Kamado Joe KJ13RH Joe Jr Charcoal Grill, Blaze Red

Product Information

At 68 lbs, the Junior does feel a bit heavy for a single person, but it’s still manageable. The thermometer is front and center, showing temperatures in both Fahrenheit and Celsius. The lid and body are tightly sealed together by a solid felt gasket. The fire box, fire ring and fire grate fit snugly without any gap. It can also be a mini-sized everyday BBQ if you’re a couple or a small family. Seriously, it can perform as well as other KJ larger grills but at a fraction of the cost.

At first, KJ was aiming to make high-quality ceramic kamados, loaded with bells and whistles, at prices slightly below BGE. But KJ soon realized that they could further establish themselves as a premium brand by focusing on constant innovations and improvements. Fast forward to the present day, KJ grills have gained plenty of public attention. And they’ve truly become a leader and an innovator in the industry. Ease and safety – since fewer coals are actually burned completely during cooking, there are very few ashes to remove. Can the Kamado Joe Jr be used for smoking as well as grilling? Yes. Simply insert the included heat deflector plate to change it from grilling to smoking.The bottom vent is the stainless steel draft door on the body. Same design as seen on other kamados. Versatility

Getting to grips with using the Kamado Joe Jr is no more complicated than using any charcoal grill. And in fact, because it is so well insulated, the temperature swings are way less severe than with a typical charcoal grill, so it is easier to use than, say, a weber Kettle. You might not exactly think that a 68 pound grill can be classified as a portable grill. However, considering the size of the Joe Jr, it’s entirely possible to travel with it – just be careful when you lift! The wire stand has handles which makes it easy for 2 people to carry at once. It’s a treat to be able to take a ceramic grill with you on the go. The Joe Jr is fuel-efficient. You can see in the photos in previous sections how much charcoal I added to start a reverse sear of my steak, about half a basket full. And the photo directly above is what remained after about an hour of low n slow cooking at 250 °F.

Many folks might wonder if the Kamado Joe Jr might be too small given its size. Well, we’re here to tell you that it’s not THAT small. Moreover, the ceramic heat deflector provides an ideal temperature zone if you use your grill for smoking. It can act as a secondary grill if you already have other bigger grills. It’s also perfect for a small family as an everyday BBQ. And best of all, it’s small and portable, allowing you to travel with it with ease. You can cook pulled pork at the lowest setting of 225 degrees (and though some argue lower is better, you don’t really have a choice)

You can still fit other accessories for larger grills in the Joe Jr (hint: Flame Boss 500), but some tinkering and creativity are required. As you probably know by now, you can move this grill around with ease thanks to the two side handles attached to the stand. At 68 lbs, one person can handle the weight. But we’d recommend two people if you’re moving it long distance (like down to the boat or something). Besides, ceramic is fragile so you always want to be cautious here.Below is a chart of the average square inches needed in your cooking surface area, based on how many people you are cooking for at the same time. Number of people This grill can get really HOT. C’mon, we’re talking ceramic grilling here. If you let it go, it can get up to 750F with no problem. It can also dial down to low n slow temperatures. And thanks to the thermal mass of ceramic, this grill is excellent at holding heat during the wintertime. The manufacturer specs state this grill can be held between 225 °F and 750 °F. However, I’m able to hold it at about 180 °F successfully, and have had it way over 750 °F (by accident.) To help you determine if a Joe Jr. Is right for your needs, I gave it a complete going over, from unboxing to start up and a few cooking sessions.

The two grills function the same. You adjust the temperature using the top and bottom vents. The food also comes out the same. Price-wise, the Minimax is more expensive than the Kamado Joe Jr. Buying one of these in its striking red livery not only means you own a quality grill, but it also means you want people to notice you own a quality grill. Keep in mind that the Joe Jr still uses the traditional cast iron daisy wheel as the top vent. There is nothing wrong with it. It always gets the job done. Economical – it is essentially an airtight pot, so after using it the Kamado can be shut down and up to 80 percent of the coals will be reusable.This compact space is still enough to do an entire meal for 6 people or smoke up a whole pork shoulder. No matter who you’re cooking for, you’ll know you have more than enough room to accommodate everyone at your party.