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Accessories
We ordered two accessories that don't come with the cooker, side tables and a baking stone. Last time we looked, Komodo Kamado has three types of side tables available. We opted for the tables that have rods which slip into sleeves on brackets that are bolted to the side acccessory plates. You can see pictures of all the accessories offered, including the other side table types, on the Komodo Kamado web site.
The side tables are constructed of teak wood and 304 stainless steel. The wood is recycled old growth teak which has a much higher oil content than new farm-raised teak. The streaks/mixed color will balance out to a uniform color after a few weeks of exposure to the ultraviolet light from the sun. If you keep the teak out of the elements, it will stay this color; if you leave it out exposed to the elements, it will turn an elegant silver. The following photos should illustrate everything you need to know:
Then the other accessory we ordered was the 17-inch baking stone. It is about 1 inch thick and made from a material with a heat transfer formula designed especially for baking. It was "inspired" from a very well known commercial baking stone's heat transfer formula. It has a special super smooth face that appears to be polished..
Cooking on The Komodo Kamado
We have cooked a wide variety of foods on our first 2006 Komodo Kamado cooker including beef and pork ribs, grilled salmon, roast leg of lamb, roast turkey breast, brisket, steaks, and paella. We cooked mostly using "natural" temperature control, and a few times with a BBQ Guru. Needless to say everything has turned out well, and the cooking process has been a snap.
We can say that after doing a few cooks with the new model, things are pretty much the same. Of course, we now benefit from things like a better easier-to-use latch, side tables, a truly air-tight seal and more grid options. Simply put though, cooking on this beautiful cooker is a joy.
Cooker Efficiency
One of the tests that we have performed in the past using a large Big Green Egg, a Kamado Joe classic cooker, and our 2006 Komodo Kamado is to heat the cooker up to 400°F, controlled by a BBQ Guru temperature controller, and then measure the surface temperature of the cooker at various locations on the dome or lid after 2.5 hours.
We used a BBQ Guru ProCom4 controller to keep the cooker at 400 degrees (dome temperature) for 2.5 hours. We then measured the surface temperature of the cooker at various locations on the dome, from the lower edge up to the upper vent, using a Type K thermocouple precision surface probe. The temperature of the dome on the Egg varied from 180 degrees at the lower edge of the dome to 245 degrees at the top of the dome near the upper vent. The Komodo Kamado was fairly constant around the lower part of the dome, from 150°F to 155°F. (There is no insulating layer around the lower edge as this is where the internal band is and structural refractory material is required to hold the band.) Higher up on the dome where there is an insulating layer, the temperatures were lower, approximately 130°F. At the very top of the dome near the chimney, the temperature was a mere 125°F.
So while the dome of the Egg was scorching hot to the touch, you could leave your hand anywhere on the Komodo Kamado's dome for at least a couple of seconds. Clearly the Komodo Kamado is keeping far more heat inside the cooker and of course, the exterior of the Komodo Kamado stays at a lower temperature should one come into contact with it.
What does this mean in practical terms? As we noted in our first review, two things. A more efficient cooker uses less fuel, so less charcoal expense than a less efficient cooker of the same size. But also, a more efficient cooker means that you need a smaller fire to maintain a particular temperature. And as we should all know by now, a smaller fire means the cooker is ingesting and expelling less air. Lower airflow means less moisture from the food is carried away by the air and thus you should experience better results in your cooking.
Payment
Normally, we wouldn't include a section regarding payment in a review of a product, but a couple of folks have expressed worries to us about sending money so far around the globe. The preferred method of payment for Komodo Kamado is a bank wire transfer. This can easily be done from your online banking, local branch or investment account.
Some folks, however, worry about the stories you hear about money transfer scams. Well, let us reassure you. We went to our bank with the payment information, wired the money and received an email from Komodo Kamado the next day to let us know the payment had been received. You only need to worry about a money transfer scam if the guy on the other end is trying to scam you into wiring money. Nothing to worry about here. However, if a money transfer is not possible for you, another choice is to use a credit card.
Summary
We have spent the last two months with our new cooker, taking over 260 photos, of which you got to see over 130. We have had numerous discussions with the manufacturer making sure we understand all the features of the cooker. We’ve tinkered and played and experimented, so what did we think?
What a wonderful cooker! We can honestly say we were more excited about purchasing this cooker than we were when we bought our first Big Green Egg. The heat retention is phenomenal so the Komodo Kamado requires a smaller fire to maintain any given temperature. You are going to find this cooker's efficiency means less fuel consumption and more moist meats than less expensive cookers of a similar size. The grids are monstrous. The lid is easy to open and close and it seals airtight. It has enormous cooking capacity. The 978 square inches of cooking space is tops in the ceramic cooker industry. There's the two-piece fire box which will never crack. And on and on and on. Basically, everything has been designed with the goal of improving on every other cooker on the market. The materials used are top notch, many of them innovative. The looks are gorgeous. It’s a dream to cook on. All in all, there is virtually nothing we would want to improve on this cooker. We say virtually because there were two minor items we noted in the review which we would like to see improved (and have been told by the manufacturer are now in the works): the chamfering of the end of the hinge pin and the positioning of the handles on the main and lower grids.
Another consideration when selecting a cooker is the customer service. Since we received our first cooker in 2006, we have seen nothing but the very best in customer service. You can buy a Komodo Kamado cooker knowing that if something is wrong, Komodo Kamado will make it right, no if’s, no and’s, no but’s.
And of course a question that often comes up about Komodo Kamado cookers is if they are worth the money. Everyone has to determine value for themselves, but we look at it as a Ford vs. Ferrari sort of decision. Sure, the Ford will get you there, but wow! how the Ferrari will get you there. Sure, less expensive ceramic cookers produce good food, but wow! how the Komodo Kamado produces good food. Just like the Ferrari will give you a superior driving experience, the Komodo Kamado will give you a superior ceramic cooking experience.
So if you like having the best, if you like knowing your cooker has been designed to be the best and built with the finest components and materials, if you want a cooker in your back yard that is also a beautiful work of art, if you want a cooker that performs at the highest level, then you will want to give the Komodo Kamado serious consideration. It is simply a stunning cooker. Stunning in its beauty, stunning in its design and stunning in its operation. We are pleased as punch to have our new cooker smoking away on our deck and give it our highest recommendation.
Contact Information
If you wish to contact Komodo Kamado, you will find all the information you need when you visit their web page: Komodo Kamado contact information
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