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OK...truly on the fence....small or mini

Hitch
Hitch Posts: 402
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I have a Large that is getting overworked. Not actually possible, but needs a friend. I was dead set on a small till I started reading all this about how everyone loves their mini. In time, I bet I will have the fleet, but what to do next is the reason for this email. I would love to know why the mini just gets all the attention. Keep in mind I have a family of 6 total!

Thanks in advance, and start the sales pitches.

Comments

  • civil eggineer
    civil eggineer Posts: 1,547
    My inlaws have a mini and it seems to tiny for me. I would go with a small.
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,665
    the mini is just a grill, the small does what a large can do, just in a smaller degree. if i had a family of 6 i would be looking at a second large.
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Lawn Ranger
    Lawn Ranger Posts: 5,467
    Small...sure wish I had one.
  • Hitch
    Hitch Posts: 402
    Sorry...should have stated that I am looking for something smaller to do appetizers/ other stuff while my LGE is working. I do a lot of long cooks that keep my LGE busy, and would love access to something while it is busy. Also, need something to travel with!

    Keep em coming...
  • aaind
    aaind Posts: 235
    Well you know I did want to sell you mine ,now I dont anymore after reading G Grub posting about airgap in smalls and med ,And I have a mini coming ,I did try the mini it takes very little lump 2-3 hambuger cooks on what 3 mugs of lump and get hot FAST ,but if you have that many in family small maybe to small ???
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
    Hitch,

    I have l,m,s and mini. I mostly cook for the wife and myself.

    It is really fun to put in a cup or so of lump and get the egg to 450° and be able to cook for 4 hours or so, if needed.

    I have cooked most things on the mini escept for pizza, butt, ribs or brisket. I am not sure how long the mini would cook at 250° but I am going to try it some day.

    On the mini I have cooked 5 good size ears of corn, 5 or 6 burgers (not huge size). 9 dogs, 6 sausages with a little room left over. But doing this stuff is a crowded cook on the mini.

    I love the mini. My two favorite eggs are the mini and large. The mini is just not that expensive to purchase. Because of the size I went back to the the dealer 7 or 8 times to look at it. I was tired of going back an looking at it so I just bought it.

    My dealer said it was just a griller and had did not recomend me buying it. After I told the dealer what I had cooked on it he got some more in and if a few months now he has sold 4 or 5 of them.

    With a family of six I would probably look at the medium or small as a second egg.

    I would also think if you got the mini you would end up buying a medium or small also and if you get the medium or small you will probably end up getting the mini anyway.

    If you want piece of mind get the medium, small and mini and be done with it.

    GG
  • Beanie-Bean
    Beanie-Bean Posts: 3,092
    1. BGE makes a plate setter and a cast iron grate for the SBGE. tjv makes Woo2 rings and stainless grates for the SBGE, also.

    2. Suitable cooker for "smaller" cooks when the LBGE is not required.

    3. Nice addition to be able to cook meal with two different setups (direct/indirect) or temperatures.

    4. Portable enough to bring with you if you're going tailgating or camping or whatever.

    5. The DigiQ hooks up to the lower draft for easy low-and-slows. Haven't seen anything about people smoking stuff on the mini.

    6. Get one so you can work on getting your next one--an MBGE or XLBGE :)

    IMG_1417.jpg
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    small/large is a very versatile combo.

    the mini is a very portable little grill. like a hibachi almost.

    but the small is just big enough to be still "portable" (lift with the knees, man!) yet still permit a slab of ribs, a butt, etc.

    you can cook for four on the small all by itself. in tandem with a large, the small allows sides to be cooked at a different temp than the main dish, simultaneously
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
    aaind,

    I still am doing testing on the air gap theory/question.

    I did another test on the medium yesterday and only came up with more questions rather than answers.

    If I were buying a medium (well, any egg actually) I would want to see the egg with the fire ring installed and would pick one out that as small a gap as possible.

    I have to do an acutal measurement but if I slide the fire ring to one side of my medium, I have a full 1.5" (if not bigger) gap on the other side. The gap in my specific medium is just too darn wide.

    I wouldn't judge buying any specific size of egg with what I have posted so far.

    Further there were a lot of responsed from other medium & small users who report having great performance out of those size eggs.

    I need some information from other medium/small owners before I come to any conclusions.

    GG
  • AZRP
    AZRP Posts: 10,116
    Go small, I have both a small and a mini and the small gets more use. -RP
  • lowercasebill
    lowercasebill Posts: 5,218
    i had my mini at low slow for 5 hrs to do beef shorts and did not run out of lump maybe i will do test this weekend
  • lowercasebill
    lowercasebill Posts: 5,218
    i love my mini but with 6 i would surely go for the small. you can get the mini later.
  • Old Salt
    Old Salt Posts: 357
    Check the cooking grate sizes to see which one is more suitable for your family.
  • ChefTone
    ChefTone Posts: 42
    I own a large and am thinking on buying another egg.I think the best value would be getting a small the cooking surface is not that much different then the medium and is about 200.00 dollars cheaper.Well you never know I just might end up buying another large
    if I can convince the wife.
    Cheers
    Anthony
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
    Thanks Bill for the post.

    I will be watching for your results.

    I sure do like my mine. It was the 4th egg I got. I really don't know if I would get it as a 2nd choice.

    It was funny, my dealer kept talking me out of it and in the beginning I thought it was a 'toy'.

    GG
  • emilluca
    emilluca Posts: 673
    The mini has been very good for me. It has a 9 inch grate and I use it for the odds and ends if I am cooking on the large. The whole bird I did on the mini will feed 3 or 4 unless you stuff yourself and then just 2 people.
    Heck a weed burner/charcoal starter looks like it does peppers so that takes care of that use. I can place my mini in the car put the seat belt around her and show off at gathering's. Watch people look to see what you are doing and then give them a taste of what you are cooking and watch the eyes get big and they go WOW!!!!

    Again I made a platesetter becaus ethe only defecincey I saw was no way to indirect cook. Indirect has it's builtin advantages when a char is not wanted. I have no problem using the mini to bake a pie or bread.

    I do think I will end up with another large next year rather then a medium or small. I want to not have to go the trouble of differant accessories. I will continue to use the mini and large until then. I would not suggest the mini for your first and only egg.

    E


    E
  • East Cobb Eggy
    East Cobb Eggy Posts: 1,162
    I would get the Small.

    It has more accessories.

    Go to your local dealer and take a look at the cook space between the small and the mini. That will definitely give you an idea.

    Personally, I just got back from vacation where I exclusively used my small and was really surprised how little lump it used.

    Greg
  • East Cobb Eggy
    East Cobb Eggy Posts: 1,162
    Stike,

    I agree that the Small is portable.

    One thing to note is that if you take everything out of your small (fire ring, fire box, grids, etc.). It becomes much easier to move.

    Once you get it to the car, load everything back in to save transport space.

    If you build a transporter and load everything back inside, the EGG really takes very little space inside your car.

    Greg
  • Fireball II
    Fireball II Posts: 213
    Like you table and storage on the right.
  • Pdub
    Pdub Posts: 234
    I would say look at what you are planning on doing with it. If you are leaning towards grilling and traveling everywhere with it, then get the mini.
    If you want something to compliment your large but just in a smaller form factor, get the small.
  • Bacchus
    Bacchus Posts: 6,019
    With a family of 6, it doesnt seem a mini could do much.
  • aaind
    aaind Posts: 235
    It a lots fun spending others $$$,only thing better is me buying anther egg Haa
    Get the small you will get the mini later
    AMEN
  • Hitch
    Hitch Posts: 402
    Going with my gut (literally) and goin for a small. May wait till later in the year to save some $$ buy gettin a demo. I doubt I will make it though. I never ever ever buy stuff for myself, so I might just have to splurge sooner.

    Thanks for the posts.
  • East Cobb Eggy
    East Cobb Eggy Posts: 1,162
    I think it is a wise choice.

    Greg
  • Darnoc
    Darnoc Posts: 2,661
    With that comment the small would be your best choice.No mention of the age of the other members of the family.If the youngsters are over the sixteen year old age group I might consider another large
  • Beanie-Bean
    Beanie-Bean Posts: 3,092
    ...even if it hasn't been fired up in a while! It is good for storage, for a work area, for putting hot grates/plate setters/adjustable rigs--you name it. And when I'm all done, I can stash all the goodies inside/underneath and it doesn't look too bad or out of place.

    One of these days, I'll build a proper area for the eggs and just pull the old gasser out to the curb for someone else to enjoy.
  • ric3677
    ric3677 Posts: 278
    I am with Hitch on this....I am thinking small. Just need to find one close to home. Hmmmm Going to Butte just before the lake...could it be?

    Rickyd
  • Ala-Egg
    Ala-Egg Posts: 162
    With 6 in your family, I would go with a small, and it travels well.