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Med Or Lab, what to do

gfavor
gfavor Posts: 74
edited May 2012 in EggHead Forum
I know you all have been presented with this question many times. I'm about to purchase a BGE. I was focusing on the Medium, but now having 2nd thoughts. Usually it's just my wife and I; and occasionally when the kids visit (we're empty-nesters). But 90% of the time it's just the 2 of us.  We grill every weekend, rarely do we do meat in the kitchen, we always prefer grilling/smoking all year long. I also want to learn to cook others things like pizza, baking, etc. Am I crazy for going with the Medium?  I just don't want to over do it (getting more that than I need); I've done that several times in the past. You're advice is greatly appreciated.

Comments

  • Village Idiot
    Village Idiot Posts: 6,959
    The ideal would be a Large and a Mini.  Use the mini for when it's just your wife and you, then the large for the family gatherings.  You're going to end up with more than one anyway, so you might as well start out that way.   :)
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,671
    theres more options with the large, good size for pizzas, wok cooking, it fits a descent size wok. more accessories from the ceramic grill store. fits a full rack of ribs.
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Egg Juju
    Egg Juju Posts: 658
    edited May 2012
    I would buy the biggest one I could afford.  And VI is correct... you will probably want another.  :)
    Large and Small BGE * www.quelfood.com
  • XLBalco
    XLBalco Posts: 607
    I would start with purchasing one of each size and then sell off as you narrow down to your liking.  what is your zip code?  i'd be willing to help purchase the ones you dont want.
  • xraypat23
    xraypat23 Posts: 421
    I'd get a large. Its not that much more money, and the extra space won't be wasted.
  • Well, you can't cook on Space that you don't have so I would go large. I know, using that logic, you would go XL and just get it over with. That being said, a large fits whole briskets, uncut racks of ribs, a few more steaks if you are having a party (an you will have parties once you get it going). To me, a large is the smallest size that does everything I like to do with standard equipment (full briskets, full racks of ribs, 3 pork butts at a time etc). I grill a lot too and would not want to give us the grill space I have on my large.

    My 2 cents


    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • milkman5083
    milkman5083 Posts: 100
    I have a large, and it's just the wife and I. This setup is perfect. I plan on getting a second one this year but still undecided on the size. I am thinking a large and then a mini.
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,170
    +1 on the large-We are empty-nesters as well and the large is a perfect size for all the reasons above.  And you can crank up the cook volume when the wayward children return and want to eat you out of house and home-you will likely need a second cooking surface (going vertical) to keep up:)
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • ffsmoker
    ffsmoker Posts: 5
    I have the large and would not down size at all. There are times when I wish I had the XL for the large gaterings. If I buy another one it will be an XL for sure.
  • tazcrash
    tazcrash Posts: 1,852
    I have the large and would not down size at all. There are times when I wish I had the XL for the large gaterings. If I buy another one it will be an XL for sure.
    Funny, there are 3 of us. i have the large, and sometimes wish I had more space, but my next will probably be a small for a place to grill things while something smokes, or a place to sear after a roast.

    Just goes to show there really isn't a right answer here, just lots of opinions. 
     

    Bx - > NJ ->TX!!! 
    All to get cheaper brisket! 
  • AZbge
    AZbge Posts: 96
    I have an XL and a small. Perfect combo.  Based on what you are saying, I would go for the large.  As VI said, you will be getting a second one as I found out...
  • hartofatiger
    hartofatiger Posts: 204

    Get the large.  As mentioned above, it is a great size for a super majority of cooks.  I actually went to the store today to get a small (to go along with my large), but walked out frustrated.  The price difference between the large and small was less than anticipated ($200).  Looks like i need to think about it some more.

    GEAUX TIGERS!!!!!!!!!

  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,170

    Get the large.  As mentioned above, it is a great size for a super majority of cooks.  I actually went to the store today to get a small (to go along with my large), but walked out frustrated.  The price difference between the large and small was less than anticipated ($200).  Looks like i need to think about it some more.

    Ouch-here in the Louisville, KY area the difference is around $250-and even with that I frequently check craigslist to see what's out there and I haven't seen one yet. 
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    Don't get medium. Too small and too few eggsessories
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
  • Newportlocal
    Newportlocal Posts: 474
    Hope you get the large.
  • pab
    pab Posts: 273
    I have a large and its just the wife and myself. Pizza, ribs, wings and boston butts all work well on the large. That being said, I do plan on picking up a small at the Porkopolis egg fest in July just for the added flexibility.
    Nerk Ahia LBGE
  • sharhamm
    sharhamm Posts: 258

    I had a medium, large, and mini.  Just the 2 of us 90% of the time, emptynesters..  Just sold the large as I had only used it 3 times in the couple of years that I had it.   Mostly use the mini but also use the medium quite often.  It does beautiful pizzas and love wokking on it. Yes, you can buy more toys for the large but you also need places to store the toys.  At the end of the season I'll be able to tell if I made a mistake or not. 

     

  • Doc_Eggerton
    Doc_Eggerton Posts: 5,321


    I just don't want to over do it (getting more that than I need); I've done that several times in the past. You're advice is greatly appreciated.
    You did not say cost was a factor, so in my opinion I would get an XL. 
    Just because it is large does not mean you have to fill it up and burn a
    whole load of lump,  You can't over do a BGE, beacuse some time or another you will need the space, but you can definitely under do it.

    I cook for me and the wife almost every night, making dinner and the next day's lunch.  Veggies get done on a half loaded XL, so I can do direct and indirect, and meat on the Lge. 

    I like using the XL for the wok, so there is a big air space around the sides, and I recently did a 30 pound pork smoke (freezing most of it) - why - because it takes as long to smoke 5 pounds as it does 30.  The pork just fit in the XL.

    You will love having plenty of cook space, and get frustrated if you do not.

    XXL #82 out of the first 100, XLGE X 2, LBGE (gave this one to daughter 1.0) , MBGE (now in the hands of iloveagoodyoke daughter 2.0) and lots of toys

  • Doc_Eggerton
    Doc_Eggerton Posts: 5,321
    Opps, split pic posting.

    XXL #82 out of the first 100, XLGE X 2, LBGE (gave this one to daughter 1.0) , MBGE (now in the hands of iloveagoodyoke daughter 2.0) and lots of toys

  • reh111
    reh111 Posts: 196
    I was of the same mindset when I bought mine (i.e., just the two of us, etc) so I bought a medium.  Wish I had bought a large.  The amount of stuff I cook is not the issue nearly as much as the accessories available.  For instance, the "V" rack, just doesn't fit well on a medium - can't get the lid closed all the way.  If you want to cook vegetables in a vegetable wire basket, most of them are too large for a medium.  If you buy ribs at Sam's in the 3 pack, you have to split the racks and cram them into the medium.  Anyway, I wish I had gone with a large.
  • ShadowNick
    ShadowNick Posts: 533
    reh111...  how do you fit 3 racks on a medium, i can never get more than 2
    Pentwater, MI
  • ShedFarm
    ShedFarm Posts: 499
    edited May 2012
    I managed to cook 3 racks on a small, by cutting them in half, and stagger-stacking them. I rotated the layers every hour, to ensure even cooking. Cooking them on a medium, would be a breeze!

    image

    I had to use a wooden skewer to keep them from sliding off of each other as I closed the lid, but they turned out great!
    BJ (Powhatan, VA)
  • reh111
    reh111 Posts: 196
    reh111...  how do you fit 3 racks on a medium, i can never get more than 2
    cut 'em in half, a 4 slot rib rack and put the extra 2 on the outside of either end
  • ribnrun
    ribnrun Posts: 174
    I give a+1 to a large.

    My reasoning is that the egg is a very efficient machine. The problem I had with my weber was the large amounts of charcoal I went through. It was an ash machine, always cleaning ash out of it then adding a full load of charcoal. The egg has the ability of conserving charcoal. A small cook does not require that much charcoal. I did hot dogs and corn last night with the leftover charcoal from cooking steaks the day before, and I did not add anymore charcoal. Couple the efficiency with the ability to crank up 6 racks of ribs or a couple of butts, or a 15lb brisket, and you got a winner.
  • Newportlocal
    Newportlocal Posts: 474
    I always see a recurring theme of how do you cram things or you can get bigger size. No offense intended.
  • Doc_Eggerton
    Doc_Eggerton Posts: 5,321
    I always see a recurring theme of how do you cram things or you can get bigger size. No offense intended.
    I can sort of understand the fun in the challenge to cook for 12 on a mini, but I don't need the complication.  Way more discussion goes into how to cram meat in the the smaller sizes, than goes on about using the bigger one doesn't mean using a ton more lump.  I have a XL and a Lg, which I just sort of stumbled into.  I would be happy with two XLs.  I will say having two is really nice for different temps and other cook details.  If I could only have one it would be an XL.

    XXL #82 out of the first 100, XLGE X 2, LBGE (gave this one to daughter 1.0) , MBGE (now in the hands of iloveagoodyoke daughter 2.0) and lots of toys

  • stevesails
    stevesails Posts: 990
    Get the biggest you can affor d or want to spend. It is the last grill you will buy. And your kids will get it. I have two kids. Maybe I need a second one to leave them both one!
    XL   Walled Lake, MI

  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    Going for a medium is not crazy. I started with 1 medium when 4 kids were home. That was cramped. I bought another medium, and the 2 let me easily cook for 12. Now that we have just 1 kid still around, I can easily cook for the 3 of us with 1 medium, and the kid eats as much as the wife and I at this point. I'm happy to have the 2 Eggs, but my desire to swap one out for a large has faded quite a bit.
  • gfavor
    gfavor Posts: 74
    Great responses; informative and entertaining. I plan to get it this weekend, I can't wait. Maybe I'll give it to my Lovely Wife a Mother's Day Gift :o) Won't she be surprised !!!!