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A two-zone fire — hot direct heat on one side, cooler indirect heat on the other — is the single most useful technique for kamado owners who want both a good sear and gentle, even cooking in the same session.
A heat deflector to create the indirect zone
Positioning a heat deflector under half the grate (rather than the whole cooking surface) creates a genuine two-zone setup, giving you a direct-heat area alongside a protected indirect one.
| Product | Standout Feature | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Unicook 17″ Cordierite Smoking Stone for Akorn Kamado Grill, Heat D… | Heat Deflector Dimension: Unicook smoking stone measures 17”Dia x 0.8”(20mm) thickness…. | Check Price → |
| Kamado Joe Classic Joe Flexible Cooking Rack | Two levels allow for multiple heat zones and cooking surfaces | Check Price → |
| ThermoWorks Signals BBQ Alarm Thermometer with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth… | Monitor Multiple Temps at Once: Track up to four channels — meat, pit, or both — on one… | Check Price → |
- Heat Deflector Dimension: Unicook smoking stone measures 17”Dia x 0.8”(20mm) thickness. Compatible with Char-Griller Akorn Kama…
- Indirect Smoking Stone: The heat diffuser stone transforms your grill into an outdoor convection oven, circulating air around y…
- Multiple-Use Accessory: Ideal for low or slow smoking and cooking to keep your meat moist and tender, and also great for baking…
A grate divider for cleaner zone separation
A half-moon grate insert or divider makes the boundary between hot and cool zones more distinct and easier to manage than eyeballing charcoal placement alone.
- Two levels allow for multiple heat zones and cooking surfaces
- 304 stainless steel construction for long lasting durability
- Compatible with Kamado Joe Classic I, II, III
A reliable dual-zone thermometer setup
Since the whole point is two different temperature zones, a thermometer system with at least two probes lets you actually monitor both zones instead of guessing.
- Monitor Multiple Temps at Once: Track up to four channels — meat, pit, or both — on one clear display.
- Powerful App Control and Tracking: The ThermoWorks App lets you monitor, graph, and manage all four probes remotely with custom…
- Stay Connected Anywhere: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth send live temperature data and alerts to your phone or tablet.
Once set up, sear over the direct side first, then move food to the indirect zone to finish gently — this single technique covers most of what a two-zone kamado setup is actually for.
