Kamado accessories divide into three groups: the ones you need from day one, the ones that transform a specific kind of cooking, and the ones that sit in a cupboard. Knowing which is which saves a surprising amount of money.
Needed from the start
A heat deflector. Without it you cannot cook indirectly, which rules out smoking, roasting and anything longer than a sear. This is not really an accessory — it is the part that makes a kamado more than a grill.
Gloves. Everything on a ceramic grill is hot, including the parts that do not look it. BBQ gloves at EUR 9.99 are the cheapest safety you will buy.
Ash management. Ash blocks the lower vent, and a blocked vent is the most common reason a kamado will not reach temperature. An ash tray makes the job quick enough that you actually do it before every cook.
Buy these when you know how you cook
Cast iron grates. If you sear often, these are the accessory that changes the result most visibly — thin steel gives up its heat when cold meat lands, cast iron carries on searing. EUR 73.99, and worth it for steak.
A pizza stone. Essential if you make pizza, irrelevant if you do not. Without one the base only gets heat from the air beneath it and stays soft; the glazed stone stores heat and draws moisture out of the dough.
A charcoal basket. Underrated. It keeps the fuel where you put it, which makes two-zone fires hold their shape and long cooks more efficient.
A cart. Turns a grill you have to work around into a station you work at, and makes the whole thing movable. Somewhere to put a hot lid matters more than it sounds.
Buy last, or not at all
Specialised inserts and single-purpose attachments. Not because they are bad, but because most people buy them before they know how they will actually cook, and then find their habits went a different way.
Give it a season. The accessory you keep wishing you had is the one worth buying; the one you bought because it was in a bundle usually stays in the cupboard.
The cheaper route
If you already know you want the grates, the stone and the tools, they cost less bundled than bought one at a time — a Chef Combo includes all three plus the cart and side tables from EUR 1,199.
If you are starting from a grill you already own, everything above is sold individually in the accessories range, sized for the 51 cm grate.
Frequently asked questions
What accessories does a kamado actually need?
A deflector for indirect cooking, gloves, and a way to manage ash. Everything else is an improvement rather than a requirement.
Do I need cast iron grates?
For searing, they make a visible difference — they hold enough heat to keep searing when cold meat lands. For low and slow cooking, much less so.
Is a charcoal basket worth it?
Yes, and it is underrated. It keeps fuel in a defined space, which makes two-zone fires hold their shape and leftover charcoal easy to recover with the ash.
What do people buy and never use?
Highly specialised inserts bought before knowing how they will actually cook. Buy for the cooking you do now, and add as your habits reveal themselves.
