This guide looks at the Big Green Egg vs Kamado Joe, Weber Summit, and Traeger pellet smokers, highlighting their key features, pros, cons, and specs to help you decide which grill best fits your needs. Whether you prefer the traditional charcoal flavor or the convenience of pellet grills, this comparison will guide you to the perfect choice for your grilling style and budget.
Choosing the right barbecue can significantly impact your outdoor cooking experience. In this detailed comparison, we’ll focus on the Big Green Egg, one of the most popular, renowned outdoor cookers.
We know it’s hard to choose the perfect grill, especially if you’re looking for something with a little more oomph than a gas grill or a traditional charcoal kettle. Enter ceramic kamado-style cookers and pellet grills.
Whether you’re drawn to the traditional charcoal grilling and smoking capabilities of the Big Green Egg, Kamado Joe, or Weber Summit, or prefer the convenience and consistency of Traeger pellet grills, each option offers unique advantages.
In this guide, we’ll pit the Big Green Egg’s performance and most distinctive features against its top counterparts: Kamado Joe ceramic barbecues, Weber Summit charcoal grills, and Traeger pellet smokers. We’ll delve into the key factors that matter most when making your decision, such as fuel type, cooking area and capacity, heating time, and budget. By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of which barbecue best suits your grilling needs and preferences.
Let’s get cooking!
The Big Green Egg
Established in 1974, Big Green Egg is the leading kamado-style grill producer in the USA, Canada, and around the world.
Kamado-style cookers have been around for thousands of years, and nowadays there are several options for home grillers to choose from, including Big Green Egg and Kamado Joe (which we’ll talk about next). So what exactly makes the Big Green Egg so special?
With unique features like NASA-inspired ceramics and a patented airflow system, this all-weather cooking system is designed to be stronger, more durable, and retain heat more effectively than any other outdoor cooker. Able to reach ultra-high temps and maintain lower temperatures for low-and-slow cooking, the Big Green Egg can be used to grill, roast, smoke, and bake. It’s available in seven sizes with a toolbox of accessories and add-ons available to enhance the grilling experience.
Pros
- Extremely good heat retention
- Durable and made from high-quality materials
- Multiple cooking methods
- Several sizes available
- Lifetime warranty
Cons
- Slow to cool down
- Can be difficult to maintain temperature
- Lid can be heavy to open
- Difficult to move
- Fewer essentials tools are included out-of-the-box (such as side shelves or support table)
- Higher price point
Key Specs
Big Green Egg vs Kamado Joe
As the most direct competitor to the Big Green Egg, Kamado Joe has carved out its own niche in the realm of kamado-style charcoal grilling and smoking.
Renowned for its innovative design and versatile cooking capabilities, Kamado Joe grills sit at a lower price point than Big Green Egg, but they offer their own range of powerful features. Kamado Joe’s SlōRoller hyperbolic insert transforms your grill into a precision smoker by ensuring even heat distribution and enhanced smoke flavor. Their unique Air Lift™ hinge reduces the dome weight, making it effortless to lift and close. And their proprietary Kontrol Tower top vent maintains optimal airflow and temperature control throughout the cooking process.
Kamado Joe’s out-of-the-box multi-level cooking system further sets these ceramic cookers apart, allowing you to cook different foods simultaneously at their ideal temperatures. Available in three sizes complete with all the essentials you need to get started, Kamado Joe offers flexibility to match your grilling needs, from backyard cookouts to large gatherings.
Pros
- Extremely good heat retention
- Essentials are included out-of-the-box
- Durable and made from high quality materials
- Multiple cooking methods
- Slide-out ash drawer makes cleaning easier
- Multiple sizes available
- Air Lift hinge makes lid easier to open
- Widest range of accessories to expand your grilling experience
- Lower price point
Cons
- Slow to cool down
- Can be difficult to maintain temperature
- Fewer sizes available
- Difficult to move
Key Specs
Big Green Egg vs Weber Summit
As one of the world’s leading grill manufacturers, Weber offers a large selection of gas, charcoal, pellet, and electric grills. If you’re a Weber enthusiast in the market for a ceramic-style grill, you’re looking for Weber’s Summit Kamado.
Introduced in 2016, Weber Summit Kamado cookers are charcoal-fueled cookers that are made from steel, not ceramic. With a double-walled, air insulated cooking chamber, they are just as capable of holding temps for long durations—but they’ll also cool down faster if you advertently overshoot your cooking temperature. They’re also much lighter than a traditional ceramic kamado grill, and are generally less fragile than breakable ceramic.
Weber grills are beloved for good reason. Models are tested to simulate 10-15 years of use, and are built using porcelain-coated enamel or stainless steel, cast iron, and other high-quality materials. Weber also uses welds instead of fasteners to create more durable, rustproof seasons. Other innovative features like Weber CONNECT Smart Technology, their One-Touch cleaning system for charcoal grills (which includes the Summit Kamado), and NIGHTVISION LED lighting are just the cherry on top.
Pros
- Faster to cool down than ceramic cookers
- Lighter lid is easier to lift
- Durable and made from high quality materials
- Good heat retention
- Multiple cooking methods
- Steel is less prone to breakage when moving
Cons
- Only one size available
- Can be difficult to maintain temperature
- Doesn’t reach temps as high as Big Green Egg or Kamado Joe
- Steel may not be as long-lasting as ceramic (if it rusts, for example)
Key Specs
Big Green Egg vs Traeger
As a pellet grill, Traeger grills are the only grills on this list that aren’t charcoal-fueled kamado-style cookers. But with many of the same functions and capabilities, pellet grills are a close comparison to a ceramic or steel kamado-style cooker.
Inventor of the Original Wood-Fired Grill, Traeger remains the world’s #1 selling wood-fired pellet grill. Unlike kamado-style cookers, Treger pellet smokers are powered by electricity. But don’t panic—your food is still cooked by fire. The wood pellets are moved from a hopper into a fire pot by an electrically-powered auger, and when they reach the fire pot, they’re ignited by Traeger’s proprietary “HotRod”. A fan then circulates the heat and smoke for even, consistent cooking, while a drip tray prevents flare ups and keeps the flames from directly licking your food.
With unique features such as Smart Combustion™ technology, WiFire® connectivity, and P.A.L. Pop-And-lock® and ModiFIRE® accessories, Traeger pellet grills can reach both ultra-high temps and maintain lower temps for low-and-slow cooking and are known for their 6-in-1 ability to smoke, grill, bake, roast, braise, and barbecue.
Pros
- Faster to heat up than kamado cookers
- Several sizes available
- Lower price point
- Easier to use
- Durable and made from high quality materials
- Multiple cooking methods
Cons
- Requires an electrical connection
- Doesn’t reach temps as high as Big Green Egg or Kamado Joe
Key Specs
Big Green Egg Comparison Chart
Which One Should I Get?
Grillers are strongly divided over which of these grills are best. As an unbiased grill expert, we’re here to settle the score.
Ultimately, the right grill depends on your unique circumstances. What works for Fred in Texas or Andrea in Seattle won’t necessarily work for you in Toronto, so here are some guidelines to get you started:
- If you’re new to grilling, start with a Traeger pellet smoker. They have a lower price point for most models and an easier learning curve with just as much power and versatility as a ceramic cooker.
- If you’re working with a smaller budget, Kamado Joe has a lower price point than Big Green Egg. Traeger is a good option as well.
- For the best wood smoke flavor, Traeger wins every time.
- For the easiest learning curve, go with Traeger. Kamado-style cookers aren’t hard to use, but there is a steeper learning curve as you get familiar with how to manage the temperature.
- If you are a seasoned griller and are looking to up your grill game, Big Green Egg or Kamado Joe are both great options. They’re comparable in terms of quality, but Kamado Joe is a bit cheaper and includes more essentials out-of-the-box.
- If you prefer longer cooks, go with Big Green Egg or Kamado Joe.
- If you usually opt for shorter cook times, Traeger is the way to go.
Get Grilling
Each of these grills brings something special to the table, whether it’s the Big Green Egg’s exceptional heat retention, Kamado Joe’s out-of-the-box accessories, Weber Summit’s durability, or Traeger’s user-friendly pellet system.
By weighing aspects like fuel type, cooking capacity, heating time, and budget, you can confidently choose the barbecue that best suits your needs. No matter which grill you decide on, each option promises to elevate your grilling game and deliver delicious, memorable meals for years to come.
