Kick Ash Basket Review: A Must-Have Accessory for Kamado Grills

The kick ash basket promises easier cleanup, better fuel economy by re-using unburned fuel, and overall a more convenient and less dirty process of using charcoal in a Kamado-style cooker. In this kick ash basket review, we put these claims to the test.

For many grillers and smokers, charcoal is the only way to go. Even those of us who will sometimes click on the gas grill for convenience (myself included) still have a special place in our hearts for lumps and briquettes.

However, nobody loves messing around (and I mean that literally) with charcoal. It can be messy to set up and get started, and it’s always messy during cleanup.

It can be particularly challenging if you’re using a deep, kamado-style barbecue like a Kamado Joe or a Big Green Egg. If you own one, you know what I’m talking about!

If you’re sick of digging cold lumps out of the ash, the kick ash basket might just be the product that makes you fall in love with charcoal again. Will it live up to the claims? Keep reading to find out!

Our Ratings and Final Verdict

After spending some time with the Kick Ash Basket in my own Kamado Joe, I’m happy to say it is a quality product with real-world benefits.

Handling charcoal used to be my least favorite part of grilling – it was messy, time-consuming, and a bit of a hassle, especially when it came to cleanup of the ashes after. But with the Kick Ash Basket, it’s become so much simpler. I just lift it out, give it a shake, and I’m ready for my next grilling session. The airflow improvement is noticeable too; my grill maintains temperature better than before, and it’s easier to hit higher temperatures when needed.

I must say, though, while the basket’s design is mostly spot-on, grabbing it out of the grill can be tricky when wearing thick gloves. The handles are just a tad too close to the sides of my kamado for my liking. Despite that, the quality and functionality of this thing have impressed me. It’s sturdy, made from quality materials with quality workmanship, and it does exactly what it promises, saving me time and charcoal.

So, I wholeheartedly recommend the Kick Ash Basket to fellow Kamado users. It might seem like a small thing, but it makes noticeable improvements to the kamado cooking experience.

Kick Ash Basket

A charcoal basket insert that can save you time during cleaning, and save money, by allowing you to re-use unburned fuel after simple separation from ashes with just a little shake. A simple idea well executed, and a cracking little product.

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Given Scores Explained

Here is why I scored the Kick Ash Basket the way I did, where it won and lost points.

Design and Build Quality

The Kick Ash Basket is made from heavy-duty stainless steel, and with precision welding, it is built to last. It looks and feels very solid. I’ve had one in my Kamado Joe Classic 1 now for 4 years at the time of writing, and it’s been holding up to regular use without any signs of wear. The design is pretty straightforward – it’s a basket, after all. But the craftsmanship is top-notch. The handles are the only hiccup; they’re a bit close to the grill walls, making it tricky to grab with heat-proof gloves. Still, that’s a small issue in the grand scheme of things.

Score: 9/10.

Ease of Use

It couldn’t be simpler. Place it in the bottom of your cooking chamber and fill it with charcoal. When finished cooking, close down your vents to force the charcoal to go out, let it cool down, and then lift and shake the basket to remove ash and small pieces, leaving you with unburned fuel for reuse.

The handles are a bit too close to the side walls of my Kamado, making lifting it out harder than it could be, so for this reason it doesn’t get full points. But once you get the hang of it, it’s not a big deal.

Score: 8.5/10.

Cooking Performance Enhancement

There’s a noticeable improvement in my Kamado’s performance with the Kick Ash Basket. The airflow is much better, giving me more consistent control over the temperature. And it’s easier to hit high temperatures. Every grill is different, of course, but in my Kamado Joe, this basket has made a noticeable difference. The reason is that without the kick ash basket, you can sometimes have ash and small pieces of charcoal clog up the lower fire grate. With the basket, these pieces are held up higher away from it.

Score: 9/10.

Ease of Cleaning

Cleaning up is my least favorite part of a cookout, but the Kick Ash Basket makes it less of a chore. Once the grill cools down, I just lift out the basket, shake it over a trash can, and most of the mess is gone. The only minor issue is, as stated before, the closeness of the handles to the kamado grill walls, which makes lifting it out a little awkward. Despite that, it’s still way easier than cleaning the grill without it.

Score: 8.5/10.

Value for Money

In my opinion, the Kick Ash Basket is worth every penny. It’s made of durable materials, makes grilling and cleanup easier, and helps me save on charcoal by reusing unburned pieces. Compared to other grilling accessories I’ve bought, this one has a clear, practical benefit that justifies its cost. I’ve been using it for a while now, and it’s saved me time, hassle, and money on charcoal. Definitely a smart product.

Score: 9/10.

General Overview: What is a Kick Ash Basket?

Think of the KAB as a charcoal handling system and cleanup assistant in one package. It is, as you can see, a basket made from stainless steel. There’s a handle on each side, and the entire thing is slatted.

Instead of placing your charcoal directly in your kamado, you instead insert the Kick Ash Basket first. Once in place, pour the charcoal as usual into the basket.

Once your cook session is over, give your charcoal some time to cool down completely. When you’re ready, reach in and lift the KAB out, hold it over an ash bin, give it a shake, and all the ash and small bits drop out, leaving only unburned coal to use for your next cook.

I purchased one for my Kamado Joe Classic, and it’s this model that you see in the photos in this review.

Features and Manufacturer’s Specifications

No matter which version of the Kick Ash Basket you purchase, the features are the same: welded stainless steel, and two handles. The dimensions vary, however, depending on which kamados your model is meant to fit.

By now, you’ve already seen the word “kamado” sixteen times in this article. That’s because the Kick Ash Basket is only for use in kamado grills. If you own a kettle grill or other types of smoker, we’re sorry, but you’re not invited to this party.

Manufacturer Specs

• Heavy-duty stainless steel wire construction
• Electro-polished stainless steel
• Precision welding at wire intersections

Why Buy One? What are the Benefits?

At first glance, this doesn’t seem like the kind of product that gives you an edge over other grillers. It’s just too simple, right? The truth is, the KAB makes kamado grilling even better than it already was.

The most obvious benefit of using a Kick Ash Basket is the convenience of removing all of your charcoal from the bottom of your kamado at once. No more leaning way into your BGE XL! Plus, shaking the KAB releases all the ash, leaving you with nothing but unburned charcoal to reuse, while saving you time and money.

Although most people will wait for their kamado to cool down, if you’re in a hurry, the KAB can help. Competition grillers and smokers sometimes have to pack up in a hurry. In that situation, allow the basket to cool down a little and then remove it wearing heatproof gloves. The empty kamado will cool off much faster.

All that is great, but there’s an even better reason to use a Kick Ash Basket.

You probably know that a fire cannot burn without oxygen. The more oxygen it gets, the hotter it will burn. That’s why kamados and other grills have air vents we can open and close — it’s how we can control the temperature.

Unfortunately, within and around the sides of a pile of charcoal, air circulation isn’t optimal, no matter what you do with the vents.

The KAB holds charcoal slightly away from the walls of your kamado, allowing increased airflow, and preventing air holes from clogging with ash. This allows for a more consistent burn and higher potential temperatures if needed.

Kick Ash Basket

A charcoal basket insert that can save you time during cleaning, and save money, by allowing you to re-use unburned fuel after simple separation from ashes with just a little shake. A simple idea well executed, and a cracking little product.

Check Price at Amazon

Check Price at Ace Hardware

Check Price at KickAshBasket

How is the Design and Build Quality?

Kick Ash did not reinvent the wheel in terms of design — it’s a basket, and it looks like almost every basket you’ve ever seen. The gaps between bars allow all the small stuff to drop through and the big stuff to stay in place without much waste, meaning very little of use is going to fall out prematurely.

Size-wise, the Kick Ash Basket is built to fit as many kamado style grills as possible. Some it will fit better than others, but it’s as close to universal within its size category as it can be.

They’ve used heavy-duty stainless steel, so it will hold up to the intense temperatures sometimes generated inside a kamado. Each basket is precision welded every place metal meets metal; it may actually be over-engineered for the job of holding charcoal, but we aren’t complaining.

How does it Perform? The Kick Ash Basket in Use

The kick ash basket performs really well, doing exactly what it’s advertised to do and providing the benefits it says it does. During my use, I can definitely say it increases airflow, helping me maintain more stable temperatures, and hit higher temperatures. And it’s made my clean-up easier, and helps me re-use unburned charcoal.

But how exactly do use it?

When you start cooking, follow these steps:

1. Clean out any ash already in your kamado.
2. Remove charcoal grate (optional.)
3. Place Kick Ash Basket inside kamado — it should rest flat at the bottom.
4. If you use a charcoal chimney starter, light it as usual, then dump lit charcoal into the KAB.
5. If you light your charcoal in the kamado, pour lumps directly into the KAB.
6. Light your charcoal as usual.

If you’re using less than a full basket of charcoal, you could load the basket first and then place it inside the kamado.

When your cook is finished, follow these steps:

1. Close the top and bottom vents to put out the charcoal.
2. Allow kamado and charcoal to cool down.
3. Lift the KAB by the handles and remove from kamado.
4. Shake the KAB over a metal garbage can or ash can to remove ash and small pieces.
5. Reuse any charcoal remaining in the KAB.

It is that easy. This is all it’s designed to do, and it’s exactly what it does.

What Smokers Can They Fit?

Here’s a list of kamados we know Kick Ash makes a basket for:

• Char-Griller Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill
• Big Green Egg: MiniMax, Small, Medium, Large and XL
• Broil King Keg
• Grilla Grill
• Grill Dome: Large
• Kamado Joe: Junior, Classic and Big Joe
• Louisiana Kamado Model K24
• Pit Boss
• Primo Kamado All-In-One
• Saffire Grill
• Vision Grill
• Weber Grill

There are many sizes of Kick Ash Basket, so check to see which one is right for your kamado. If you’re not sure if it will fit, pull out the tape measure and check your interior dimensions.

Warranty & Support

Kick Ash provides a 3-year limited warranty, and you can register your KAB online. There’s also a 90-day return policy, which is apparently a “no questions asked” deal. Confidence in your product is sexy, just sayin’.

If you need to contact Kick Ash, there’s an online form you can fill out, an email address, and a phone number for the office in Wisconsin. For social users, you can connect on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube. Not getting enough email already, sign up for the Kick Ash email list.

Final Verdict

The objective part of this kick ash basket review is finished. Time to get subjective and let you know how I really feel!

What We Like

Anything that reduces your contact with charcoal, burnt wood, and ashes is a good thing! I don’t mind getting a little messy sometimes, but it’s cool to minimize it where you can.

Maintaining a consistent temperature is crucial for good grilling and smoking, and the Kick Ash Basket makes that a more manageable task thanks to the improved airflow around your charcoal pile.

I’ve had my kick ash basket for over a year now, and I like it.

I used to use my Kamado Joe ‘ash tool’ to stir up the coals in the bottom of my kamado, to get the ash and tiny pieces to fall through the fire grate. But the holes are so small, they would often block. So I’d have to pile up the old coal on the sides to leave airflow through the center, which is far from best for temperature control.

And for long, low n slow cooks, I would just sacrifice the unburned coals by emptying out my kamado and using a new load, as reliably constant temperature is a must over 15 hours or so of smoking. So I would sometimes throw away perfectly usable pieces of charcoal.

With the kick ash basket, I can simply pick up the old coal, shake off loose bits and put it back in the kamado, mixing in new fuel, then I’m ready to go.

I’m confident in saying it has paid for itself over the year+ of ownership, by way of far less fuel being thrown away, and time saved on top over manual emptying (picking up the pieces) is a huge bonus.

What Could Be Improved

The two handles extend out and up from the basket, following the same angle as the basket itself. Unfortunately, this means the handles sit very close to the walls of some kamados, making it slightly difficult to pick up, especially if you have thick gloves on.

Not sure if there’s any way around this though to be honest? Maybe they could put the handles at an angle so they come inwards a little?

Will I Get Value for My Money?

The simplicity of the Kick Ash Basket makes it easy to forget what a great idea it is. Honestly, it’s one of those “why didn’t I think of that… and get rich?” products.

It does a darn good job, and it enhances the kamado experience. If you’ve invested time, money, and even a bit of your soul into this kind of cooking, you’ll definitely see the value in this product, same as I do. It is absolutely worth the investment.

So, is This a Recommended Product?

If you’re feeling a little silly about wanting to buy a basket, get over it! I already loved kamado cooking before I bought my own Kick Ash Basket, but now I love it even more.

My cleanup time is faster, I waste less charcoal, and I have better control over the temperature. Basically, what the manufacturer promises, is absolutely true! It does precisely what they claim.

So, if kamado grilling and smoking is your thing, this is a must-have accessory.

Kick Ash Basket

A charcoal basket insert that can save you time during cleaning, and save money, by allowing you to re-use unburned fuel after simple separation from ashes with just a little shake. A simple idea well executed, and a cracking little product.

Check Price at Amazon

Check Price at Ace Hardware

Check Price at KickAshBasket

Conclusion

I’ve used the Kick Ash Basket for a while now. It makes dealing with charcoal way easier, from starting the fire to cleaning up afterward. There’s not much else that can be said, to be honest! If you have a Kamado-style smoker, go get one.

Do you have any questions or comments on the kick ash basket? If so, please leave them below, I’d love to hear from you and will answer every one.

Happy grilling!