Kamado Joe New Konnected Joe: Tested, Reviewed, and Approved

May 23, 2023

By Emily Farris

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As one of Epi's in-house grilling experts, I test a lot of grills. And nothing I’ve seen lately has threatened to disrupt the category like Kamado Joe's new Konnected Joe.

Introduced earlier this spring, the Konnected Joe is a fully-automatic 18-inch ceramic kamado grill and smoker. It offers all the temperature retention and versatility of popular kamados like the Kamado Joe Classic and the Big Green Egg, but a combination of integrated electronic features make it easier to use—and far more precise—than a gas grill or pellet smoker.

I’ve been testing a Konnected Joe at home for about six weeks and Epi's reviews editor, Noah Kaufman, also had the opportunity to see one in action. It's even earned a permanent spot on the patio of Epicurious and Bon Appétit test kitchen director Chris Morocco.

We all agree that despite its obnoxious-but-very-on-brand spelling, the Konnected Joe has the potential to be a real game changer for outdoor cooking. Keep reading to learn more about how it works and why we enthusiastically recommend it.

Table of contents

How it worksWhy it's a game changerWhat we love about itWhat we don't love about itWhat to consider before buyingThe takeaway

Setting and maintaining the perfect temperature inside of a grill—even a thick ceramic one—is an art and a science that requires constant monitoring, manipulating, and adjusting of the airflow at at least two different vents as needed. But the Konnected Joe eliminates the need for any of that work thanks to an integrated temperature control system.

After adding lump charcoal or briquettes to the firebox, all you have to do is close the bottom vent, set your desired temperature on the control panel, adjust the top vent according to the instructions that pop up on the built-in display (it will be based on your chosen temperature), press the electric fire starter button, then let the grill take it from there.

A digital thermometer constantly monitors the grill's ambient temperature and because it's coupled with the "Kontrol Fan" (yes, the spelling again) it adjusts the air flow as necessary to maintain said temperature—to an exact degree. If you want to change the temperature during or between cooks, the fan and thermometer will efficiently make the adjustment without any wild fluctuations, which can save your food and save you from unnecessarily burning through charcoal.

Three probe ports on the front of the grill (and one included meat probe, more can be purchased separately) let you monitor three different internal food temperatures at once via the app. You can also use the control panel or the app to set a count up or count down timer, and the app has more than 100 recipes to help you select the right time and temp for cooking different foods.

Most of the features that make the Konnected Joe so appealing could, in theory, be purchased as accessories and attached to any kamado grill. For example, the Smobot and Kamado Joe's own iKamand do the work of the integrated temperature regulation system, and the Meater Block and Thermoworks Signals are meat thermometers that allow you to monitor multiple internal temperatures on your phone. But creating a setup like that takes knowledge and time that many casual outdoor cooks may not have—or may not have any interest in setting up themselves.

With those components (plus a push-button electric fire starter) fully integrated, grilling and smoking suddenly seem less intimidating, and less laborious. Though they come at very different price points, as Chris pointed out, the Konnected Joe has the potential to do for outdoor cooking what the Instant Pot did for indoor cooking.

For Chris—and likely anyone with limited outdoor space—the ability to engage in so many different styles of grilling with one piece of equipment makes the Konnected Joe incredibly appealing. Even without the smart features, kamado grills are versatile cookers that allow you to grill, sear, smoke, and bake. But it's the built-in controls that take this grill to a whole other level. The features also leave very little room for error, which is something both newbies and experienced kamado users will appreciate. You can opt to use this without any of the digital controls too. As Chris said to me, it's such a good charcoal grill that it might even inspire you to post your old Weber kettle in your local Buy Nothing group.

Lighting and dialing in the perfect temperature on a kamado grill can be a tedious and time consuming process, but the Konnected Joe's features eliminate both of those problems. After pushing the fire starter button, you can expect the grill to reach temp in 15 to 30 minutes, depending on how hot it has to get. There is a slight learning curve to kamado cooking, but the instructions are clear, there are plenty of YouTube tutorials, and the control panel is intuitive enough that even less tech-savvy folks should be able to get started with little frustration.

With a digital range of 225º to 700ºF you can set the Konnected Joe for low-and-slow smoking, high-heat searing, or anything in between, as long as your desired temperature ends in a 0 or a 5. And the built-in regulator will hold that temperature such that you can literally set it and forget it. Changing the temperature is a breeze too—and anyone who's ever tried to lower the temp on a ceramic kamado will delight in watching this thing self regulate. When I set mine to go from 360ºF to 300ºF, it got there in just under an hour, without ever dipping below the target.

Because the built-in controls do such a good job of maintaining a set temperature—and also adjusting without over or undershooting—the Konnected Joe is very fuel-efficient. If you’re used to cooking on a kamado, you’ll likely find yourself using a lot less charcoal with this grill.

Like all of Kamado Joe's grills, this is a high-quality, expertly-insulated, well-sealed kamado, and with proper maintenance and care, the ceramic kamado body itself will last a lifetime. The included steel cart is substantial, the folding side tables are sturdy, and the casters are actually functional. We got some unexpected light rain during an overnight cook and I panicked a little when I woke up, but everything, including the temperature, was perfect the next morning. Because the manual clearly states that you should never expose it to rain or water, I can't imagine it would fare so well in monsoon-like conditions, so you should still do your best to keep it dry.

Aside from the "clever" spelling of Konnected, Kontrol, etc., Chris and I both had to dig deep to find things we didn't like about the Konnected Joe—like how the dial on the control panel could feel smoother and more responsive. This grill would also be near perfect with some sort of mechanism for adjusting the divide-and-conquer racks—two half-moon-shaped cooking grates that can be set at different heights above the coals—without having to handle a hot, loaded grate mid-cook.

Looking ahead, I have some concerns about the digital components, mostly because with proper care and maintenance, the ceramic body can last a lifetime. At some point, the electronic parts will give out and/or the technology will become antiquated and incompatible with phones. Whichever comes first, it will be interesting to see how expensive and complicated they’ll be to upgrade or replace.

And then there's the $1,700 price tag. It's steep, but not out of line for a high-quality ceramic kamado grill with so many truly useful features. Still, it will be prohibitively expensive for some grilling enthusiasts.

When you buy a Kamado Joe, everything you need to get started is included with your purchase; it's the reason the Kamado Joe Classic II beat the Big Green Egg when I tested and reviewed kamado grills last summer. The Konnected Joe is no exception and comes with a heavy-duty steel stand/cart, folding side table attachments, a divided cooking grate, a rust-proof top vent, and the built-in fire starter and fully-automatic temperature control system. Additional accessories, including a weather-resistant cover (which I highly recommended given the exterior electric components), rotisserie system, and pizza oven insert, can be purchased separately.

The delivery logistics will vary a bit depending on what retailer you order from, but because it weighs 216 pounds, this isn't something an Amazon driver is going to drop at your door. It will likely arrive on a pallet via a big truck and it will definitely require a hand truck to get it any further. Most of the assembly is pretty quick and easy, but lifting the kamado itself onto the cart is absolutely a two-person job, so phone a friend for that part.

This is an 18-inch grill, which is the most common kamado size (and the same size as the Classic Joe and Large Big Green Egg), and sufficient for most home cooks. But if you’re new to the world of kamado cooking, keep in mind that the cooking surface is actually smaller than the ubiquitous 22-inch Weber kettle grill.

To engage the automatic cooking features, you need electricity, but if you don't have outdoor outlets, you can use a heavy-duty outdoor extension cord. And if you want to control the Konnected Joe with the app, the grill needs to be within range of a 2.4Ghz Wi-Fi signal for the initial setup. The app isn't required to use the automatic features, but I was impressed to discover that you can actually continue to control the grill from anywhere, as long as you connect the app to the grill before you go and the grill remains connected to Wi-Fi (even a weak signal will do).

Should anything go wrong due to manufacturing defects, there's a limited lifetime warranty on the ceramic parts, a five-year warranty on metal parts, a three-year warranty on the electronic components and heat deflectors, and a two-year warranty on miscellaneous parts like the lid thermometer and gaskets. But if you tip it over trying to move it and crack the lid, or if you leave it uncovered in heavy rain and fry the control panel, that's on you.

Owning a Konnected Joe is kind of like having a high-quality kamado grill and an expert pitmaster on call to light your fire then tend to it for hours, or even days at a time. Though it's pricey, the classic kamado construction, built-in fire starter, and integrated temperature control system offer enough versatility and functionality to replace most, if not all, of your other outdoor cooking devices. So if it's within your budget, we enthusiastically recommend it for both experienced and novice outdoor cooks.