Kamado Joe Big Joe I

In this kamado joe big joe i review, the Kamado Joe Big Joe I is the best large kamado under $1,500 in our 2026 guide, and it ranks seventh out of ten grills overall. It pairs a 24-inch ceramic body with 450 square inches of cooking space for $1,499.99, plus a cart on locking wheels. That makes it the right pick for families and hosts who smoke or sear for eight to ten people at once. Its 4.6-star average comes from 129 Amazon ratings. The heavy 352.9-pound ceramic shell holds heat, so long cooks burn less charcoal. However, shoppers who want three cooking tiers or lifetime ceramic coverage should step up to a pricier model.

The cooking system does most of the work here. Kamado Joe's two-tier Divide & Conquer setup splits the grate into half-moon sections, which means you can run a hot sear zone on one side and a cooler smoking zone on the other. The cast iron top vent holds a steady air setting through dome openings, so temperatures stay controllable from 225°F for brisket up to 750°F for steak. For example, the slide-out ash drawer lets you dump ash without pulling the firebox apart, a chore most kamado owners know well. Stainless steel grates, a built-in thermometer, folding side shelves, a grill gripper and an ash tool are all included. The cart frame and handles are stainless steel too, and the red painted finish resists weather.

At $1,499.99, the Big Joe I is the least expensive route into a 24-inch ceramic kamado, which is exactly why it earned our best large kamado under $1,500 label. By contrast, other 24-inch kamados in the 2026 guide list for more money, and a few of them add a third cooking tier that this one does not. That said, the listing shows only a one-year manufacturer warranty, while later Big Joe generations carry lifetime ceramic coverage. Even so, 450 square inches of cooking space, the slide-out ash drawer and the rolling cart cover what a backyard cook needs every week. As a result, this grill fits anyone who wants serious capacity without paying a premium. If you host big weekend cooks, this is the one to get.