Middleby had teased previously that they were planning on releasing a new Kamado Joe product this quarter. Thanks to their earnings call yesterday, we now know what it will be. They plan to release the Kamado Joe Konnected Joe kamado style grill that features digital temperature and fan control, with phone connectivity.
Update: The Konnected Joe has been released.
The new Konnected Joe follows Middleby’s strategy of Char-Griller being the value brand and Kamado Joe focusing on grilling experience and innovation. Last year, they release the Char-Griller Auto Kamado, which the Konnected Joe is similar to in functionality but with a nicer design.
Features
There’s nothing yet on Kamado Joe’s website about the Konnected Joe, so we don’t have the full details. What we do know is that this will be a charcoal fueled product with an auto-light ignition system.
Like a pellet grill or Masterbuilt’s Gravity Series, you just set the temperature on the controller, and it does all the work. The controller can be adjusted on the grill itself or through the Kamado Joe app on your phone.
Preserves Traditional Kamado Cooking
If you want to be more of a purist when it comes to kamado style cooking, the Konnected Joe still gives that ability. The digital controller can be turned off for fully manual, traditional style cooking.
It’s nice that it has that feature to be a traditional grill. You can have the full cooking experience when you want, yet still have the convenience of a digital controller when you need it.