Raves and Reviews

TheNakedWhiz

Of course, Dennis is the real deal. From the very beginning he has shown that he is dedicated to superior products and superior service. Period. Anyone who worries about ordering something so expensive that is made so far away, should cast those worries aside. Dennis will take care of you, no if's, no but's.  So if you like having the best, if you like knowing your cooker has been designed to be the best and built with the finest components and materials ,if you want a cooker in your back yard that is also a beautiful work of art, if you want a cooker that performs at the highest level, then you will want to give the Komodo Kamado serious consideration. It is simply a stunning cooker. Stunning in its beauty, stunning in its design and stunning in its operation.
Doug Hanthorn
AKA The Naked Whiz

 So Cal Cooker  (KK forum)

Let me start by saying that I have over 40 years experience with Kamado cooking, beginning with my first Imperial Kamado in the 1960's, a replacement unit in 1990, and NOW upgrading to the 23” OTB. We bought a new house 1 1/2 yrs ago and I have been Kamado-less for that period of time. It's been hell.
I received "my baby" (23” OTB) a couple of weeks ago in perfect condition. I have completed the break-in and have done some terrific baby back ribs and last weekend a spectacular pork roast. It has been way too long.

Now about Dennis. This guy is like somebody you may only do business with a couple of times in your life. I feel like we have become brothers during the experiences we have been through. Let me explain. After making my decision to buy the OTB, I waited for the arrival. When Dennis notified me of the arrival I sent him the funds for the OTB. Then US Customs got involved and delayed the shipment and ultimately wanted the cargo returned because the packing crates were not fumigated (who cares). Dennis immediately refunded my money until the delay was sorted out with customs. He did this entirely on his own, without even a suggestion to do so from me. A very pleasant surprise. The next thing I knew a trucking company was calling to arrange a delivery time. I received the Kamado, inspected it and set it in it's new home. I immediately sent payment to Dennis. He kept my money this time. Trust me, he earned it on this transaction. The trust and straightforward business approach Dennis demonstrates is truly unique.

I wish all my business experiences were as pleasurable as this has been. For all of you out there "on the fence". GET OFF! Dennis is the real deal and his product is like none I have experienced. It is everything as advertised and more. You won't be sorry.

mk1 (KK forum)

Dennis, I waited a year to write and say how happy I am with my Komodo Kamado. It has been put to good use at least 4-5 times a week. I have become a far better charcoal chef than I could have imagined. It is so easy when you have the right tool for the job. The workmanship and design are perfect. I have had no issues to test your customer service for which you are so well known. And it looks so damn good in the backyard..... My whole family enjoys our KK. The forum is a great resource, as well as being fun and interesting. I have been pointed in the right direction on recipes and other associated matters. I am looking forward to cooking my second Thanksgiving bird ala KK.
Thanks Again 
Martin Keisch
Miami Beach

CeramicChef  (KK forum)

Well I just got off the phone with Dennis Linkletter, the gentleman who owns KK.  I sent Dennis an email this morning  about a problems I thought I might have with TheBeast, my KK BB 32".   Dennis knew I was doing some cooks over the next couple of days.  No more than 5 minutes later I get a call from Dennis.  
 
Dennis could have easily replied by email.  Would have been absolutely fine by me. Remember, he's half a world away in Indonesia.  That's 13 hours ahead of my time here in OKC!  It was late at night in Indonesia, WAY beyond anything normal business hours, and I get a call in response to my email.
 
Kamado Kookers, I know that there are a lot of good kamados on the market and Kamado Joe, among its devotees, is hailed for its customer service.  But when the owner of the company personally calls you in the middle of his night to make certain you know there is no problem with TheBeast, that's the single most impressive customer service experience I've ever had.  
 
I had heard the tales of very good customer service from KJ.  And it is well deserved.  I like the KJ product line.  But nothing in my experience has prepared me for the level of service I've gotten from Dennis Linkletter and his company, Komodo Kamado.  It is so far beyond anything posted here I just had to post this.  I built 4 companies based on excellent customer service and that made me quite comfortable.  But as good as my companies were at taking care of customers, I NEVER went the lengths Dennis does to make certain we Komodo Kamado owners know we count above all else.
 
KK owners know how valued they are by KK and Dennis specifically.  I can recommend KK without any reservation.  What's amazing, each and every KK owners has a story just like mine.  To any potential KK customer, your KK will come with a level of customer you won't believe!  Buy the KK you're looking at and you'll never regret it one iota.

 enif420 (KK forum)

I just purchased a Komodo Kamado 23 Ultimate grill from Dennis. I would like to tell you about my experience. Dennis is attentive to his customers. I wonder how many calls he gets in a day at all crazy hours because of the time differential. I called him at 1 o'clock A. M. (his time) in the morning once. He is always personable and gracious. I would do a business deal with Dennis on his word or a handshake. I cannot say that about to many people now a days. Dennis is the Michelangelo of the kamado grills. Dennis blends artistry, manufacturing, and engineering in his effort to produce the Komodo Kamado grill. Dennis dots all the i's and crosses all the t's to produce a functional work of art that truly enhances the barbecue experience in anyone's backyard.

The delivery is an experience in itself. A large crate comes to your place. Their are eight bolts on the bottom of the crate unscrew them. On the top half of the crate their are about ten Phillips screws unscrew them. This is the ramp. The crate with large gaps so you can see your grill inside the crate, just slides up and off. How easy is that to do. Dennis provides you with a crow bar to remove four slats of wood that hold the wheels. After you remove them and the nails, place the ramp on the side of the bottom of the crate and roll off your Komodo Kamado.
Vernon M
California

 normstar (KK forum)

Hello All - Greetings from Manhattan Beach, CA! Got my KK last week and have been cooking up a storm. THANK YOU Dennis for building such an amazing product. From all of your great reviews and insight here on the board, I knew it would be, but until you see it in person you just cannot appreciate it. It's like a mythical beast that you're not sure it really exists, and then one day you see it, and BOOM! That is my KK. I'm already a meat snob (and wine and cigars too), but my KK is taking me to a whole new level. Thank you all as well for the incredible amount of information and excitement on here. Any obsessions is more fun when you can share it with others

preferredshares  (KK forum)

Unpacking worked very well--the packing material was nicely thought out and designed to have the KK arrive safe and ready to unpack. We made a ramp out of the shipping materials and carefully rolled the KK off. I was careful to assure flat ground and no bumps or gaps on the ramp. Our BGE is now in the side yard being seriously outclassed by the KK.
I had been using the BGE for nearly ten years in three different states cooking hundreds of meals, including some during mid-winter in deep snow cooking turkey early in the morning. With that experience, I appreciate my new KK cooker even more.
The KK cooker looks great and works great. People notice it. Rotisserie cooking is a fantastic capability. The KK design and build quality rate 10 out of 10. I keep on discovering features that have been thoughtfully designed into the KK. Customer service is fantastic.
Happily smoking with my new KK cooker in New Orleans.

Fire is Good  (KK forum)

Well, I've been dancing around and reading everything I could get my hands on to find out if the Komodo Kamado was the real deal. After my last experience with kamado grills (POSK#7) I wanted to make sure I wasn't throwing my hard earned money away . I've read all the accolades of Dennis and the infamous KK and knew that from what everyone is saying that it must be too good to be true. Well, I've exposed the truth- if you want the best grill you can get your hands on, call Dennis. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm sure from talking to Dennis that "I" am his only customer, or at least that's how he made me feel, never rushing me and answering all my questions. After 3 years of drooling over KK's I finally took the plunge and adopted Terra Blue KK-AY5103, Oh yeh! She arrived Feb 22 in perfect shape- I took the day off to greet her and we spent the after noon together. We shared her first solid food, a perfectly cooked chicken- it was delicious. I know from this forum that you have to include pictures, but I was so excited I didn't get the chance, so now I've included a couple of photos from the following days. Dennis, I received my KK and I couldn't be happier! WOW! I know you do everything you can, taking photos of the KKs, but I'm sorry- they don't do it justice- it is so beautiful. I am overwhelmed. The grill came in, in perfect shape. Kudos to you and your crew for a great job from fabrication through the finished product to making it to my door step. Our family enjoyed a chicken dinner about four hour after the truck driver left; I didn't tell him what I was cooking or he may not have left. I was wrong- you and the KK are everything they said and more! Nice to be with my kind of people, Mike
P.S. I sound like one of those customers I thought was a plant to keep the ruse going.

TigerAnteater (KK forum)

I want to say simply that if you are thinking of buying one of these beautiful KK's you should think no more. Dennis is the real deal and his product is simply the best in the world. I am director of consumer affairs for a large company and I can tell you that Dennis sets the bar on customer service. If your worried about sending money overseas, don't, it was simple, and you will never deal with a better company or individual. I have been lax in posting pictures of my Autumn Nebula KK. We have been using it about 4 times a week. I strongly recommend that if your KK will be outside, to get one of Johnny's covers. Not that your KK needs a cover outside but since you will fall in love with your KK you will want to give it that little extra protection. Here in Tennessee we had storms the other day...tornadoes. We had quarter size hail and the weather just skirted where I live. After it was clear and we emerged from the basement, instead of checking the house, I ran to my KK....YEAH, it's that important!  Simply put, you will never regret purchasing the best grill in the world.
Steve

MBCHIZ  (KK forum)

My new bronze 23'' B-Day present came in today (to myself) and I couldn't be more pleased.. As mentioned before in many posts this cooker is over the top luxury at its finest. I spent most of the evening after work with my favorite beverage just staring and admiring the craftsmanship and top of the line components that make this grill light years ahead of the other Kamado style smokers. I purchased two of the teak side tables that are just as impressive in construction as the rest, the wood itself is stunning and matches my porch swings perfectly!! (added bonus).. I will be bringing it into full swing this weekend with a number of different meats to smoke and grill.. Probably even a pizza or two!! As a culinary graduate and years of experience with cooking and equipment.. This truly makes me feel just like a kid in an extremely large candy store! I'm glad to be a part of this forum and look forward to meeting my fellow KK'ers... Happy cooking to you all !

Gromit  (KK forum)

I have had my KK for about 3 weeks now and have cooked low and slow, seared, and every way in between. Thus far I cannot say enough about the KK, it has lived up to all the well deserved praise. After about 2 cooks I felt comfortable with my ability to control temperature, so much so (and after reading some posts here) I did a pork butt smoking at 235 and left for about 4 hours and when I returned....235, actually the temperature really never varied the entire cook. For those out there that may be patrolling the board trying to decide to take the leap or not, I say don’t look back, the entire process from ordering from Dennis to now has been a delight. The point was really driven home the other night I was at a hardware store and wandered through the grilling section and found the brand of ceramic I used to cook on. I spent a few minutes looking at the hinge,gasket, and firebox on my old grill and came away thinking comparing it to my new KK is like a Model T to an F-1 car, no comparison, they both will get you where you want but the experience will be totally different.
Anyway, pleasure to meet all of you.
Chris

raifdaddy  (KK forum)

Greetings All, I took delivery of my new Dark Autumn Nebula the first week of April and absolutely love it. Everything arrived as advertised. I had no problems getting her (the wife has named her Gennie) out of the crate and into her natural habitat using the techniques I read about on this forum. We seared a nice 2" cowboy ribeye the night it arrived and both agreed it was the best steak we've ever enjoyed. I say that being a devout carnivore having frequented such establishments as Lawry's Chicago, Mortons, Ruth's Chris, Gallaghers Manhattan, The Palm Boston and so on. Since that inaugural cook we've enjoyed ribs, pork butts, wings, pizza and burgers all the most flavorful and perfectly cooked specimens we've ever ingested. I've been smoking whole pigs for over a decade over hardwood charcoal and hickory chunks making traditional Eastern North Carolina 'Cue and though the principals are the same the Komodo simply takes all the guessing and monitoring out of low and slow...leaving more time making and drinking Carolina Juleps.
Thanks to Dennis and his team for providing such an excellent and thoroughly well thought out product and even better service.

Paswesley  (KK forum)

I gave my testimonials a year ago, but I have to brag about your product this once more. The level of build quality and engineering for performance in these OTBs is simply amazing. I have not invested in a Guru or Stoker, just a basic temp probe and remote- a Redi-Chek. Today, I had to do two things: cook a 10 lb. boneless pork loin roast, and attend a business meeting. Now, those two things are mutually exclusive without a Stoker or Guru- especially since the meeting was in Gaithersburg, MD, 45 miles away. Yet, I was determined to do both things successfully. I would not even consider doing what I decided to do with any cooker, unaided by Guru or Stoker technology, other than Dennis' product. I built the heat sink slowly (over an hour) and stabilized her at 212 degrees. I put in the roast at 43 degrees internal, at 4:00 pm and trusted Dennis and Mable for the rest. I left for my meeting at 5:20 pm and returned from Gaithersburg at 11:28 pm. I immediately went to the patio to check on Mable. My confidence was shown to have been justified. After operating unattended for 7.5 hours, the TruTemp pointed like a rock at 212 degrees! It had not moved a hair up or down. Ambient temp was 102 F when I left for the meeting and 80 F when I returned. Internal temp of the roast was 156 degrees. This means the ambient temperature had no effect on Mable's internal temp. Superlatives fail me. Dennis, my hat is again off to you for the truly incredible quality and performance that you engineer into these cookers. I sincerely thank you.

iceberg  (KK forum)

My KK Grill arrived yesterday and words can't possibly convey my admiration for this fine piece of art. It arrived in perfect condition and I followed the owner guideline instructions for crate removal and the physical transportation to it's final resting place on my patio. It was just my wife and I but we had little difficulty moving the grill after I removed the top lid. Once fully re-assembled on my patio, my wife said I spent the next 2 hours in my patio chair sipping beer in a trance while gazing at this beautiful sculpture. Probably a true representation but internet pictures do not do this grill justice and one can be easily overwhelmed with awe when finally confronted by the presence of this inspiring wonder! Clearly, I'm not worthy! You have done a magnificent job creating the perfect cooking appliance and I'm truly humbled to have it in my possession! I'm very much impressed, not only by the craftsmanship and engineering involved to build this grill, but also by the high quality of components and accessories attached. This grill will last a lifetime plus bring many hours of fun and exceptional food. It doesn't get any better than that. Thank you again for all of your support!! Through your continuing pursuit of excellence, I remain a very happy, happy man!
Thank you.....
Randy

mguerra  (KK forum)

The Big Green Egg. I wonder how many people discovered the ceramic world from that critter. One day a year ago I was at Barbeques Galore in San Antonio looking at a Weber grill that had a propane charcoal starter, just curious. Out of the corner of my eye I spy this big green thing propped up in a giant table. They had a whole section of the store devoted to a little vignette to showcase it. Like those "rooms" they have in a furniture store. "What the hell is this!?" I wondered. The guy explained it a bit and swore it made the best tasting food you could imagine. I took a look at the price and thought "You crazy!" Hmm... that price. After shelling out 4 G's for the KK and side tables, it seems like a bargain. Sheesh. Anyhow I went home and looked it up on the internet, read some BGE forums. And the Grill Dome forums . And the Primo forums. And the Naked Whiz's site. Searched a little more and stumbled on the Kamados by RJ. I was sure that was the one for me, and was ready to write a check, til I dug a little deeper. Somehow I stumbled on this site around last July. It was immediately obvious I had found "THE" kamado. So from last April until this March I read every conceivable thing their was on the internet about ceramics. The only thing standing between me and my first low and slow was... my wife. She near about blew a gasket thinking I was going to spend a grand on a "grill". That was the RJ product. When I found out about KK, and saw the price, I figured this ain't happening. So, I just always left the computer on a KK forum page every time I left it. For the last nine months. I figured she would both notice my keen interest, and read some of the posts before she flipped to another website. It kind of half assed worked. In March I surreptitiously ordered the Bronze Behemoth, and in less than 12 hours my wife found the hidden file where I stashed the pay pal receipt.  I got a brief ass chewing followed by a shrug and a "Whatever." Day one I was bound and determined to knock her over with a mouth watering L&S pulled pork spectacle and damn if I didn't pull it off! She's a convert, haven't had the thing two weeks and she's already bragging to everyone what a freakin BBQ hero me and the KK are. And it all started from a peripheral glance at a Big Green Egg.

orthoman  (KK forum)

I just got my beautiful terra blue KK yesterday, and it is currently in my garage while my backyard kitchen is being built! I must say, I have spent a few hours in my garage just looking at this thing, and I have to say, I am just astounded. Every detail, from the tile work, the grout work, the welding, the metalwork, the CNC lathed lip, you name it, this thing is without a doubt, one marvel of human engineering. Being a person with OCD myself, it is just always a kick to encounter a product like this that is so obviously the product of an obsessed mind, it just makes me grin at how over-the-top this thing really is! As an example, I have a huge stainless steel tool box in my garage with a built in refrigerator! I am sure Dennis spent sleepless nights thinking about every aspect of this grill, obsessing about more crazy features he could add to it! The walls of this cooker are at least 2 inches thick! The lip fits like a glove when you close it. The tile work is immaculate. Just for fun, I went back to the BBQ store today, and looked again at the BGE. It's like comparing a low-end Toyota to a hand-made super car. The grates that came with this grill are solid steel- the main grill must weigh 30 pounds! The trap door that comes with the KK main and lower grill and allows you to put in charcoal from the top? Nothing like that on a BGE - their main grill is this cheap powder coated thing that will probably rust within a few years. The charcoal basket that comes with the KK? Nothing like it on the BGE. Once you've put charcoal in the BGE, you are done my friend, for better or worse. And good luck separating the charcoal from the dust if you have any unspent fuel left after a cook - hope you enjoy picking out pieces of nasty charcoal by hand, because that would be the only way. With a KK, all you gotta do is lift out the charcoal basket, and then clean out the ash from the bottom. With the BGE, the bottom draft door is this cheap, flimsy thin piece of aluminum that has been fit in there with some silicone - not the CNC lathed door that fits like a glove on the KK. I don't mean to bash the BGE, I am sure it does its job well. But I was trying to justify the expense diff between the two, and it's just so obvious where the money went. Every aspect of the KK has been thought about and rethought and tooled and retooled. Again, just really impressive. I swear this is built like a friggin' brick Kremlin. I lurked on this board for about a month before I bought one, and until you get one in your hands, until you can touch it and work the lid and (hug it?! - haha) there is just no way you can appreciate the build quality fully. I don't know about you guys, If a tornado every comes over my house, I know where I am spending the night! Right now, this is stuck in my garage, until next week and the workers can help me get it back there. Dennis and everyone at KK, thanks a lot. I know I am going to enjoy it.

mrnitpicky  (KK forum)

I purchased one of Dennis's (very early, now discontinued) original textured units. After about a year, over a couple month period, I noticed that around the back of the cooker cracks were forming. These eventually deepened to form large cracks, and I couldn't get my cooker to seal any longer. I sent pictures to Dennis. His immediate response was "My bad, I'll take care of you". I made up the difference between what I had paid and a brand new latest gen cooker, and within two weeks, my brand new cooker was chugging along at 250F!  The difference between Dennis's definition of "Lifetime Guarantee" and "he whose name shall not be spoken" is immense! My mexi-K fell apart, and his response was "I'll send you some patching material". I won't even go into the wait time for a new cooker over there.

maherussell  (KK forum)

I Googled BBQ grills and came across the BGE. I never saw one as there are none where I am located. So my experience was reading and searching. I was told I could probably have one sent from South Africa. But prices are really inflated there and I figured I would settle for the trusty old kettle grill. However, I Googled Kamado as the BGE site referenced it was based on the old Japanese cooker. I happened across KK. After seeing the price of the other, I remembered thinking, 'only a lottery would have me purchase that!' As far as the KK, I thought 'these are bizarre prices!' Long story short, I thought about how long it would last and “mainly” nothing but positive posts about it. My soon to be wife (Thursday) even agreed and now I have a’ BIG BABY'. We are ultra proud. Thanks Dennis!!

bobvoeh  (KK forum)

Where do I start? Well, I've been cooking on a gasser for almost 20 years and finally gave in to my friends. They are a couple of BGE owners and have been telling me how well ceramics cook. I started shopping around looking at eggs, Primos, etc... I finally found the other manufacturer and started reading up on Kamado cookers. Luckily I found another site detailing why I should not use that other manufacturer. I had already browsed Dennis' site while doing my reading, but now I was determined to find out more. I joined this forum and I started to notice a repeated sense of respect towards both Dennis and the Komodos he builds. I had recently received a nice bonus at work so my better half gave me the ok to replace the old gasser. I decided to take the plunge and started communicating with Dennis about a Black 23” Ultimate. He was very responsive in replying to my emails and we have even spoken on the phone. In my line of work, I have to frequently call for customer service on computer and networking products. Let me tell you, I can't get that kind of attention from a Customer Service Dept let alone the owner of a company. Dennis happened to have the exact Komodo I was looking for about 90% completed in Surabaya and said it would be ready to ship in about a week. It would take 30 days on the water and then finally about a week on land to get to Florida. He was about 1 day off in his estimate and that was due to the trucking company, not him. They did not have a delivery in my area that next day so they held it one more day, no biggie. Now the good stuff. I use my Komodokamado no less than 2 times per week, more often 3 or 4 times per week. My kids, I love them to death, are the pickiest eaters in the world. They usually give that spoiled grimace when you tell them whats for dinner, except now when I tell them its something off of the Komodo I get screams (these screams were usually reserved to pizza). My wife was the biggest pessimist about this purchase. I think her response was "You paid $4000 to a guy in Indonesia? So where is your grill?". I think I got that about twice a week. Poor Dennis, I kept having to ask him about the delivery once it was in Los Angeles to find out if it had cleared customs, but the man answered me every time. Dennis is a class act. If anyone has any reservations about sending that kind of cash to someone overseas without even seeing the physical product, I can fully understand it. However, you can rest assured that you will be taken care of. You will get a product that is as beautiful as it is functional. I have to keep reminding myself that it is not a grill as it does so much more. I have not turned on the oven in my house since I received the Komodo. I was really taken aback when my better half came up to me last week and said that we should make some pulled pork on my new grill and take it to her brothers house for the 4th of July. That was what I term, "Final Acceptance". It is now part of the family.

hOTSAUCE  (KK forum)

I've had my KK many years now, it's an early round classic, a slightly older model but an excellent grill just the same. I thought it was time that I posted my experience. You will not find a better company or a more honest man to do business with than Dennis and Komodo Kamado. Dennis answered all my questions before and after the sale, patiently, promptly and honestly; and I had many questions I communicated with Dennis for months before committing. My KK arrived in fine shape, the only minor problem was a cracked HD, Dennis sent me a new one no questions asked. I wanted an upper grill (this package did not include it), because of a few building/ shipping delays Dennis sent me one gratis! I even got a couple personal phone calls from the man himself and he's a busy fellow. Customer satisfaction is A1. The KK performs fantastic, it is everything that is said about it on this forum and more. I have done quite a few cooks now, I've done pork butts, ribs, briskets, shoulder roll, chicken, wings and more; it all turned out pretty darn good, mostly because of the KK ability to cook low and slow with smoke in an airtight environment thus retaining moisture, it's hard to go wrong. Of course some good fresh home made rubs help. I did purchase a BBQ GURU and I love it, it takes away the worry of fluctuations during a long cook, like Ron Popeil would say " just set it and forget it". I have to say however that the KK performs fine without the GURU, you can learn to adjust the lower and upper air flow controls and maintain and even temperature; I happen to like gadgets and I certainly like this one. The KK is beautiful and so far has held up flawlessly. I had the gasket lift a bit but a good high temp adhesive fixed that. I have had no cracking or tiles falling off or any sort off manufacturing problem with it. I highly recommend the KK, they are a bit pricey but the best usually is. Buying a KK at these prices over the internet, sight unseen from a far away land takes a leap of faith; but I am glad I did. Rest assured that Dennis will stand behind his product, customer satisfaction is of utmost importance to this company. I can sum it all up by saying I am a very happy camper and thank you Dennis for making it available.

 Zorro  (KK forum)

We too are happy campers! We have a multi $000's Viking gasser that has melted its gas igniter 2 times at our Wichita home and a Lynx gasser at our Breckenridge, CO vacation home that we have never used because it sits in the shadow of our KK 23” Ultimate. (The gasser is for emergencies only.) We have just ordered another 23” for Wichita--BRING IT ON!! We have never experienced the kind of attention to detail and product improvement recommendations from users actually executed like Dennis Linkletter! We have all the resources to get the best of good stuff and we suppose there is a price where we would say that this is no longer a good value. The Komodo Kamado is absolutely the best value (and product) out there if you like to grill/bar-b-q/smoke. Please Dennis--deliver our Gen2 Ultimate soon. We're hungry (and I'm wasting away and practically a Zombie anyway compared to what I read in the press about Americans) Don't waste your time or money buying anything other than a Komodo Kamado--period!

photoaugusto  (KK forum)

I have had my new KK for the past couple of months and it is an amazing cooking tool. I have been able to maintain temperatures as low as 250 F to searing 800 F with great precision and very little effort. I want also to offer some perspective on Dennis' now well established customer service commitment. The delivery of the KK got as complicated as it could be. The first one was dropped and broken by the trucking company. To compensate, they then delivered two new ones. Finally they managed to retrieve the extra one and we were done. Dennis was there and helping every step of the way and he did not once argue or complain about the total aggravation and cost this entailed . Great service, and thank you!

marco polo  (KK forum)

Wow, what a long strange trip it's been. It all started innocently, at a company pot luck. A colleague brought in a pork butt, and it was so good that I inquired as to the preparation. He's a green egger, and was eager to share the virtues of a smoker. I was sold, sorta.... I got to admit I have a bit of an eye for pretty things, and that green egg on my deck did not fit the bill. A few searches on the internet brought me to Dennis' web site. I was smitten... Best part is, the beauty is not only skin deep, but the geek in me had plenty to be happy about in the technical obsession going on in the KK. State of the art everything, ISO 9001 certified, ceramic vs. refractory, accessory nirvana. Oh boy. Well, the real test came in the presentation to the little lady, showed her the pics, and all she said is "When are you gonna get it?" The rest is a tale of the best customer service, prompt delivery, perfect workmanship, and among the best of things, this forum. Ain't a better bunch of folks then you can find here on this forum... I have had an opportunity to bring a pork butt in to work a few weeks ago, and that same gentleman that introduced me the idea of getting a smoker, was walking around gnawing on the bone, and says to me, "I have never had anything as juicy as the pork you brought in today." The food that comes off that thing makes even a novice look like a pro. The temp stability is truly remarkable.... I am as happy a customer as you can be, and would highly recommend this fine piece of workmanship to anyone remotely interested in a smoker/BBQ.  Doing the math, all the accessories that this thing comes with, it's a steal. Smoke on brothers and sisters, life is too short... 

pater  (KK forum)

I had been searching for a special cooker for some time. I had been looking for something like the BGE. When I stumbled across the KK, I was immediately drawn to its "faberge" like beauty. Then as I looked through the design process and the rationale that accompanies this work of art, I was ready. I did have some reservations about making a purchase from halfway around the world. I joined the forum to read up on past experiences and then at the advice of another member, sent a pm to Dennis. He contacted me the next day and began explaining some of the issues I had asked about. I was set. I purchased an Supreme OTB in blue. I live in a very rural area, and freight liners do not have ready access to lift gate trucks. This caused a slight delay of a week or so--it was just sitting 45 miles away--but finally they allocated a lift gate truck to bring me the cooker. Once it arrived I was crestfallen! It had been damaged in shipping. The cooker had become loose and the nose piece had been chipped off. I had already felt I had splurged with this purchase...and with my own "ocd" issues did not know how in the world I could live with this damaged good. I emailed Dennis about my disappointment. One thing he made clear in his response...he would make me a happy camper. And that he has truly done. I received a new cooker within a couple of weeks (again due to the freight liner and my rural locale) and it arrived pristine. Dennis even called me to check on the new one, and to setup the pickup of the damaged one. I could not be happier with this purchase. If you are considering the KK and have the same concerns I did, let me assure you of the reliability of Dennis. He did make me a happy camper...and the cooker...well in one simple example...pizza has never tasted so great. The bread alone is worth firing it up and chowing down. Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. Dennis and KK will take care of you. It is a company that is beyond belief when it comes to customer satisfaction!

trudeto  (KK forum)

Several months ago I stumbled upon Dennis’s website as I was researching a new BBQ. I had been using a 25 year old aluminum charcoal BBQ, a gas grill and a little water smoker and it was time to upgrade. I am glad I found the KK. I took delivery of my 23" Gen II Ultimate  on Dec 28th, about 3 weeks after I ordered it. From the moment the truck arrived, I knew I made the right choice. Even the crate is impressive and thoughtfully designed. How many crates have you received that come with their own crowbar!!! When you invest in a ‘grill’ like this, you have pretty high expectations, and I can tell you that it has met every one of my expectations, and then some. The craftsmanship and attention to detail are evident everywhere, from the fit and function of the doors, vents and grills, to the aesthetics of the design and color. It looks great, and it works great. No shortcuts have been taken. This thing works as advertised. The dome opens and closes with one hand, and aligns perfectly. The precision vents allowed me to adjust temperatures within 5-10 degrees the first time I lit it. The grills each fit precisely into the main body of the grill, and have details built in that make them even more functional, such as the hinged main grill and open portion of the lower grill that allow addition of more charcoal or smoke wood during use without having to remove the grills. The KK forum, and the folks who contribute, are an added bonus. If you’ve got questions, they have answers!! And Dennis has been incredible in getting me off to a great start. His customer service is the best I have ever seen. I am a VERY happy camper. If you have any reservations about getting a KK, do it.

JohnFromChicago  (KK forum)

A few years ago I was at a friend's for dinner and had my first exposure to a ceramic cooker - he is a BGE owner and loves it. I knew then that my next grill purchase would probably be a BGE. For years my wife and I have been using a Weber and had switched exclusively to lump fuel. We never really had an overwhelming need to replace it, but a combination of an urge to upgrade and some extra cash set me on the road to finally get the BGE.

As with most large purchases, I started with research on the web and quickly found that the BGE wasn't the only game in town. As all of you already know, once you start to weigh the pros and cons of the available cookers and compare the KK's specs it becomes an easy decision. This forum in particular gave me enough confidence that my money would be safe, my order would be filled, and any support issues would be resolved.

After exchanging an email or two with Dennis regarding availability we placed an order for one of the 23” grills that was still available in transit. Dennis provided payment instructions, a wire was sent, and a fax appeared with delivery instructions a few weeks later right on schedule via UPS freight.

Delivery was on schedule, quick and easy. The UPS delivery guy was really intrigued - they had a bet going in the shipping department that it was a vase of some sort. The neighbors were eager to help me get it uncrated and moved into position - everyone was curious. Not a scratch on it after the long journey - just some dust.

So far we've tried burgers, pork tenderloin, steaks, chicken, and a few pizzas. Everything we've tried has been great - especially the pizzas.

If you are on the fence about making your purchase maybe this post (and the others like it in this forum) can help ease your fears. The product, delivery process, and customer service are as advertised - best available! I'd be happy to show our KK to anyone in the area and help promote the product in any way I can. It is one of those rare products that creates evangelists! This forum is full of valuable pre- and post-sales info and I think that it's the best testament there is to the quality of the product and service.
Go Bears!

cruz-in  (KK forum)

Hi All, I have been researching the purchase of my KK for a while now and the customer support Dennis has provided me through this has been amazing. He has answered my bazillions of emails promptly, courteously and informatively. Heck he has even gotten to somewhat know me and made some suggestions with respect to my purchase of a KK (and my needs and likes) that were right on the mark. Just too cool! Oh yeah and one more amazing thing...this is the guy who owns/manages the company. Despite that he has made me feel like me getting me just the right KK was his top priority...in fact I am certain it is! I know I am not telling any of you veteran KK owners anything new...but if you are new to the forum and considering a KK...email Dennis and experience some KK Customer Support first hand!... try it you'll like it! Dan

stevemurphy4  (KK forum)

My KK arrived six months ago. Uncrated it and then realized that this puppy weighed in at 550 lbs and it was going to need more than 2 good people to get it off the pallet. Finally help arrived on 1/2 and did my first cook on it.. I decided to chicken so that I can control the temp and also so it cooks fairly quickly to help my KK break in. As Dennis has mentioned before, he does kiln dry the KK to extract moisture as I understand it but there is always a certain amount of moisture that remains that must be "vacated" by cooking on it. Must admit there is definitely a different learning curve on the Komodo. I have cooked and owned the fire clay primo, the fire clay BGE, the ceramic BGE, and the Kamado (RJ) and this guy is different. Let me explain>>> The ceramic BGE I still own one and I do like it. It heats up very quickly, the "body" of the cooker radiates a fair amount of heat so you can "feel" it heating up. It maintains the temp fairly well and I find that it cooks rather quickly in that it deserves a fair amount of attention while it is cooking. Good for cooking hot dogs, hamburgers, and I have done some slow cooking on it but not enough to compare it to the (RJ) Kamado. The (RJ) kamado is is one of the reasons why we own or wish to own a Komodo. I know Richard and I believe that his ideas in regard to "ceramic" cooking were truly revolutionary in his time for the Kamado. His inspirations led us to a radically re-designed "kamado" from Japan. I have used the kamado since 1998 ( I was a regional dealer at the time) and have been enthusiastically pleased with the results that it produces. The kamado when fired up needs time to heat the body of the cooker up to maintain temps; I have found that it is easy to over-correct for temps. once they have achieved the temp that you want it is difficult to lower the temp because of the body retaining heat. But that is one of the pluses of the Kamado over the BGE... more mass. Unfortunately there are inherent problems with the kamado that have not been corrected and there does not seem to be any resolution in the near future. These problems are well known and there is no need to go into them at this time. Fire Clay cookers BGE, Primo. I have bought them also years ago and basically they are not worth any way near the money they were purchased for years ago. Soft clay, cannot handle the temps we "americanos" use in cooking our foods. We want to be able to slow cook and yet "sear" tenderloins all on the same cooker and that is not possible on a "fire clay" cooker. I had fun with them and then they were trashed. The Komodo Kamado……yes! What an animal! Right from the moment it came out the crate it was a beast!!! ( I am quoting my 18 year old step-son). The detail compared to ALL the other "ceramic" cookers is mind boggling! I finally got to use it tonight and I must admit it was definitely a learning experience! I fired up the lump charcoal and it was a red, glowing blaze in 10 minutes using an electric charcoal starter ( one from BGE as it is the only one that has an element that is at an angle) Tried to achieve the "usual" body temp that I generally get on the BGE as the internal temp starts to rise but I am not able to feel it. Whats going on???] Got my thermometer in ( borrowed it from the kamado; waiting for mine to arrive from Atlanta) and the temps are slowly rising. Look inside and there is a raging fire coming from the fire box below the ceramic plate. Open the top damper. OK, things are looking good. Open the lower damper a little more. temps rising...325....350.......375..... ok stop. Close lower damper. Top damper open a good bit. Temps maintaining at 350... cook for 20 minutes at 350.....done!!! The Komodo has an incredible ability to maintain temps. It is definitely different from any other ceramic cooker that I have cooked on. There is literally no heat transfer to the outer shell when cooking. The BGE and the Kamado you could put your hands on the outside and it would be hot to the touch; the Komodo was cool the entire time ( maybe on a long overnight slow cook it would heat up but on the first cook it was not) The ability to maintain a specific temps on the Komodo was truly impressive. This is something that I have not been able to truly achieve on any of the other cookers that I have owned. Thanks Dennis!
Steve

slu  (KK forum)

My KK was delivered to my California Central Coast location near Monterey, one week after placing the order. My enthusiasm at its arrival was only tempered by a bad case of flu! After waiting a couple of days, friends, one of whom is an owner of the "other" Kamado, and I uncrated the merchandise. We were all blown away by the quality of the unit. I can't recall a single purchase in the last 30 years in which there is such craftsmanship. It is incredibly engineered with an eye for detail. The artisans that built this in Indonesia must be very proud! I want to thank Dennis for his professionalism, probity, and responsiveness.

 LarryR  (KK forum)

I've had my KK for about a month now and I've got to tell you it's more than lived up to the "hype." Until you get in front of one and see the quality of these cookers you really don't appreciate how great this cooker is. The quality, materials and attention to detail that goes into making one of these is amazing.
Dennis couldn't have been more helpful in answering my MANY questions and was extremely patient as I made my decision. Even called the evening I received her just to make sure I was happy. Talk about customer service.
I've done a lot of grilling and smoking and I can honestly say the Komodo Kamado is the best piece of equipment I've ever cooked on. Just when I thought I'd had some personal bests off the grill/smoker along comes the Komodo Kamado.
If you're reading these posts trying to make-up your mind on moving forward with a purchase my advice is DO IT, you'll never look back.

 Porkchop  (KK forum)

Dennis, I just continue to be amazed by the beautiful cookers you turn out. I can tell you are really expressing yourself with your art, and that you really take your mission to create the very best to heart. A truth that continues to hold true, "you will know them by their fruit," certainly applies. There are those that claim to offer the very best, and those that just get down to business and do it. I have my textured black, and I love it. it suits me but now, you've got glass tiles, variegated tiles, pebbles, maybe even metal-jacketed tiles. And a "super-sized" version in the works? Beautiful teak side-tables that are elegant and useful. You just keep setting the bar higher and higher for yourself, leaving your competition in the dust looking slack-jawed and silly. Sorry for the fan-boy-ism, but it needed saying. You've got the heart that the wannabees wish they had!

tucker  (KK forum)

Who am I kidding, every time is a charm with Dennis and these KKookers. I could not resist and have a third on the way. My wife and I not only cooking with these, but also the satisfaction we get from providing our family and friends with (in our opinion) the best tasting treats we can produce. BBQ, Grill, Bake, you name it we can do it on these KKookers. Dennis runs a first class operation with no equals in customer service and products. in my opinion, no others compare or compete.
New one.. Well, again the quality surpasses the last kooker we brought home. I am impressed by the changes I see in this model. New main gasket, new grout material, new main knob/vent construction, added expansion joints. When Dennis comes out with the 48" model I am sure I'll be first in line to take one and use it to anchor my outdoor kitchen.
Thank You Dennis.

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