Kamado grill vs pellet grill? Here you can read all the pros and cons of both types of outdoor grills, my opinion, and the way I use both of them.
Pellet and Kamado Grills are two of the most popular grills. Both grills are versatile and can cook a variety of food items.
I cooked great food on both of them but when you have to choose between the two of them you can read here what I found out about the main differences
Choosing between both can prove challenging, but it depends on which features you require and which do not.
I have cooked on pellet grills and Kamado grills and here are the differences based on my experience.
Key Take Away
Pellet Grills are technology-based and offer the desired output with minimum effort.
Pellet grills make the grilling experience as easy as possible.
Kamado grills are ancient and simple.
Kamado grill requires a hands-on approach and lets you fully experience the grilling process.
“The following breakdown of features will help you understand both the items and help you in making your choice:”
Functionality
Many people like to enjoy the do-it-all experience of grilling food. While others like simplicity with their grilling and let the grill do all the work while they relax.
Pellet Grills
Pellet grills are suited for people who enjoy complex functionality. Some of these grills come with a control panel where you can adjust the temperature and even connect Bluetooth and WiFi to operate the grill.
Kamado grills
Kamado grills are pretty straightforward comparatively but still take a hands-on approach to grill.
These grills come with diverse fuel options where you can use different fuels such as lump charcoal, and charcoal briquettes. Although it is my experience that lump charcoal works better.
Affordability
The price range of the grills depends on the features you want to add to them. These features include the size of the grill, and the bells and whistles, which you may want to add for an enhanced grilling experience.
Kamado grills are simple pieces of equipment but are costly compared to their counterparts. Whereas Pellet grills offer many features and provide ease of use, making them more affordable.
“In general, it is my experience that Kamado grills are more expensive compared to pellet grills.”
Cleaning and Maintenance
Most people prefer using grills that are easy to clean and do not need high maintenance levels. Before buying a grill, it’s important to consider the maintenance factors and choose the preferred option that suits your grilling style.
Try getting a grill that can tolerate household cleaning products and is easily cleanable.
Getting a grill with a grease tray is also very important as it helps you contain all the grease that falls off the cooking grates. Pellet grills mostly come with these trays, making the process less messy than Kamado grills.
“Pellet grills require more maintenance before-and-after operation, whereas Kamado is pretty simple and does not have any technology to fiddle with.”
Fire
Lighting a grill is an essential aspect to consider. Kamado grills require simple lump charcoal to fire up just like a chimney, while you can fire pellet grills up simply with a push of a button.
Pellet grills require food-grade wood pellets to burn and electricity.
“Charcoal is easy to source; hence Kamado grills prove to be quite convenient. However, the Pellet grill is less messy since it does not handle charcoal.”
Durability and Longevity
The durability of a grill is as important as its size and cooking. Even though cooking grills are not used very often, they need to be able to withstand for a long time.
Several factors such as ease of cleaning, relocating, weather effect, and weight come into play when considering the durability and longevity of a grill.
Since Pellet grills are high-tech, they have more moving parts. Components such as the heating rod and igniter may eventually wear out, making them less durable than Kamado grills.
Kamado grills have a robust and sturdy body which makes them very durable.
“Kamado grills are expected to last longer in this regard as they do not come with many tech parts compared to the Pellet grills.”
Advantages and Disadvantages
The perfect grill does not exist. They all have pros and cons. Here is a list of what I think are the most mentioned pros and cons of a pellet grill versus a Kamado grill
Kamado Grill Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Versatile. Kamado grills provide a more versatile range of temperatures than conventional grills. You can heat them to 700 degrees Celsius or keep them as low as 180 Celsius as per your cooking requirement.
- Highly fuel-efficient. Mainly used charcoal, which is readily available and cheaper when compared to wooden pellets.
- Steady heating. The ceramic structure in Kamado’s structure is a good insulator that traps the heat inside and lets it radiate your food slowly.
- Easy to clean.
- The flexibility of movement due to freestanding models.
Cons:
- Heavy Weight. Kamado grills weigh a lot. Even though the structure is sturdy and durable, relocating it can be quite a hassle.
- Heat control. Controlling the temperature in Kamado grills can be quite challenging as there is a learning curve to control the heat.
- Long cool-down. Kamado grills are notorious for taking forever to cool down. So once heated up, you might have to wait a good amount of hours before moving the grill again.
Pellet Grill Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Multipurpose. These grills can do it all. You can bake, smoke, roast, grill, char-grill, sear, toast, and braise any food.
- Ease of use. With all its tech marvels, you can easily feel free to let it do its job and leave it unmanned for a considerable amount of time without worrying.
- Temperature Control. Pellet Grills have excellent temperature control, which you can also control with your smartphone.
- It has advanced technological features. Modern Pellet Grills can easily be connected with WiFi and Bluetooth, which you can use to control its temperature remotely. This gives you the freedom to socialize freely while the grill does its job.
Cons:
- Expensive. Pellet grills are more expensive than all other grills. They have moving parts that could break down and might need repairing more often.
- Potential for component failure. Since many moving parts are included, there’s a high probability of them breaking down and requiring frequent repairs.
- Multiple fuel sources. Along with wooden fuel pellets, this grill also requires electricity to move the drill. Every time you need to use this grill, you’ll have to plug it in first.
Here I found a video from two very experienced grill masters that discuss the pros and cons of pellet grills.
My Conclusion And Experience
It is hard to say if Kamado grill or Pellet grill is the most suitable option as it entirely depends upon your preferences and budget.
This decision is also dependent upon the type of person who will be cooking on either of these grills.
If you’re someone who enjoys the art of building and maintaining fire and wants to experience a more traditional style of cooking, then the Kamado grill is for you.
But if you’re a versatile cook who wants consistent results every time without having to babysit the smoker itself, then the Pellet grill is for you.
I use both of them depending on how much time I have. More time means Kamado. Not much time means pellet grill.
Eddie van Aken
Eddie van Aken brings years of experience from running a full-service restaurant, where he honed his skills with all types of kitchen equipment. His expertise extends to mastering the art of outdoor cooking, utilizing the right recipes to enhance flavors on grills and smokers. Eddie’s in-depth knowledge allows him to provide comprehensive grill reviews and valuable outdoor cooking tips, helping enthusiasts make the most of their grilling adventures. You can read more on the About page for Eddie van Aken