If your summer barbecues could use a bit of finesse, here’s some good news.
Kamado Joe, the brand behind the distinctive, red-shelled, Japanese-style ceramic grills is launching a digitally controlled charcoal grill and smoker in the UK and across Europe.
Forget overcooked and undercooked food, faffing around with firelighters and waiting long periods for the grill to heat up. The Konnected Joe has a host of features that’ll give garden chefs pinpoint control over their cooking.
It’s already available to pre-order in the US from Kamado Joe itself and the Atlanta Grill Company for June delivery. It’s a pretty serious investment in outdoor cooking, however, at $1,699.
But if you can afford it, it could be worth it for the precise digital controls. First off, there’s an ignition button, the “Automatic Fire Starter”, which’ll light your charcoal and have the grill ready in 15 minutes, according to Kamado Joe.
Kamado Joe
You’ll then be able to set and maintain am exact temperature using the digital display. The system has automatic control over the fan and top vent for precise temperature control. The range is from 95°C to 370°C (200-700°F), to allow for any type of cooking: smoking, grilling, baking, roasting or searing.
And you won’t be chained to the grill while cooking. You can use the Kamado Joe app to monitor and fine-tune temperature and cooking time and check in on your meat probes. The grill can support and monitor up to three meat probes at once.
Kamado Joe
There’s also an Automatic Cook Mode to talk you through the cooking process, with step-by-step instructions on the digital display. Or you can switch to Classic Cook Mode and cook using manual controls.
The Konnected Joe also has all the features you’d expect from a high-quality grill: a slide-out ash drawer, the Air Lift hinge for reduced dome weight and a two-tier cooking area.
The Konnected Joe will be available in the UK and across Europe, priced at £1,999/€2,199. You’ll be able to pre-order it from Kamado Joe and selected retailers from 15 April. Orders will be fulfilled from June 2023.
To see some of the best outdoor cooking equipment we’ve tested, have a look at our reviews of these great barbecues, the Weber SmokeFire EPX4 and the Masterbuilt Gravity Series 560 smart grill and smoker. And don’t forget pizza ovens: we’ve tested the Ooni Fyra 12 and the Karu 16.