When you’re a BBQ fan, it feels like you’re just going through the paces until the next time you can fire up the grill.
And this being the UK, one can never rely on forecasts to know when the sun will get its act together.
So when blue skies beckon and the heat rises, having a great grill to get the feasting started is a must. The problem is it’s a pretty crowded marketplace out there with all sorts of BBQ grills and smokers jostling for attention.
There are standard charcoal kettle BBQs, dual-fuel outdoor grills, outdoor kitchens, gas-powered machines and more. There are even smart BBQs that allow you to monitor and control the temperature remotely through an app, so you’re not tied to the grill when you’ve got guests to catch up with.
In amongst the fray, there’s a lot of noise over ceramic BBQs at the moment.
What are the benefits of a ceramic BBQ?
Also known as kamado (stove) grills, these egg-shaped BBQs are made with a dimpled ceramic shell and allow you to cook food together or separately. They can do standard charring and slow cook at a lower temperature to leave cuts juicy and packed full of flavour retaining heat for over 12 hours in some cases.
The efficient machines, built on ancient Japanese cooking practices, also use little charcoal thanks to the ceramic’s heat retention so they’re better for the planet and your wallet too.
What to cook in a ceramic BBQ
As well as the usual burgers, bangers and wings you can use your ceramic BBQ to make delicate fish dishes such as lobster and skewered prawns. With the right accessories, you can even churn out fresh pizza, adding even more options to your al fresco menu. Fancy smoking your own fish or meats, or doing a spot of baking? A ceramic BBQ can assist there too.
Best ceramic BBQs at a glance
- Best for overall: Tower Kamado XL Ceramic BBQ - £799.99, Tower
- Best for ultimate BBQ fans: Big Green Egg Large BBQ - £1880, John Lewis
- Best for culinary pizzazz: KAMADO JOE Classic Joe I ceramic grill starter set - £1115, Selfridges
- Best for celeb credentials: Big Green Egg BBQ - £2566, John Lewis
- Best for chic charring: Kamado BBQ - £699, Harbour Lifestyle
- Best for Kamodo style on a budget: vidaXL Ceramic Kamado Barbecue - £280.99, Amazon
- Best for no-frills: Symple Stuff 33cm Ceramic Kamado Barbecue - £384.99, Wayfair
- Best for small gardens: Habitat Mini Tabletop Kamado BBQ - £120, Argos
Ceramic BBQs aren’t the cheapest option around but if you host regularly and love barbecuing, it may be worth the investment.
Plus with the right care and storage, they should see you through a good few years of entertaining, making the cost-per-use much more palatable.
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Tower Kamado XL Ceramic BBQ
Best for: overall
- Cooking space: up to 46.7cm
- Fuel type: charcoal
- Weight: 77kg
When discussing kamado BBQ brands, Tower isn’t one that generally comes up. The Tower Kamado XL is an absolute game-changer, however. The BBQ has the versatility and quality of more popular brands, but offers excellent value when compared to its direct competitors, at under £1,000 for the egg-shaped grill, stainless steel stand and wooden side shelves.
With an 18.4-inch grilling surface, the barbecue is large enough to cater for around 6-9 people, with a decent airflow vent, fully opening on top of the grill for increased airflow that’s crucial for reaching temperatures high enough to make pizza or for heavy searing. Soft touch handles and a lid dampener are nice details, while the 360-degree wheels make it easy to move around regardless of its weight.
The BBQ comes with a sturdy weatherproof cover, and while a heat deflector would be appreciated, they’re fairly easy to source without adding too much to the total cost.
Buy now £799.99, Tower
Big Green Egg Large BBQ & Acacia Wood Shelves Nest Bundle with ConvEGGtor
Best for: Ultimate BBQ fans
- Cooking space: up to 46cm
- Fuel type: charcoal
- Weight: 73kg
We're not saying it's the easiest thing to gift-wrap, but any BBQ fan worth his curing salt will be overjoyed with a Big Green Egg as a present.
As spotted in Alain Ducasse's gleaming Dorchester kitchen, the brand has a collection of charcoal BBQs to suit all homes, from table-top designs to garden showstoppers. There's enough cooking space to make up to 10 portions and with two folding shelves set on either side, there's enough space to lay out plates, condiments and sides too. The ceramic insert allows this BBQ to do so much more than grilling: you can roast, slow-cook, smoke, bake and more.
If you've got the deep pockets and space, this Big Green Egg is the perfect investment in summer BBQs to come.
Buy now £1880.00, John Lewis
KAMADO JOE Classic Joe I ceramic grill starter set
Best for: culinary pizzazz
- Cooking space: 46cm
- Fuel type: charcoal
- Weight: 85.28kg
The other big daddy in the ceramic BBQ world is Kamado Joe. For newbies, the brand offers this starter set which comes with a fire engine truck-red grill and a bevvy of accessories including a 9kg bag of XL coal to get things going.
The machine is a multi-featured unit with the ability to grill, roast, bake and smoke, making it work hard for its place in your garden.
Buy now £1115.00, Selfridges
Big Green Egg BBQ & Acacia Wood Shelves Nest Bundle with ConvEGGtor & Cover
Best for: celeb credentials
- Cooking space: up to 120cm
- Fuel type: charcoal
- Weight: 93kg
Plump for the Big Green Egg XL and aside from being over £2k lighter, you’ll join an elite owners club featuring celebrity chefs Jamie Oliver and Tom Kerridge as well as Goldenballs himself, David Beckham.
Clad from NASA-grade ceramics, that Armageddon-proof – okay, weatherproof – body, with its fabulous racing green livery and hammered exterior takes the capital’s climate in its stride, backed by a lifetime warranty.
BGE was at the vanguard of the craze for Kamados - more outdoor ovens than traditional BBQs - and the Eggs are fantastic fun to use, guaranteed to enthuse even the most reluctant outdoor chef. This one will roast, slow cook, smoke and bake as well as grill, promising restaurant-quality food in your back garden that’ll be the talk of the neighbourhood. Moreover, XL users can effectively double their 61cm diameter cooking space by investing in an EGGspander, allowing you to cook directly and indirectly simultaneously – great for Sunday roasts.
If you’re looking for a practical, stylish way to grill 24 burgers, 12 juicy steaks or 11 vertical chickens at a pop, and aren’t put off by the price tag and size, the XL weighing in at 93kg and measuring 82cm high x 82cm wide, including handles, then this one’s for you.
Just remember to ‘burp’ it, fractionally opening and closing the lid a few times before fully opening, to avoid any high-temperature, eyebrow-erasing backdrafts.
Buy now £2566.00, John Lewis
Kamado BBQ 18" Ceramic Grill in Black
Best for: chic charring
- Cooking space: 45cm
- Fuel type: wood, charcoal
- Weight: 72kg
Make an event out of your next BBQ with Harbour Lifestyle's kamado-style ceramic BBQ, large enough to cook for up to 10 people at a time. The freestanding unit sports well-insulated ceramic walls that keep the heat in and cook your ingredients until you're ready to sit down at the table and eat. It performs superbly as a grill, a slow cooker and a charcoal smoker but you can also use hardwoods and pellets if you prefer wood-fired flavour.
Comes with a one-year guarantee.
Buy now £699.00, Harbour Lifestyle
vidaXL Ceramic Kamado Barbecue Charcoal Grill Smoker
Best for: Kamodo style on a budget
- Cooking space: 27cm diameter
- Fuel type: charcoal
- Weight: 16.4kg
Reigning supreme as the cult BBQ for a few years now, this Japanese-inspired grill is fast becoming the outdoor cook's go-to. Not only can it grill and smoke, but it can do all sorts of other clever cooking too: baking anyone?
Typically egg-shaped, this black ceramic barbecue has a sturdy hinged lid with a vent and a thermometer on top so you can see the internal temperature at a glance.
There's a double-layer vent which you can use to control airflow and it comes with two collapsible side shelves on either side for space to put cooked food and BBQ utensils.
Sitting on four stable feet, it looks as good as it cooks with a dimpled and glazed exterior.
Buy now £280.99, Amazon
Symple Stuff 33cm Ceramic Kamado Barbecue
Best for: no frills
- Cooking space: 33cm
- Fuel type: charcoal or wood
- Weight: 29.44kg
Available in red and black, this ceramic egg sits on top of sturdy steel feet and is best placed on an even surface like a deck, patio or garden tiles. There’s a modest amount of cooking space inside - enough to cater to a party - with side shelves to extend cooking and prep space. Like all ceramic BBQs, this one keeps its heat exceptionally well with a thermometer placed on the lid to see the heat without opening the lid. Air vents at the top also allow you to control the heat.
The downside is that this comes free of accessories but if you’re a BBQ pro, you likely have all the accoutrements needed anyway. One for seasoned pros.
Buy now £384.99, Wayfair
Habitat Mini Tabletop Kamado BBQ
Best for: small gardens
- Cooking space: up to 27cm
- Fuel type: charcoal
- Weight: 21kg
This dinky charcoal-powered egg is perfect for spacially-challenged outdoor spaces, allowing grill enthusiasts to do their thing albeit on a smaller scale. There is a 27cm radius cooking space to make the most of, which should be enough to cook for up to four people at a time. The 21kg design sits on three legs, keeping the floor area clear of heat and resulting burn marks.
The ceramic shell is covered with a hammered pattern which not only looks good but helps to insulate the heat, leaving food juicy and tender. A great bargain buy compared to its bigger brethren.
Comes with a one-year manufacturer’s guarantee.
Buy now £120.00, Argos
