The Primo Story
It all began with an American tourist and a turkey.
When George Samaras completed his tour of duty as a pharmacist in the Greek military in 1986, he needed to find a career so he turned to his love of the sea. He began racing sailboats and captaining a yacht for tourist excursions throughout the Greek islands.
In 1988, he met his future wife Kelley, an American who was vacationing with her family and had chartered Samaras’ boat. George was taken with Kelley and they stayed in touch after she returned home. She eventually moved to Greece and later the two were married. Seven years later, the couple decided to move to the United States.
George’s father-in-law had a Kamado cooker and on Thanksgiving Day, George had roasted turkey for the first time. He was amazed at the juiciness and delicious flavor of the bird that was cooked on the kamado. It looked and performed unlike any grill he had ever used.
He bought a kamado for himself and cooked on it regularly. He told his friends and family about it and began shipping them back to Greece for them to use. Eventually George had over 80 people in his homeland that wanted a kamado, so he asked the manufacturer if he could start a distributorship in Greece, but they declined.
Not to be deterred, George saw a niche in the market and decided that he would make his own kamado cookers. Many people, including ceramic engineers, told him that it couldn’t be done, but he pressed on and spent the next several years developing and testing his own formula for the refractory material to get the right blend.
In 1996, he was ready to sell his ceramic grills. Samaras chose the name, “Primo” which means “the best” in Italian. His first manufacturing facility was a 700 sq. ft. space he rented. Due to the limited space he could only make two grills at a time and he had to drive across town to a kiln to have them fired.
Over the next several years, the Primo kamado style grill grew in popularity as word spread about their quality and as the only ceramic grill made in the United States.
Samaras has a love for improving his ceramic grills and innovative products and in 2000 he introduced the Primo 2000, a combination gas and ceramic grill. His idea was to use the superior heat and moisture retention characteristics of a ceramic grill and the convenience of gas as a heat source that so many outdoor cookers prefer.
It was an unrivaled product never before seen in the industry, and over 700 were sold. Production was discontinued a few years later due to the shipping and assembly requirements.
George was also looking beyond the round shape of the traditional kamado and discovered that an oval-shape offered a much higher cooking versatility and efficiency. It forever changed the direction of Primo.
The introduction of the patented oval-shaped grill in 2002 established Primo as a major manufacturer in the ceramic grill market.
Today, Primo is headquartered in a 92,000 sq. ft. facility in Tucker, Georgia where their ceramic grills are produced. Primo is available in more than 24 countries around the world.
It all began with an American tourist and a turkey.
When George Samaras completed his tour of duty as a pharmacist in the Greek military in 1986, he needed to find a career so he turned to his love of the sea. He began racing sailboats and captaining a yacht for tourist excursions throughout the Greek islands.
In 1988, he met his future wife Kelley, an American who was vacationing with her family and had chartered Samaras’ boat. George was taken with Kelley and they stayed in touch after she returned home. She eventually moved to Greece and later the two were married. Seven years later, the couple decided to move to the United States.
George’s father-in-law had a Kamado cooker and on Thanksgiving Day, George had roasted turkey for the first time. He was amazed at the juiciness and delicious flavor of the bird that was cooked on the kamado. It looked and performed unlike any grill he had ever used.
He bought a kamado for himself and cooked on it regularly. He told his friends and family about it and began shipping them back to Greece for them to use. Eventually George had over 80 people in his homeland that wanted a kamado, so he asked the manufacturer if he could start a distributorship in Greece, but they declined.
Not to be deterred, George saw a niche in the market and decided that he would make his own kamado cookers. Many people, including ceramic engineers, told him that it couldn’t be done, but he pressed on and spent the next several years developing and testing his own formula for the refractory material to get the right blend.
In 1996, he was ready to sell his ceramic grills. Samaras chose the name, “Primo” which means “the best” in Italian. His first manufacturing facility was a 700 sq. ft. space he rented. Due to the limited space he could only make two grills at a time and he had to drive across town to a kiln to have them fired.
Over the next several years, the Primo kamado style grill grew in popularity as word spread about their quality and as the only ceramic grill made in the United States.
Samaras has a love for improving his ceramic grills and innovative products and in 2000 he introduced the Primo 2000, a combination gas and ceramic grill. His idea was to use the superior heat and moisture retention characteristics of a ceramic grill and the convenience of gas as a heat source that so many outdoor cookers prefer.
It was an unrivaled product never before seen in the industry, and over 700 were sold. Production was discontinued a few years later due to the shipping and assembly requirements.
George was also looking beyond the round shape of the traditional kamado and discovered that an oval-shape offered a much higher cooking versatility and efficiency. It forever changed the direction of Primo.
The introduction of the patented oval-shaped grill in 2002 established Primo as a major manufacturer in the ceramic grill market.
Today, Primo is headquartered in a 92,000 sq. ft. facility in Tucker, Georgia where their ceramic grills are produced. Primo is available in more than 24 countries around the world.
Our unique oval design also allows for you to cook using both direct and indirect methods at the same time! Using our divider plate, you can cook a steak with direct heat on one side and chicken with indirect heat on the other side!
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Built - In Grills
MADE IN THE USA
Free assembly & delivery (up to 30 miles from showroom)
PGCXLHJ
Primo Jack Daniels Edition Oval XL 400
Model # 900 Primary Cooking Area 400 sq in. Cooking Grid 18.5" x 25" |
PGCXLH
Primo Oval XL 400
Model # 778 Primary Cooking Area 400 sq in. Cooking Grid 18.5" x 25" |
PGCLGH
Primo Oval LG 300
Model # 775 Primary Cooking Area 300 sq in. Cooking Grid 15" x 22" |
PGCJRH
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PGCRH
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Primo Oval JR 200
Primary Cooking Area 210 sq in. Cooking Grid 13.5" x 18.5" |
Kamado Round (includes ash tool and grate lifter)
Primary Cooking Area 280 sq in. Cooking Grid 18.5" diameter |
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All-In-One Grills
Made in the USA
Free assembly & delivery (up to 30 miles from showroom)
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Premium Grade Ceramics
Primo ceramics are an excellent insulator, allowing you to cook slow and low or hot and fast. Easy-to-Read Thermometer Our large oval thermometer is accurate and easy to read from a distance. Heat-Resistant Gaskets. Our Nomex-based gasket is designed to handle the heat. They also last longer than a felt gasket. Stainless Steel Grates |
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Durable Side Shelves
Plenty of room to set heavy platters and other utensils. Fold-Down Side Shelves Conveniently fold shelves downward for storage or transport. Powder Coated Hardware Scratch and rust resistant with superior weather durability. Locking Front Casters Convenient locking casters prevent movement, yet allow for easy movement when unlocked. |
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Kamado All-In-One
Model # PGCRC Includes grill, heavy today stand, ash tool, grid lifter, 2 side shelves and deflector plate with rack 
Oval 400 All-In-One
Model #PGCXLC Includes grill, heavy duty stand, ash tool, grid lifter, 2 side shelves, cast iron firebox divider, 2 heat deflector rack/drip pan racks and 2 deflector plates. |
Oval 200 All-In-One
Model # PGCJRC Includes grill, heavy duty stand, ash tool, grid lifter, 2 side shelves, cast iron firebox divider, 2 heat deflector rack/drip pan racks and 2 deflector plates. |
Oval 300 All-In-One
Model # PGCLGC Includes grill, heavy duty stand, ash tool, grid lifter, 2 side shelves, cast iron firebox divider, 2 heat deflector rack/drip pan racks and 2 deflector plates. |
Portable Carts
Free assembly & delivery (up to 30 miles from showroom)
Free assembly & delivery (up to 30 miles from showroom)
Cart Base with Basket & SS side shelves for
PGCXLH (XL400) , PGCLGH (LG300) & PGCJRH (JR200) |
Cart Base with Basket & Island top shelves for
PGCXLH (XL400) & PGCLGH (LG300) |
Cypress Countertop Table for
PGCXLH (XL400) & PGCLGH (LG300) Grill is not included in the price |
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Grill is not included in the price |
Primo Cookware
The half oval drip pans perfectly pair with the ceramic heat deflectors to capture all the juices being released by the food. During long smokes the stainless steel pan can be filled with water to slowly release moisture back into the food.
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Primo’s Oval Rib and Chicken rack was designed to hold up to five racks of ribs and an upright whole chicken at one time. The matching stainless steel oval drip pan catches all of the juices and evaporates them back into the meat during the cooking process.
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Primo’s Pizza oven accessory helps maintain cooking temperatures in the grill while cooking multiple pizzas. Eliminated is the need to open the entire grill when adding or removing pizzas.
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Converts your grill into a wood fired rotisserie.
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Roast & grill your favorite meals without the hassle of flipping foods. Simply load the basket, turn on your rotisserie, and let your favorite meal cook.
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Perfect for cooking multiple cuts of fish, beef, poultry, or even fill with veggies for a delicious rotisserie meal.
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Create perfectly cooked kebabs with the even cooking only a rotisserie can provide.
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Quickly and Easily Light your charcoal.
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Use the Ceramic Heat Deflector Plates in conjunction with the Heat Deflector Racks to convert your Primo into an oven, roaster, or smoker.
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The Heat Deflector Racks are placed in the Primo Charcoal Grill to hold the Heat Deflector Plates which will allow for indirect cooking.
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The Heat Deflector Rack is placed in the Primo Round Charcoal Grill to hold the Heat Deflector Plates which will allow for indirect cooking.
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Utilize our Glazed Ceramic Pizza & Baking Stone (15") to make authentic wood-fired pizza, bake bread, casseroles, and pies. The glazed ceramic surface allows for easy food removal.
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Utilize our Ceramic Pizza & Baking Stone (15" & 12") to make authentic wood-fired pizza, bake bread, casseroles, and pies.
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The heavy cast iron Firebox Divider allows you to split the fire box area to create two distinct cooking zones for simultaneous direct and indirect cooking. Also, conserve the amount of natural lump charcoal used for smaller cooks.
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The half-moon Cast Iron Grate is perfect for searing meats and locking in the juices at high temperatures. It offers higher heat retention, even heat distribution, and faster cooking times.
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This dual-purpose half-moon Cast Iron Griddle with a smooth and a grooved side allows you to fry, sear and sauté. It offers higher heat retention, even heat distribution, and faster cooking times.
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Add up to two stainless steel extension racks to greatly increase your cooking area. One rack adds over 30% more cooking area and two racks adds over 60%.
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Our 5-Slot Rib Rack allows you to simultaneously cook 5 racks of ribs.
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