re: Need advice on a smoker/grill combination

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I've seen them, they're terrific. They really are but they're ridiculously overpriced for an enamel coated grill (same coating as the kettle) and something that's air insulated. I think the Broil King Keg and Akorn (two other steel cookers) are both fiber insulated.

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I feel air insulated metal is actually better than ceramic and fiber insulated metal. The air insulation doesn't make the fire smolder as much and it still is very efficient and easy to control temps.

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Also, the Summit actually borrows a fair amount of features from the kettle. They're closer to the Kettle in terms of features than folks realize.

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The Summit borrows the ash cleaning sweeps from the kettle and that is about it. The Weber Summit Kamado has a great hinged lid, steel braided lid gasket, 24 inches of cooking space compared to 22 (makes a pretty big difference), a metal diffuser, air insulated double walled metal, and an adjustable charcoal grate. It is superior to the kettle in just about every way.

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The Summits are sexy for sure but holy shite they're expensive for what you get.

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Compare the Weber Summit Kamado and price out of the box to what you get for the price of a BGE or KJ out of the box. I think the Weber Summit Kamado might be a better value than the BGE and KJ because it already comes with a "nest" and a diffuser out of the box.