How do you control the temperature in a kamado?

For the basics of temperature control (and why a kamado behaves differently from an “ordinary” BBQ) start with How does a kamado BBQ work?. After that, everything you do with the vents suddenly makes sense.

The two controls that matter

• Air intake at the bottom: sets how much oxygen (and therefore fire) your charcoal gets
• Top vent at the top: sets how much warm air and smoke can escape

Raising the temperature

Want it hotter? Give the fire more oxygen. Open the bottom air intake in small steps and let the kamado respond. Opening it too far, too fast is the classic way to gift yourself “pizza mode” within ten minutes. Overshot and need to come back down quickly? Then follow the safe procedure: shutting down a kamado and cooling it down fast.

Lowering the temperature

Want it cooler? Choke the oxygen supply by closing the air intake and/or top vent a little further. Important: a kamado does not react instantly, because the ceramic holds a lot of heat. So: one adjustment, wait a while, and only then the next step. (If you want to understand why it works this way: airflow in a kamado explained.)

Pro tip: whatever air goes in at the bottom has to come out at the top. So always adjust in pairs: closing the bottom a little? Bring the top with it. That keeps the burn clean and stops smoke building up. This matters most on long sessions like low & slow.

The different temperature zones

• 100–135°C: low & slow (the classic range for pulled pork, ribs, brisket)
• 150–200°C: roasting and baking (chicken, rolled roasts, bread)
• 250°C+: pizza & high-heat grilling (steaks, smash burgers, quick hits)

Want more than just “temperature”, and clever zones within a single session (direct/indirect, hot/cool)? Then have a look at creating temperature zones in a kamado.

Common mistakes

• Correcting too soon (your kamado needs time to respond)
• Opening the dome over and over (heat out, oxygen in, chaos on top)
• Using damp or poor-quality charcoal
• Ash and debris building up at the bottom and choking the airflow
• Charcoal stacked badly: see how do you light a kamado BBQ?

More information

• Lighting up
• Direct and indirect cooking
• Which charcoal suits best?
• Common mistakes
• The difference between cheap and expensive kamados