The Kamado Joe accessories I value most either make a task easier or provide a cooking method I use often. A charcoal basket simplifies cleanup, a temperature controller helps me manage long smoking sessions, and a griddle gives me the flat cooking surface I want for smash burgers and searing steaks.
The accessory recommendations in this article reflect how I cook on my Kamado Joe. My accessories video shows the equipment behind the recommendations, and the detailed reviews linked below explain how my preferences developed with longer use.
Before you start buying accessories, think about what you currently cook and the problems that you are having. Also consider what you would like to cook but cannot. Then look at the available accessories to see which ones will help.
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Which Kamado Joe Accessories Are Worth Buying?
If I were choosing only a few accessories, I would start with a charcoal basket if my grill still had the perforated cast-iron charcoal grate. I would also add a temperature controller if I smoked regularly, and a griddle if I cooked steaks and smash burgers often.
The table summarizes where each accessory falls on my list and why. Use it to match the accessory to the way you cook.
| Accessory | My recommendation | Main reason |
| Stainless-Steel Charcoal Basket | An early upgrade if needed | Easier ash separation and charcoal preparation |
| FireBoard 2 Drive with Fan | Recommended for frequent smoking | Temperature monitoring and airflow control |
| Half Moon Cast Iron Griddle | Recommended for flat-surface searing | A useful searing surface for steaks and smash burgers |
| Cast Iron Grates | Worth considering for grill marks | Wider bars and heat retention |
| Karbon Steel Griddle | Recommended for searing and cooking a lot of small foods (i.e. diced potatoes) | Provides full-size griddle |
| SmokeWare Chimney Cap | Recommended replacement for a stuck Kontrol Tower | An excellent heavy-duty stainless steel replacement option. |
| ThermoWorks IR Circle Laser | Recommended for checking the surface temperature of griddles and pizza stones. | Measures cooking-surface temperature; the circle laser helps show the area being measured |
| Kamado Joe cover | Recommended to keep a grill clean and dry. | Helps keep rain, pollen, and dirt off the grill; covered vents provide airflow |
| JoeTisserie | Recommended for rotisserie cooking | A different way to cook chickens and roasts |
| Discada | My preference over a wok | I prefer its thicker, heavier construction |
| Pizza Stone | Recommended for making pizza | The Kamado Joe Pizza Stone is thick, retains heat well, and makes a great pizza. |
| Soapstone | Not my favorite | Hard to clean |
| DoJoe | I make great pizza without a DoJoe | I prefer my elevated pizza stone setup |
| SloRoller | A low priority for me | I am satisfied with my usual smoking setup |
| Paella Pan | Depends on your cooking | It overlaps with pans I already use, but I don’t make a lot of paella |
| Kamado Joe Wok | I would choose my discada | I prefer the heavier discada I use |
Accessories I Recommend
The accessories I recommend all have a clear place in my cooking. Some save time or effort, while others add a cooking method I use often.
A Stainless Steel Charcoal Basket
A stainless-steel charcoal basket makes it easier to separate reusable charcoal from ash before the next cook. With the grill completely cold, lift and gently shake the basket so loose ash and small pieces fall away while the larger pieces stay in the basket for the next fire.
The more open basket also helps with airflow during startup. If your grill already has a serviceable basket, you already have most of the convenience I am recommending here.
I use a Kick Ash Basket with a Kick Ash Can, but I treat them as separate buying decisions. The basket holds the charcoal; the can replaces the original ash collection assembly. My Kick Ash Basket and Kick Ash Can review explains how the two work together and the installation and safety considerations that come with the can.
A FireBoard Temperature Controller
I like to smoke meat and cook low-and-slow, and a good temperature controller makes those tasks much easier to do. For cooking briskets, pork shoulders, ribs, poultry, and other long cooks, a FireBoard 2 Drive with a compatible fan is one of the most useful accessories I own. It monitors temperature and controls airflow through the fan to help maintain the ambient temperature I choose. The biggest benefit of using a FireBoard 2 Drive for me is being able to follow the cook without standing beside the grill making repeated adjustments. I can watch the temperatures in the app and set alerts that tell me when the grill needs attention.
I have used mine for more than five years. My FireBoard 2 Drive review covers long-term reliability, the fan and probes, and the mistakes I would help a new owner avoid.
The Half Moon Cast Iron Griddle
The half-moon cast-iron griddle is one of my favorite accessories for smash burgers and the final sear on a reverse-seared steak. The smooth surface puts more of the food in direct contact with hot cast iron than an open grate, which provides a terrific sear. The ridged side gives me another option for panini sandwiches and grilled vegetables, so I use both sides depending on what I am cooking.
If you want more flat cooking space than the half-moon griddle provides, my Karbon Steel Griddle review covers the full-size option.
Cast Iron Cooking Grates
Cast-iron grates are worth considering if pronounced grill marks are part of the result you want on steaks, chicken strips, burgers, and vegetables. They take longer to heat up than stainless steel grates, but they hold heat really well once they are hot.
Keep them clean and dry, maintain the seasoning, and handle them carefully because cast iron can crack if dropped.
The Karbon Steel Griddle
The Karbon Steel Griddle is my choice when I want a full-size flat cooking surface for smash burgers, fajitas, cheesesteaks, or breakfast. It gives me more room than the half-moon griddle, and the raised sides help keep food on the cooking surface. In my testing, it seared steaks as well as my cast-iron cookware.
I get more even surface temperatures with the ceramic heat deflectors installed beneath it. The extra cooking space comes with some maintenance: I clean, dry, and lightly oil both sides before storing it somewhere dry. My Karbon Steel Griddle review covers the setup, temperature control, and care routine.
SmokeWare Chimney Cap
The SmokeWare chimney cap is the replacement I recommend when a factory Kontrol Tower needs replacing. Both of my Kontrol Towers developed peeling finishes and became difficult to adjust as residue accumulated. The stainless-steel SmokeWare fit my grill securely and gave me the airflow control I wanted for both low-temperature smoking and high-temperature cooking.
I would keep a Kontrol Tower that still works properly. When replacement becomes necessary, though, I would buy the SmokeWare again. My SmokeWare chimney cap review explains the testing, installation, and drawbacks, including discoloration and wear on the silicone adjustment tab.
The ThermoWorks Infrared Thermometer with Circle Laser
An infrared thermometer helps me check the actual cooking surface before adding food. I use one when cooking on my Half Moon Cast Iron Griddle, Karbon Steel Griddle, and Pizza Stone. The ThermoWorks circle laser helps show the approximate area being measured, making it easier to target different parts of the surface and identify hot spots. The infrared reading measures surface temperature only. Checking the temperature inside meat still requires a food probe.
Kamado Joe Grill Cover
The Kamado Joe cover is a practical accessory for keeping an outdoor grill clean and protected between cooks. Mine fits my Classic Joe II securely, stays in place during windy weather, and helps keep rain, pollen, and dirt off the grill. The covered ventilation openings help provide airflow when the grill is covered. My Kamado Joe grill cover review explains the fit, weather protection, and durability considerations in more detail.
The JoeTisserie
I enjoyed using a rotisserie on other grills for roasting whole chickens, turkey, prime rib, and pork roasts, so the JoeTisserie made sense for me. My Kamado Joe rotisserie chicken recipe is a good place to see how I use it.
If you want to expand beyond food mounted directly on the spit, this review of the Napoleon Rotisserie Basket covers an inexpensive basket option that works really well for chicken wings and veggies.
A Heavy Discada
My discada is an approximately 18-inch-wide, wok-like cooking vessel made by another manufacturer. It is substantially thicker and heavier than the Kamado Joe wok, and that construction is why I prefer it.
If you are comparing a discada with a wok, pay attention to thickness, weight, shape, and fit in your grill. Diameter alone does not tell you whether the discada will sit securely in your rack or leave the clearance you need. Watch my video on Making Beef Fajitas on a Discada.
A Pizza Stone
A pizza stone is one of the accessories I recommend for anyone who wants to make pizza on a Kamado Joe. I like the Kamado Joe stone because it is thick, holds heat well, and has given me good results. I use mine raised higher into the dome above the heat deflectors, which helps the crust and toppings finish cooking together.
Accessories I Would Skip or Buy Later
The soapstone, DoJoe, SloRoller, paella pan, and Kamado Joe wok are all low on my priority list. I didn't care for the soapstone and the others either duplicated equipment I already use or solve a problem I do not currently have.
Soapstone
The soapstone is one accessory I really didn't like. I found it slow to heat and difficult to clean, and I was uncomfortable with how fragile it seemed compared with the cooking surfaces I preferred. After cooking scallops on mine, I was unable to remove the stains and eventually discarded it. I now use cast iron or carbon steel for the type of cooking I wanted the soapstone to do.
DoJoe
I already get the pizza results I want with an elevated pizza stone setup that uses ceramic heat deflectors, a 2-inch-deep aluminum pan or three 2-inch-tall kiln spacers, and a pizza stone raised higher into the dome.
Because I do not own a DoJoe, my recommendation is based on the results I get from my own setup rather than a side-by-side comparison. I have not needed a DoJoe for the way I make pizza. My pizza video without a DoJoe shows the elevated setup with an aluminum pan and the results I get from it.
SloRoller
The SloRoller is a low priority for me because I am already satisfied with the smoke flavor I get from my usual indirect setup. I have used a SloRoller with pork ribs and a pork shoulder and did not notice a difference in smoke flavor compared with similar cooks using my usual indirect setup. I also found it difficult to get in and out of the storage position beneath the grill.
If one came with your grill, use it within its operating instructions and decide whether you like the results. If you are buying it separately, decide what you expect it to improve before spending the money.
A Dedicated Paella Pan
I would buy a paella pan if I were cooking paella often enough to justify a dedicated pan. I already have a cast-iron skillet and a discada for general cooking, so buying another pan is a low priority for me. A shallow paella pan has a different shape than a wok-like discada, but I would still want a clear reason to use it regularly before adding one.
The Kamado Joe Wok
I prefer my heavier discada to the Kamado Joe wok because I value its thicker construction. If I were shopping again, I would compare thickness, weight, shape, and fit and choose the vessel that best matched my cooking. For me, that is the discada.
How to Choose Your First Upgrade
Choose an accessory that makes a frequent task easier or adds a cooking method you want to use. Make sure to verify that the accessory fits your exact model. Buy one accessory, use it for several cooks, and let that experience show you what you still need.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A Kamado Joe can cook excellent food with its standard equipment. Accessories are useful when they make a job easier or add a cooking method you will use.
I would choose the griddle first for smash burgers or a broad sear on a steak. I would choose cast-iron grates for more pronounced grill marks. Both can be useful, but they serve different purposes.
No. The basket and ash can do different jobs. A basket makes charcoal preparation easier without replacing the ash collection system; the can changes how ash is collected and removed. Both improve airflow. My Kick Ash review covers the differences.
No. Grill size and model matter. Confirm compatibility for the exact accessory and grill before ordering.
Final Verdict
The accessories I would buy again are the ones that have become part of my regular cooking routine. They solve a problem or add a cooking method I use often enough to justify the expense and the space to store them. That is the metric I would use if I were starting over. I would rather own a few tools I use regularly than a collection of accessories that spend most of their time in the garage.
Where to Buy
These are paid affiliate links. As a customer, you do not pay any more or less because of an affiliated link. A small percentage of the sale will go to the person who generated the link. Thank you for supporting my website and channel.
- Kick Ash Basket & Kick Ash Can
- FireBoard 2 Drive
- Half Moon Cast Iron Griddle
- Half Moon Cast Iron Grates
- Kamado Joe Karbon Steel Griddle for Classic
- Kamado Joe Karbon Steel Griddle for Big Joe
- SmokeWare Chimney Cap for Kamado Joe
- ThermoWorks Circle IR Laser
- Kamado Joe Cover
- Kamado Joe JoeTisserie
- Napoleon 57013 Rotisserie Basket
- Pizza Stone
More Kamado Joe Resources
If you found this review helpful, here are a few more resources that will help you get the most out of your Kamado Joe:
- Kamado Joe Owner's Handbook
- The Texas Backyard Kitchen - Complete Meals from Fire to Table
- Kamado Joe 101 Playlist
- How to Control Temperature on a Kamado Joe
- Kamado Joe vs. Big Green Egg: Which Ceramic Grill Would I Buy After Owning Five of Them?
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