Kamado grill question

[Coldfusion]

I need a new grill and toyed with the idea of a kamado. I've only used propane for grilling though . My question is how inconvenient is lump charcoal for grilling? I've used briquets for my weber Smokey mountain but that's my only charcoal experience. How quickly can a kamado be ready for the steaks or burgers?

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[RUGER]

I can't speak to the Kamado but on my regular ole Weber a normal amount of charcoal will be ready in 30 minutes.

 

[Bucket]

I use a charcoal chimney and a couple of the little starter squares and it's ready in about 15 minutes with that. Before I got the chimney it was closer to 30.

 

[Coldfusion]

I've got a chimney for my smoker. I just didn't know if using lump coal was any different.

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[shelbydeer]

I have a Kamado, great for long smokes as well as short hot fires. I can get my grill to 600 degrees in about 20 min. Lump charcoal tends to last longer and burns hotter.

 

[Happysack]

I love my kamado it can be up to temp for grilling in about 20 minutes using lump charcoal and a chimney starter. I tis also great for smoking as well as making homemade pizzas

 

[Mud Creek]

Lump charcoal tends to last longer and burns hotter.

^^^^x2

 

[JeffreyThomas]

How do you choose the best choose the best product among the ones listed here for best kamado smokers and grills?

 

[TAFKAP]

Lump charcoal tends to last longer and burns hotter.

^^^^x2

I can't remember where I saw it (America's Test Kitchen, maybe?) but they disproved this. Briquettes actually burn hotter, not by much, but still hotter. I think they weighed equal portions of briquettes & lump, burned them side-by-side, and thermal scanned the flame.

That being said, I greatly appreciate the cleaner burning lump charcoal, even though it doesn't seem to last as long.

 

[TAFKAP]

Scratch that.....for equal volumes of briquettes vs. lump (filling up a chimney), the briquettes will be hotter. Makes sense.

 

[Laserman1]

Less than 20 on my egg. I don't play around with chimney or starter cubes. I use a $14 harbor freight heat gun. I have flames and red hot coals in less than 1 min 20 seconds. (Videoed starting it for a friend is how I have the time down). I can shut down my grill after cooking, stir the ashes the next day and start it again without adding any more charcoal depending on what I'm cooking.