Aldi Kamado Oven

[PorkInsider]

Any thoughts on the Aldi Kamodo ovens/BBQs they’re currently advertising?

I’m not really in the market for one but they’re certainly cheap compared to the big name ones.

Bargain, or get what you pay for?

https://www.aldi.co.uk/kamado-outdoor-oven/p/08332...

[HarryFlatters]

I've looked at these before, they look very similar to a Big Green Egg, but half the price...

I, too, am interested to see what the difference is and if anyone has used one of these.

[robwilk]

They look to be very like the pit boss Kamodo available at costco. but smaller in diameter
I will be able to report if this is so as my son has ordered the Aldi one.
I have a Big green egg and find I can control low temps much easier than my son in law who has a pit boss.
I think its due to the design of the top air vent. Other factors maybe the loading of the charcoal.
Anyway when my sons aldi one arrives I will have a go with that and will be able to directly compare it with a BGE.

Rob

[Jambo85]

Intrigued also...! Tricky one as it's a bargain compared to the big names but still an expensive BBQ in the scheme of things, particularly if it isn't any good.

Anyhoo - I'm a happy Kamado Joe owner, and happy to remain that way since I know I can get spare parts when I do stupid things like pick up red hot heat deflectors and drop and shatter them!

[tedmus]

Have a look at La Hacienda kamado medium, it's basically that one by the looks of it.

[PorkInsider]

robwilk said:

They look to be very like the pit boss Kamodo available at costco. but smaller in diameter
I will be able to report if this is so as my son has ordered the Aldi one.
I have a Big green egg and find I can control low temps much easier than my son in law who has a pit boss.
I think its due to the design of the top air vent. Other factors maybe the loading of the charcoal.
Anyway when my sons aldi one arrives I will have a go with that and will be able to directly compare it with a BGE.

Rob

Will be very interested to hear how they compare.

tedmus said:

Have a look at La Hacienda kamado medium, it's basically that one by the looks of it.

Yes, looks pretty much identical, doesn’t it.

[Jambo85]

tedmus said:

Have a look at La Hacienda kamado medium, it's basically that one by the looks of it.

Saw a post somewhere saying that Morrisons would be selling the La Hacienda one at a good price shortly too

[tedmus]

PorkInsider said:

Yes, looks pretty much identical, doesn’t it.

I believe Morrisons are gearing up to sell the large version at the minute, not had the price confirmed for that though.

[1ians]

I’ve been looking at ordering the Kamado Joe Classic. Saw this for sale and decided at that price it’s got to be worth a go so ordered it. It even comes with a rain cover.

At least at £350 if I get bored of it, it won’t be an expensive lesson.

[sparkypups]

I too have been tempted and ordered one

[dave_s13]

What advantage do these ceramic jobbies have over a traditional steel kettle BBQ a la the usual suspect Weber?

[Jambo85]

dave_s13 said:

What advantage do these ceramic jobbies have over a traditional steel kettle BBQ a la the usual suspect Weber?

Tempterature control really - both the ability to set it anywhere from 80-400 degC and to keep it steady. Also they (the good ones anyway) come with deflector plates for indirect cooking.

[robwilk]

robwilk said:

They look to be very like the pit boss Kamodo available at costco. but smaller in diameter
I will be able to report if this is so as my son has ordered the Aldi one.
I have a Big green egg and find I can control low temps much easier than my son in law who has a pit boss.
I think its due to the design of the top air vent. Other factors maybe the loading of the charcoal.
Anyway when my sons aldi one arrives I will have a go with that and will be able to directly compare it with a BGE.

Rob

Well it arrived today and we have assembled it but not fired it up.
First impressions are favorable the ceramic appears to be thick but slightly rougher than the BGE.
Mounting hardware and stand are up with the BGE.
The daisy wheel vent controller is a bit of a let down although better than the pit boss, compared with the BGE not as well built, it will work but not sure on very low temperature control but going to fire it up tomorrow so will find out.
No snuffing lid suppied so not sure if will be able to save charcoal as we do with the BGE.
the heat deflector is a different design altogether from the BGE and I would think not as versatile.
Racks are fine.
overall I think for the cost its a winner may need some mods in years to come.
I will see if BGE hardware fits then maybe able to buy a snubbing lid from them.
but for £350 it has to be a winner.

[1ians]

Thanks for sharing your initial impressions.

Mines being delivered tomorrow, all 82KGs of it. I’ve got my trolley jack on standby if the delivery guys won’t deliver it round the side.

Anyone bought anything to go with theirs yet? I bought some big k charcoal but next time think I’ll give the CPL off eBay a go.

Also bought a blow torch to light it with. Looked at chimney starters, looftlighters and heat guns before deciding on that starting method.

[tedmus]

1ians said:

Thanks for sharing your initial impressions.

Mines being delivered tomorrow, all 82KGs of it. I’ve got my trolley jack on standby if the delivery guys won’t deliver it round the side.

Anyone bought anything to go with theirs yet? I bought some big k charcoal but next time think I’ll give the CPL off eBay a go.

Also bought a blow torch to light it with. Looked at chimney starters, looftlighters and heat guns before deciding on that starting method.

Try Everburning Charcoal on ebay rather than CPL, I've had both and the CPL stuff smokes a lot on light up and spits like crazy.

Sainsburys have 8kg bags of Bar-Be-Quick premium grade in at the moment for £9, I've been using it lately (Dancook kettle not a kamado) and it's pretty good, have been able to re-use some after shutting down too.

[1ians]

How’s everyone getting on with their bbqs? If you’re a newbie like me I’d suggest a test burn to understand temperature control.

Had a go with cooking a pizza last night and it took ages to hit temperature and didn’t want to go high enough. I also spent a few minutes monitoring Fahrenheit rather than Celsius.

It’ll get better with practice, I’ll try more charcoal tonight. You can always reuse the what’s not burnt.

[craig1912]

This is the best charcoal I have used
https://www.ocado.com/webshop/product/Big-K-Restau...

They seem to have a 3 for 1 offer every year but even at full price it is good value. Burns for ages and lights in a chimney starter very easily with one weber lighter cube

[robwilk]

1ians said:

How’s everyone getting on with their bbqs? If you’re a newbie like me I’d suggest a test burn to understand temperature control.

Had a go with cooking a pizza last night and it took ages to hit temperature and didn’t want to go high enough. I also spent a few minutes monitoring Fahrenheit rather than Celsius.

It’ll get better with practice, I’ll try more charcoal tonight. You can always reuse the what’s not burnt.

Its recommended not to fire a new kamado too hot for the first few firings to allow the gasket seals to season,. not going above 200 c is a good idea.

[Montauge]

Our ALDI Kamado arrived on Thursday. Never used one before so not comparing to other more costly ones;
+ve's Cooks brilliantly, not drying things out and pretty easy to control temps even tho we are newbies.
-ve's Either the springs on the lid are not quite strong enough or the angle it goes back to is not big enough and as a result it doesn't really hold itself open properly. Sending back is at your own cost so unfortunately I think I'll be taking an angle grinder to the hinge bracket to widen the opening angle a bit. In fact it rests on only one of the two brackets which I think is the problem.
Next is the deflector plate - It seems too small - Is it really meant to sit directly on the coals? I can't see how it can be used in any other way as the diameter is smaller than the top ring diameter. After the first use with it sitting on the coals I could already see a hairline fracture in it. I suspect it won't last another few before it cracks.
In summary the quality of build of the main body is great, but attention to detail on some of the smaller bits could be better.
Can anyone shed more light about whether the deflector should in fact be sitting directly on the coals and if not what's the solution?

[Philplop]

No, the deflector hangs from the prongs underneath the triangular grill supporter thing.

Sorry for all the technical jargon... It took us a few goes to figure it out.

I cooked some quick chicken thighs and sweet potatoes on mine for the first go. Got it to hold at a steady 180c pretty easily and the chicken came out great. Did it over direct heat (without the deflector).

My lid stays open fine.

The vents sealed well enough to snuff the coals out so they can be reused.

Pretty pleased with it! Excited to try some pulled pork soon.