John Setzler

the kamado joe makes great pizza. It jsut doesn't make great neapolitan style pizza.

I have had lots of kamado joe grills. When I was doing social media for KJ they gave me whatever I wanted. I had big joes and I had classics as well as the Joe jr. The classic was always my favorite after having had my choice of all of them. Lots of folks do the 'go big' thing and then find themselves, like Gebo above, with something else for smaller cooks. I cook for crowds occasionally and it's very rare that I can't get everything I want on a classic. Since you mentioned ribs, I can comfortably cook six or maybe even 8 racks of pork spare ribs with the st. louis cut on a classic without a rib rack. I'm not sure who made the rule that ribs (or other meats for that matter) can't be stacked and overlapping during a cook. If that rule is in play you will get no more than two on a big joe either. You just move them around a couple times during the cook and you are good to go. The heat will find the meat. I'm not trying to discourage you from buying the big joe though... I just like to offer some realistic experience and give you the opportunity to maximize your dollar.

My answer is always the same. Buy the one that fits your needs the best. I would ONLY buy a BIG JOE if I needed that much space at least 25% of the time. I'd rather not have to fire up a huge grill for small cooks. I'd also rather push a smaller grill when I need to than have to use the bigger one all the time.

no problems with the small chips from the firebox petals

Moving to kamado cooking discussion section....

What's your favorite dessert from the grill? Well, you need to try this one on for size! This is my version of a dump cake. It's super easy to make, quick to prepare, and it's gonna be a game changer at your next barbecue or family get together. Here's the recipe: 1 can of cherry pie filling 1 can of peach pie filling 1/4 cup of bourbon (optional and see notes) 1 box yellow cake mix 12 tablespoons of butter cut into slices (1 1/2 sticks) Brown sugar & cinnamon to top Combine the pie fillings and the bourbon and spread into a greased 9x13 baking dish. If you don't want bourbon, leave it out. If you want something different, try rum, amaretto, or frangelico instead... there are a lot of options here! Spread the dry cake mix on top of the pie filling. Add the slices of butter to cover evenly. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon on top. Put on the grill at 350°F for an hour or so or until it looks awesome! Enjoy!

Moving out of recipe section since this is not a recipe....

@Richy Taken from another source: Instructions for dome, base, hinge removal and installation These instructions cover safe removal and installation of the airlift hinge for parts replacement, along with how to fix a lid overbite where the dome is hitting the top of the latch instead of locking closed. Take the bushing kit and nut that came with the grill, install it on the threaded rod that runs down through the hinge housing. This locks the hinge closed for safety and also allows for easier reassembly for lining up the dome. Next, remove the bottom latch. For fixing an overbite: Loosen (don't remove) the acorn nuts on the dome and base hinge brackets then skip down to section (A). If replacing hinge, dome or base: remove the acorn nuts on dome and base hinge brackets. Remove hinge and bands from broken part. Reinstall bands on new parts. (A) Slide and reposition the dome while still sitting on the base until the edges are flush with the base. (Install hinge if removed and follow tightening sequence below.) Now tighten the dome bolts, alternating from one nut at the time (left inside nut, right inside nut, left middle, right middle, etc). Now tighten the base nuts in the same way. Check that the front edge of the dome is still flush with the front of the base. Now install the base latch and remove the bushing lock kit. It's important that the brackets are sufficiently tightened. If you have a torque wrench, go 10 foot pounds or 120 inch pounds.

I think he upgrades are worth it, but that's just me. In terms of cooking, they both are equal.

I recommend 500-600F MAX until you no longer see smoke coming from the grill.

It's not the same grill. You are looking at a Classic 1 and a Classic 2. The classic 2 has several other upgrades including the airlift hinge.

I might try a slab of sea bass sous vide and then finish it under the new broiler...

@Jack Is the internal temp of 100° a typo or did you actually cook it that rare?