Guide

What's the difference between a Charlie Oven and a kamado oven/ceramic egg?

Some of the key principles are pretty similar. Both cook with charcoal in a closed unit, both allow temperature control, and both offer a variety of different cooking styles. But there are also some important differences...

26 October 20241 min read

Neil QuickBritish-made charcoal ovens

Pizzas from the charlie oven. Bake several pizzas at once.

As some of the key principles are pretty similar between the Charlie Oven and Kamado/Ceramic Egg style cooking. Both cook with charcoal in a closed unit, both allow control of temperature, and both offer a variety of different cooking styles. But there are also some important differences...

Charlie Oven versus a Kamado Joe or Big Green Egg Ceramic Grill

Charlie Charcoal Oven colour range.

The First Difference The Shape Of Our Oven

The Charlie Oven has a vertical format, and opens at the front. You cook next to it, not leaning over it. No burping. No smoke in the face. Less heat loss when you open it. You slide the food in and out intuitively, on the racks, like your oven in your kitchen.

The Second Difference Nine Different Cooking Heights

The second difference is that you have nine different cooking heights in a Charlie. No deflector plates, no need to insert racks to stack your food on. With its huge height and capacity, you can cook on multiple layers at the same time. If you wish, cooking indirectly at the top of the oven, while grilling directly above charcoal at the same time.

The Third Difference Always Accessible Charcoal

The third difference is that the charcoal is always accessible, not hidden beneath the grates or deflector plates. With a Charlie, you just chuck in the charcoal and light it. Want to add some more? Just throw it on. Want to add some wood chips? Same thing. Easy peasy.

Add a chunk of wood to the Charlie grates

Adding a chunk of wood to the fire

The Fourth Difference Beautiful Garden Feature

Charlie Oven and matching Island Cabinet in the colour Rhubarb

Finally, the biggest difference is probably in the way they look. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as they say. We believe that Charlie brings the dream of alfresco living to life. A Charlie Oven comes in a range of beautiful colours and adds permanent colour to the garden all year round. It's a garden feature in its own right.