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Comparison

Kamado vs kettle BBQ

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In short

A kettle is light, simple and quick to learn, and a 57 cm model grills, roasts and smokes well with a two-zone set-up. A kamado is a heavy ceramic cooker that holds a steady temperature for many hours on little charcoal and reaches very high heat, but it is far heavier, slower to cool and costs more to start. Choose a kettle for flexible family grilling, a kamado for frequent long cooks.

Details as stated in the Amazon listing or by the manufacturer. See the current price on Amazon.

Our verdict

Most people starting with charcoal are best served by a 57 cm kettle such as the Weber Original Kettle, or the Master-Touch GBS Premium E-5775 for built-in smoking. A kamado suits frequent cooks who want long, steady smokes and very high heat and have space for a heavy cooker.

Both are lidded charcoal grills with vents top and bottom, and both can grill, roast and smoke. The difference is what they are made of. A kettle is thin enamelled steel, a kamado thick ceramic. That one difference changes heat-up time, fuel use, how steady the temperature is, weight and price. This guide compares them so you can decide which suits your garden and cooking.

Side by side

The table gives the general picture for a family-size kettle and kamado. Individual models vary.

FactorKettle (57 cm)Kamado (about 46 cm grid)
BodyEnamelled steelThick ceramic
Typical weightAbout 13 to 15 kgMany times heavier; check the maker
Heat-upAbout 20 to 30 minutes with a chimneySlower to heat, holds heat for hours
FuelBriquettes or lumpwoodLumpwood recommended by makers
Long low cooksPossible with care and refuellingVery steady on one load of charcoal
Very high heatGoodVery high, ideal for pizza and searing
Moving itEasy on wheelsNeeds a sturdy wheeled stand
57 cm kettle vs family-size kamado

Heat retention and fuel

Ceramic soaks up heat and gives it back slowly. Once a kamado is up to temperature, it needs very little air and fuel to stay there, so a single load of lumpwood can run a low cook for many hours. Wind and cold have less effect on a thick ceramic body than on thin steel, which is a real advantage in a British spring or autumn.

A kettle loses heat faster, so it uses more charcoal and needs more tending on long cooks. With a two-zone set-up and a snake or ring of briquettes, it can still hold a low temperature for several hours. For grilling burgers and sausages, the difference in fuel use is small.

Top ventDomeGrateHeat deflectorFirebox, lumpwoodBottom ventOpen more = hotter.Air in at the bottom, smoke out at the top.
  • Air in
  • Heat rising
  • Smoke out
How a kamado breathes: the vents set the airflow, and the airflow sets the heat.

Cooking: what each does best

Kettles are excellent all-rounders. They light quickly, give strong direct heat for searing and handle indirect roasting with the coals pushed to one side. Weber's Master-Touch GBS Premium E-5775 even lists a char ring and diffuser plate for smoking, and the Gourmet BBQ System grate takes inserts.

Kamados excel at long, steady cooks such as pulled pork and brisket, and at very high heat for pizza and steaks. They are slower to adjust: if you overshoot the temperature, a kamado takes a long time to come back down, so you learn to approach a target gently. Our how to use a kamado guide covers this.

  • directindirect

    Kettle

  • highhighoffdirectindirect

    Three-burner gas

  • directindirect with a deflector

    Kamado

  • Hot, direct zone and heat flow
  • Cool, indirect zone

With the lid closed, hot air rolls from the direct side over the food on the indirect side and out through the top vent.

Two zones on a kettle, a three-burner gas grill and a kamado: sear on the direct side, finish on the indirect side.

Two Weber kettles from our guides

These two kettles show how far a 57 cm kettle can go. Figures come from the listings.

SpecOriginal Kettle 57 cmMaster-Touch GBS Premium E-5775
Weight14.5 kg18 kg
Cooking area2,342 cm²57 cm kettle
Ash handlingOne-Touch with removable catcherNot stated
Smoking kitNoChar ring and diffuser plate
LidLid hook, thermometerHinged lid
From the product listings

See Weber kettles compared →

Which should you choose?

Choose a kettle if you are new to charcoal, want a grill that is easy to move and quick to learn, or mostly grill burgers, sausages and chicken with occasional roasts and smokes. A 57 cm kettle with a hinged grate is the classic choice; compare models in best charcoal BBQs.

Choose a kamado if you cook often, love long smokes and pizza, and have a permanent, level spot for a heavy cooker. If smoking is the main goal and weight is a concern, also look at best charcoal smokers.

Note:Use any charcoal grill outdoors only, on a stable, non-combustible surface away from fences and sheds. Kamados stay hot for many hours after cooking; close both vents to put the fire out and never move a hot kamado.

Frequently asked questions

Is a kamado worth it over a kettle? If you cook long and low often, many owners say yes. For occasional grilling, a kettle does almost everything for far less weight and money.

Can a kettle smoke like a kamado? It can smoke well with a two-zone set-up or a smoking kit, but needs more tending to hold a low temperature.

Does a kamado use less charcoal? Yes on long cooks, because the ceramic holds heat. Closing the vents also saves unburnt lumpwood for next time.

Which is better in the rain? Both cook with the lid closed. A kamado holds temperature better in cold, wet weather; covers help both.

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