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How to Transport Kamado Joe Jr
The Kamado Joe Jr. only weighs 68 pounds without any of the accessories installed.
Though some of the later models were a little bit heavier and can tip the scales at up to 87-pounds. As the smallest model in the Kamado Joe lineup, the Kamado Joe Jr. Is a little more fragile than its more robust brothers.
Though with proper care and forethought, you might be able to travel with it.
An optional accessory that makes it easier to use a Kamado Joe Jr. as a portable grill is the Kamado Joe Kick Ash charcoal basket.
Not only does it help boost convection airflow in the lower firebox, but it allows you to take the charcoal basket out and extinguish it when you need to put the fire out quickly.
You should never pour water directly into a Kamado Joe Jr.
How Heavy Is a Kamado Joe Jr?
The most up-to-date version of the Kamado Joe Jr. only weighs 68 pounds without any accessories installed. Some of the older models of the Kamado Joe Jr. were slightly heavier and could weigh as much as 87-pounds.
Is a Kamado Joe Jr. Fragile?
A Kamado Joe Jr. is somewhat fragile compared to its more robust brothers like the versions of the Kamado Joe Classic.
It is largely made from a ceramic material that can chip or possibly even crack if it accidentally bangs into something.
You also want to avoid letting the exterior make contact with another round object, which can cause a severe compound crack.
Can You Travel with a Kamado Joe Jr?
You can travel with a Kamado Joe Jr. but you need to take extra safety precautions, like wrapping it in a thick blanket and storing it in a large box to ensure the ceramic doesn’t crack.
You should also take out the interior accessories, and any loose metal components.
Once the Kamado Joe Jr. Is wrapped in a thick blanket, like an old comforter off a child’s bed, you can slide it into a box standing up.
Place that box in your vehicle where it won’t slide around.
When picking the Kamado Joe Jr. up, it helps to have another set of hands.
You can pick up the grill body itself, either by holding it at the sides or with one hand in the open lower damper and one holding the grill body behind the airlift hinge.
Then the other person can quickly move the stand base to the Kamado Joe Jr.’s new location.
They should hold the base steady while you carefully slide the Joe Jr into it.
The Kamado “Kick Ash” charcoal basket is a great accessory that makes it easy to use your Kamado Joe Jr. as a portable grill. It helps boost convection airflow in the lower firebox for a fire that lights easily and burns hot.
When you are done grilling, you can take the Kick Ash charcoal basket out to extinguish the charcoal in water.
You should never pour water in the Kamado Joe Jr. especially when it’s hot.
Final Thoughts
A Kamado Joe Jr. was originally designed to be a portable Kamado Grill.
While it’s not as easy to move as a cheap aluminum portable grill, you certainly can move this 68-pound kamado grill with some thoughtful precautions.
Wrapping a Kamado Joe Jr. in an old fluffy blanket and storing it standing up inside a box will protect it from the accidental knocks and dings that can chip or potentially crack the ceramic grill body.
Traveling with the grill grates and other metal components out will reduce ratting as well as the risk of cracking the interior ceramic components.
Robert is a certified Pitmaster, with over a decade of experience in smoking the best meats you’ll ever feast upon. He also has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio. When he’s not researching technical topics, he’s most likely barbecuing in his backyard.