Angst Time -- Small or Medium?

The Naked Whiz

I apologize for inflicting my confliction on you all, but I am trying to decide twixt a small and a medium. I have a large already, so don't tell me to get a large, like I tell everyone else! :-) I like the price of the small and the weight of the small, but I look at the medium and see room for more food. I wonder if when you are cooking indirect on the small, by the time you put something in between the fire and the food, how much head room you have for cooking something like a turkey or butt. (or butts?) Do you need to extract the thermometer to keep it out of the food? Does anyone have photos of them cooking 3 briskets, 5 butts and some wings to boot on a small, to make me feel better? Realistically, how much can one cook on a small? Thank you so much for your indulgence. (Ducky, you can relate, right?)[p]TNW

Bordello

The Naked Whiz,
I have a Lg. Med. and Mini egg, my k is equal to the small in grill diameter. I would suggest a medium only because of your concern about space and the way that I see you post about cooking. I have nothing against the 13 inch size, it has many uses. (but I have 4 sizes to work with and there is only me Ü) I am sure there are many more that will chime in.
Good Luck with whatever size you decide on.
New Bob

sdbelt

The Naked Whiz,[p]My next would either be a mini, small, or large. Personally, the medium just doesn't seem to solve enough problems. So between a small and a medium, it would be the small for me.[p]--sdb

Bordello

The Naked Whiz,
As I looked at your post again I see that you did mention the weight of the small. If you are looking for something that is portable, go with the mini or the small, if cooking room is your worry go with the medium, maybe when you are ready for a small after that they will have the new bands. (wishful thinking but you never know)
Cheers,
New Bob

Tom Harmon

The Naked Whiz,[p]Depends completely on your priorities. If looking for smaller (portable)w/less lump used on small(er) cooks then small is way to go. I use the small to offload side dishes like potatoes au gratin in dutch oven, Corn on cob, or to cook at high heat (burgers/steak and the like) while the big is busy w/low temp cook.[p]If looking for a little less than large then Medium. I agree w/earlier post though - Medium doesn't solve enough issues. If I were considering a medium would probably just get another large.

Gretl

The Naked Whiz,
I have a Large and received a Small as a gift last October. Because there are only three of us most of the time, and often (like, always) I'm in a hurry to prepare dinner after work, I end up using the Small more than the Large. I use the Small for grilling all sorts of vegetables, shrimp, fish, scallops, and flattened chicken breasts. I have a round grill topper wok (from Lowes, in the Weber aisle) that fits the Small perfectly, with great results. The Small heats up very quickly. The slow-cooking item that I use it for most often is a nice pot of baked beans. I used the Large yesterday for the first time in a month when we had company. I use the Large for larger quantities (obviously), for roasting turkeys, chickens, sides of salmon, breads, and pizzas. Of course, I wouldn't give up either! [p]I like the Small and Large combo.[p]Cheers,
Gretl

Unknown

New Bob,
Also possibly interested in the small. Could you tell me more about old bands / new bands??
Thanks
Wade

BlueSmoke

Gretl,
Amen! Because, like you, I'm frequently in a hurry during the week, and end up grilling something (anything!), I find the small get more of a workout than the large. Don't know how I'd get along without both of them.[p]Ken

Steve-O

Wade,
The new spring lock hinge for the small is rumored to be out sometime this fall, but those at the BGE store claim to know nothing about it. More significantly, I was told just last Saturday at the BGE store that before any new small shipped with the new hinge, all of their current inventory of smalls with the old hinge would have to be sold first. Add to that the fact that they sell VERY few smalls, and it could be quite some time before the smalls are shipping with the new band.

Steve-O

The Naked Whiz,
I just returned from the BGE store in Atlanta with a new small to go with my large and mini. I have only used it twice, and like it just fine so far. However, I must also confess that if price had not been an issue, I would probably have gone with a medium. I went there completely convinced that a small was what I wanted, but when I compared the small and the medium side by side, I really hesitated about buying the small. I had never seen a medium before, and it will certainly has more room than the small, plus it sets up higher on it's nest than the small and can be had with the new spring assist hinge. Unless portability is an issue, and if the cost is not, I recommend the medium.

Bordello

Does that mean that you do not have a medium as a choice???[p]Thanks BlueSmoke,
New Bob

Nature Boy

The Naked Whiz,
I have a small, medium and large. The small and large were a perfect combo. Since I got the medium last april, I found I used it more than the large or small. The small is, well, small. And for a family of 4, the medium is great. Plenty more space that the small, but different cooking atmosphere that the large...grate closer to the coals, but still with plenty of vertical space for indirect setups. And I also find it is portable. I aint a huge guy, and I can bear hug it right out of the nest into the back of my pathfinder.[p]Just another view.
Beers!
Chris

Gator1

The Naked Whiz,
I have a Medium and a Mini. I have never run out of space cooking for my family of four on the Medium. To give you an Idea: It will fit a 5 pound brisket flat in a V-rack, two baked potatoes, and two ears of corn simultaneously. The dome is tall enough to fit an 8 pound Sunday Roaster Chicken on a vertical chicken roaster. I have done Low/Slow cooks up to 16 hours with 50% of the lump remaining unused in the firebox. I hope this helps.
Jim