Comparing the Big Green Egg and Monolith Kamado Grills: A Detailed Analysis

When it comes to high-end charcoal grills, two names that often stand out are the Big Green Egg and the Monolith Kamado. Both are leading brands in the kamado-style grill category, known for their versatility, heat retention, and ability to smoke, bake, grill, and even roast with remarkable efficiency. But how do these two giants compare? Let's explore their features, performance, and differences to help you decide which one might be best suited for your outdoor cooking needs.

1. Design and Build Quality

Both the Big Green Egg and Monolith Kamado follow the traditional kamado design, which originated in Japan centuries ago. This style of grill is made with thick, heat-retaining ceramic walls that create excellent insulation for consistent temperatures.

Big Green Egg: The Big Green Egg has a timeless design with its distinct green color and egg shape. It's made from high-quality ceramic that can withstand extreme heat and cold, ensuring longevity and efficient heat retention. The build quality is excellent, with precise craftsmanship. The hinge system, gaskets, and air vent are all robust, providing smooth operation.

Monolith Kamado: The Monolith Kamado is equally well-crafted and features heavy-duty ceramics like the Big Green Egg. However, one distinguishing feature is the inclusion of stainless steel bands and components, which offer a more modern and premium look. The Monolith Kamado is also equipped with a side-mounted wood chip feeder, which allows you to add wood chips without opening the grill and losing heat — a significant advantage for smoking.

Winner: Monolith Kamado edges out with its additional premium features and stainless steel construction.

2. Size and Versatility

Both brands offer a range of sizes to cater to different needs, from small portable versions to large family grills.

Big Green Egg: The Big Green Egg comes in several sizes, ranging from Mini to Extra Large. It is incredibly versatile, with a wide range of accessories available, including pizza stones, griddles, and rotisserie kits. The grill can handle everything from searing steaks to baking pizzas and slow-smoking brisket. Its modular nest system also allows users to customize the grill with side tables and shelves.

Monolith Kamado: The Monolith Kamado is also available in various sizes, including the Junior, Classic, and Le Chef models. It excels in versatility, too, but what sets it apart is the wood chip feeding system, allowing you to add smoking wood while the grill is in operation without opening the dome. It also comes with a stainless steel smoking deflector and multiple cooking levels out of the box, which makes it more smoker-friendly.

Winner: Monolith Kamado slightly outshines the Big Green Egg in terms of versatility due to the integrated wood chip feeder and multi-level cooking system.

3. Temperature Control and Efficiency

A key advantage of kamado grills is their superior heat retention and control over temperature. Both brands deliver on this, but there are some nuances.

Big Green Egg: The Big Green Egg is renowned for its precise temperature control, thanks to its thick ceramic walls, vent system, and dome shape. You can easily maintain temperatures ranging from low-and-slow at 200°F to searing hot at over 700°F. The dual-vent system (top vent and bottom draft door) allows for precise airflow adjustments, ensuring stable temperatures.

Monolith Kamado: The Monolith Kamado also offers excellent temperature control, with the ability to achieve a wide range of temperatures. Like the Big Green Egg, it uses dual vents for fine-tuning the airflow, but some users report that the Monolith Kamado’s top vent has a more user-friendly design. Additionally, Monolith’s advanced accessories (like the aforementioned wood chip feeder) make it easier to maintain low smoking temperatures without needing to open the grill.

Winner: Tie, although the Monolith’s top vent design and ease of adding smoke make it a strong contender for serious BBQ enthusiasts.

4. Accessories and Customization

Kamado-style grills are often purchased with accessories that expand their functionality, and this is where both brands excel.

Big Green Egg: The Big Green Egg has an enormous range of proprietary accessories, referred to as "Eggcessories." From convEGGtors (heat deflectors) and baking stones to the EGGspander system that allows for multi-level cooking, the Egg is highly customizable. The downside is that these accessories can be expensive, and some are essential to unlocking the grill's full potential.

Monolith Kamado: Monolith also offers a wide range of accessories, but many features that are add-ons for the Big Green Egg come standard with the Monolith. The wood chip feeder, for instance, is built-in, and multiple cooking levels are included with the grill. This makes Monolith more versatile out of the box, without needing to purchase as many add-ons.

Winner: Monolith Kamado wins in terms of value for accessories that come as standard, but the Big Green Egg has more customization options for those willing to invest.

5. Pricing and Value for Money

Big Green Egg: The Big Green Egg is typically more expensive than its competitors, with prices often reflecting the brand’s reputation and market dominance. The accessories, which are essential for certain functions, also add to the overall cost, making it a premium product.

Monolith Kamado: The Monolith Kamado is priced competitively, especially considering the number of accessories that come included with the grill. While still in the premium range, it offers better value for money in terms of what you get out of the box.

Winner: Monolith Kamado, for offering more features and accessories at a lower overall price.

6. Community and Support

Big Green Egg: One of the key strengths of the Big Green Egg is its passionate community of users, known as "Eggheads." There are numerous online forums, recipe collections, and dealer support networks for advice and tips. The company also has an excellent warranty and customer support service.

Monolith Kamado: Monolith, though newer to the scene, is rapidly gaining a following in Europe and beyond. It offers great support, and while its community isn't as large as Big Green Egg’s, it is growing fast. The warranty and customer support are also strong, though less established in some markets.

Winner: Big Green Egg, thanks to its larger and more established community and dealer network.

Conclusion

Both the Big Green Egg and the Monolith Kamado are exceptional kamado grills, and the choice between them largely depends on your specific needs and budget.

Choose the Big Green Egg if you want a grill with a large, well-established community, robust customer support, and a highly customizable setup, though you’ll need to invest in accessories.

Opt for the Monolith Kamado if you’re looking for a more feature-rich grill out of the box, with advanced smoking features, multi-level cooking, and better overall value for money.

In summary, the Monolith Kamado offers a more complete package for serious BBQ enthusiasts, especially those looking to smoke, whereas the Big Green Egg remains an excellent choice for those who want flexibility in customization and the backing of a well-established community.