The Kamado Joe Classic II is the grill I cook on every week, and it's the one I'd recommend to anyone who wants to do this seriously. The air hinge is a revelation, no more holding the dome with one hand while you flip a steak with the other.
Related: Best Large Kamado Grill: The 27-Inch Commitment
The Divide & Conquer system that comes in the box is actually useful, not a gimmick. I've used the half-rack for a brisket and the other side for a pan of beans, and it just works.
But it's not perfect. The felt gasket peeled off after about a year of heavy use. I replaced it with a nomex gasket from a dealer, and it's been fine since. The cart wobbles on uneven ground, which is annoying if you're trying to wheel it across a lawn. And it's not cheap. Street price is usually ~$799, which is a lot of money for a grill. But if you cook as much as I do, it pays for itself.
Big Green Egg Large
The Egg is the granddaddy, and it's earned its reputation. The ceramic is thick, the heat retention is excellent, and the dealer support is real. I've got friends who've had the same Egg for fifteen years and only replaced the gasket. That's a testament to durability.
But the price is a kick in the teeth. You're paying ~$899 to ~$1,199 for the Large, and it doesn't even come with a nest or a converter. The accessories are overpriced. The cast iron grate is ~$150, and the deflector is another ~$80.
It adds up fast. And the gasket is still a felt strip that needs replacing every couple of years. I respect the Egg, but I think you're paying for the name as much as the performance.
Akorn
The poor man's egg. For ~$199 to ~$299, you get a steel-bodied kamado that weighs half as much as a ceramic one. It's portable, it's cheap, and it'll hold temp reasonably well if you're careful. I've got one as a backup, and I've used it for tailgating and camping.
But it's not a ceramic kamado. It won't hold heat like the real thing, and the firebox is a cheap liner that I've seen crack within a year. I replaced mine twice before I gave up and bought the Big Joe. If you're just starting out and you don't want to drop a grand, it's a fine way to learn. But don't expect it to last a decade.
Vision Grills Pro S-series
This is the budget ceramic option, and it's a mixed bag. The cast iron grate is a nice touch, and the price, ~$399 to ~$599, is hard to argue with. For the money, you get a lot of grill.
But the firebox is cheaper than the Kamado Joe or the Egg, and the paint peels after a few seasons. It's also less efficient at holding heat. I've seen reports of it eating through a bag of lump in three hours on a low-and-slow cook. That's not a kamado; that's a charcoal pit with a ceramic liner.
Kamado Joe Classic Joe I (not Pit Boss)
This is a Kamado Joe Classic Joe I, a ceramic kamado grill. It holds heat well and maintains steady temperatures. I've cooked on one at a friend's house, and I spent more time adjusting the vents than I did drinking beer. Skip it.
Primo Oval XL
The oval shape is a genius design. You get more grilling space than a round kamado, and you can do two-zone cooking with a real separation between direct and indirect heat. The XL is ~$1,199 to ~$1,599, which is right in line with the Big Joe.
But accessories are harder to find, and the grill is heavy as hell. Moving it is a two-man job, and if you've got a bad back, you're going to hurt yourself. I've thought about buying one, but I'd need to hire a crew to get it into my backyard.
Accessories
The Kick Ash basket is worth every penny. It keeps the airflow clean and makes ash cleanout a five-minute job instead of a vacuum session. The Smobot and FlameBoss 500 are genuinely useful if you want to sleep through an overnight cook.
I've used both, and they'll hold your temp within five degrees. The Looftlighter is a torch that starts lump in under a minute, no lighter fluid, no chimney.
The GrillGrates are great for searing, but they're not a substitute for a proper cast iron grate.