it won't burn quite as hot.
How to Decide
Pellet grill: you love technology, want to check the temp on your phone or watch, or you're busy with kids and want to set it and turn out good food without fuss. I work in tech, so I get it.
Kamado: you like to tinker, you do a lot of grilling, and you don't mind adding wood chunks for smoke. It's a step toward the full offset experience.
Final Thoughts
You can't go wrong with either. Both do a great job, and both have pros and cons. Think about what you cook most and how much you want to be involved. Got a specific question? Drop it in the YouTube comments. I answer every one.
If you're leaning kamado, grab my free "12 Mistakes Kamado Grill Owners Make" guide. If you're going pellet, check out my Pellet Grill Mastery Bundle.
Thanks For Watching
Whether you're a seasoned pitmaster or a novice, these tips will enhance your cooking skills and leave your family and friends raving about your delicious, smoky creations. Don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more step-by-step videos, and let's together become the barbecue heroes we were meant to be!
*Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. You will pay the same price, but I will earn a small percentage, which will help support the channel.
