Kamado Joe Classic I vs Classic II
Classic I or Classic II: the same 18 inch ceramic, 250 sq in grate and 225 to 750 F range. The $500 buys a lighter lid and a better vent. Which to buy.
We pick the Kamado Joe Classic II
The Classic II is the one to buy, unless lifting a heavy dome means nothing to you. Both cook on the same 18 inch ceramic body, the same 250 sq in split grate and the same 225 to 750 F range, so the food comes out the same. The $500 at list goes into the lid. The Air Lift hinge takes the weight of the dome, the Kontrol Tower vent keeps its setting when you open up, and the gasket is the fiberglass mesh one. You touch those parts every single cook, which is why our ease of use score is 9.5 on the Classic II and 6.9 on the Classic I.
What actually differs
-
The hinge you lift every cook
The Classic II's Air Lift hinge carries most of the dome. On the Classic I you lift the ceramic yourself, every time you check the food, add charcoal or close up.
-
A vent that remembers its setting
The Kontrol Tower holds its air setting through a lid opening. The Classic I's cast iron cap can be knocked off its setting, so a steady low fire takes more watching.
-
Where the $500 does not go
Nothing on the grate changes. Same ceramic, same 250 sq in, same split two tier system, and the same lifetime cover on the ceramic.
How they score, category by category
The Kamado Joe Classic I scores higher in 1 category, the Classic II in 5 categories.
-
Heat Performance
Counts for 25% of the scoreKamado Joe Classic I 8.6Classic II 9.3 Better by 0.7Why the Classic II scores 9.3One sealed ceramic chamber covers 225 to 750 degrees, though a single round fire never gives two independent zones.
Why the Kamado Joe Classic I scores 8.6
Same ceramic and 225 to 750 F range as the Series II, and the split 2-tier grate runs two zones from one fire.
-
Long-term Reliability
Counts for 20% of the scoreKamado Joe Classic I 7.6Classic II 8.7 Better by 1.1Why the Classic II scores 8.7Ceramic carries a lifetime warranty and metal five years, but the gasket that ages first gets only two.
Why the Kamado Joe Classic I scores 7.6
Lifetime ceramic cover is strong, but the fiberglass mesh gasket went to Series II and III, and metal parts carry only five years.
-
Build Quality
Counts for 18% of the scoreKamado Joe Classic I 8.3Classic II 9.2 Better by 0.9Why the Classic II scores 9.2Cast aluminum vent, stainless grates and latch, 227.7 lbs of ceramic. The folding shelves are HDPE plastic.
Why the Kamado Joe Classic I scores 8.3
Ceramic shell, cast iron cart, stainless grates and a multi-piece firebox built to resist cracking; plastic HDPE shelves are the soft spot.
-
Ease of Use
Counts for 15% of the scoreKamado Joe Classic I 6.9Classic II 9.5 Better by 2.6Why the Classic II scores 9.5The Kontrol Tower holds its air setting through a lid opening, which the $999.99 entry Classic does not offer.
Why the Kamado Joe Classic I scores 6.9
No Air Lift Hinge means lifting a heavy ceramic dome unassisted every cook, and the cast iron cap lacks the Kontrol Tower's repeatable settings.
-
Value
Counts for 12% of the scoreKamado Joe Classic I 7.7 Better by 0.2Classic II 7.5Why the Kamado Joe Classic I scores 7.7Identical food to a $1,499 Series II for $999, yet still four figures for a design whose comforts were moved upmarket.
Why the Classic II scores 7.5
At $1,499.99 the extra $500 over the entry Classic buys a hinge and a vent, with nothing new on the grate.
-
Maintenance
Counts for 10% of the scoreKamado Joe Classic I 8.4Classic II 9.0 Better by 0.6Why the Classic II scores 9.0A patented ash drawer and an included ash tool turn the worst charcoal chore into a pull and empty.
Why the Kamado Joe Classic I scores 8.4
The slide-out ash drawer empties the firebox without unloading the grate stack, a real edge over basic kamados.
See all six scores in one table
| Category | Kamado Joe Classic I | Classic II |
|---|---|---|
| Heat Performance (25%) | 8.6 | 9.3 Better |
| Long-term Reliability (20%) | 7.6 | 8.7 Better |
| Build Quality (18%) | 8.3 | 9.2 Better |
| Ease of Use (15%) | 6.9 | 9.5 Better |
| Value (12%) | 7.7 Better | 7.5 |
| Maintenance (10%) | 8.4 | 9.0 Better |
| Avid Griller Score | 8.0 | 8.9 |
Both reviews are scored on the same six weighted categories, on the same 0 to 10 scale, and each reason is the one that review gave. A category is marked better only where the two differ by a tenth or more. How we score →
Where the spec sheets differ
Quoted from each maker's own specifications, as each review records them. Figures the two products publish identically are left out, so only the differences are listed.
Which one is for you
You want Kamado Joe ceramic for $999 and lifting the dome is no hardship.
Check price →You will cook on it often, or low and slow, and want the lid and vent that make that easy.
Check price →More head-to-heads
Every score and figure on this page comes from our own reviews of these two products, linked above. We have not tested them side by side in one place; the comparison is between two full reviews, each built from the maker's published specifications and documentation. Prices move, and the ones quoted are the ones each review checked on its own date.