What sets a Big Green Egg apart from a regular grill is mainly its material. While it's fueled by charcoal like many other grills, its walls are constructed of ceramic as opposed to metal.

“Kamado” means “stove” or “cooking range” in Japanese, and that’s exactly how these grills function ... We put the Big Green Egg and its major grilling competitors to the test ...

The upper and lower portions of a Big Green Egg (or other Kamado Grills) have a strip of gasket around the entire rim that helps seal the Egg and prevent heat (and smoke) from escaping.