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Medium vs. Large Egg

Bishop2Knight
Bishop2Knight Posts: 3
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I'm sure this has been asked before, but I did a search and nothing really came up.

I'm in the market for a BGE. I'm leaning toward getting a medium because my family only consists of my wife and I. However, we just bought a new house and do plan to entertain every now and then.

What I worry about is having a BBQ with friends and having to cook continually with the medium size and having people eating in shifts. Then again, if it's just the two of us 90% of the time, why bother with something that's too big?

I know no one can answer the question of which is right for us except ourselves, but I would like to hear pros and cons for the medium BGE.

Comments

  • deepsouth
    deepsouth Posts: 1,796
    if a large fits your budget, i'd get the large. better too much room rather than not enough.
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    Just two of us also and after asking the same question here 8 years ago I bought the large. Then a year later I added a small - then a year later a medium and then a couple years later a mini! BTW there is still just the two of us! Get the large - you'll be glad you did!
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • East Cobb Eggy
    East Cobb Eggy Posts: 1,162
    Get the large.

    Greg
  • JPF
    JPF Posts: 592
    I vote for the large first. That's what I got for just the two of us here. Now I have medium and mini and plans to add to the group. Beware of the egg it's addictive! Welcome to the cult. John
  • lowercasebill
    lowercasebill Posts: 5,218
    i got large first and cook for 3 max. get that!. then i added the mini. either a small or medium will be added soon.
  • Eggtucky
    Eggtucky Posts: 2,746
    Get the large...later add a small for when it's just you and the wife..but I cook often for just the two of us even on the large..doesnt use that much more lump than the medium plus you have the size if you need it.
  • "Sparky"
    "Sparky" Posts: 6,024
    I love my medium.I think most will say they love thier large.I own three eggs and the medium was my first,still most used egg :woohoo: I typically cook for me,my wife,and our son and the medium seems to be big enough.I got the small to do side dishes and different temp cooks.I have smoked an 18# turkey in the medium.It was a tight fit,but it worked.I can't recommend the large,since I don't own one,but I cooked on them enough to know that it is the best all around egg out there.I have an XL egg that is just too much for most of my cooks.Anyway Here are a few pics of my medium in action ;)

    016-2.jpg

    004-12.jpg

    018-3.jpg

    goodfriday006.jpg

    009-9.jpg

    001-4.jpg


    010-1.jpg

    Anyway,I hope this helps ;) As you can see,I love my medium.But I am biased as I don't own a large(yet) :lol:
  • Richard Fl
    Richard Fl Posts: 8,297
    Had a Kamado from SE Asia in the '60's, it died a few years later, got a BGE large '02 and a small in '06 mostly cook for 2 however there are more toys for the large than the medium.

    http://www.eggaccessories.com/
  • BamaFan
    BamaFan Posts: 658
    My neighbor has the medium so it was a no brainer that I got the Large. :laugh:
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
    I first got a large. Then reading the forum I got a medium, then a small and finally a mini.

    There is the two of us and once in a while we cook for the kids & grandkids a total of 24.

    The large can handle the large group easily depending on what I plan to eat.

    The large will allow me to cook a 22 to 24# turkey. It does feel too big to cook for two. However, that would be my first choice if I were to only get one egg.

    For the two of us the mini most of the time is great and I use it most often.

    Once in a while I do use all the eggs at one time. Mostly because of different food choices.

    4 eggs is too many for the two of us and I am thinking of selling the medium or small. The problem is I can't decide which one I want to part with.

    If I were to get only one egg I would get the large.

    I dearly love the mini and use it all the time. When just a few of the grand kids come over they love a grandpa snack, their choice of a hot dog, grilled cheese, or grilled tuna sandwich.

    Great fun.
  • Mainegg
    Mainegg Posts: 7,787
    I Got the large first then a small then a med and just added a mini. I would do it all again in a minute!!! LOL But a large is my first choice then a med. Julie
  • BamaFan
    BamaFan Posts: 658
    I want a small to go with the large. That could be the next purchase my wife makes for me. She is in serious debt to me. ;)
  • I had the same question. One poster replied "figure which one you need and get one size bigger." I'm a single guy so I thought the medium should be fine. I took the plunge and went with the large. It was worth the extra $$! Even for two I fill the grill. Our last egg meal consisted of chicken, corn on the cob, potatoes, and asparagus. At the end all of that was on the grill at the same time. The medium could not do that. I have also hosted parties just to cook on the egg. The medium could not do that either. When I cook for myself I could use a smaller egg but the large one doesn't hurt.

    Go for it, get the big one!
  • East Cobb Eggy
    East Cobb Eggy Posts: 1,162
    Doug,

    Your sittin' chicken is so pretty that it should be crossing its legs.

    Greg
  • So I can't quite tell. Is everyone telling me to go for the large?

    :laugh:

    I'll be off to the store tomorrow after work.
  • East Cobb Eggy
    East Cobb Eggy Posts: 1,162
    BF,

    My wife just bought me a small to add to my large as a college graduation present.

    :woohoo:

    She is a keeper.

    Greg
  • Stanley
    Stanley Posts: 623
    I'm in your same situation - two of us in the household, with the need to entertain a few friends now and then. I bought the MBGE, largely based on my limited condo deck area, but NO REGRETS! You can get a ton of food on a MBGE with a few Eggcessories (I made a home made grill extender). I've never used a LBGE - I know people love them.
  • East Cobb Eggy
    East Cobb Eggy Posts: 1,162
    Hmmm.... dunno.

    Greg
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Sparky,

    I got the large first, then the XL, then the small. When I had to replace my really expensive gasser after the fire, I got another large and a medium. I brought one of the larges and the medium to my dad's place. We had to sell my dad's house and the realt or told me to get rid of the clutter, I sent the large to storage. I only have the platesetter and a coupla firebricks for the medium but I'm happy with my choice. Keep in mind that I have no oven and do every meal on the egg. I have picked up some pans that fit and I am very impressed with what I can do on it.

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • Pitmaster
    Pitmaster Posts: 74
    Ah, what the heck...go for the XL, I did! Just my wife and I. But we like to entertain also. I figured I'd better get the biggest one I can so I'm not saying "I wish I would have...". I just got mine and cooked on it for the first time Sunday and had no problems getting it to temp, holding it there and getting it to shut down so as not to burn any extra fuel. It works great. I know I've heard people saying an XL is to big, uses a lot of fuel, etc. I think it does just fine.

    John
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Pitmaster,

    I love my XL. I have no complaints with it at all. I was just saying how impressed I was with the medium after it being my only egg for a while. The XL is a rib machine and in fact, most of the butts and briskets I have done are on the XL.

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • Pitmaster
    Pitmaster Posts: 74
    No prob Steve...I just love mine too. When I was trying to decide between a large and extra large it seemed a lot of people were trying to convince me to go with the large and also get a small. Their idea was you can get both for the same price as an XL and it seemed that they were telling me that there were problems with the XL as far as burning more fuel, trying to get it up to temp, etc. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining or cutting anyone down. I know I'm gonna have fun with my XL. You have to understand that I was using a very inefficient barrel smoker and got very tired of it after 5 years. So, I am ready to go with the BGE!

    John
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Pitmaster,

    I meant no disrespect at all. The XL is a great machine but they all have their advantages and disadvantages.

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • CaptGrumpy
    CaptGrumpy Posts: 58
    My first egg was a medium and not enough room for what I wanted to cook so a large quickly came into the picture. And then another large and a small and then the XL!
    The question is not which one to buy but which one to buy first! Get the large!
    p1010047.jpg
  • Jersey Doug
    Jersey Doug Posts: 460
    It seems to me that if your house/car/boat/BGE/etc. is never too small it's always too big.

    I've been cooking on a Small almost every day for about two months, usually for just the two of us, but occasionally for as many as six. With a little planning it's surprising what it can do. We just bought a Large. I've only used it a couple of times because it's simply too big most of the time. I can still do almost everything I want to on the small. Based on my very limited experience, and my admitted bias, I would recommend the following:

    If for, some reason, you are absolutely certain you can't have more than one egg I would seriously consider the medium. If you think there might eventually be room for two eggs, I would seriously consider starting with a Small.
  • I really don't see the need for multiple eggs. Not in our household. Maybe at some point if kids are in the picture or if we suddenly become best friends with the neighbors.
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,669
    large fits a descent size pizza and has better upgrade features such as an adjustable rig and spider
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    I have 2 mediums. I can easily cook for 6 using just one. If I cook a butt, or brisket, I can feed 8 to 10. There are occasions I need to cook for more, and that's part of the reason I got the second one. The main reason was so that I could easily cook at 2 different temperatures. And do 2 pizzas at once.
  • East Cobb Eggy
    East Cobb Eggy Posts: 1,162
    Agreed, a second EGG is needed not so much for capacity but cooking at different temps.

    Greg
  • Gunnar
    Gunnar Posts: 2,307
    I've had the large for 3 months and mostly there are just two of us. Overkill some of the time, probably. But when you want to do pizza, an entire meal on the grill, multiple racks of ribs, you don't have to get real creative. I would do it again and foresee another egg in my future. Which ever way you go, you're going to enjoy results of your cooks.
    LBGE      Katy (Houston) TX