10 mins until I cook?

Depends on what temp you want, but in general, yes, it's true. Just a beginner myself, but I'm truly amazed at how quick she's up and running.

The BGE is the only consumer product I have ever known of where all the advertised advantages are true.

However, it will pay off to spend a few minutes making sure the temp is stabilized before putting on your meat. I usually wait about 20min after lighting.

depending on how you start you egg, you can be ready in ten minutes.

i'd say fifteen is the time i probably allow for. what we usually do though is light it, go inside to prep the food and enjoy another adult beverage, then head outside and go to it, adding the food on.

if it's a lot of new lighter-weight lump, it can light (and get to temp) quickly, but you'll usually let it settle down (stop throwing ignition smoke) anyway.

it's not a push-to-start (like gas), but even gassers are supposed to go for ten minutes before you add the food

It also depends on what you use to light the lump. I use an electric starter and I'm almost always going in 20 minutes for a typical cook. OTOH, if you use a MAPP torch, you'll be grilling in 10 or less.

If you are using fresh lump, and are cooking at a low temperature, it will take a bit more than 10 minutes to get a "clean" fire, with just a little blue smoke coming out. If going to a higher temperature, the extra heat will more quickly drive off the volatile chemicals left in the fresh lump. 10 minutes is pretty common if you want to cook in the 350 - 450 range.

If you are re-using lump from a previous cook, its fine to start as soon as up to temp.

I've found that if I let the Egg sit out in the rain for several days, uncovered, it takes longer to come up to heat. Likewise, sometimes it seems that the lump is a little soggy (I have it in an unheated garage) and doesn't burn as well.

I too looked at the Egg for a couple of years. After my first cook, I was ready to kick myself for not buying earlier.

i delayed purchase of an egg for many years because "i don't have the time to wait for charcoal' still kickin myself for all that lost time.
lump is not like briquettes.
egg food is worth the wait.
i have a large and a mini , waiting on the chimnea , was ordered a month ago. and i will get a third egg either this fall or next.

bill

Interesting comments above.

The only comment I really disagree wth if telling you to get a gasser, if you want a great eats. Gas grills are for the folks that just don't know better.

10 minutes is not an unreasonable expectation once you know where your vent settings should be set.

If your biggest concern is getting the egg going quickly there is a very simple solution. You can get your egg up to temp and most of the time completly stabilized at most any temp in less than 3 minutes. I have had the egg going at 380° stabilized in less than 20 seconds.
Pick up a weed burner that operates on propane.

There are many ways to light an egg. Getting the egg up to temp will depend on how you load the egg with lump. For me new or old lump really is not a factor.

In the winter when it is cold, as low as -20°, I use the weed burner - it is just too cold to sit out in the cold.

In warmer weather I will use many of the other lighting options other than the weed burner.

There are:
. Starter cubes - I use 2

. Oil & napkin - I use 2 - my favorite (when it isn't cold). Stike at times will put up some pictures of what he does. Good reference. This is probably the least expensive method.

. Propane - I rather use Mapp which is a hotter flame.

. MAPP gas - Good method. Sparky much of the time, hard on shirts unless one likes small burn holes. For me it takes about 15 to 20 seconds and I light in 3 spots, so about a minute of flame. This is very popular with forum members.

The above methods seem to get the egg up to temp in about the same amount of time.

. Alcohol - This has come up on the forum in the last little while. The concept shounded pretty good. So Far I haven't had much success with this method. I am going to do some more testing but at this point it doesn't look good.


And of course the weed burner if you want speed - looks and sounds cool too

Don't let the start time of the egg dissuade your dicission to get an egg.

I have had my Egg since last October, and though I have only posted a few times until recently, I can say that if you light it with starter cubes, it can take about 10-15 min to really get going depending on what you want to cook. A MAPP torch is what some of the big guys use (me very soon) and they can get the Egg going probably less time than 15 min. It's a worthy investment from the friends I know who use them. Nice thing about the Egg is you don't need lighter fluid EVER! Lump coal burns hotter, with less ash than bricketts. You cannot go wrong with an Egg....the best food that will rival most expensive restaurants. You will quickly become a favorite at your workplace with the food you cook. Hope I helped you feel better about your decision about a possible purchase of an Egg. The guys here will help you cook anything you can think of and lots you may not ! Take care ! :cheer: