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

Next size egg?

Options
I have a large BGE which I fire up every weekend. However, Id like to do more egging during the week. I was thinking of getting a smaller egg for the weeknights. Something just to grill a few chicken thighs, steaks, burgers, etc. I was wondering what smaller size is best. MiniMax? 
Orlando, FL 

Comments

  • WeberWho
    WeberWho Posts: 11,029
    Options
    Small 
    "The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan

    Minnesota
  • Bowne1
    Bowne1 Posts: 20
    Options
    I had the same issue. I bought a small. I then bought a medium because the small was just too small. 
    Large, Med and a Yoder YS480 . 1 Beautiful Wife, 2 Dogs and always looking for a MM 
  • maso
    maso Posts: 240
    Options
    Honestly I would either get a mini (not the max) or a kick ash basket and electric starter for your large. 8 minutes for the starter to do prep. Grilling few minutes after that. 

    Much cheaper too!
    Large BGE in Moore, OK
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,382
    Options
    I can only offer my experiences with the L/S BGE combo.  Don't know the volume cooks you intend for the mid-week cooks, but the SBGE can handle a few of your above proteins.  
    And it can handle a L&S cook with a pork butt ( around 8lbs/ max) as well as a split rack of ribs w/o any contortions.  The cooking grid is 13 " diameter so there you have it.  

    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.
  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
    Options
    Cook for 2 here. First had a large then got a small because firing the large during the week just didn't make since.  Ran with the large/small combo for 2yrs and all was great. Got hankering for a mini and so the story goes.  The mini is my most used egg.  

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • Hub
    Hub Posts: 927
    Options
    Ain't nothing wrong with your large.  You only need a new egg if you need MORE grill space, not less.  Just use less lump and less of your grid.  You don't need a new egg ... you just want one.
    Beautiful and lovely Villa Rica, Georgia
  • jaydub58
    jaydub58 Posts: 2,167
    Options
    Have had a Large for six years.  Bought a Mini. Just too small for my use (two of us).
    Bought a Kamado Joe Jr. Cowabunga!  Never be disloyal to the Egg, but it is great!
    John in the Willamette Valley of Oregon
  • saluki2007
    saluki2007 Posts: 6,354
    Options
    Small.
    Large and Small BGE
    Central, IL

  • blind99
    blind99 Posts: 4,971
    Options
    I swiped my FIL's small over a year ago and still haven't given it back. Nice addition to the large. I like having it for firing off apps while main is cooking on the large. Or searing a steak after a hot tub or sous vide. Or doing a pork shoulder... yeah it's a great cooker!
    Chicago, IL - Large and Small BGE - Weber Gasser and Kettle
  • Ima_good_egg
    Options
    We have a large, and added a minimax for the same reason, mid week cooks. It works really well for us. 
    Wisconsin, lbge, MM, kab, pig tail flippers, bear claws, and more rubs than I will admit to.
  • Armadillar
    Armadillar Posts: 18
    edited February 2017
    Options
    I have XL and Medium. If you are going to get the small might as well step up to the medium or go with mini max for added portability. Medium is perfect for my family of three use it 10 to 1 over the XL.
    League City, TX - XL & Med
  • Rad5
    Rad5 Posts: 35
    Options
    Hub said:
    Ain't nothing wrong with your large.  You only need a new egg if you need MORE grill space, not less.  Just use less lump and less of your grid.  You don't need a new egg ... you just want one.
    Im not gonna lie, there is a lot of truth to that. I know I can fire up the BGE in a short amount of time. I just feel I am wasting a lot of heat and energy just to do 2 burgers short notice. I do have a kick ash basket, I haven't tried using a smaller amount of lump in the large yet. 
    Orlando, FL 
  • ENOegg22
    Options
    Hub said:
    Ain't nothing wrong with your large.  You only need a new egg if you need MORE grill space, not less.  Just use less lump and less of your grid.  You don't need a new egg ... you just want one.
    I have to agree with this. I cook for 2 almost all the time, and it isn't a big deal.  The egg sips charcoal. I did a L&S shoulder for 8.5 hours, and two more short cooks without refilling the charcoal. Not sure if charcoal is your concern though...penny-wise, dollar-dumb to spend $500+ to save a few dollars on charcoal. Unless you're trying to get to 600-700 degrees, the large heats up fine with just a few handfuls.

     Also, when people ask about the egg, their biggest hesitation with getting one is usually the prep time. I tell them that you just make sure to start the egg before prepping your food and you'll never be waiting long for the egg to be ready.
  • SOUTHERNLINKSBBQ
    SOUTHERNLINKSBBQ Posts: 123
    edited February 2017
    Options
    I have a large and MM. it's a great combination. All of my smoking is done on the large and the MM is the work horse doing all the grilling and finishing off reverse sears. 
  • blasting
    blasting Posts: 6,262
    Options
    I got rid of the small, it was just too small.  Medium is the smallest egg for me.
    Phoenix 
  • shadowcaster
    Options
    I have a large, medium and a mini. My hardest worker is the large followed by the Medium. I just used the medium yesterday to do a pastrami while the ribs were on the large. We use the mini a lot to cook during the week, it's usually only a couple pieces of chicken or a few burgers and the mini works great. I struggle in my decision of what I should get next as well. Another large or the xl? If I were you I would just stick with the large, only reason I have the mini is because it was free. As great of a "grill" that it is I would never have bought it.
    Pure Michigan
    Large BGE, Medium BGE, Mini BGE, Weber Smokey Mountain, Weber Performer.
    If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.