Kamado Bono Media Review & Overview

Kamado Bono are again offering charcoal grilling and smoking without the big price tags you find with other kamado brands. In my Kamado Bono Media Review, I’ll give an overview of its specifications and features. Also, I’ll explain why there’s such a price difference between it and other kamados.

About the Kamado Bono Media

The Kamado Bono Media has a grill diameter of 43 cm (16.9″). It’s Kamado Bono’s most popular kamado and is large enough to cook for up to 10 people. It’s marketed as being ideal for use in gardens or terraces. However, I think it may be too big for smaller terraces. A good complaint in my book!

Kamado Bono say that with this grill, you can cook 20 burgers, 2 pork shoulders, 4 whole chickens, a 6 kg turkey, 10 steaks or a 36 cm diameter pizza. And I think that, while this is a large kamado, it may be generous to say that some of these can be cooked on the Media at the same time.

As with all kamados, with the Kamado Bono Media you can:

• Grill directly over charcoal using direct heat: for grilling chicken, ham, pork chops etc.
• Cook indirectly over charcoal using indirect heat: for cooking pizza, chicken, beef, ham, pork, lamb etc.
• Smoke meats using charcoal and different varieties of wood

Features & specifications

• 52 cm (20.5″) outer diameter ceramic grill, firebox, fire ring and lid with a fibreglass gasket
• 43 cm (16.9″) diameter stainless-steel cooking grate
• Two zone stainless steel grill rack
• 2-piece ceramic heat deflector for indirect cooking
• Pre-installed stainless steel dome thermometer
• Cast iron top vent for throttling airflow out
• Stainless steel bottom vent for throttling airflow in
• Sturdy iron stand with wheels
• All tools required for assembly
• A choice of colours: red or black

The Competition

The Kamado Bono Media has lots of competition. All the big brands have similarly sized kamados at varying prices. The Media has a grill grate diameter of 43 cm (16.9″). So, it’s smaller than the Large Big Green Egg, all of the Kamado Joe Classics and the Monolith Classic Basic. The Kamado Bono Media is priced at €749. The main competitors to the Media are:

• Large Big Green Egg at €1350 (46 cm/18.25″)
• Kamado Joe CLASSIC I, CLASSIC II, CLASSIC III – at €1595+ (45.7 cm / 18″)
• Monolith Classic Basic at €970 (46 cm/18″)

The Packaging

When it comes to the packaging of any kamado, it’s really important that the ceramic of the kamado is protected from any knocks or bumps. I’d expect this kamado to be delivered in a heavy duty corrugated cardboard box which or even on a small pallet.

Everything should securely packaged for shipping. I’d expect the firebox, fire ring, cooking grate and grill rack to be stored inside the kamado. They should all individually wrapped in plastic wrap. Other components such as the bamboo lid handle and tools needed for assembly could be packed around the body of the kamado.

What’s be inside the box?

• The ceramic grill, lid with fibreglass gasket
• The internal firebox and fire ring
• Dual zone grilling system with a stainless-steel cooking grid
• Single piece ceramic heat deflector for indirect cooking
• Grill dome thermometer
• Cast iron top vent
• Cast iron firebox ash grate
• Steel ash removal tool (fire poker)
• Ash catcher ash removal tool
• Sturdy iron stand (needs assembly)
• Bamboo handle
• All tools required for assembly
• Protective cover
• BBQ grill and guide book
• Ceramic chicken cooking stand

Recommended accessories

I’d strongly recommend buying some extra accessories for use with the Bono Media. I get great use out of all of them with my Kamado Bono Grande and Picnic:

• Looftlighter charcoal lighter €49.99
• Digital food thermometer €17.99
• Heat resistant gloves €21.99

Kamado Bono Media Setup Process

Weighing in at a substantial 94 kg (with packaging), this large kamado is really very heavy. It’s seriously important to get some help for assembling it. It’s best practice to assemble the stand before moving the kamado itself. Once the is stand built, get some help to lift the kamado into the stand.

What else you need to start cooking

In addition to what’s supplied as standard, you need some other bits and pieces to get started. So, you’ll need to buy charcoal, charcoal lighters and a lighter. I’d recommend a bag of Texas Club Charcoal and a Looftlighter charcoal lighter. Here’s a good explanation of how to light your kamado for the first time.
 

Performance

All kamado ovens are versatile. You can perfectly cook different meats. As with this and larger kamado ovens, you can even cook pizza. This kamado will retain heat very well and easily holds temperatures for longer cooks. It’ll be very economical on charcoal consumption too. Generally speaking, you just need to add some fresh lumps of charcoal before each cook.
 

Cleaning

With all kamados, cleaning is easy. Light your charcoal and with both the top and bottom vents fully open. Leave the lid open for 10 minutes and then close the lid. Opening both vents fully will allow a roaring hot temperature to develop inside. Any grease, oil, fat or dirt simply burns off. And voila, you have a cleaned kamado. Make sure to put in the grill grates, deflector plates too and pizza stone too. I find myself cleaning out the ash after about 4 or 5 cooks.
 

The Result:

Unfortunately, I’m yet to cook on a Bono Media. So, I’m unable to say how I’d rate it. However, I love cooking on my Kamado Bono Picnic and Grande. They each consistently deliver on flavour, are lean on charcoal are great value for money. So, if my Kamado Bono Picnic and Grande are anything to go by, this should be an excellent, no frills kamado.

It’s between €221 and €849 cheaper than the competition. Again, I think the price difference may be down to the branding or that the Kamado Bono might not have as many bells and whistles as the other brands. For example, Kamado Joe feature a unique hinge design which the Bono doesn’t. The Bono Media is also a bit smaller than the others I’ve looked at. And I think this has kept the price down too.

WHERE CAN I BUY ONE?

The Kamado Bono Media is available from BBQ4You.eu and in stores for €749.