Cyber Monday Mini Kamado And Questions

[Sid P]

Trying a Kamado has long been on my list, and in the past couple years I’ve gone from sometimes cooking for four to usually cooking for one.

Seeing this $99 Cyber Monday deal for a 10" Kamado has me thinking it may be time to take the leap: https://www.titangreatoutdoors.com/o...NWdo%3D.VRRhtM

Does anyone have this grill, or use something similar? I’m only interested if it has all the capabilities of a regular size grill, eg. can smoke a small pork butt, grill a steak, etc. Thanks.

[LA Pork Butt]

I usually cook for two or sometimes four and have a Big Green Egg MiniMax which has a 13’ grate. I took a look at the Kamado you referenced, and it has everything you need. The difference in these kamados is their quality and the thickness of the walls. I can’t answer those questions for you, but I do think you could cook a small Boston Butt on it. The only thing I am not sure about is the depth of the firebox and whether it holds enough lump charcoal for a long cook without refueling. Heck for $100 bucks it is a cheap introduction to a ceramic Kamado. It is even cheaper than Char-griller’s metal 13” Kamado. I would say give it a try.

[Spinaker]

I do not know that brand so I would be careful. That being said, I have a Kamado Joe that is that size and I love it. It is great for cooking one or two person meals. That way I do not need to fire up my full-sized eggs.

They are kinda tough to smoke on but they do work, you just have to use a really small fire and make sure you are not opening the top hardly at all. Small fire becomes a big fire quickly in one of these, relatively speaking.

You can smoke a small butt or brisket point. Ribs if they are curled up and a small chicken.

All that being said, they are great for searing steaks, wings and kabobs. I mostly use mine for grilling, if I am gonna smoke, I will use my full-sized Eggs.

[SheilaAnn]

I have a Joe jr and love it, too. But I don’t know this brand either.

[smokin fool]

My only concern would be you love the thing so much you'd outgrow in a short time and wish you'd gotten a bigger rig.
But for the price if you think that's all your going to need jump right in, I have a Kamado and love it.

[SheilaAnn]

I wish I got bigger now. But am thrilled with this cooker. I don’t cook for a lot of people so the cooking surface area is just right for us. Plus, when I win next month, I could always upgrade 🤪😉🤓🤣

[LA Pork Butt]

The Big Green Egg Mini has a 10” grill grate and this is what their website says you can cook on it.
Specifications

• Grid Diameter: 10 in / 25 cm
• Cooking Area: 79 sq in / 507 sq cm
• Weight: 39 lbs / 18 kgs

The Mini EGG can cook

• 2 chicken breasts
• 2 pork chops
• 1 steak

[Sid P]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the input. I think I’ll see if I can get a bargain on one that’s a little bigger.

[jfmorris]

Personally I think it is just too small to do much with, based on the capacity charge for that size Big Green Egg...

[jfmorris]

Sid P Personally, I would keep an eye on your local Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist. My son-in-law got a really nice barely used Vision kamado, one that sells for about $800 new at Home Depot, for $100. It's a more standard size 18" cooker, with the diffuser plate, and two levels of cooking grates, so it holds a good bit, and looked to have only been used one time - the interior was still almost white, and not sooted up. I've seen a lot of Kamado Joe and other brands for sale on there too.

[Sid P]

Thanks, I’m always watching them.

[SheilaAnn]

And ya know… the more I think about it: I keep an aquarium. The smaller they are, the more delicate the environment. When they are bigger, you have more wiggle room, as it were. While I love my kj jr, I believe a bit larger will give you more flexibility and more room for error. (Not that you need it 💕)

[Uncle Bob]

I'm with jfmorris on watching the local resale market. There may be regional considerations, but to my eye I'm seeing a lot of barely used outdoor cooking equipment on the market. For one, it's the off season so you'll have less competition which lets you drive a harder bargain. Two, some folks are probably trying to scrape up cash to augment the paycheck to deal with inflation. Three, there might be a post covid "I thought doing my own bbq was a good idea, but it's not for me." going on out there.

[smokin fool]

Off season is right.
I went out looking for charcoal yesterday, all I found was two bags of damaged taped up Kingsford briquette's at HD.
Not one other store had a bag of anything and most have had nothing for months.
Going to give Canadian Tire a go today and see if they have anything.
Whadda joke this dump is.

[jfmorris]

I think 2020 and more folks cooking at home led to many people to buy grills that they never figured out how to use, and that they started dumping them the past year or two, many of them barely used.