Kamado Joe® Classic Joe™ I Premium 18-inch Ceramic Charcoal Grill and Smoker in Red with Cart, Side Shelves, Grill Gripper, and Ash Tool. 250 Cooking Square Inches, 2 Tier Cooking System, Model KJ23RH
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Availability:
In Stock.
Arrives
Aug 4 – Aug 5
Style: Classic Joe I
Features
- Divide and Conquer Flexible Cooking System transforms the humble grill grate into the most powerful cooking tool in your arsenal. The revolutionary multi-level, half-moon design frees you to cook different foods in different styles at different temperatures.
- Control Tower Top Vent lets you control air flow for precise temperature control. Perfect for smoking from 225F all the way to searing at 750F.
- With a slide-out drawer, cleanup is easy. Unlike other Kamado style grills, you no longer must remove the inside components from the grill to clean out the ashes. Simply remove the Patented Ash Drawer, dump your ashes and keep on grilling.
- Stainless Steel Cooking Grates
- Built-in Thermometer
Description
The Kamado Joe Classic I includes new innovation, featuring a thick-walled, heat-resistant shell that locks in smoke and moisture at any temperature. Smoke at 225F with precise temperature control using our control tower top vent or ramp up the fire to 750F and sear with direct charcoal flavored heat on the 2-Tier Divide & Conquer grill system. The Kamado Joe Classic I Charcoal Grill is compatible with a robust range of Kamado Joe accessories and grilling surfaces providing you premium results for any type of grilling or smoking that it is called upon.
Brand: Kamado Joe
Product Dimensions: 18"D x 18.11"W x 48"H
Special Feature: Adjustable Air Vent
Color: Blaze Red
Fuel Type: Charcoal
Other Special Features of the Product: Adjustable Air Vent
Fuel Type: Charcoal
Main Burner Count: 1
Number Of Racks: 2
Number of Heating Elements: 1
Grill Configuration: 2-tier
Cooking System: Multi-level
Primary Cooking Method: Grilling
Item Dimensions D x W x H: 18"D x 18.11"W x 48"H
Item Dimensions: 18.31 x 11.02 x 18.9 inches
Item Weight: 188 Pounds
Cooking Surface Area: 250 Square Inches
Finish Types: Lacquered
Material Type: Ceramic, Stainless Steel
Handle Material: Stainless Steel
Frame Material: Stainless Steel
Color: Blaze Red
Brand Name: Kamado Joe
Recommended Uses For Product: Outdoor
Included Components: Kamado Joe KJ23RH Classic Joe Grill, 18"
Model Name: Classic Joe I
Model Number: KJ23RH
Series Number: 1
Global Trade Identification Number: 28
Indoor Outdoor Usage: Outdoor
Manufacturer: Kamado Joe
UPC: 811738020228
Manufacturer Part Number: KJ23RH
Item Type Name: Charcoal Grill
Warranty Description: Lifetime on cermics, five years on metal parts
Required Assembly: No
Installation Type: Built-In
Frequently asked questions
The Kamado Joe Classic Joe I is an 18-inch grill with a unique, versatile design. It comes with a durable, wheeled cart for easy mobility and convenience. There's also side shelving, enabling you to have all the grilling essentials within reach. The grill is also renown for its Blaze red finish that gives it a stylish look.
Yes, the Kamado Joe Classic Joe I is a charcoal grill. This type of grilling adds a unique, smoky flavor to your food that you can't achieve with propane or electric grills.
The Classic Joe I has an 18-inch grilling space. This size is ideal for hosting family gatherings as it's large enough to grill various foods at the same time.
The Kamado Joe Classic Joe I comes with a cart and lockable wheels which makes it easy to move around in your backyard or patio. However, due to its size and weight, it is not considered a portable grill that you can bring for camping or tailgating.
Similar Products
Top Amazon Reviews
🚀 Abunda's Overview
This is our summary and key points to consider based on customer reviews.
The Kamado Joe Grill reviews emphasize the strength of the grill's temperature control and consistency. Users appreciate the smoker feature which allows the product to hold a constant temperature for a long time. The Kamado Joe Grill also evokes praise for its great smoke flavor and for being well-built and durable. Moreover, the units are lauded for coming equipped with needed accessories like plate setters, an ash tool, and a grill grate tool.
Pros
- 🔥 Excellent temperature control and consistency
- 🍖 Imparts a great smoke flavor to food
- 🔨 Well-built and durable
- 🧰 Comes with necessary accessories
- 🥩 Can cook different foods at different levels with the Divide and Conquer system
- 🔒 A better damper cap design than some competitors
- 🧹 Easy cleaning with an ash collection drawer
Cons
- 💰 High cost
- 💪 It's bulky and heavy, which can make installation difficult
- 🌀 Possibly less efficient at shutting off airflow and extinguishing coals than some competitors
Should I Buy It?
If you are passionate about barbecuing and you are willing to pay a higher price for quality and performance, then the Kamado Joe Grill would be a worthwhile investment. Its excellent build, temperature control, and the smoke flavor it brings to food surely make it a top-tier choice for barbecue enthusiasts.
Style: Classic Joe I
This grill is a game changer! I have been a gas grill dude for a long time because of its convenience and affordability. The problem with a frequent griller is that these consumer metal grills die after a few years even with good cleaning practices and I really missed the smoke/charcoal flavor that you don’t get from a gas grill. Tired of buying replacement parts every year, for the next grill search, I wanted to look into a ceramic style grill because of all the great feedback heard for several years. These aren’t budget grills and are pricey but getting a grill every 5 years adds up and gets frustrating. This time I decided to stop the cycle and spend some money on a high quality unit; the Kamado Joe Classic was my choice. My first thought is wow, I can’t believe how great this grill cooks and it seems the more I cook on it, the more it cures. I’ve cooked brisket, burgers, chicken, sirloin tip roast, baked cornbread, and tons of vegetables. This thing just continues to amaze me and my family is super happy not no have to lie about the char from my past grills. I’m not saying that this grill automatically turned me into a award winning grill master, but the divide and conquer set up gives more options to perfect your cook as opposed to traditional grills where shoving the delicate stuff on the top rack and closing the lid is about your only option. The grill arrives in a crate and is extremely well packed. This is a heavy grill and is simple to set up, however, you need two to three people to lift this beast on to the base. Once on the base, the inside fire box parts and the rest of it goes in really easy. The construction is thick ceramic and has a beautiful red glaze. It’s essentially a giant pottery cooker. Owning charcoal grills back in the day, I assumed that clean up was going to be a fairly dirty affair, however I found that with using the recommended chunk charcoal, there is a lot less to clean up than with briquettes. The Kamado can use chunk charcoal and wood. While briquettes will work as well, I personally will not use them in this grill to avoid that fuel smell imbedding in the grill. There are several chunk coal brands on Amazon that will work great including the Kamado brand charcoal. Lighting this grill is easy as long as you have good charcoal and a good starter. I use the haystack looking starters and food chunk charcoal. The included divide and conquer system is an innovative way to maximize a cook, meaning that it allows for indirect and direct grilling simultaneously. There are other accessories available as well which extends the options of use. The top and bottom vent work together to provide consistent heat through your cook. Once you learn how to work the vents to control heat, you can walk away with confidence that nothing crazy is going to happen. This pottery marvel keeps the heat better than any grill I’ve used. I found the Kamado to keep a 300 degree temp with the vents closed after a cook for about 3 hours. I was blown away. Knowing this, a batch of cornbread followed my last cook. The thermometer works well, but was hard to see, so it was replaced with a more visible model. The ash drawer is a nice addition and helps with cleanup. The side shelves are solid metal and match the metal legs. I like that they fold down and are metal-wood always rots away. The wheels work well. Be sure to assemble the locks to the front the grill instead of the back in case you set up in a corner like I do. There are tons of videos available to help you on your way if needed. I am extremely happy with the quality and versatility of this grill and am confident that this grill will outlast me. I highly recommend this to anyone that is looking for a heavy duty ceramic style cooker!
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Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2025 by Dude
Style: Classic Joe I
I love this grill. I previously owned a Big Green Egg, but gave it to my son when I was living in a high rise. Now I'm back on solid ground with a patio and needed a grill. After a lot of research, I decided to try the Kamado Joe. It's not cheap, but given the fact that it comes with plate setters, ash tool, and grill grate tool, it is cheaper than a Big Green Egg which includes no accessories. I was amazed at how fast I got it. Free 2 day shipping with Amazon Prime. There is some assembly required, but that is also simple. You will need someone to help you get it out of the crate, but that's more from bulkiness than weight. I loved my Big Green Egg, so I was a little worried that the Kamado Joe wouldn't have the same quality and temperature control abilities. No need to have worried. This is a well built product that has actually made some improvements over the Green Egg design. I'll compare the two since my dilemma was to buy this or The Big Green Egg: 1. The temperature control is as easy, accurate, and consistent as my Big Green Egg. Once the charcoal is lit, you can adjust the dampers to achieve your desired temperature, and it stays right there even on windy days. 2. The top has a felt ring around it that holds the cast iron damper cap in place even when opening and closing the grill. This is an improvement over the Big Green Egg which just had the cap sitting on the ceramic. I would have to remove the cap when opening the lid to keep it from falling off of the Egg. 3. With the Big Green Egg, you needed a bucket and ash tool, that was not included, to clean out the ash after cooking. The Kamado Joe has a slide in drawer that catches the ashes. The drawer holds enough ash to burn down a full load of charcoal, then you just pull it out, empty it, and put it back in. It would be a good idea to occasionally remove the fire box, etc. and clean around it (also true of The Big Green Egg), but this tray makes it much easier to empty the ash out during every day use. 4. You could only cook on the upper or lower level at one time on The Big Green Egg. The Kamado Joe comes with the Divide and Conquer system that allows you to cook all on one level or half the grill on the upper level and half on the lower level (closer to the coals). It also allows you to make half of the grill indirect heat while cooking with direct heat on the other half. This was great for reverse-searing steaks. I could cook them to medium rare with indirect heat then move them to the lower grate with direct heat to quickly sear them. 5. The only thing I can think of that the Big Green Egg has over the Kamado Joe is the ceramic cap that you can put in place after using to shut off airflow and put out the coals. Closing the damper on top of the Kamado Joe has the same effect, but maybe a little less efficiently than the ceramic cap. I don't want to take anything away from the Big Green Egg, because it is a quality product and mine is still in use performing like-new after 4 years. I have only had the Kamado Joe for a few months now, so while I can't say how durable it is, I can say that it feels as solid as the Egg and I would expect it to also be performing like a champ in 5 years. Overall, I am very happy with my Kamado Joe, and keeping in mind that I have 5 years experience with the Big Green Egg and only 3 months with the Kamado Joe, so far I would recommend the Kamado Joe to anyone who is on the fence like I was between this and The Big Green Egg.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2016 by Average Joe
Style: Classic Joe I
I was overdue for a new grill, but Kamado grills were not on my radar. I used to cook on a cheap Weber kettle grill, but tossed it when I moved in favor of a cheap hand-me-down gas grill. I found that I didn't do a lot of grilling on gas. It didn't offer half of the flavor of charcoal, and even after replacing burners I had terrible hot and cold spots that prevented any consistency. "Buy a new grill" went on the to do list. Meanwhile, a close friend and colleague got a Big Green Egg. I had some pulled pork that he cooked on it, and I don't remember ever having better barbeque. He told me about cooking steaks, pizza, and chicken on it. It sounded great, but I still couldn't imagine spending $1,200 or $1,300 on a charcoal grill. The same guy notified me when this version of the KJ Classic went in sale because the new generation was released. It was a "Deal of the Day" for $699, and I went for it. I'm so glad I did, and now I definitely get it. At that price there is NO good reason to buy the Classic II. Most of the differences will be a draw, or a slight improvement for most users. Right now it looks like the old version is only $100 less than the new one. For less than 10% of the total price, I might be inclined to get the Classic II. There are dozens of comparisons that should convince you that the most important things about BGE and KJ (build quality, customer service, and the end result: food) are essentially indistinguishable. Some perceive BGE ceramic as being slightly better finished. KJ has an indisputable advantage when it comes to included accessories. You absolutely can't go wrong with either one. If I were to point out one objective advantage of KJ that I've found really convenient, it's the split, two-piece ceramic heat shield (platesetter in BGE vernacular). Since it's split, you can cook indirect and then direct without pulling hot racks out of the grill- which is what you have to do to remove the one-piece platesetter on the BGE. You can also put some char on something, and easily move it back to indirect if the internal temp isn't quite where it needs to be. This is included with the KJ, while the one-piece platesetter is an add on with BGE. This KJ package included a stand and shelves. I ended up repurposing an old outdoor grilling area, and putting it on wooden decking with firebrick, and fabricating a range hood out of a wheelbarrow and an attic fan. I modified the shelf brackets and hung the KJ shelves on the wall. The food is amazing, and I'm eager to get outside and grill. I've done steaks, burgers, chicken, quail, and the best gluten free pizza I've had to date. The only accessory for the grill that I'd recommend is a Kick Ash Basket for maximum convenience. This allows you to lift out your remaining charcoal and just shake the ash off before topping off with new charcoal. If you're unfamiliar with lump charcoal you just keep re-using what's left after a cook, instead of throwing it away like briquettes.There are knock off ash baskets for less, but many come with stories about warping and welds breaking. It's also helpful to have welding gloves for handling hot parts when you need to. I bought my basket and welding gloves at ceramicgrillstire.com. Other than the grill itself, grilling accessories and charcoal seem overpriced on Amazon. For the best food results I'd also recommend a high quality instant read thermometer. I've tried several Sub $15 thermometers on Amazon and at Wal Mart, and they all sucked. Spend $30 on a Thermoworks Thermopop. You'll thank me. I bought mine from a local BBQ supply store. An "Expert Grill" 30" heavy duty kettle grill cover on sale for $6 at Walmart fit perfectly. When you see 200lbs of ceramic, watch a charcoal grill sit at EXACTLY the temp you want, for as long as you want (this takes a cook or two to dial in, but isn't hard), raise the temp from 350 to 750 in two minutes for your reverse sear, and taste the food that comes off of a full ceramic Kamado, you can appreciate where your money goes. Knowing what I know now, I would absolutely pay the asking price for a quality Kamado.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2018 by Austin
Style: Classic Joe I
This grill is a much better value than the same size (large) Big Green Eg (BGE). The ceramic vessel is nearly identical in size, shape, and thickness to the Big Green Egg. Therefore you can expect it to cook just as well. For this $1,000 Kamado Joe, you get the ceramic vessel, the heat diffuser plate, a multi-tier grill, the side-shelves, the rolling base, a poker, and a grill gripper. Furthermore, when I received this item it was completely assembled. All I had to do was put the vessel onto the stand. The same equipment, plus delivery, plus assembly for a local BGE dealer would have cost me $1,500 to $1,600. The Kamado Joe also has a better quality thermometer and a very convenient ash collection tray. I own a big green egg minimax and I have grilled with both Kamado Joe and BGE and I can attest that the grilling results are comparable. As a final touch, the Kamado Joe comes with a well written and concise instruction booklet with simple and comprehensible diagrams; whereas the last big green egg I bought came with some brochures to buy more accessories ... I was really torn over getting the large big green egg or this item. I read several online reviews that conclude the performance of the Kamado Joe is identical to the BGE, with some minor preference for the Kamado Joe because the steel bands holding the dome lid and the felt gasket materials are slightly better quality. I am glad I followed the guidance of the review (buy the cheaper grill). All the pros to the Kamado Joe I mentioned above have reassured me that I made the right choice. I am truly grateful to the Kamado Joe company staff for creating this product that gives me so much more value. I still feel dirty from my encounters with sleazy BGE retailers who don't even post the prices of the BGE grills on the floor of their stores. It seems like depending on the day, time, and even weather their price fluctuates up and down by plus or minus $60 with the total price coming in $500 higher than this Kamado Joe. Furthermore, the dealer disorients me with a barrage of all the add-ons: more money for the shelves, the poker, the grill gripper, the stand. Oh, and by the way, they are happy to sell me some of their own patio furniture for an extra thousand dollars. On the other hand, Kamado Joe, will sell you three simple ceramic feet pices for a nominal cost so you can simply set your grill on the ground or your existing patio equipment. I think the BGE is stuck in a 20th century mentality of screwing the consumer with "authorized retailer" markup. Finally, it is kind of nice how Kamado Joe is named after the original Japanese style Kamado ovens, giving credit to those who came before and made important contributions to the grilling craft. A few of practical points: 1. This is a very heavy package. It was packed in very durable heavy duty cardboard. Nevertheless my grill did move around inside its package. I carefully inspected the item and I could not find any damage or cracks. Ordering through Amazon, gave me confidence that I would be handled fairly if I receive an item damaged because of shipping. 2. The metal insert for the ash collection has a small lip that I needed to bend with pliers to get it to fit optimally in the base of my Kamado oven. 3. You will need two strong people to lift the vessel into its rolling cradle stand. It will be very difficult for one person to lift it, but it can be done by putting one of your hands in the base ash tray opening and carefully stabilizing the kamado with your other hand on the hinge. While holding the Kamado oven in this position one of the metal shelf supports will be dangerously close to your testicles.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2016 by Masood Qazi
Style: Classic Joe I
I purchased the Kamado Joe Classic during an Amazon Prime Day special and also received an included Joetisserie unit in addition to the usual accessories. It arrived on time with free shipping and w/o any visible damage to the box or contents. All parts inside were in good order, well packed, nothing damaged. The unit assembly was easy, the wheeled legs seem sturdy and I like that it has a brake on the wheels. My father has been using a big green egg for, wow, 40+ years, he paid $25.00 for his. He has made a smoked Thanksgiving turkey every year now for decades and it is the bomb and is one of the big reasons I got this. I can't believe its taken me this long to get one of my own. The quality of the unit is top notch and there were no visible defects upon assembly. I have now used it to sear steaks, grill veggies/corn, slow smoke beef cheeks for tacos, rotisserie a chicken , and rotisserie a prime rib roast and I love it. I've used lump charcoal w/ Kamado Joe fire starters. Temperature control is easy and consistent. I love that the top cap is attached and can't fall off when the kamado is opened. Once the temperature is set, it will stay consistent for hours. The ash drawer is a very useful feature. There is a very informative series of you tube videos on cooking with the Kamado Joe, the explanations of how to make adjustments to set the temperature I found extremely useful and has eliminated trial and error in setting the temperature. The prime rib dry rub along with the smoky flavor and moisture from cooking in the kamado made the rotisserie prime rib roast the best prime rib I have ever eaten!! I love the smells that cooking food in the kamado generates.......going to smoke some pork ribs this weekend and will have to try cooking a pizza soon. I've always used a charcoal grill but cooking with the kamado adds another dimension to your outdoor cooking, very versatile.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2016 by Makilo
Style: Classic Joe I
Hubs loves it. Quality is worth it and assembly was straightforward. Looks great, and love the wheel locker
Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2026 by Sharyn Jane
Style: Classic Joe I
This is the best grill ever. Drop the mic good! You can grill, smoke, bake, roast, bake pizza… etc. We bought the rotisserie which saves time when roasting chicken. The temperature control is very precise once you get the hang of it. My favorites to cook are pizza, chicken, veggies and cedar plank salmon. Never use fire starter fluid or man made pre-fueled charcoal!! Only use lump charcoal for consistent results. For smoke flavoring I prefer using larger pieces of hickory, apple wood or cedar planks instead of wood chips. Worth every penny!
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Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2026 by H. Marr
Style: Classic Joe I
I have used every type of grill or smoker there is in my 61 years on earth. Nothing compares to this bad boy. Who would of thought that 2000 year old clay pot technology was still the best for heat retention and heat stability. The Kamado Joe people designed the bottom in such a way that the ash falls neatly into a simple to clean ejection port. All of the clay pieces interlock and are ported to provide an air flow unlike any other design I have seen. The pit masters around the world will all talk smack about this next comment, but here it goes. Order an after market stainless steel charcoal basket that fits in the bottom perfectly. Toss in a self light 4 pound bag of the cheapest $3.50 Kingsford there is. Hit it with a butane torch on all 4 corners. Go find something else to do for 15 minutes. Come back and slap in your grill grate and do your thing. All this nonsense about lighter fluid engulfed charcoal is completely debunked. I spoke with petroleum scientist with 40 years of experience. Lighter fluid based charcoal will not leave vapor trails or negatively effect the left behind residue. If you want to spend 1/2 your life using other Neanderthal methods of lighting charcoal for a quick grill process, have at it. However, if you want to do a 12 hour smoke for a brisket, then obviously use a quality lump coal, and soak a paper towel in vegetable oil to light it.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2024 by Click a Nerd - Products