kielio Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 Hey all just trying to make up my mind between two cookers looking at the kamado joe classic and the primo large oval dealer has both in stock and are pretty much the same price is there any huge differences between them I should consider ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben S Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 I am a huge KJ fan. check my posts to see my experiances with KJ. KJ has a longer history of keeping its customers happy with the owner keeping an eye on this forum, and frequently posting his phone number for people to call with issues. both are great ceramic ovens. the KJ warranty is lifetime. good luck and join the other discussions. rwalters and thegratefulgriller 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwalters Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 Both are VERY nice kamado's. When you say they are close in price... are you comparing apples to apples with any and all accessories that you will need/want? Kamado Joe is pretty much ready for action straight out of the box... whereas, you'll have to purchase the needed accessories to get full use of a Primo. Bottom line, a lot more bang for your buck with KJ!! Regarding customer service... from my experience (and what I have witnessed), Primo is really good, but KJ is off the charts good!!! KJ offers a lifetime warranty on the ceramics. Primo a 20 year. For me, prior to purchasing my KJ Big Joe, I compared all of the major players... they are all GREAT cookers, but 1 had to surface as the winner... for me, it was as clear as day! :-) Have you had a chance to see each one in person? That is a huge help! freddyjbbq and thegratefulgriller 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerHusker Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 I've got a Primo and love it. The oval design for me lends itself to better 2 zone cooking but you can't go wrong with either one. thegratefulgriller 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddyjbbq Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 I too labored over this decision for some time before I slapped my cash down on the barrel head. I ultimately went with Kamado Joe based on : 1. Value- got a lot more for my money including including cart, tool, shelves and deflector. 2. Reviews- at the time I was shopping, there were tons more positive reviews available for the KJ (including customer service reviews). 3. Shape- I preferred the round to the oval. I've never regretted my decision one bit. Unfortunately I can't speak for the Primo having never owned one, they look nice though. thegratefulgriller 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwhinton Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 I'm an oval guy. Love the versatility of two-zone cooking on my Primo XL. That said, either one will serve you well for cook after cook. thegratefulgriller 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CVW Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 Primo advantage = Shape can offer some advantages. Kamado Joe advantage = Everything else thegratefulgriller 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charcoal Addict Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 With the flex rack in place you have as much smoking room for low and slows in your Classic vs the Oval. The Oval has more room for direct cooking. Before dropping any money, consider how many mouths you have to feed. If you're feeding more than 3 mouths than you should be looking at a Big Joe to make sure you have enough room for all of your direct cooked meals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddyjbbq Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 What prices/packages does each come with at your local? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerHusker Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 With the flex rack in place you have as much smoking room for low and slows in your Classic vs the Oval. The Oval has more room for direct cooking. Before dropping any money, consider how many mouths you have to feed. If you're feeding more than 3 mouths than you should be looking at a Big Joe to make sure you have enough room for all of your direct cooked meals. On Soapbox - Over 3 means Big Joe? Really? I can feed a small army with my Primo XL so I'm not quite sure where you're getting this opinion. Like I said, either of these kamados would be a great choice so we don't need to be putting either of them down to make our choice of kamado seem better. - Off soapbox! thegratefulgriller and BillCarr 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwhinton Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 Right on, DerHusker! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddyjbbq Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 Did someone put either of them down? I'm re-read and not seeing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben S Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 Hey all just trying to make up my mind between two cookers looking at the kamado joe classic and the primo large oval dealer has both in stock and are pretty much the same price is there any huge differences between them I should consider ? Ok, I am trying really hard to filter my poor sense of humor (sarcasm) because I suspect it will start a flame war. Maybe KIELLO can give us feedback on our comments or ask another question? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerHusker Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 Did someone put either of them down? I'm re-read and not seeing it. Feddy, On Soapbox again - By saying "If you're feeding more than 3 mouths than you should be looking at a Big Joe to make sure you have enough room for all of your direct cooked meals." I take that as he / they are saying the Primo can't feed over three very easy. That is just not the case and it was a back-handed put down in my eyes. I'm going to again say either of these kamados would be a great choice. As an engineer and I'd be proud to own either of them. As you know I also own a Vision and I’ve been very happy with it. The only reason I purchased the Primo is for more grill real-estate and the oval shape so I also would like to say that I would be happy to own a Vision, Char-Griller Akorn, BSK, Grill Dome or most any other kamado. All kamados are great cookers and I've scene great looking food come off of all of them. - Off Soapbox. Jack. and ckreef 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 I,too, had to laugh at that comment. I am feeding five mouths on my 18.5" Vision with no problems. I suppose if it were five 300-lb. men I were feeding it might be a different story.... thegratefulgriller, chunky chips and Jack. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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