Does it taste better on a BGE vs. Weber (charcoal) Kettle?

Great questions,
Yes, the ceramics hold the heat and maintain temps way easier.
Yes, you will be able to see temps in the 600-700F range easily maintained for pizza cooks
Yes, you are losing heat out of the thin metal.
Yes, you will use less lump.
No, the egg stays hot for hours after cooking, my infrared gun therm usually reads in the 250-300 range on the outside of dome during cooking, you sometimes will have to forgo the cover until much later.
Hope this helps!

Agree with above, but don't even own a cover. Don't see the need. I have a stainless cap because I broke my ceramic. Even before, put the ceramic on with cast inside. No problem.

nolaegghead said:

IMHO, the BGE is super-awesome.  The best analogy is with the three wolf moon t-shirt reviews.  These reviews are all true, and apply both to the t-shirt and the BGE.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Mountain-Three-Short-Sleeve/dp/B002HJ377A#customerReviews

Next, if I may add, you will find you use less fuel, and have a faster refractory time (wink wink), both with your cooking in the backyard and the bedroom.  Your mileage may vary, but trust me when I say you'll be inundated with compliments.

**** you and your links. I follow every time, I can't help myself. That's some funny auto-censored excrement.

My pleasure, and trust me I have that shirt and some eggs and they will change your life.  Add some cats and you'll be smiling all the time.  Also, may I add, I am super wasted right now and lights out, nola out, peace out, happy new year my brothers.

@myc5‌, just go ahead and buy it, you'll love it. It's just better.

If you're already using lump charcoal, I don't necessarily think the flavor will be better, but I think youll get more consistent results and I think the food will retain more moisture. So basically, yes it probably will taste better if your food is cooked perfect to maximize the flavor . If your asking will a steak taste better, probably not. Also, I have had good food off a weber kettle, in fact, better than what Ive eaten off the egg. With that said, I've never ate food prepared by me on a weber that beats the food I make on the egg.

Set the taste question aside( that's subjective). Your cooking experience/ventures will be better. Things like my weber blowing over in the wind don't happen with the egg. The thick ceramic allows me to hold consistent heat. I can cook over 15 hours without refilling with lump. You can cook using a true indirect heat(although I do miss being able to move from direct to indirect and back so easily)I can go on and on.

I think the reason you can't reach high temps on your kettle has to do with airflow. The exhaust hole on the egg is huge compared to your petal adjustment. Once the egg hits about 450°-500° it starts sucking air like mad to feed the fire, the same as your kettle except the weber hits the governor by limiting the exhaust. Cut a hole in the top of the weber and you'll probably wrap the thermo like an egg. It gets scary hot in a hurry if you walk away with the vents wide opened.

You hear a lot of woulda, coulda, shoulda's in life, but not too many when it comes to someone that purchased a BGE. Exceptions to that are things like I shoulda of got a bigger egg, I coulda/shoulda bought another egg to go with my large big green egg. I woulda bought a demo egg, but they sold out. I woulda of went with a different accessory. You just don't hear people say, I shoulda bought a traeger, a gasser, etc etc etc.

It's just better. Don't be the one that says woulda, coulda, shoulda.

I've had Weber Kettle's for far longer than I've owned BGE's and I can honestly say while I have fond memories of those days I can't think of a reason I would ever not want to cook on my Eggs instead. I do still cook the occasional hotdog or burger mid week on my Weber Gasser when time dictates. Cook a few 10 hour pork butts or spatchcock chickens or a few pizzas and you won't look back. You can't get those results without ceramic sides.

If I may interject my thoughts. I love my Weber performer. My biggest gripe is the Weber takes forever to warm up. I have only done two cooks so far on the BGE and it reached temperature much faster than the Weber. I love my gasser for a quick cook, but with the quick heat up time of the BGE I may alter that admittance. Also, I love the rotisserie ring I can put on my Weber performer and do some amazing chicken and turkeys on it.

I also have both.  My egg is the XL.  At that size I can also do direct and indirect zones with just the regular grid setup.  I produced some great food using the Smokenator attachment for my Weber over the years before I got my egg.  The Weber is like having good reliable car (Camry or Accord) that will get you pretty much wherever you want to go safely.  But it can't go off road.  The egg is like having a Land Rover with autopilot.  It will get you to a few places (like pizza land) that the Weber can't - and it will do so with much less effort. 

I don't find that my best cooks are any better on the egg, but I do find that airflow control is easier and as a result my cooks are more consistently excellent. 

I also tend to dread having to remember to go out and cover a grill after it cools down.  With the egg, that is not an issue.  I have a cover for it, but I haven't used it in months.   It is weatherproof.  That is a very attractive quality for me. 

The egg has taught e the importance of cooking with the top closed and to use good quality lump charcoal.  Man that makes more of a difference then I ever imagined.   Wow.

You can do so much more with the egg than a Weber, but if money is tight, you'll have fun on your Weber also.  Read the tips on this forum and know you may not make the long low and slow cooks that burn for 8+ hours on the Weber, but you will still have a lot of fun.  (and keep your eye on Craigslist for an egg...they go up all the time.  Based on what others said re. warranty, just buy one on fire sail...at a significant discount...like 30% of the retail cost.  then you can take the warranty risk.)