How the Kamado Joe Charcoal Basket Works

[John Setzler]

Here's a short video of how the Kamado Joe Charcoal Basket works...

 

[glenn3]

Thanks for taking the time to make the video. Can the X Rack still be used to hold a drip pan above the heat diffusers with this system?  Also is there a difference using this on  units with the original fire box vs the segmented style?

 

 

[John Setzler]

45 minutes ago, glenn3 said:

Thanks for taking the time to make the video. Can the X Rack still be used to hold a drip pan above the heat diffusers with this system?  Also is there a difference using this on  units with the original fire box vs the segmented style?

 

 

 

Yes.  I just set my drip pan directly on the heat deflectors...

[freddyjbbq]

Think I'm going to have to try one of these in my classic 

[glenn3]

3 hours ago, John Setzler said:

 

Yes.  I just set my drip pan directly on the heat deflectors...

 

So.... NO the X rack can not be used to form the gap between the heat deflectors and an added drip pan....correct?  Can the X rack be used in this set up at all?  In one post I believe Kamado Joe advised the purchaser to use the X rack to hold the deflectors in place.  

 

Placing a drip pan directly onto the  hot heat deflectors can be less than ideal. 

 

Is this basket truly designed for the current segmented fire box or the the original fire box? Or?

 

 

 

 

 

[fbov]

I'm in the somewhat unique position of having a Big Joe I with a cracked fire box. The replacement, segmented unit arrived about the same time as the KL basket, so I got to mix and match a little. 

 

It's made for the new segmented fire box. In the old one, the hooks don't reach the ring. The fire grate is higher in the new fire box, so the hooks are just at ring level. The video is a Classic II. 

 

In mine, the hooks barely clear the ring. The Big Joe segmented bowl must be a little taller. I bent them back because I'd rather avoid the point contact. I'm clumsy, so I prefer the more robust support from the edge ring. Not a big deal to bend them a little either way. 

 

And yes, it works very well. Worth the price. 

 

HAve fun,

Frank

[John Setzler]

@glenn3

 

You can set a drip pan on the x rack in the lower position.. no problem.

[John Setzler]

@fbov

 

Ihave not had the opportunity to test it in the old style firebox but I believe you are correct.  I have been told that it doesn't fit the same way.  I wouldn't like that.  

 

[Charcoal Addict]

2 hours ago, John Setzler said:

@fbov

 

Ihave not had the opportunity to test it in the old style firebox but I believe you are correct.  I have been told that it doesn't fit the same way.  I wouldn't like that.  

 

 

The ceramic is much nearly twice as thick on the segmented boxes vs the older FB’s. 

 

That would cause the issue.

[Never L8 4 chow]

You  can see in the picture my heat defectors were barely sitting on the hooks, just a slight movement to one side or the other and they would fall off.

Took about five minutes to walk to the garage grab a pair Channel-Locks and bend all the hooks in about 1/4 inch. Can’t bend them too far or they won’t fit in the D&C. Longest part of the project was walking back-and-forth to the garage.

 Problem solved, heat deflectors sit on the hooks rock-solid!

 We’re not talking rocket science here, but others mileage may vary. 

 

[John Setzler]

I agree that the heat deflectors do NOT sit as solidly on these hooks as they did on the bottom level of the D/C rack.  No question about that.  I have never had the deflectors fall off these hooks during a cook.   I still believe these modifications are made due to perceived problems that don't exist.  Don't let me discourage anyone from making any modifications that they see as necessary though.

[T Yelta]

I always thought that the deflectors when placed on the D&C ring were a bit too aggressive in that they didn't allow enough heat to rise into the cooking chamber vs the amount of charcoal burned and the temperature of the fire bowl and outside bowl.  I don't mind having them sit a little bit higher and burning less fuel and putting less stress on the lower structures. 

[Never L8 4 chow]

The High-Tech adjustment. With a slight tweak here, and a slight tweak there, here a tweak.....

Much more secure.

[Charcoal Addict]

4 hours ago, John Setzler said:

I agree that the heat deflectors do NOT sit as solidly on these hooks as they did on the bottom level of the D/C rack.  No question about that.  I have never had the deflectors fall off these hooks during a cook.   I still believe these modifications are made due to perceived problems that don't exist.  Don't let me discourage anyone from making any modifications that they see as necessary though.

 

KJ could make a minor adjustment to the hooks in their design by adding small pins on each side to make the stones more stable.  

 

[Never L8 4 chow]

I don’t think anything other than the small adjustments I did is really needed.

Anything else would be just more weight and something else in the way. As I said my deflectors are rocksolid now. Jmo