Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Possible New Egg Owner

I am trying to decide whether to get the XL or Later egg.  Any thoughts out there?  I have a Weber 22.5" Smokey Mountain now and old worn out Boil King gas grill which the egg will replace.  I'm giving up the gas and go back to charcoal.
XL, WSM, Coleman Road Trip Gas Grill

Kansas City, Mo.

Comments

  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    edited March 2014
    Comes down to how much you cook, doesn't it? The XL will use more fuel, but then again it can cook much more than the LBGE. 
    Recent posts on here of folks doing three racks of ribs on a mini or small, can't recall which. You will be happy with either, with the WSM you will have a great set-up. Too bad the gasser is toast, they make great warming ovens, place to put the hot stuff and if it has a side burner, great sauce reducer/warmer. 
    Good Luck!
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • tulocay
    tulocay Posts: 1,737
    Agree with Skiddymarker. It is a factor of how much you cook. I went from an 18" WSM to a LBGE. Family of 3. It is perfect for us. When I need to cook for a group, I use my 2nd tier (grid extender and medium ss grate). I liked the WSM, but it doesn't compare to the BGE. Good luck, you can't go wrong with either the Large or XL.
    LBGE, Marietta, GA
  • six_egg
    six_egg Posts: 1,110
    I will just tell you what I have done maybe that will help you. I origanlly bought a Large. I cook for 4 people with lumch left overs. I found the large a little small when doing side dishe and main course together. I ended up buying an XL too. I use my XL and large all the time. If I did it over again I would buy the XL. Like I said above I cook for 4 plus we do neighborhood cook outs almost every weekend during summer. One thing I like the XL for is when cooking direct I can move food to a spot with no hot coals. The large makes tis harder to do. 

    XLBGE, LBGE 

    Fernandina Beach, FL

  • stevesails
    stevesails Posts: 990
    edited March 2014

    get the largest you can afford,   I have the XL, I do not regret the purchase,   it is a big boy,  not sure about the lump usage,  it may take more fuel to get the dome temp to 350 than a large,  but I bet it is a minimal difference. .


    I also make smaller fires to the back, and cook indirect and direct without having to add or remove a plate setter.  (but I have one and use it for strictly indirects. )

    get the egg sooner than later,  you wont regret it,  especially 4 years from now when you'd be replacing the gasser you bought instead.   Mine is four years old and looks brand new from the outside.



    XL   Walled Lake, MI

  • Ladeback69
    Ladeback69 Posts: 4,482
    Tulocay, do you still use your WSM? I would think I may use it if I had a lot to smoke for one day or may sell it. My gas grill still works, it just needs another new element and the frame is rusting out. I was going to buy a new Weber gas grill, but I hear the egg calling me.
    XL, WSM, Coleman Road Trip Gas Grill

    Kansas City, Mo.
  • bettysnephew
    bettysnephew Posts: 1,188

    @Ladeback69

    I still have my old much used Weber kettle.  I use it for smoking cheese and jerky as the metal construction dissipates heat and I feel stays cooler for longer smokes.  Not sure if this is true, but I have had good luck doing cold smokes in it.

    I have an XL and recently added a M to the henhouse.  They all have their uses.  With the wife and I being the target for most cooks I think the medium will be used a lot this summer.  When the kids and grandkids are over the XL definitely has a place.  I have used the XL for the last 4 years and it is not a charcoal hog by any means but I don't do a lot of nuclear cooks.

    A poor widows son.
    See der Rabbits, Iowa
  • tksmoke
    tksmoke Posts: 776
    I use the XL for just the GFU and myself, and I'm very happy with it.  Are there times I wish I had a smaller egg? - heck yes!!  But there are a lot more times I'm really glad to have all the extra grill space without resorting to multiple racks, etc.  For example, last night I did a spatchcock chicken, brussel sprouts, and grilled pineapple.  No problem.  I use a lump reducing ring from CGS when I'm not doing a long cook, and my lump use isn't too bad.  Having said all that, I'm thinking about adding a medium BGE to my collection in the not too distant future.  I also was of the Weber persuasion in a former life - they all have sat completely unused (except as an observation platform for Fluffy the cat) in the year I've had my egg.image
    Santa Paula, CA
  • pretzelb
    pretzelb Posts: 158
    I got the xl recently because nearly all the other owners I met said they wish they had gone forThe xl on their first egg. It is going well for me but I have nothing to compare.
    XL egg owner, home brewer, jogger, coffee roaster, gamer 
  • jhl192
    jhl192 Posts: 1,006
    I first bought the XL and I love it.  I recently added a Medium to do a quick single chicken, butt or steaks for the wife and I.  I could have lived with just the XL.  I think the difference in lump usage is negligible. I really like the XL for feeding the whole family or more than a couple of friends.  I think it is better for decent sized pizza's as well.  Larges are great too.  You can't go wrong.  It all depends on how much you cook and how creative you can be with the space allotted.   I am sure someone on here would cook and entire pig on a mini if they thought about it long enough!      
    XL BGE; Medium BGE; L BGE 
  • I was faced with the same decision when I was getting ready to purchase my first BGE.  I decided to buy the XL.  I later bought a used Large.  If I had to pick only one, it would be the XL, glad I made the XL my first purchase.
    XLBGE, LBGE, 2 Superior SS-2 gravity feed smokers;  Medford Lakes NJ
  • tcampbell
    tcampbell Posts: 771
    You can never have to many eggs.2 even 3 will get used if u have them.
  • Orthobear
    Orthobear Posts: 84
    I bought the XL. It's just two of us but I often cook for family when they come over too. Don't regret it one bit! I like being able to spread my food out and like being able to smoke large briskets without having to cut them up or drape them over racks.
    Houston, TX
  • I have an XL and it is nice for dinner parties, but mostly it's just my wife and I. I use it often so I burn a ton of charcoal. I love the XL, but I am looking to add a Medium to my arsenal. 

    Just something to keep in mind. 
  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
    @Ladeback69
     The most common question people ask when some one wants to buy a new egg is (How much do you cook?) Let me add a note to that verse as i think it is the wrong question. I think the question should be what is the biggest cook you fore see doing in the future. That being said i think a person should buy the biggest they can afford. I went with a large. Before you ask why i didnt buy the xlarge the answer is i have 4 other large cookers. I have the capacity to cook over 3000lbs pounds of meat at will so i didnt need the xlarge. My advice listening to what you said above about the cookers you have i would recommend the xlarge and you will have the capacity to meet most any need. Hope this helps my friend.

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

  • Ladeback69
    Ladeback69 Posts: 4,482
    I want the XL and I think I can afford the extra cost, but the wife may not like it tell she tastes the food cooked on it. The other reason I want it is for what most of you have said; you can cook a lot or a little and its easier to do indirect cooking without having to use the plate setter. I also have a large dutch oven that would work better in the XL. I have been quoted the XL with; nest, tables, grate grabbers, fire starter sticks, ash tool and bag of charcoal for $1349+tax. I think that's a good buy.
    XL, WSM, Coleman Road Trip Gas Grill

    Kansas City, Mo.
  • +1 for the XL. I bought mine and have maxed out the real estate it offers a couple times already (that's including an adjustable rig and woo2 combo setup) for things like chicken wings or drumsticks and thighs for large groups. It is easily worth the extra money IMHO.
    Justin in Denton, TX
  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
    I want the XL and I think I can afford the extra cost, but the wife may not like it tell she tastes the food cooked on it. The other reason I want it is for what most of you have said; you can cook a lot or a little and its easier to do indirect cooking without having to use the plate setter. I also have a large dutch oven that would work better in the XL. I have been quoted the XL with; nest, tables, grate grabbers, fire starter sticks, ash tool and bag of charcoal for $1349+tax. I think that's a good buy.
    Go for it. You will be glad you did.

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

  • tksmoke
    tksmoke Posts: 776
    When you start down this slippery slope, discard any preconceived notions of what you think you are going to cook, or what you want to cook. As the journey of the egg unfolds, so many different options open up.  I never would have thought I'd be doing Paella on the egg.  And I never would have guessed that I would be cooking 4 nights a week on the egg.  It has really been a journey of discovery for me.  And its great fun!!!  I would echo the "buy the largest you can afford" sentiment.  I agonized over the choice of Large vs. XL.  I'm sure I would be happy with the large, but I would REALLY want an XL.  With the XL, I can do virtually any cook - from small to huge.  Yes, I do want a medium, but there is nothing I could do on the medium, that I can't do on the XL.  And there is a huge amount of flexibility on the XL for accomplishing all sorts of incredible feats.  And some of the problems with temperature control and ash clogging don't seem to be significant (at least in my experience) on the XL.
    Santa Paula, CA
  • Gator_Fan
    Gator_Fan Posts: 43
    Go as large as you can afford.

    John,

    Sellersburg, Indiana

  • grege345
    grege345 Posts: 3,515
    It's always easier when you decide to get your 2nd egg to convince her of buying the "cheaper" one.
    LBGE& SBGE———————————————•———————– Pennsylvania / poconos

  • GeorgeS
    GeorgeS Posts: 955
    My house is the gathering spot for our family so there was no question about buying the XL. I also cook on it at least twice a week for my in house family of 4 and I don't feel it uses a ton of charcoal. I do shut it down right after I'm done cooking so there is usually left overs in the grill on the next cook. Unless I cooked something really greasy direct, then I open the vents and let it burn off.
    Bristow Virginia XL&Mini One of the best feelings in life is watching other people enjoy the food I cooked!
  • Justacookin
    Justacookin Posts: 291
    I jumped over a bunch of posts I have the xl I cook for me and the wife I use way much less charcoal (lump) than I did with the Weber. I fill it up do steaks, burgers, chops and fish on what was left over from the last cook. Always start fresh with over night or ribs.
    XL & waiting for my Mini Max Bloomington MN.
  • I think most people looking at the BGE struggle to make this decision, myself included. I went with the large because I only cook for two right now but with the advise of this forum I got the adsutable rig and have done some rather large cooks with it also. Ultimately it's a good decision either way so you really can't go wrong.
    Lexington TN
  • cortguitarman
    cortguitarman Posts: 2,061
    I love my XL. I bought angle L brackets from ceramicgrillstore.com and divide my fire box. This uses less lump and creates an indirect zone. I get about 3 cooks out of a load of lump if I divide the firebox off a smaller cook.it also depends on what I'm cooking.
    Mark Annville, PA
  • I would echo all the points above.  In my case I bought a LBE as I couldn't imaging spending the amount the LBE cost at the time.  I could have afforded the XL but both had some pucker factor.  I selected the large and love my egg.  I wanted the XL since walking out of the store.  Let face it we're all a little like Tim Taylor and measure our things.  The egg is no different.

     

    I still have my WSM and updated my gasser to a Weber and use all three.  Looking back I've spent a fair amount trying to make the large bigger for many of the mentioned reason in the other post.  Over the past 3 or 4 years I've since spent $75 for a BGE grill extender I never use, $75 for a Woo2, and $275 for an adjustable rig with extender.  This Spring, $1400 for a XL.

     

    Go with your gut, spend what you can afford, and start saving for your next egg is my free advice.

  • six_egg
    six_egg Posts: 1,110
    @Ladeback69 You might want to check for an Eggfest near you. If so you will get a better deal there on an EGG.

    XLBGE, LBGE 

    Fernandina Beach, FL

  • JerkChicken
    JerkChicken Posts: 551
    My LBGE was not big enough for me until I got the Adjustable Rig, that expands it to enough space for my family of 4. If I could do over I probably would get the XL and the Adjustable rig for that.

    I still use my Weber gasser all the time and love it for quick sears or side dishes. I pull out my Weber OTG Kettle when I have parties or large gatherings and use it for wings and stuff.

    I love all my grills but the BGE is my baby!
    LBGE, Weber OTG w/ Rotisserie, Weber Genesis S-330, Chargriller Duo, AR-15, AK-47
  • First off: You won’t regret getting either, cooking on a BGE is definitely addictive, I’ve actually come home for lunch from work, fired it up, cook, ate, and went back to work.

    That said, if you're only getting one (hehe) I recommend you get the biggest you can afford, I got my first BGE (a Large one) last august and even though it worked great I ended up upgrading to XL in less than three months (of almost daily use), and I’ve been using the XL just as often for everything from 12 hour cooks @ 200F to searing steaks @ 750F+.

    The XL can use as little lump as a Large when you’re cooking for a few people, it will consume it a tad bit faster but still very efficiently (I’ve used a single 7lb lump bag + a few wood chunks for an overnight brisket, and only about half of it was consumed)… and you get the extra flexibility for a big cook whenever the occasion calls for it, you can even fit a whole suckling pig or kid goat in there.

    I’ve never heard anyone regret not having bought a smaller size, but I know of several, like me, that have upgraded or wish to do so.