Looking for input and comments on BLAZE 20″ CAST ALUMINUM KAMADO thanks in advance.
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I'm interested as well. -
My only thought is that aluminum is a very good conductor of heat, the ceramic shell on a Kamado is a good insulator​​​​​. It may take more fuel to maintain your desired heat with the aluminum shell.Comment
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BBQ Guys surely gives it a high rating. I dont know of anyone who owns one.Comment
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- I want to preface this with I do not own a Blaze.
- About 2 years ago I was hot to trot to get one to add to the herd of Kamado’s I have. We have a local dealer here in Va Beach.
- I went to look. Walked away really impressed with the Blaze overall. It is a nice unit. No doubt it will last a looooong time. Aluminum construction does not scare me off, I have cooked for years on a PK.
- Reason I walked away was the 20†size. Did not want to be hamstrung with limited accessories or unable to take advantage of the CGS offerings or any of BGE or KJ’s innovation.
- The above was the sole reason I got cold feet. I had one of the early Primo gray ovals that I eventually gave away and have had a Primo XL for 6 yrs now. For a while if you wanted an accessory for an Oval you were stuck with only Primo options. Along came the CGS with oval accessory options so I had choices.
- I think I made the right decision for me at the time. I am not sure if any of the ceramic Kamado makers are producing a 20†Kamado now.
- Even though I walked away I still have my eye on them and frequently looking on "Tempest Search" for one at a good price. I have seen 2 for sale at great prices within 300 miles from me.
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Here is one review - they seem to find that the 1.25" thick aluminum held heat well. That is some THICK metal!!!
https://outdoorcookingpros.com/blogs...-kamado-review
Like tiewunon mentions, I think one thing to scare you off is the unusual size. Lots of grills and kamados have 18" or 22" grates. Not many have 20", so it limits you a good bit. Kamados seem to skip from 18" to 24", aside from the SnS Kamado. The unusual construction and wall thickness compared to a ceramic Kamado may also be a factor in what accessories will work, making you be stuck with Blaze only as a source of parts or accessories.Comment
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grillinglousiana i think it’s more correct to say they’re owned by the same people ( a private equity company in recent years). My sense is blaze makes some good products at an affordable price, and I’m not usually one to get too hung up on disclosures, but I get the distinct impressions this conflict of interest substantially shapes their "reviews" tho most people don’t know it and BBQ guys doesn’t disclose it. ( not like it’s easy to find much in the way of genuine independent opinions on blaze’s products otherwise)Comment
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Thats right...Blaze and BBQ GUYS are one and the same...they also make there own outdoor furniture..etc..the store brick and mortar was only because some of the other products they sale BBQ GUYS were required to have a brick and mortar /other wise it would have been online only...all that said they do have and support some amazing products...the outdoor kitchens on display are for real and you can make arrangements to test one out...its like a candy store for grillers.....
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any updates?
anyone take the aluminum plunge yet?Comment
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I just discovered it in a bbqLuv post. Definitely has caught my eye. One thing that's nice about the unit is the integrated rotisserie. I like that there isn't a hoop to store. It's solid aluminum unlike some of the metal kamado offerings. I did pause because of the size. . .but they offer a complete line of accessories, drip pan, sear basket etc and again the rotisserie is really slick. Similar to the komodo but less ornate. I kind of like it!! 🔥🔥🔥â¤ï¸ðŸ¿Comment
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I’m admittedly late chiming in on this thread, but I took the plunge and have been using the Blaze Kamado for a few years.
Why the Blaze? Specific to my use case, I rely on a Kamado, year round, as only a grilling/searing station when I need extreme temps (550-750 degrees); I use a pellet smoker for low and slow cooks, and in the case of reverse searing steaks, I use them together.
I was running a Kamado Joe Jr, which worked just fine. Whether a hot & humid Illinois summer or a -10 degree winter, the KJ was getting it done. But then…a co-worker of mine came to work after the holidays and told me a horror story of cracking his BGE porcelain while heating up to cook the Christmas Day bird. They warrantied it for him, but on that day, with his extended family counting on him, his plans were ruined. I should have shrugged off his story, but it kept gnawing at me, so I started poking around on the Internet and came across the Blaze Kamado advertisements…trying to blow it up, taking it water skiing, etc. I somehow convinced wifey the purchase was a good idea, explaining that keeping the KJ Jr as our year round, high heat grill was rolling the dice.
Now the Blaze is the Kamado that sits outside (uncovered) year round and gets used year round. The KJ Jr lives in the garage as a member of our camping/tailgating team.
Pro’s and Con’s of a Blaze?
Pro’s: The Blaze is nearly indestructible, relatively lightweight (160 Lbs) when compared to a porcelain Kamado of equivalent size, impervious to ambient weather/temp changes, hail resistant (up to quarter size so far, anyway), no gasket to replace, rustproof, has an integrated top vent, and only four inside pieces: top food grate, lower food grate, charcoal grate, and a removable ash tray.
Con’s: Compatibility/Versatility. Not only does its unique size (diameter) make it incompatible with Kamado accessories from other brands, the available cooking accessories offered by Blaze are extremely limited and often in short supply.
Now, for my specific use case, the Pro’s of a Blaze Kamado far outweigh the Con’s, but for someone who seeks the same versatility and range of compatible cooking accessory offerings like the other major Kamado manufacturers, it’s just not there.
Epilogue: I learned three weeks ago that Kick Ash now marks one of their baskets as being Blaze Kamado compatible (wasn’t listed thru their shop by grill section, I had to poke around until I ran across it). I have a KAB for the KJ Jr and love it, so I picked one up for the Blaze, thinking it will be better than the OEM charcoal grate, which because of its spacing is VERY finicky when it comes to lump charcoal choices. Once my current medical restriction is lifted, I plan on trying the Blaze with the KAB in it to see if it becomes less finicky with lump.Comment
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