James, I’ve been using a Goldens Cast Iron Kamado for 5 years now in Minneapolis. It has been a workhorse for me especially for long cooks where, once at the desired heat, is almost a “set it and forget” process. My 18 lb spatchcock Turkey was cooked in 20F weather and was perfectly fine and dripping moist in 2.5 hours! Even in my weather, I have had no problems with rust externally or with the grill plates internally. I have 4 grill plates which I find super handy. I don’t use the charcoal divider much. The sear plate does take more elbow grease to clean but that is to be expected. Like all cast iron cookware, a little care each time does the trick. Regarding the ash clean up, yes, I do have to move the coals around to get the ask to drop yet I find that the Golden’s burns so efficiently that there is very little ask to clean up. I can easily go 3 or 4 cooks before having to clean out the trap. I regularly use your trick of adding wood chips for additional smoke in the ash chamber and it works great. I just purchased a Kick Ash Basket (Classic 15” size fits perfectly) to make re-fueling easier. I’m excited to watch upcoming videos on cooks you do on the Goldens. I’m really interested to see you try a slow roller and other KJ accessories like the Pizza Joe or finding a rotisserie that will fit and work. I can’t wait for all your upcoming videos putting the Goldens through the paces including some cold weather cooks as your winter is arriving up there as well. Thanks for all you do and how you do it. I’ve learned a ton from you and your videos. Thanks!
I called down to Goldens’ and asked them to send you a second set of cast iron grates and the coal divider for indirect cooking. They may have already been in touch with you. This will help with your versatility tests and creating a “double indirect” set up. Cheers! Edmund
EXCELLENT review! As you stated & a year later with my KJ; I am still amazed how much more fuel efficient my KJ is over my long time WSM. I did a turkey this year on the WSM and was continually stoking the fire. My KJ uses a couple of handfuls of charcoal, the WSM used ~3/4 of a bag. I thank you & your channel for convincing me to get a KJ. I now use it 90% of the time over the WSM. Just as a FYI... I clean the ash out of my KJ with my shop vac after the fire is dead out.
Johnny from the channel “View to a Grill” in Texas has one. He’s done a lot of different cooks on it. If you haven’t, he might be someone worth talking to. He also has the mini cast iron kamado.
I have had intentions of buying one of these Golden cast Kamados. I placed an order back in 2020 and cancelled it. After watching your video I'm glad I did. I have had an aluminum Blaze Kamado for almost 7 years. The only thing I don't like about the aluminum Blaze Kamado is that it gets so dirty on the outside and I like to keep it looking as nice as possible. A problem that the Golden cast Kamado doesn't have because of its coating. However, the advantages of the aluminum Blaze Kamado are: 1) it doesn't have a fire box. It doesn't need it. 2) It has an ash tray. 3) It doesn't need gaskets because it has a tongue and groove sealing feature. Those felp gaskets are a pain to replace. 4) A charcoal basket can be used with the aluminum Blaze Kamado. 5) The aluminum Blaze Kamado won't rust anywhere.6) The aluminum Blaze Kamado is cheaper than the Golden Cast Kamado. I'm surprised you haven't made a video on the aluminum Blaze Kamado since it has been out for a long time and I have already mentioned to you on previous videos. I also like to thank you for all your videos. They are very instructive and I have picked a lot of useful information from them. Thanks.
I last spoke to them about a year ago and at the time they couldn’t ship to Canada. I really want to test it so maybe that’s gotten better since I last reached out
I never heard of the Blaze. I live on a Gulf island with the salt water bay in my backyard, and the Gulf of Mexico a few hundred feet in front. This kamado might be the best idea I've seen in a while. Thank you for the comment. It might be my next grill.
@@SmokingDadBBQTredeau's high import duty and taxes are to blame here. The Canadian government punishes you for buying outside of Canada. You are going to have to pick up somewhere in the US and take it cross the border.
Great review, as always. And the steak looked amazing. My first thought after watching this video is that the one-piece fire box and the inability to directly access the ash would be a significant pain. The weight of all the cooking services would also become tiresome to deal with, figuratively and literally. I do like that the grates are stackable and slightly adjustable, but it will be interesting to see if the 2-zone cooking capability comes close to the divide and conquer system of the Kamado Joe--TEST IDEA!!! Speaking of cooking surfaces, all cast iron is probably not something I would want. I specifically avoided cast iron accessories for the KJ because of the upkeep required and the potential for rust to set in. I look forward to your future reviews to see how it stacks up against the KJ.
I have a Goldens. I gave up on my BGE a while ago. Been there. Goldens sells an ash removal combination tool and it's so simple and easy to remove the ash. Yes, the cast iron grates and searing plate are substantial and well made, but they are easy to lift, both the grates and searing plate. Easier than you think. Oh and never fear the rust. That's what seasoning your grates and searing plates is all about. It's easy. Plus the entire cooker is as thick as a manhole cover and externally powder coated. It will last forever. Anyway, food just taste better cooked on cast iron, not stainless steel, God forbid. What bothers me is that BGE and KJ offer cheap foreign made ceramic and other parts, including cast iron that is thinner lighter, and more fragile so you get what you pay for. Sturdy 100% American made Goldens that lasts forever, or over marketed, mostly foreign sourced ceramic alternatives that don't last. None of them even come close to the Goldens. None. You have to see it up close to truly recognize its value. It is a beast and rightfully so. I agree with your KJ test. Let's add BGE too. Bring it. I'd love to see the review.
Comment written halfway through the video: This looks like a BGE or KJ of 10+ years ago. The lack of a basket would stop me cold with this. Cleaning it out and reusing remaining charcoal looks like a nightmare. I had similar cast iron grates on the pellet smoker that I gave away prior to getting my Big Joe. Keeping those clean was another big maintenance chore. The major differentiator you've regularly pointed out between KJ and BGE is that the accessories for KJ make it much better. I didn't detect that there are many accessories for this. But at least it's more expensive.
Have had the Goldens for a few years now and wouldn’t swap it for anything else. Added the Smart Fire blower, a stainless steel rain cap and has worked a treat. Karcher to vacuum the ash every now and then. Use it for open bbqs, searing, open grilling, roasting and smoking. Have had to extreme temperatures. Spring is a beast and the whole thing is bulletproof!
@@SmokingDadBBQ I used the Smokehouse Vented Chimney Cap which is compatible for TBGE. Added a JG BBQ deflector plate [can’t recall whether 18’ or 20” to the bottom to raise the charcoal and allow more airflow. The BGE accessories fit reasonably if you’re game to try also.
There's something strange with the audio channels on this video. Parts of the video are mixed to right channel only, parts are left channel only and some parts are in stereo. I haven't noticed same on your older videos so this is probably not intentional?
Hey man, unrelated to the video, but using a headset it sounds like you're only ever on one channel at the same time, except during the advert, that's when you come through both ears. Completely fine on my phone, but rough to watch with headphones. Not sure what happened, but I've noticed this as well on another video of yours.
Add to the LIst: Check flavor with low-and-slow cooks. I've heard that very efficient metal kamado cookers can impart a sooty flavor to meat that's been cooked this way.
I had one a few years back. Your initial review hit in the issues. 1) Deflector is too close to cooking grate and radiates too much heat on hotter cooks. Uneven cooking. I thought about buying additional grates to stack on top, but then I’d have to move around 4 grates and a defector to get to the coals. 2) ash clean out is a pain 3) that deflector gets disgusting. I could never get it clean enough to feel comfortable searing on it.
Definitely interested in this product. I have been looking at it for years. I live on the west coast and there are very limited retailers out here and shipping adds quite a bit more to an already hefty price. I love the durability and like all good cast iron, years of seasoning will make this even better when properly maintained.
James you should check out the all aluminum kamado by Blaze. Similar theme to this one but more advanced in features, lighter, and looks amazing. Cooks differently than the ceramic Kamado Joe (I have both) but it's an exceptional grill. Has a rotisserie and some other nice options, although not as many as KJ (although many accessories for other kamados will fit). And it's one which will certainly be handed down for the next million years to cook on.
I suspect that maintaining the internal components of that thing is going to be far more difficult than the stainless steel components of other ceramic kamado grills. I feel like that alone would probably make in a difficult decision to choose this over another brand like Kamado Joe.
I had a heavy grate slip out of the tool and fall to the patio and chip a stone on my way to store a hot grate inside my Kamado Joe as there was no where else to put it. I’m trying to park my bias and have an open mind but there seems to be some uphill headwinds
Great video as always so it’s nice to see something new on your next video, though could you possibly show the back of the Kamado where the hinge mechanism is on both the top and bottom of the egg shape. Curious if there’s any fillets in the casting also cast-iron will build up an oxidation if it ever gets to bare metal on any particular part of it a.k.a. chip in the paint and depending on the recipe of the cast-iron I would be very afraid if it ever falls on the hinge wings or the handle wings, they could just snap off awesome show can’t wait for review down the road about a year
Current price (5 Dec 2023) is $2599 plus about $190 for the searing plate and lifting tool (which you could easily DIY if you want). That's not bad if you were buying today. Not sure if that's a holiday sale - but I need a new unit next summer for a second house, and this is looking good. If the price stays in that neighborhood, I'll jump on it. It is not worth $1k more. The BGE we got 12 years ago is still running strong, and Komado Joe was our new unit until this came along (at the lower price).
@@SmokingDadBBQ No, the rolling cart without shelves that I saw on your video. I looked - the shelf version is $1000 more. I cannot believe someone would pay an extra $1K for two small side shelves. That makes no sense, whatsoever.
Like very much your shows. You are very professional and I learned a ton from you many many thanks. A small suggestion, have watched so many shows of grilling, food presentations, grills by gas, charcoal etc. nobody talked of any safety equipments such as fire blankets, extinguishers etc, in all the shows I have seen, any reason? Have experienced serious burns of colleagues in the hotel industry working on grills… maybe a thought…
I'd love to see you get your hands on a Komodo Kamado 32" Big Bad or 42" Serious Big Bad and put them through their paces, as those are my dream cookers. Particularly with how much you like to rotisserie stuff, as I think with the 42" you can rotisserie a whole pig if memory serves.
I would like to try them but I don’t want to spend that kind of money on a video that might make $100 and be saddled with the depreciation like I had on my offsets. Need to find a better way to still be able to test stuff independently without it being a small fortune
On the fuel efficiency comment for the WSM, I’ve never run out of fuel . It’s not as fuel efficient but it has huge fuel capacity and is way cheaper than a kamado. The 26 inch kettle can also do very long low and slow as well. Again, far cheaper.
Thanks for posting! Love your vids and following you since I have my kamado (The Basterd kamado its Dutch). Question; Can you switch your Fahrenheit to Celsius sometimes during your vid. It helps al the European viewers ;)
Nice,, I got last year model, looks the same as this year, just less money,, Looking forward to new ideas and how to Run it. Thanks waiting on them to come out with a 1/2 size shear plate,,
I will ask. I have used them before a few times but it’s been a few years. From memory what I love is that they have a trailer hitch attachment for tailgating, it’s reasonable price wise and it’s very very very efficient… like there’s only a handful of charcoal left but let’s start a brisket and still not run out. On the downside it’s really only the efficiency that I would knock. Fire is flavour and it’s so efficient it doesn’t impart much flavour
Hey Dude, Weird experience just now watching this video. I was watching you on the lounge room tv (I usually watch on my phone), and the surround system only played a fairly rough track from the left speaker, until your pre-recorded watch ad played, but then back to the weird single channel audio from one speaker. Only for this video, I went back and forth between a few different videos to be sure. But yeah, the audio for this is off a bit. Im not sure how you could encode this to fill all the front speakers, but not a big issue to be honest, just thought you would like to know. Awesome video regardless,
Thanks. I updated the firmware on the mic and it went back to mono. I tried copying to both channels but it didn’t work the same as the ad which was recorded with the setting fixed
Me too. Blaze didn’t have a way to get one to Canada last time I asked but I am sure if enough of us ask they might change their mind. I would love to do an ultimate Kamado head to head next year
Great review James, it will be interesting to watch smoking sessions, to see if there is any area that this excels in. It seems to me this beast of a Kamado would have been a good option several decades ago. At the price range of a Big Joe III, there seems to have been a lack of imagination in introducing this product. Hopefully, they'll send you a Primo XL to test sometime, to test the advantage of the oval shape.
When the video started off I thought you were reviewing cars 😅 that kamado does look nice but I wonder if its worth the price. I also wonder if it will be prone to rust
Living in the Pacific Northwest I have always avoided cast iron. Is the kamado powder coated inside and out.A new toy for you and more “James envy” for me. Love your videos.
At this stage of kamado popularity anything new can't be as good as what's out there. It needs to be better. Take the premium price into account and this cast iron kamado needs to excel against the competition.
I do wish there was more out of the box thinking. Offsets for example are trying lots of new things. Not saying they all work but at least they are trying. Why are all Kamado chimneys the same height for example? Near identical dimensions etc
Fun little novelty. But you can buy 4 komados or 2-3 big green eggs with all the bells and whistles for this price. Def not worth it ever. Plus the infrared heat off ceramic does wonders. This doesn’t seem to do the same
This is full sized offset money. Basically the same price as the goldees offset with way more space … I agree it’s a tough function vs cost proposition
Hi James, thanks for your vidéo. In the « un breakable » category, it would be great to see u review the Blaze cast aluminum Kamado. And in the « ceramic » category, it would be great to see you review the Indenosia Komodo Kamado.
What a sound nightmare. Left speaker, then right speaker, then stereo, then back to left to right to left. Sound was awful. I had to turn it off. Was looking forward to this but couldn’t handle the bad sound. Put a headset on and try it for yourself.
i'm aware and sent Rode a complaint as this keeps happening. The mic has turned off and or gone Mono... i had an audio engineer try and copy and paste the channels to make it not as bad but apologies. Its really frustrating to have put so much work into it something and get it back from the edit and have these issues
I almost got one on Facebook marketplace for $400! I couldn’t pull the trigger although because it was 2 hours away from me & the seller wasn’t able to help me lift it. I didn’t want to drive all that way just to fail at loading it in my truck
I own this cooker but with the stainless steel side shelves. It’s a BEAST. I got mine 3 years ago for $1,800. WOW do elections have 💰 💰 consequences! 😂 I have the stand up divider plate which I highly recommend. Will this replace my offset smoker? NO. My mini Chud Box for direct heat BBQ? NO. My PK grill for small hot and fast cooks? NO. Can it do all of those things? YES. If I could only have one cooker for the rest of my life the Golden’s cast iron kamado would be the ONE. It’s worth every penny….even at twice the price I paid 3 years ago. It’s an heirloom cooker and made in the USA by a family owned company. 👍 👍
@@SmokingDadBBQ I was shocked when you mentioned the current price because when I bought mine for half as much it was an incredible value for what you get. Even at double what I paid it still is worth the money and will last for generations.
Yes I wrote Rode and have a support case open as this keeps happening mid recording. Is the watch ad in the middle stereo? I recorded that after trying some of their settings fixes
@SmokingDadBBQ anyway, great video! I'm sure you have a check list of 100 things to look for on every video, add one more item to it I guess, you should be able to set the audio to mono if it keeps happening.
Fun fact about cast iron, it is a metal in a crystalline state, which makes it a very hard but brittle metal actually more likely to break when either thermally shocked, or dropped. So I wouldn't bet on it being uncrackable. Especially when compared to either a broil king keg, or a caliber pro kamado or even the blaze cast aluminium kamado.
The load bearing design of most decks is not sufficient for most kamados. Especially this one! I reinforced my deck to safely support a Komodo Kamado. Be careful if you have a deck.
@@SmokingDadBBQ could i ask what app are you editing i will try to find a fix for it ? In a clip you recorded are there audio option to put in mono? If its in speakers the dual mono might fix it. I had this issue before and some settings can fix it .
@@warava9780 i normally use iMovie. First I lost 90% of the video with the mic turning off so I had to redo the whole video which then for some reason went mono. I tried re-encoding with handbrake and that didn’t seem to help. So I exported to Final Cut and thought I had duplicated the mono on each channel. Believe it or not it got better than what it was
@@SmokingDadBBQ for some reason it doesnt let me reply to you , you should try dav ///inchi re // solve there might be a fix unless its mic issue (ignore /// and spacing i think this what remove s my reply )
@@SmokingDadBBQAgreed, definitely feels like an uphill battle finding features that can sway you away from the comfort of use we’re accustomed to on a KJ or BGE. Fantastic review as always, very in depth and informative.
I did read the warranty on this grill and all metal components are covered by a lifetime warranty. I bet it can crack, but you'd need to repeatedly take a sledge hammer and wedge to this bad boy.
@@SmokingDadBBQ yeah I mean, in a bbq scenario. It’s unlikely. However, the point remains. It’s not indestructible. Or uncrack-able. Far from it. If it tipped over and fell, it’d very likely crack under its own immense weight. Just like a KJ would.
Being made of a metal does not automatically mean it’s super strong. Cast in particular. Is made to break and not bend. In my line of work I see cast iron pipe fittings explode on the regular. Having said that, I do understand pressurized pipe fittings are not the same environment as a smoker…
I hate the break it to you, but cast iron is absolutely crackable and can be very brittle. The difference from a ceramic Kamado is that iron tends to crack but not shatter like the ceramics do.
There’s chapters if you don’t want the overview of kamados and this brand along with disclosure of where this came from I don’t have merch so not sure what you mean. The skipable ad?
We had a holiday meal with friends so it was like a mini prime rib for the meal we had. Truffle, chestnuts, garlic and thyme tallow is no disrespect to any steak
I'm not sure what they think the market is for this. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. Kamado Joe is already too expensive (with more features) for most "regular people." I wonder how much interest your audience will have in future videos about this thing, other than the gee whiz factor, if we aren't going to buy it.
That said, after reading some more you should get some temperature readings on the outside side and bottom with the same internal temperatures and talk about heat loss/transfer/insulation. The bottom might be more of a safety risk for touching or placement in a non metal table-type setup like you have.
@@jonmedina259 I think his point in the video referenced is that a ceramic kamado is already that unless a stupid accident happens. It's not like the ceramic in a Kamado Joe will ever wear out, but this thing could definitely rust if the powder coat is damaged or not applied correctly.
I think you're on to something. It will probably cost $500+US to ship. He might make it a pickup up yourself prize for some lucky person within 300 miles of him.
I think we will have to have someone who can come get it or meet me half way. Didn’t think about that. I will offer the person who wins and let them decide vs limiting it to a small area
@@SmokingDadBBQ aren’t you in Canada ? I wouldn’t commit to meet halfway especially if someone like me lives in Texas or Florida- your channel would have to change to smokin travel dadbbq . On second thought that could be a great episode to watch u traveling checking out bbq spots along the way and your opinions
What’s for sale? The 4th ad I have run out of 100 videos this year or explaining any potential bias / financial affiliation with a product that shows up on the channel which is legally required and many don’t disclose
Not sure what's going on with the audio, it was terrible from the start but sounded fine during the watch ad. I've always loved your channel but I can't listen to one minute of this.
@@j777 they sent a bunch of information after this video was recorded and I sent a complaint. I am on the newest firmware but will give it a try. As it recorded mono I tried duplicating the channel in post but it still sounds like crap
Very small circumference! Not enough space for slabs or ribs! Kamado Joe Big Joe has much more room and grill personality too! Kamado Joe grills are better students. They always do their homework, pay attention in class and are not out of shape! They obviously don't eat food that is not theres!
8 minutes in and nothing about cooking yet. Have loved your content for a long time, but lately has become an advertising and engagement fest with little value... Now 9.5 minutes of 23...
One minute is why I like Kamado as a category. Next is disclosing where it came from an any potential financial bias. From 5-9 is all the features of this Kamado … kinda relevant given it’s a first look and overview of features. There are chapters should you wish to skip to any one section
Thanks for the reply. Clearly plenty of people loved your video, so I am in the vast minority. I guess I got used to coming in for more of your cooking content and used to be keen as mustard when a new one came out. Have learned heaps from you over the years. All the best @@SmokingDadBBQ
James, I’ve been using a Goldens Cast Iron Kamado for 5 years now in Minneapolis. It has been a workhorse for me especially for long cooks where, once at the desired heat, is almost a “set it and forget” process. My 18 lb spatchcock Turkey was cooked in 20F weather and was perfectly fine and dripping moist in 2.5 hours! Even in my weather, I have had no problems with rust externally or with the grill plates internally. I have 4 grill plates which I find super handy. I don’t use the charcoal divider much. The sear plate does take more elbow grease to clean but that is to be expected. Like all cast iron cookware, a little care each time does the trick. Regarding the ash clean up, yes, I do have to move the coals around to get the ask to drop yet I find that the Golden’s burns so efficiently that there is very little ask to clean up. I can easily go 3 or 4 cooks before having to clean out the trap. I regularly use your trick of adding wood chips for additional smoke in the ash chamber and it works great. I just purchased a Kick Ash Basket (Classic 15” size fits perfectly) to make re-fueling easier. I’m excited to watch upcoming videos on cooks you do on the Goldens. I’m really interested to see you try a slow roller and other KJ accessories like the Pizza Joe or finding a rotisserie that will fit and work. I can’t wait for all your upcoming videos putting the Goldens through the paces including some cold weather cooks as your winter is arriving up there as well. Thanks for all you do and how you do it. I’ve learned a ton from you and your videos. Thanks!
I want to add, using the 4 grill plates helps me do a “double indirect” cook which works really well.
Thanks. Any other tips let me know. This is only cook 2 for me
I’d be curious to see how you set it up
I called down to Goldens’ and asked them to send you a second set of cast iron grates and the coal divider for indirect cooking. They may have already been in touch with you. This will help with your versatility tests and creating a “double indirect” set up. Cheers! Edmund
EXCELLENT review! As you stated & a year later with my KJ; I am still amazed how much more fuel efficient my KJ is over my long time WSM. I did a turkey this year on the WSM and was continually stoking the fire. My KJ uses a couple of handfuls of charcoal, the WSM used ~3/4 of a bag. I thank you & your channel for convincing me to get a KJ. I now use it 90% of the time over the WSM. Just as a FYI... I clean the ash out of my KJ with my shop vac after the fire is dead out.
I’ve had one of these for 2 1/2 years. It’s worth every cent. I would also recommend the charcoal box divider. Very useful.
Good to know!
Johnny from the channel “View to a Grill” in Texas has one. He’s done a lot of different cooks on it. If you haven’t, he might be someone worth talking to. He also has the mini cast iron kamado.
I used to chat with him regularly way back when on an IG chat
He has both the mini and full size!
I have had intentions of buying one of these Golden cast Kamados. I placed an order back in 2020 and cancelled it. After watching your video I'm glad I did.
I have had an aluminum Blaze Kamado for almost 7 years. The only thing I don't like about the aluminum Blaze Kamado is that it gets so dirty on the outside and I like to keep it looking as nice as possible. A problem that the Golden cast Kamado doesn't have because of its coating. However, the advantages of the aluminum Blaze Kamado are: 1) it doesn't have a fire box. It doesn't need it. 2) It has an ash tray. 3) It doesn't need gaskets because it has a tongue and groove sealing feature. Those felp gaskets are a pain to replace. 4) A charcoal basket can be used with the aluminum Blaze Kamado. 5) The aluminum Blaze Kamado won't rust anywhere.6) The aluminum Blaze Kamado is cheaper than the Golden Cast Kamado.
I'm surprised you haven't made a video on the aluminum Blaze Kamado since it has been out for a long time and I have already mentioned to you on previous videos.
I also like to thank you for all your videos. They are very instructive and I have picked a lot of useful information from them. Thanks.
I last spoke to them about a year ago and at the time they couldn’t ship to Canada. I really want to test it so maybe that’s gotten better since I last reached out
I never heard of the Blaze. I live on a Gulf island with the salt water bay in my backyard, and the Gulf of Mexico a few hundred feet in front. This kamado might be the best idea I've seen in a while. Thank you for the comment. It might be my next grill.
@@SmokingDadBBQTredeau's high import duty and taxes are to blame here. The Canadian government punishes you for buying outside of Canada.
You are going to have to pick up somewhere in the US and take it cross the border.
Thanks James. I absolutely love your channel and never miss. I have watched many of them more than once and learned a lot.
Great review, as always. And the steak looked amazing. My first thought after watching this video is that the one-piece fire box and the inability to directly access the ash would be a significant pain. The weight of all the cooking services would also become tiresome to deal with, figuratively and literally. I do like that the grates are stackable and slightly adjustable, but it will be interesting to see if the 2-zone cooking capability comes close to the divide and conquer system of the Kamado Joe--TEST IDEA!!! Speaking of cooking surfaces, all cast iron is probably not something I would want. I specifically avoided cast iron accessories for the KJ because of the upkeep required and the potential for rust to set in. I look forward to your future reviews to see how it stacks up against the KJ.
Thanks and good ideas for tests
I have a Goldens. I gave up on my BGE a while ago. Been there. Goldens sells an ash removal combination tool and it's so simple and easy to remove the ash. Yes, the cast iron grates and searing plate are substantial and well made, but they are easy to lift, both the grates and searing plate. Easier than you think. Oh and never fear the rust. That's what seasoning your grates and searing plates is all about. It's easy. Plus the entire cooker is as thick as a manhole cover and externally powder coated. It will last forever. Anyway, food just taste better cooked on cast iron, not stainless steel, God forbid. What bothers me is that BGE and KJ offer cheap foreign made ceramic and other parts, including cast iron that is thinner lighter, and more fragile so you get what you pay for. Sturdy 100% American made Goldens that lasts forever, or over marketed, mostly foreign sourced ceramic alternatives that don't last. None of them even come close to the Goldens. None. You have to see it up close to truly recognize its value. It is a beast and rightfully so. I agree with your KJ test. Let's add BGE too. Bring it. I'd love to see the review.
This looks cool James! I’m looking forward to seeing how you innovate with it.
Comment written halfway through the video: This looks like a BGE or KJ of 10+ years ago. The lack of a basket would stop me cold with this. Cleaning it out and reusing remaining charcoal looks like a nightmare. I had similar cast iron grates on the pellet smoker that I gave away prior to getting my Big Joe. Keeping those clean was another big maintenance chore. The major differentiator you've regularly pointed out between KJ and BGE is that the accessories for KJ make it much better. I didn't detect that there are many accessories for this. But at least it's more expensive.
I do wish someone tried something a little different like chimney stack height for example
Have had the Goldens for a few years now and wouldn’t swap it for anything else. Added the Smart Fire blower, a stainless steel rain cap and has worked a treat. Karcher to vacuum the ash every now and then. Use it for open bbqs, searing, open grilling, roasting and smoking. Have had to extreme temperatures. Spring is a beast and the whole thing is bulletproof!
Which cap did you add
@@SmokingDadBBQ I used the Smokehouse Vented Chimney Cap which is compatible for TBGE. Added a JG BBQ deflector plate [can’t recall whether 18’ or 20” to the bottom to raise the charcoal and allow more airflow. The BGE accessories fit reasonably if you’re game to try also.
@@nickkatsis6504amazing. Thanks for sharing
There's something strange with the audio channels on this video. Parts of the video are mixed to right channel only, parts are left channel only and some parts are in stereo. I haven't noticed same on your older videos so this is probably not intentional?
Hey man, unrelated to the video, but using a headset it sounds like you're only ever on one channel at the same time, except during the advert, that's when you come through both ears. Completely fine on my phone, but rough to watch with headphones. Not sure what happened, but I've noticed this as well on another video of yours.
That thing looks amazing!
Add to the LIst: Check flavor with low-and-slow cooks. I've heard that very efficient metal kamado cookers can impart a sooty flavor to meat that's been cooked this way.
I had one a few years back. Your initial review hit in the issues.
1) Deflector is too close to cooking grate and radiates too much heat on hotter cooks. Uneven cooking. I thought about buying additional grates to stack on top, but then I’d have to move around 4 grates and a defector to get to the coals.
2) ash clean out is a pain
3) that deflector gets disgusting. I could never get it clean enough to feel comfortable searing on it.
I was worried someone would validate these initial concerns as legitimate
Definitely interested in this product. I have been looking at it for years. I live on the west coast and there are very limited retailers out here and shipping adds quite a bit more to an already hefty price. I love the durability and like all good cast iron, years of seasoning will make this even better when properly maintained.
Looking forward to seeing more cooks on that beauty, James. Golden's has really gone up on their prices in the last few years. Not surprising though.
James you should check out the all aluminum kamado by Blaze. Similar theme to this one but more advanced in features, lighter, and looks amazing. Cooks differently than the ceramic Kamado Joe (I have both) but it's an exceptional grill. Has a rotisserie and some other nice options, although not as many as KJ (although many accessories for other kamados will fit). And it's one which will certainly be handed down for the next million years to cook on.
It’s been a year or so since I last asked if they could get one to Canada. I’d love to test it
I suspect that maintaining the internal components of that thing is going to be far more difficult than the stainless steel components of other ceramic kamado grills. I feel like that alone would probably make in a difficult decision to choose this over another brand like Kamado Joe.
I had a heavy grate slip out of the tool and fall to the patio and chip a stone on my way to store a hot grate inside my Kamado Joe as there was no where else to put it.
I’m trying to park my bias and have an open mind but there seems to be some uphill headwinds
@@SmokingDadBBQ Some solutions are in search of a problem
@@wesleydrew9242 I think you’re right
They also sell blaze komodo They're made in Louisiana, there the cast aluminum komodo. I own one. They're about $3,000 with the stand that carries it
Great video as always so it’s nice to see something new on your next video, though could you possibly show the back of the Kamado where the hinge mechanism is on both the top and bottom of the egg shape. Curious if there’s any fillets in the casting also cast-iron will build up an oxidation if it ever gets to bare metal on any particular part of it a.k.a. chip in the paint and depending on the recipe of the cast-iron I would be very afraid if it ever falls on the hinge wings or the handle wings, they could just snap off awesome show can’t wait for review down the road about a year
What was the tool that you used to remove the grills. Never seen you use it before. Did you get it with the Goldens Grill or elsewhere?
its made by goldens, came with the kit from gospel. its a 74 tool accessory from goldens for lifting the grids
Looking forward to seeing more tests. Another great video James. 👍🏼
Thanks 👍
Love the craftsmanship! Beautiful grills. Looking forward to future content on the Golden's!
Much appreciated!
Current price (5 Dec 2023) is $2599 plus about $190 for the searing plate and lifting tool (which you could easily DIY if you want). That's not bad if you were buying today. Not sure if that's a holiday sale - but I need a new unit next summer for a second house, and this is looking good. If the price stays in that neighborhood, I'll jump on it. It is not worth $1k more. The BGE we got 12 years ago is still running strong, and Komado Joe was our new unit until this came along (at the lower price).
With the shelves?
@@SmokingDadBBQ No, the rolling cart without shelves that I saw on your video. I looked - the shelf version is $1000 more. I cannot believe someone would pay an extra $1K for two small side shelves. That makes no sense, whatsoever.
The shelves are great. I can sit on them. For someone that doest have an outdoor kitchen it's great
The shelves are only 300 more for the basic ones, upgrade to stainless is about 1000
Have you thought about trying the lone star grillz pellet smoker? It seems to be the best pellet smoker out there. Would love to see that.
If enough people ping them I am sure they’ll reach out to make it possible
Like very much your shows. You are very professional and I learned a ton from you many many thanks. A small suggestion, have watched so many shows of grilling, food presentations, grills by gas, charcoal etc. nobody talked of any safety equipments such as fire blankets, extinguishers etc, in all the shows I have seen, any reason? Have experienced serious burns of colleagues in the hotel industry working on grills… maybe a thought…
I'd love to see you get your hands on a Komodo Kamado 32" Big Bad or 42" Serious Big Bad and put them through their paces, as those are my dream cookers. Particularly with how much you like to rotisserie stuff, as I think with the 42" you can rotisserie a whole pig if memory serves.
That would really depend on the size of the pig. ;)
@@dirtybird99 Yeah. Even on the 42” I don’t think you could rotisserie a 500 lbs hog.
I would like to try them but I don’t want to spend that kind of money on a video that might make $100 and be saddled with the depreciation like I had on my offsets.
Need to find a better way to still be able to test stuff independently without it being a small fortune
@@SmokingDadBBQ I only even mentioned it because you probably spent more than that buying 4 offset smokers last year 😅
@@praetorxyn I did that …. Once lol 😂
I do like your approach to reviews. Apologies I missed it; any knowledge of a rotisserie attachment?
Do you have any thoughts on the Kamado Joes Konnected version? Is the automation worth it?
I did a series on it earlier in the year. Here is my review ua-cam.com/video/inCflP7tiz0/v-deo.htmlsi=76i9RMsxLBVK8nQd
On the fuel efficiency comment for the WSM, I’ve never run out of fuel . It’s not as fuel efficient but it has huge fuel capacity and is way cheaper than a kamado. The 26 inch kettle can also do very long low and slow as well. Again, far cheaper.
To be fair it was an 18” wsm and in winter
What was the pizza stone you recommend for a big Joe to use for double indirect method?
Yes any ceramic stone will work. Big green egg, Kamado Joe or ceramic grill store sells some good quality thicker ceramic as well
Thanks for posting! Love your vids and following you since I have my kamado (The Basterd kamado its Dutch). Question; Can you switch your Fahrenheit to Celsius sometimes during your vid. It helps al the European viewers ;)
Gospel bbq is my favorite bbq store
So good.
Hey, I was wondering, how this and the kamado joe would do against the komodo kamado
Nice,, I got last year model, looks the same as this year, just less money,, Looking forward to new ideas and how to Run it. Thanks waiting on them to come out with a 1/2 size shear plate,,
Right on! What’s the difference year over yes r
Hi love the channel. I wondered if you could get a broil king keg kamado in and try it out. I’d love your take on it.
I will ask. I have used them before a few times but it’s been a few years. From memory what I love is that they have a trailer hitch attachment for tailgating, it’s reasonable price wise and it’s very very very efficient… like there’s only a handful of charcoal left but let’s start a brisket and still not run out.
On the downside it’s really only the efficiency that I would knock. Fire is flavour and it’s so efficient it doesn’t impart much flavour
great video. surprised to see there wasn't any smoke ring around it.
On the steak? Didn’t add smoke wood
cost aside, the lack of basket hurts a lot for me also it doesn't look like it can do double indirect. I wonder if any accessories will fit it?
It isn’t as tall so not sure yet how to pull off double indirect
Hey Dude,
Weird experience just now watching this video. I was watching you on the lounge room tv (I usually watch on my phone), and the surround system only played a fairly rough track from the left speaker, until your pre-recorded watch ad played, but then back to the weird single channel audio from one speaker. Only for this video, I went back and forth between a few different videos to be sure. But yeah, the audio for this is off a bit. Im not sure how you could encode this to fill all the front speakers, but not a big issue to be honest, just thought you would like to know.
Awesome video regardless,
Thanks. I updated the firmware on the mic and it went back to mono. I tried copying to both channels but it didn’t work the same as the ad which was recorded with the setting fixed
I would love to see this kamado go head to head with a Blaze cast aluminum kamado, and the kamado joe.
Me too. Blaze didn’t have a way to get one to Canada last time I asked but I am sure if enough of us ask they might change their mind. I would love to do an ultimate Kamado head to head next year
@@SmokingDadBBQ I just posted on their UA-cam asking them to send you one. I hope everyone else will do the same.
@@jonmedina259 brilliant
Great review James, it will be interesting to watch smoking sessions, to see if there is any area that this excels in. It seems to me this beast of a Kamado would have been a good option several decades ago. At the price range of a Big Joe III, there seems to have been a lack of imagination in introducing this product. Hopefully, they'll send you a Primo XL to test sometime, to test the advantage of the oval shape.
That’s one I really want to test too
I'm not impressed with my primo xl. There isn't any depth to it, should be 4' tall and it's closer to 2'
@@stirv6462 hmm good to know .. but I still want to play lol
When the video started off I thought you were reviewing cars 😅 that kamado does look nice but I wonder if its worth the price. I also wonder if it will be prone to rust
i think the powdercoat should help that be fine rust wise on the exterior... its the interior i am worried about
Living in the Pacific Northwest I have always avoided cast iron. Is the kamado powder coated inside and out.A new toy for you and more “James envy” for me. Love your videos.
Just the outside
Just the outside
Are you still testing that Weber Summit kamado?
Yes. Will pick up the end of that shortly for spring
Where'd you buy that tool for picking up the great?
It’s the one they make. $74 usd
@@SmokingDadBBQ does it work on other girls?
At this stage of kamado popularity anything new can't be as good as what's out there. It needs to be better. Take the premium price into account and this cast iron kamado needs to excel against the competition.
I do wish there was more out of the box thinking. Offsets for example are trying lots of new things. Not saying they all work but at least they are trying.
Why are all Kamado chimneys the same height for example? Near identical dimensions etc
Gospel BBQ is very local to me (although I've never been...its on the list 😉). Is it local to you as well?
About 35min
Fun little novelty. But you can buy 4 komados or 2-3 big green eggs with all the bells and whistles for this price. Def not worth it ever. Plus the infrared heat off ceramic does wonders. This doesn’t seem to do the same
This is full sized offset money. Basically the same price as the goldees offset with way more space … I agree it’s a tough function vs cost proposition
It's a beast - wouldn't say no to one, that's for sure.
I really enjoy the channel and have learned a lot. It was just a little frustrating that the review didn't start until the 5:15 mark.
There are chapters to make it easy to navigate after a section about Kamados
@@SmokingDadBBQ you are right! Good point. Again, thanks for the content!
I am looking for feedback on how to improve so thanks for sharing
Hi James, thanks for your vidéo. In the « un breakable » category, it would be great to see u review the Blaze cast aluminum Kamado. And in the « ceramic » category, it would be great to see you review the Indenosia Komodo Kamado.
Neither could get one to Canada last time I asked. I would love to review both. Maybe if enough of us ask lol
Great review. I would think the premium pricing over KJ is not justified but still open minded.
What a sound nightmare. Left speaker, then right speaker, then stereo, then back to left to right to left. Sound was awful. I had to turn it off. Was looking forward to this but couldn’t handle the bad sound. Put a headset on and try it for yourself.
i'm aware and sent Rode a complaint as this keeps happening. The mic has turned off and or gone Mono... i had an audio engineer try and copy and paste the channels to make it not as bad but apologies. Its really frustrating to have put so much work into it something and get it back from the edit and have these issues
Take a look at Caliber Pro Kamado lightweight RVS kamado
I almost got one on Facebook marketplace for $400! I couldn’t pull the trigger although because it was 2 hours away from me & the seller wasn’t able to help me lift it. I didn’t want to drive all that way just to fail at loading it in my truck
Three people min
I own this cooker but with the stainless steel side shelves. It’s a BEAST. I got mine 3 years ago for $1,800. WOW do elections have 💰 💰 consequences! 😂 I have the stand up divider plate which I highly recommend. Will this replace my offset smoker? NO. My mini Chud Box for direct heat BBQ? NO. My PK grill for small hot and fast cooks? NO. Can it do all of those things? YES. If I could only have one cooker for the rest of my life the Golden’s cast iron kamado would be the ONE. It’s worth every penny….even at twice the price I paid 3 years ago. It’s an heirloom cooker and made in the USA by a family owned company. 👍 👍
I do love their story and I agree it’s a beast … wow that’s some serious inflation
@@SmokingDadBBQ I was shocked when you mentioned the current price because when I bought mine for half as much it was an incredible value for what you get. Even at double what I paid it still is worth the money and will last for generations.
Your intro's are a bit wearisome. But the content of your videos are the BEST !!!!!
Do you have someone in mind whose intros you love that I can learn from
Why does every video start with a thumbnail that looks like a home alone episode
It’s that time of year…. Ahhhhhhhhhhh
Is my phone broken? Or is a lot of audio missing?
its mono in some parts, i sent an email to rode about why their mic's seem to have a mind of their own and mess up audio
@@SmokingDadBBQ makes sense. I’m at work and only on one ear bud. 👍
Jeez that looks freaking heavy
Confirmed 😂
Indestructible or not $3500 is a chunk. And KJoes have the lifetime ceramic warranty. And so many toys available. Ya it’s different.
Iv got issues with mono audio, all left at the start and all right in the middle
Yes I wrote Rode and have a support case open as this keeps happening mid recording.
Is the watch ad in the middle stereo? I recorded that after trying some of their settings fixes
@@SmokingDadBBQ the ad was stereo.
@SmokingDadBBQ anyway, great video! I'm sure you have a check list of 100 things to look for on every video, add one more item to it I guess, you should be able to set the audio to mono if it keeps happening.
That’s as heavy as my BJ3 fully loaded, I believe.
Exactly… but add another $1k nearly
@@SmokingDadBBQ that that purchase almost resulted in splitting assets with my wife. :-)
Fun fact about cast iron, it is a metal in a crystalline state, which makes it a very hard but brittle metal actually more likely to break when either thermally shocked, or dropped. So I wouldn't bet on it being uncrackable. Especially when compared to either a broil king keg, or a caliber pro kamado or even the blaze cast aluminium kamado.
Good point. Thanks.
You need to fix your audio. Sound is only coming from one speaker half the time! Very hard to watch when wearing headphones!
The load bearing design of most decks is not sufficient for most kamados. Especially this one! I reinforced my deck to safely support a Komodo Kamado. Be careful if you have a deck.
cant watch this becouse i can hear in 1 speaker everytime idk what you changed in settings :( , in minute 13 its becoming fine and then back to bad :(
I’ve written Rode my frustration. They aren’t doing anything yet but it’s incredibly frustrating the mic seems to have a mind of its own
@@SmokingDadBBQ could i ask what app are you editing i will try to find a fix for it ? In a clip you recorded are there audio option to put in mono? If its in speakers the dual mono might fix it.
I had this issue before and some settings can fix it .
@@warava9780 i normally use iMovie. First I lost 90% of the video with the mic turning off so I had to redo the whole video which then for some reason went mono.
I tried re-encoding with handbrake and that didn’t seem to help. So I exported to Final Cut and thought I had duplicated the mono on each channel. Believe it or not it got better than what it was
@@SmokingDadBBQ for some reason it doesnt let me reply to you , you should try dav ///inchi re // solve there might be a fix unless its mic issue (ignore /// and spacing i think this what remove s my reply )
I am a huge fan of ceramic cooking. Unfortunately, I don't think this grill would quite be my cup of tea. Great video, James.
Thanks for watching! I agree there are some new issues introduced in the pursuit of solving for potential durability
Video starts at 5:15
there's chapters, if you want to skip the kamado category overview and are good with the disclosure on where this came from / any affiliation etc.
Long live The Kamado Joe Big Joe!
So more expensive, heavier and difficult to use than a KJ.
It’s a big no for me…KJ was a breath of fresh air coming from the Weber Summit Charcoal
I am trying to have an open mind and park my bias so that I might discover some benefits but it appears to be an uphill battle
@@SmokingDadBBQAgreed, definitely feels like an uphill battle finding features that can sway you away from the comfort of use we’re accustomed to on a KJ or BGE.
Fantastic review as always, very in depth and informative.
Cast iron is a super brittle material. It is most definitely, crack-able.
I did read the warranty on this grill and all metal components are covered by a lifetime warranty. I bet it can crack, but you'd need to repeatedly take a sledge hammer and wedge to this bad boy.
I am not sure how I would get induce a crack in normal use … maybe a tree falling on it lol
@@SmokingDadBBQ yeah I mean, in a bbq scenario. It’s unlikely. However, the point remains. It’s not indestructible. Or uncrack-able. Far from it. If it tipped over and fell, it’d very likely crack under its own immense weight. Just like a KJ would.
Being made of a metal does not automatically mean it’s super strong. Cast in particular. Is made to break and not bend. In my line of work I see cast iron pipe fittings explode on the regular. Having said that, I do understand pressurized pipe fittings are not the same environment as a smoker…
Impressive design but ultimately a gimmick. Series III KJs are essentially perfect. Earlier KJs nearly perfect.
If it was less money I could see the trade off but at 2-3x the cost that’s a tougher sell
I hate the break it to you, but cast iron is absolutely crackable and can be very brittle. The difference from a ceramic Kamado is that iron tends to crack but not shatter like the ceramics do.
The first 8 min is all merch talk. Couldn't do this one, sorry James.
There’s chapters if you don’t want the overview of kamados and this brand along with disclosure of where this came from
I don’t have merch so not sure what you mean. The skipable ad?
Am I the only one with no Sound at the beginning?
There is an issue mono / stereo at the start coming out of one channel only
Hang on, cast iron is brittle. So I suspect that humpty dumpty would lose its head if it were to fall over.
It’s pretty stable in the cart so you’d need some help to tip it to find out
It’s pretty stable in the cart so you’d need some help to tip it to find out
you gotta figure out this mono/stereo stuff. Super distracting switching between left ear and right ear audio...
i wrote Rode a friendly note about it... i think we have it fixed, this past few weeks videos sound right now
Oh rode... glad you got it taken care of! PS just switched teams from offset to kamado (akorn) your vids are soo helpful!
Injecting a tomohawk steak 😢
We had a holiday meal with friends so it was like a mini prime rib for the meal we had.
Truffle, chestnuts, garlic and thyme tallow is no disrespect to any steak
I'm not sure what they think the market is for this. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. Kamado Joe is already too expensive (with more features) for most "regular people." I wonder how much interest your audience will have in future videos about this thing, other than the gee whiz factor, if we aren't going to buy it.
I'm interested in learning more. I'm very curious about an indestructible grill I'll can pass on to my kids if it also makes great food.
That said, after reading some more you should get some temperature readings on the outside side and bottom with the same internal temperatures and talk about heat loss/transfer/insulation. The bottom might be more of a safety risk for touching or placement in a non metal table-type setup like you have.
@@jonmedina259 I think his point in the video referenced is that a ceramic kamado is already that unless a stupid accident happens. It's not like the ceramic in a Kamado Joe will ever wear out, but this thing could definitely rust if the powder coat is damaged or not applied correctly.
I won’t go crazy but a brisket and some data like IR and infrared readings
The cost of transporting that thing if u won it to your home would probably be more than buying new I gather
I think you're on to something. It will probably cost $500+US to ship. He might make it a pickup up yourself prize for some lucky person within 300 miles of him.
I think we will have to have someone who can come get it or meet me half way. Didn’t think about that. I will offer the person who wins and let them decide vs limiting it to a small area
@@SmokingDadBBQ aren’t you in Canada ? I wouldn’t commit to meet halfway especially if someone like me lives in Texas or Florida- your channel would have to change to smokin travel dadbbq . On second thought that could be a great episode to watch u traveling checking out bbq spots along the way and your opinions
I liked your content more when you weren’t that salesy…
What’s for sale? The 4th ad I have run out of 100 videos this year or explaining any potential bias / financial affiliation with a product that shows up on the channel which is legally required and many don’t disclose
Bad audio
I sent Rode a nasty gram as this keeps happening with their wireless go 2
Please remove the blur in your videos. It's really annoying as if you have a greenscreen behind you
Thanks for letting me know
@@SmokingDadBBQ you're welcome my dude. Love the videos btw!
Not sure what's going on with the audio, it was terrible from the start but sounded fine during the watch ad. I've always loved your channel but I can't listen to one minute of this.
I’ve emailed Rode as this has happened twice and I hate it
@@SmokingDadBBQjust a hunch, but sounds like a problem with noise reduction cutting out all the higher frequencies.
@@j777 they sent a bunch of information after this video was recorded and I sent a complaint. I am on the newest firmware but will give it a try.
As it recorded mono I tried duplicating the channel in post but it still sounds like crap
@@SmokingDadBBQ I hope you figure it out! Take care
@@j777 me too. Thanks for putting up with it
Looks like a terrible set up. The the most inconvenient, least flavor producing, and by far the most expensive kamado. No thanks.
It’s $200 less than the goldees offset. I know which way I’d go
Very small circumference! Not enough space for slabs or ribs! Kamado Joe Big Joe has much more room and grill personality too! Kamado Joe grills are better students. They always do their homework, pay attention in class and are not out of shape! They obviously don't eat food that is not theres!
He missed, that meat is raw.
It’s 135 after the sear. I get some like more than medium rare
Used to love your content but your advertising has become unbearable.
This is the 4th integrated ad I have run this year… and you can skip it. UA-cam keeps 70% of ad revenue so making free content for you
Dude has to earn a living. Man, what's with the hate¡¿
8 minutes in and nothing about cooking yet. Have loved your content for a long time, but lately has become an advertising and engagement fest with little value...
Now 9.5 minutes of 23...
One minute is why I like Kamado as a category. Next is disclosing where it came from an any potential financial bias. From 5-9 is all the features of this Kamado … kinda relevant given it’s a first look and overview of features.
There are chapters should you wish to skip to any one section
Thanks for the reply. Clearly plenty of people loved your video, so I am in the vast minority. I guess I got used to coming in for more of your cooking content and used to be keen as mustard when a new one came out. Have learned heaps from you over the years. All the best @@SmokingDadBBQ
@@WarrenCameron-z6x I do appreciate feedback. Might have tried to squeeze too many ideas into one video