Kamado Joe Joe Jr vs Classic II
Joe Jr or Classic II: both Kamado Joe ceramic with a 225 to 750 F range, but 150 against 250 sq in, and 82.5 against 227.7 lbs. Which fits you.
No single winner. Here is how to choose.
These answer different needs, so the right one depends on where and how much you cook. The Joe Jr is the same Kamado Joe ceramic in a 13.5 inch size: 150 sq in, 82.5 lbs on its stand, around $429. The Classic II is the full 18 inch grill: 250 sq in, the Air Lift hinge, the Kontrol Tower and an ash drawer, at $1,499.99 list. If it has to fit a small patio or go in a car now and then, the Joe Jr is the pick. If it will be your main grill at home, the Classic II is far easier to live with and scores 8.95 to the Jr's 8.14.
What actually differs
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One small grate or two zones
The Joe Jr's single 13.5 inch grate cooks for two or three, and a true two zone fire is cramped. The Classic II's split grate runs hot and cool sides at once.
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No hinge, no drawer on the Jr
On the Joe Jr you lift the lid yourself and clear ash with a tool through the vent. That is why our ease of use score is 7.1 on the Jr and 9.5 on the Classic II.
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Portable, with help
At 82.5 lbs the Joe Jr is a two person lift into a car. The Classic II at 227.7 lbs stays where you put it.
How they score, category by category
The Classic II scores higher in 5 categories. One is level.
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Heat Performance
Counts for 25% of the scoreKamado Joe Joe Jr 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 Joe Jr scores 8.6
Ceramic holds a 225 to 750°F range steadily on little fuel, but one 13.5 inch grate makes a true two-zone fire cramped.
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Long-term Reliability
Counts for 20% of the scoreKamado Joe Joe Jr 8.3Classic II 8.7 Better by 0.4Why 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 Joe Jr scores 8.3
Lifetime cover on the ceramic and five years on cast iron, though the gasket and gauge get only two years.
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Build Quality
Counts for 18% of the scoreKamado Joe Joe Jr 8.8Classic II 9.2 Better by 0.4Why 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 Joe Jr scores 8.8
Glazed ceramic body, cast iron top vent and cast iron stand; no plastic carries load anywhere on this grill.
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Ease of Use
Counts for 15% of the scoreKamado Joe Joe Jr 7.1Classic II 9.5 Better by 2.4Why 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 Joe Jr scores 7.1
Sold as portable at 82.5 lbs, a two-person lift with nowhere to set tools, and the deflector must come out to sear.
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Value
Counts for 12% of the scoreKamado Joe Joe Jr 7.6Classic II 7.5Level: within a tenth of each other.
Why the Kamado Joe Joe Jr scores 7.6Around $429 buys a complete small kamado with deflector, but $2.86 per square inch is steep for one burger batch.
Why the Classic II scores 7.5At $1,499.99 the extra $500 over the entry Classic buys a hinge and a vent, with nothing new on the grate.
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Maintenance
Counts for 10% of the scoreKamado Joe Joe Jr 7.7Classic II 9.0 Better by 1.3Why 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 Joe Jr scores 7.7
No ash drawer is confirmed on the maker page, so cleanout means a hand tool through the lower vent.
See all six scores in one table
| Category | Kamado Joe Joe Jr | Classic II |
|---|---|---|
| Heat Performance (25%) | 8.6 | 9.3 Better |
| Long-term Reliability (20%) | 8.3 | 8.7 Better |
| Build Quality (18%) | 8.8 | 9.2 Better |
| Ease of Use (15%) | 7.1 | 9.5 Better |
| Value (12%) | 7.6 | 7.5 |
| Maintenance (10%) | 7.7 | 9.0 Better |
| Avid Griller Score | 8.1 | 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 cook for two or three, have little space, or want a kamado that can travel.
Check price →It will be your main grill and you want the easiest Kamado Joe to cook on.
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.