Can anyone give me any input about the two cookers? If I can get the original Classic for $700 is it worth it or should I just spend the extra for the Classic II because the upgrades are truly worth the extra cost? I will say that I do most of my cooking in a covered area, so I have no concern of rain affecting the top vent. Does the top vent rust on the original model? Anyway any advice would be appreciated from current or past owners. Thanks in advance!
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KJ II has better gasket, top vent cap, lid lock, and hydraulic lid assist. IMHO the upgrades on the II are worth a little more dough. BTW I own the KJ Classic II and love it. I'm sure you will not be disappointed if you decide to purchase one. -
I would say that it is worth it. I have a KJ Classic Jr. and I love it. Those extras would be sweet on a large model, I don't need it on the Jr. For me, the problem with the daisy wheel is that is moves when you open the lid, most of the time. Forcing me to make sure the damper is reset. I replaced the stock daisy wheel with a Smokeware cap, problem solved.
That being said, for the regular classic, I would go for the upgrades.Comment
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I have the original KJ classic. I will start by saying that either one will cook great. At the end you are looking for great food and both produce the same results. So what does all the upgrades get me? The new hood style cap allows you to cook in wet weather which is not a great problem for me since I melt in the rain😄. It also has markers on the outlet port to allow for easier settings although I think rather than setting your cap to 1,2,3, or 4, you are likely to have to set it in smaller increments to get ur desired temps like 1.25, 1.5, 1.75, ... The gaskets on the kj classic do need to be replaced every so often especially if drip juice all over them. I am very careful about this and have not needed to replace them in 2 years, but I suspect there will be a time when I will need to. The other thing that has changed is the firebox has been redesigned. S
everal original owners were finding small cracks in the firebox over time due to temperature changes. The new design is supposed prevent the cracks. The firebox has lifetime warranty so if you get a crack they replace it free of any charges.
Sorry for the long winded response, but the short of it is ur budget and desire. The original cooks just as well as the new and at 700 is good deal , but if you look at the upgrades and are drooling over them then I would spend the extra cash. I personally would go with the original and use the extra cash for accessories such as the joetissere or bbq guru. Also if the cap is the deciding factor you can always buy an original and the cap which kJ sells aftermarket.Comment
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Thanks for your responses and the info that y’all offered.Comment
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I agree with the other comments. They've done a nice job with the upgrades they made and they are probably worth the extra cost -- assuming you can afford it. These things last a long time so it's a decent investment. I had the original and I did replace the top with a smoke ware version so that the setting wouldn't change when I opened the lid. Replacing the gasket wasn't particularly difficult but it takes time. All that said, the original will cook just as wellComment
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