Kettle, gas or kamado: which braai should you buy?

Kettle, gas or kamado? Which braai suits how you cook, how often you braai and the space you have, plus what each type costs in South Africa.

Every family has one. The uncle who arrives at the Sunday braai, looks at the gas braai on the patio and says, kindly but firmly, that it isn't a real braai. Then he eats three chops off it. Meanwhile the cousin with the kamado has been smoking a brisket since six this morning and won't stop talking about the temperature.

All three are real braais. They just suit different people and different budgets. Below: who each type suits, what it costs in South Africa and what to check before you buy, so the argument at the next braai is about the rugby instead.

What to decide first

How often will you braai? If it's mainly weekends with time to spare, wood or charcoal is part of the fun. If it's a Tuesday after work, gas wins.

What do you cook? Chops, wors and steak suit all three. Roasts and bread want a kettle or kamado with a lid. Low and slow smoking is kamado country.

How much space do you have? A complex patio or a flat balcony may rule out open flames, and body corporate rules can limit what you can use. Check before you buy.

Who's braaiing? A braai the whole family can light is used more than one only you can.

Kettle braais

The classic round charcoal braai with a lid, usually 57 cm across. It braais direct over the coals, and with the lid on and the coals pushed to the sides it roasts and smokes too. Charcoal or briquettes take 20 to 30 minutes to be ready, which is half the ritual.

Look after it with a cover and a clean ash catcher and a good kettle lasts years. Weber, Megamaster, Cadac and Dangrill all make one, from basic to very solid. If you're weighing a Weber against a cheaper kettle, our guide to what you pay for the Weber name goes through the difference.

Gas braais

Heat in minutes, with easy control and very little clean-up. A two or three burner patio model covers most families; four or more suits big gatherings. A lid and a warming rack add flexibility. What you give up is the charcoal flavour, though a smoker box helps. Cadac, Weber, Megamaster and Braaimaxx cover the range from compact table-tops to full braai centres. Budget for a gas cylinder and regulator if they're not included.

Kamado braais

The heavy, egg-shaped ceramic cooker. The thick walls hold heat for hours on a small amount of charcoal, which makes it very good for slow cooks, smoking, pizza and bread, as well as steak at very high heat. It takes practice to control the vents, and it's heavy enough to need a stand with wheels. Kamado Joe, Alva and Weber all make one. It costs the most of the three by some way, and it does the most.

Price bands as of October 2026
TypeBest forPrice band
Kettle, 57 cmWeekend charcoal, roasts, first braaiR2,500 to R7,500
Gas, 2 to 3 burner patioWeeknights, quick and easyR3,500 to R7,000
Gas, premium 3 burner and upBig families, regular entertainingR10,000 to R20,000
Kamado, ceramicSlow cooks, smoking, pizzaR15,000 to R42,000

The cost of running it

The price tag isn't the whole cost. A kettle needs a bag of charcoal or briquettes every few braais. A gas braai needs a cylinder refill every so often, and nothing else. A kamado uses less charcoal than a kettle for the same cook, because the ceramic holds the heat. Count how often you braai in a month and the running cost sorts itself out.

Where the deals are

Braais are promoted hard around Heritage Day in September, before December and over Father's Day, and the big hardware and home stores run them as specials often. The size of the percentage tells you little. A braai advertised at a "was" price it barely sold at isn't a deal, so compare the same model at another shop first.

The Braai Shop ranks live braai deals from the shops we track by REALRANK™, which reads the discount, the rand saving, how the price compares to other shops, the brand, how recently the price dropped and stock.

Before you pay

Check what's in the box: lid, grid, cover, cylinder and regulator are often sold separately. Check the assembly, because a big gas braai can take an afternoon to put together.

Budget for the bits that make it easier to use; our list of braai accessories worth the money covers what earns its place. Anything gas that's plumbed in permanently should be installed by a registered gas installer. Keep the invoice: the Consumer Protection Act gives you six months to return a defective braai, and many brands offer longer warranties on parts.

Before you buy, Check The Deal. Shop great braai deals, verified and ranked by REALRANK™.

Frequently asked questions

Is a kettle or gas braai better?

A kettle gives charcoal flavour and roasts well with the lid on. Gas is faster and easier on weeknights. Many households end up with both.

Is a kamado worth the money?

If you love slow cooks, smoking and pizza, yes. For mostly chops and wors, a kettle does the job for much less.

What size kettle braai should I buy?

The 57 cm kettle suits most families of four to six. Smaller kettles suit camping and balconies.

Do gas braais come with a gas cylinder?

Often not. Check the listing for the cylinder and regulator, and budget for them if they're sold separately.

Where are the best braai deals in South Africa?

The Braai Shop on THE REAL DEAL ranks live braai deals from the shops we track by REALRANK™. Compare the same model at another shop before you trust the percentage.

Sources

Written by Dean. Reviewed 27 October 2026. Price bands are for a decent option at full price, rounded, and change; the live deals show today's prices. Some links earn THE REAL DEAL a commission. Placement buys visibility, it never touches REALRANK™.