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Large Egg or XL? Which should I get?

Unknown
edited 10:35PM in EggHead Forum
I just discovered the BGE and am excited to be thinking of buying one. I'm redoing my yard...including a bbq station/outdoor kitchen--wife said get one if I want! I've always had a Weber kettle and gas grill and was trying to figure out how to build in both. The EGG will fit nicely into any set up. Just build a platform and in it goes![p]Point is...the Weber has always been nice w/a 22+ inch grill. The Large BGE is only 18+". I'm known for putting out quite a bit of food and enjoy the space on the Weber (no...you don't need to convince me to ditch the Weber...I plan to)[p]Is the XL worth getting? There was some confusing discussion earlier about it not being agressively sold by BGE or others and possibly some design probs. Are there any? Concerns?[p]Can I easily cook smaller amounts of food for 3 on an XL without having to light off a big pile to get the whole thing going? Is it a bit fool hearted to go straight to an XL w/out ever have used the BGE? Or would many of you have "egg envy" if I started w/the XL?[p]Am I better off getting a Large Egg? Obviously most of you do just great w/a large.[p]Let me know. Thanks!
[ul][li]http://q[/ul]

Comments

  • Unknown
    Spud,[p] I own a XL. I have cooked as little as one burger on it and much 2 12-15 pound Briskets. When I was finished I shut it down. When I did another cook I just added a few more pieces of lump. It's all good. Shake the ashes out and start over.[p] The only bad thing I see with the XL is the lid can get out of control if you aren't ready for it. When the lid gets to a point it will slam shut if you aren't ready.[p]
  • fishlessmanfishlessman Posts: 22,718
    Spud,
    if it were me and i had the money for an extra large, i would probably buy a large and small combo instead. two eggs is better than one
    fukahwee maine

  • Celtic WolfCeltic Wolf Posts: 9,773
    Spud,[p] Ohh yes if you aren't holding the lid back it will launch the Daisy wheel to your neighbors house. [p] The lid on this bad boy is real heavy.[p]
  • Photo EggPhoto Egg Posts: 7,638
    Celtic Spirit,
    I would never get rid of my XL.
    The lid is a little heavy but I'm sure there will be a fix for this little problem soon.
    Darian
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
  • cbscbs Posts: 99
    I concur. I have a medium and a large, and I think that's much more versatile than one extra large. But, I've never used an XL, and I could be wrong.
  • Lucky DuckLucky Duck Posts: 80
    Spud,
    I too keep hearing negatives about the XL... I just recently acquired the XL and have had the Lg for some time. The big thing I read, is the weight of the dome,(lid), but I find it not a problem. Just me I guess. I think that as I read the critiques, I question their validity, w/ my experience. The factory may have made an error or two in it's design... but it works for me. I got the XL 'cause I could... and I use the large 90% of the time. Doing lots of big stuff? Get the XL.[p]Phil, D'Lucky Duck
  • BobSBobS Posts: 2,485
    Spud,
    I really do not think that there is a wrong answer in all of this. For myself, I have a large and although I have not needed to cook more, I have thought about the "what if kind of limitations.[p]I have already started thinking about my next BGE and I jumb back and forth between S, Lg, and XL. [p]I have not heard a negative comment about the XL except the ones expressed here about the weight of the lid and that doesn't appear to be all that big a deal.
  • Celtic WolfCeltic Wolf Posts: 9,773
    lucky Duck,[p] I didn't say the lid this was show stopper problem. I simply said the lid will launch your daisy wheel or slam shut if you aren't ready. [p] Before my XL ended up shattered on my front steps I got so used to it I never really thought about it. I just knew it could happen.[p] I hear they are designing a new hinge, so it may be a mute point in the very near future.
  • Celtic WolfCeltic Wolf Posts: 9,773
    BobS,[p] I buy a second one and it will be a large or the XL. Right now I am leaning toward the XL. However, I have a need to two huge cookers.
  • Unknown
    Spud,[p]If smoke a lot, if you grill for a lot of people or if you grill a lot of different foods at one time I would get the XL. [p]Howard

  • JSlotJSlot Posts: 1,218
    I own 'em all and use both the large and XL in competition. At home, the large gets the bulk of the work. The large is the most versatile size, IMHO.[p]As for the XL lid issue, I was at the mothership a couple weeks ago and checked out the new "double action" hinge. It works smooth as silk. I'm not sure when these will be available, but it won't be very long.[p]Good luck whichever one you choose![p]Jim
  • dhuffjrdhuffjr Posts: 3,182
    BobS,
    I was thinking of getting another Egg in Atlanta this year. I have a large and a small. I'm leaning towards the Xlarge because my need for another one is for those big cookouts with lots of guests. I split between the large and small about 50/50 now. The XLarge would be a now and then cooker.
  • YBYB Posts: 3,861
    Spud,
    I have the large and the XL and if I could only have one it would be the XL.I now only light one egg to cook a whole meal instead of three.Here is a picture of the XL cooking chicken wings,tomato pie and bacon wrapped scallops and still had room for 4 ears of corn.
    Larry
    [ul][li]XL Egg[/ul]
  • Photo EggPhoto Egg Posts: 7,638
    YB,
    This is the photo that sparked my first Egg purchase.
    Darian
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
  • YBYB Posts: 3,861
    Photo Egg,
    I really need to take some new pictures of the XL.I may invite a crowd over and fill it up with baby back ribs.
    Larry
  • SuperDaveSuperDave Posts: 319
    cbs,[p]All your points are valid... but no one can deny that a 22" cooking grate is better than a 18 " grate. I'm kinda tired of cutting ribs off the rack or rolling them up so they fit![p]I think they need a 30 " cooking grate myself! lol... and a flame proof gasket, and a pull out ash catcher.[p]

  • EdFEdF Posts: 121
    Sweet!
  • Unknown
    Spud,[p]
    Point is...the Weber has always been nice w/a 22+ inch grill. The Large BGE is only 18+". I'm known for putting out quite a bit of food and enjoy the space on the Weber     [p]On the weber, I´ve never been able to get ALL of those 22 inches cooking at the same temp, so while it is a bit larger, every square inch of the BGE's 18 inches will be cooking at the same temp, making ALL of it usable. Your mileage may vary, of course.[p]

    (no...you don't need to convince me to ditch the Weber...I plan to)    [p]Nothing wrong with the Weber Kettle's I've used them successfully on many occasions, and Weber makes a great kettle cookbook, which easily adapts to the Egg.[p]
  • trackmantrackman Posts: 47
    I feel the need to chime in and say that in my mind it is all about what you can afford and what kind of cooking you are going to do. Buy the biggest that you can and if you have any leftover buy the next one. Over the long run the cost of charcoal would not swing the decision one way or another and if you plan to travel with one then it's a lot easier to transport a small instead of a large (for most people).

    My solution was to buy an XL and of all things a Mini and I end of using them at the same time for the majority of the cooks that I do. I can cook a handful of pork butts on the XL and do up a nice steak to pass the time away or some chicken wings on the Mini. If I could do it all over again I would have bought the XL and held off for a month or two and bought a small. That way when traveling I can cook more food at the same time instead of having to wait.
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