Had less money and bought another brand Kamado as it was cheaper than the KJ classic. Then the KJ2 came out and this was a game changer. My Kamado got quality issues and after two replacements the dealer agreed that I got my money back. Kudos for Their Support as well. But I just added 500 bucks to the budget and got my a KJ2. What a nice thing and after 2 years already, no cracks, minor issue with the vent (replaced under warranty) and still happy. Yeah I would love to have the KJ3, but this version is also great. If you are on a budget, just buy this one. The quality is good, the innovation is great. Other brands are really behind.