If you’re dubious about your cooking skills, a smart grill (and/or smart oven) may be the way to go. But even a seasoned veteran with the spatula can get significant use out of these tech-infused devices. With plenty of options coming from the biggest names in the game, these touchscreen, remotely-monitored units suddenly give the grilling space a lot more parity, with each having a range of bells and whistles. And you’ll want to really take the time to consider which one is for you. A prominent player in smart grills for some time, Kamado Joe has now brought some more of these cutting-edge features to the realm of ceramic grills.
Ceramic grills can pose some benefits over traditional metal ones. For one, they distribute the heat more evenly for better results. They also retain heat incredibly well and don’t rust like their metal counterparts (although newer steel models won’t rust easily either). The downside can be the added weight and lack of durability that comes with anything made out of ceramics, as well as the difficulties with igniting the flames in the first place. Kamado Joe’s new Konnected Joe Digital Charcoal Grill and Smoker aims to solve the latter problem at least; the two-in-one connected device now features an Automatic Fire Starter button for quickly igniting the charcoal underneath.
In addition to 250sq.in of cooking space and the downright superb quality you’ve come to expect from Kamado, the biggest selling point of the Konnected Joe is the digital Kontrol Board panel in front, which graphs temperatures over a 24-hour period (great for smoking), handles multiple cooking modes, and features a touchscreen temperature adjustment from 225°F to 700°F — maintained via the Kontrol Fan. You can also control the temperature and monitor your cooking via the Kamado Joe app. To combat the cumbersome aspects of a typical ceramic grill, the Konnected Joe also sports convenient lifting handles and an Air Lift Hinge to reduce the weight.
Expected to ship in June, the Konnected Joe Digital Charcoal Grill and Smoker is available for pre-order for $1,699 from Kamado Joe’s website.
