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:
Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Youtube | Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.
Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch
What size should I get?
Options
DuckDogDr
Posts: 1,549
About to get my first egg shortly. Debating between a large or XL . I cook mainly for myself 90% of the time.. Steak, hamburgers, chicken breasts etc... But when I cook for others I do it big.. 2-3 slabs of ribs , Boston butts etc.. Several bags of wings
Comments
-
My first was the XL. I, too, debated on size initially, and have not been sorry since. My second was the MM. Perfect for taking on the road camping and tailgating.
Either way, the cost of the BGE is the least expensive aspect of owning an egg. You will not regret it, and you will have so much fun and delicious food.
Welcome to the forum. You will get tons of help from some of the most knowledgeable people on all things remotely associated with the BGE. Cool folks, for sure."Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber
XL and MM
Louisville, Kentucky -
I'd say large because of the 90% statement. If you look at an AR from ceramic grill store you'll see you can get multi level easily and do that qty of ribs no problem. Several BAGS of wings simul may not be possible. Meh, the gang will talk you into an XL regardless... LolLBGE, AR. Lives in N.E. ATL
-
Largest you can affordColumbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
-
FWIW, I cooked 2 8 pound Boston Butts for Christmas and it was hard fitting them on the large. It worked, but if you're looking to do more than that, it's going to be tough.
-
-
It don't matter what size because one BGE is just not enough! The XL is a lot of cooking space for a couple of burgers, you can get some kind of a reducer ring that fits the XL so small cooks won't use as much lump. Every year at the Georgia Mountain Egg Fest we do 6 butts on large Eggs with an Adjustable rig/spider/pizza stone with no problems at all. I would like to have an XL but currently have two Larges so when I need to cook for a bunch of folks I just use the two of them. If I ever find a good buy on a used XL I will get one just so I can say I have an XL!!! I have an Egger friend in Ohio that got an XL for his first Egg and a year later he got a Large. Good luck and just go get an Egg.
I'm only hungry when I'm awake!
Okeechobee FL. Winter
West Jefferson NC Summer
-
I routinely do two 10-lb butts on my large with ease. I would go large and add a second raised grate when I you have to cook for a crowd. See my cheap homemade grate pic. The money you save with a large vs. XL can be put towards gadgets and toys.Richmond and Mathews County, VA. Large BGE, Weber gas, little Weber charcoal. Vintage ManGrates. Little reddish portable kamado that shall remain nameless here. Very Extremely Stable Genius.
-
Get the XL, the extra room is worth it when you need it. If you only want to grill a couple of burgers or a steak, use the Alton Brown method and put a small grid atop your charcoal chimney and grill away. I usually just set it on the charcoal grate inside the XL. Works wonderfully and uses way less charcoal.
BTW, I have an XL and a Medium and still use the chimney for small cooks for myself.
A poor widows son.
See der Rabbits, Iowa -
for your needs a combo large and mini. i dont know how many wings i could cook in a large but i can cook about 30 in the minifukahwee maineyou can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
-
Get a large. Then buy an Acorn or cheap imitation on craigslist as a backup for when u need to cook large amounts for company.
-
I went with a large because it is just me and the wife. But there have been daze I wish I had an XL. It sounds like I need an AR.
-
odie91 said:Get a large. Then buy an Acorn or cheap imitation on craigslist as a backup for when u need to cook large amounts for company.
Get a large first, then buy another large later on. All your gear will fit both!!!!Large BGE, MiniMAX BGE, 2 Mini BGE's, R&V Fryer, 36" Blackstone Griddle, Camp Chef Dual Burner 40K BTU StoveBGE ChimineaProsper, TX -
XL and don't look back. I debated too, mostly just my wife and I but when I want the space I have it. Cook for up to 20 a few times a year. I don't worry about a little extra lump burned for just a couple steak. Egg is so efficient still uses way less than he Webber did. Love my XL and know I would want to upgrade if I had a large. I'm not against getting a small or mini down the road but not planning on it now.
-
i have an XL and a medium at my home. They did not have the MINI MAX at the time I bought the medium otherwise I would bought that. If I could only have one it would be an XL. Very versatile.XL BGE; Medium BGE; L BGE
-
IMO If you can afford the XL then get the XL. It's nice having that real estate and flexibility.
XL BGE
Plano, TX -
Join the XL club. I don't regret it.
Everyone is going to justify the size they bought. Get what you can afford. Trust me, you will get eggdicted and spend money with either purchase.XL BGEJoe JRBaltimore, MD -
Hotch said:odie91 said:Get a large. Then buy an Acorn or cheap imitation on craigslist as a backup for when u need to cook large amounts for company.
Get a large first, then buy another large later on. All your gear will fit both!!!! -
Saw this on a flashlight forum ... thought it might apply here:
" ....but who wants enough light egg, when you have the option for far too much "
Washington, IL > Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max
-
The medium is a great starter egg. You can decide from there how small and how large you want to go with numbers 2 and 3.......or not.Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax
Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
Run me out in the cold rain and snow -
large with an adjustable rig
-
Jeepster47 said:Saw this on a flashlight forum ...
-
To loosely paraphrase the words of @sgh always carry a big hammer. I love my xL and haven't ever wished I had purchased a smaller size.Greensboro, NC
-
Your criteria screams Large egg. For those pushing the XL in this case, I wonder why? Just not needed in your described situation, at all. If you have to have the biggest, everyone should run out and put their order in for the XXL.
-
I tend to attempt to future proof- I don't always need the square inches of the XL for our normal meals but when we have people over, etc it is nice to have. i can't speak for OP but if you need it 4-5 times a year to me it would be worth it. Or get a smaller size and add another for those time it's needed.
Plus he mentioned ribs- XL makes it much easier to cook multiple racks. I have done 6-7 on a large but it was a very, very tight fit.Greensboro, NC -
Wolfpack said:I tend to attempt to future proof- I don't always need the square inches of the XL for our normal meals but when we have people over, etc it is nice to have. i can't speak for OP but if you need it 4-5 times a year to me it would be worth it. Or get a smaller size and add another for those time it's needed.
Plus he mentioned ribs- XL makes it much easier to cook multiple racks. I have done 6-7 on a large but it was a very, very tight fit. -
Not disagreeing- it may be overkill for him, but tends to be the way my brain works... Or maybe doesn't work:)
Greensboro, NC -
Wolfpack said:Not disagreeing- it may be overkill for him, but tends to be the way my brain works... Or maybe doesn't work:)
Hey, whatever, I'm just bustin balls. Just ignore me, I'm bored. -
If you plan on doing a lot of indirect cooking, then your effective cooking area is the size of the plate setter. For this reason, get the XL. Here's a packer on the XL
-
-
I bought the xl and have never regretted it. I fired it up tonight for 4 chicken breasts. Piled my leftover lump on one side and lit and cooked as normal. You won't be disappointed with the xl.
Categories
- All Categories
- 182.8K EggHead Forum
- 15.7K Forum List
- 459 EGGtoberfest
- 1.9K Forum Feedback
- 10.3K Off Topic
- 2.2K EGG Table Forum
- 1 Rules & Disclaimer
- 9K Cookbook
- 12 Valentines Day
- 91 Holiday Recipes
- 223 Appetizers
- 516 Baking
- 2.4K Beef
- 88 Desserts
- 164 Lamb
- 2.4K Pork
- 1.5K Poultry
- 30 Salads and Dressings
- 320 Sauces, Rubs, Marinades
- 543 Seafood
- 175 Sides
- 121 Soups, Stews, Chilis
- 36 Vegetarian
- 100 Vegetables
- 313 Health
- 293 Weight Loss Forum