Kamado Luna 16″ Tabletop Kamado Review

Kamado Luna 16″ Tabletop Kamado Review
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Kamado Luna have a fairly small range of grills. These are the Kamado Luna 16″ Grill, the Kamado Luna 18″ Grill and the Kamado Luna 24″ Grill. In my Kamado Luna 16″ review, I’ll give an overview of its specifications and features. Also, I’ll explain what are the main differences between it and other kamados. In preparation for my Kamado Luna 16″ review, I tried to get in contact with Kamado Luna directly. I’d hoped to ask some questions about the Kamado Luna range of grills. Unfortunately, they haven’t replied.

 

First impression: Where’s the heat deflector?Pro: It’s very cheapMajor Con: You can’t cook indirectly
Cooking grate: 34.5 cm (15.6″)Price: €349Light-up time: 15 mins

 

About the Kamado Luna 16″ Tabletop Ceramic BBQ

The Kamado Luna 16″ Ceramic BBQ is the smallest of their range of kamado ovens. Kamado Luna don’t say how many people this kamado can cater for. However, given it has a grill diameter of 34.5 cm (15.6″), I estimate it will cook for 6-8 people. Kamado Luna market this kamado as being perfect for the great outdoors. It’s designed to be “ready to travel to wherever your culinary interests take you.” However, I think it is too heavy for transporting!

Usually in a review, I’d discuss how with all kamado grills you can cook over direct or indirect heat. However, given that the Kamado Luna 16″ is not supplied with a grill rack or heat deflector, its functionality is limited to direct cooking only. Quite a poor limitation in my opinion. So, uniquely, with this kamado you can only grill directly over charcoal using direct heat.

So, what does this mean? Basically, this means that you can’t smoke any meats or cook low and slow using indirect heat. What a shame!

 

Features & specifications

  • 40.5 cm (15.9″) outer diameter ceramic grill, firebox, fire ring and lid with a fibreglass gasket
  • 34.5 cm (15.6″) diameter 6 mm stainless-steel cooking grate
  • Operational height: 29 cm (11.4″)
  • Single zone stainless steel grill
  • Pre-installed stainless steel dome thermometer
  • Cast iron top vent for throttling airflow out
  • Stainless steel bottom vent for throttling airflow in
  • Iron stand
  • A choice of colours: red, blue or green

 

The Competition

The Kamado Luna 16″ has lots of stiff competition. Compared to the other brands, the big disadvantage of the Kamado Luna 16″ is that it doesn’t come with a cooking rack or heat deflector. The other brands of kamado supply these as standard. So, this disadvantage needs to be considered when you look at the pricing.

Given that it has a grill grate diameter of 34.5 cm (15.6″), it’s larger than the Kamado Bono Minimo but smaller than the likes of Medium Big Green Egg. The main competitors to the Luna 16″ are:

 

The Kamado Luna 16 Tabletop Grill with its lid open
The Kamado Luna 16 Tabletop Grill with its lid open

 

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 during transport. I’d expect this Kamado Luna to be delivered in a heavy duty corrugated cardboard box. Everything should securely packaged for shipping. I’d expect the firebox, fire ring, and cooking grate be stored inside the kamado. They should all individually wrapped in plastic wrap. Other components such as the lid handle could be packed around the body of the kamado.

 

What’s inside the box?

  • The ceramic grill, lid with gasket
  • The internal firebox and fire ring
  • 6 mm stainless-steel cooking grid
  • Grill dome thermometer
  • Cast iron top vent
  • Iron stand
  • Bamboo handle
  • Protective rain cover
  • A 10 kg bag of Kamado Luna Charcoal

 

The Kamado Luna 16 Tabletop in green with its lid closed
The Kamado Luna 16 Tabletop in green with its lid closed

Recommended accessories

I recommend buying some essential accessories for use with every kamado or BBQ. I get great use out of all of them with my Kamado Bono Grande and Picnic:

 

Kamado Luna 16″ Setup Process

I don’t know the weight of this kamado but I’d expect it to be in the region of 50 kg. So, 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

This kamado is supplied with a 10 kg bag of charcoal. This means you’ll pretty much be ready to hit the ground running. But, in addition to the charcoal, you’ll need to buy charcoal lighters and a lighter. I’d recommend a Looftlighter charcoal lighter. Also, here’s a good explanation of how to light your kamado for the first time.

 

Performance

While this kamado will perform well and retain heat, it’s very limited in terms of its functionality. This is because it doesn’t have a grill rack or heat deflector. Kamado ovens are meant to be very versatile. So, I think Kamado Luna have missed a trick here.

 

Cleaning

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

 

The Result:

I think that, because it’s supplied without a grill rack or heat deflector, then the Kamado Luna 16″ is a poor offering from Kamado Luna. Furthermore, I don’t think Kamado Luna even sell a grill rack or heat deflector for this kamado. Sure, it’s priced very competitively but every kamado, large and small, should have a grill rack and heat deflector as standard. All this bring said, I’ve yet to cook on a Kamado Luna 16″ kamado. So, I’m unable to say exactly how I rate it for cooking.

 

WHERE CAN I BUY ONE?

The Kamado Luna 16″ Tabletop Kamado is available from KamadoLuna.com for €349.