Large or Extra Large Egg??

NOLA Girl · August 2008

I'm a newcomer. I've decided to buy my first BGE. My question is should I get the large or extra large. It is mostly just my husband and me. My son and daughter come home from school several times a year and they often bring friends. We do like to entertain. Does it make sense to get the extra large even though most of the time we'll be cooking just for two? I don't want to feel like I'm in over my heard, but I also don't want to wish I had gotten the bigger size. Feedback, please.

sirlancealot · August 2008

Welcome,I like the xl because of the extra room. but i have a larger family,most of the people on here like the large because it has been the most popular for years. for just the two of you,you might be alright with the large.You can do a whole lot with a large, but it still comes down to personal preference.You will get alot of different oppinions,but the final decission will be yours.good luck, which ever you choose you won"t be dissapointed...

Jeffersonian · August 2008

Personally, I'd get the Large. I've cooked for as many as 30 people on mine, but of course it depends on what you are cooking, too. An XL will be overkill for just you two.

Richard Fl · August 2008

The large followed by a small down the road should do you a lot of eggcelent cooking. Have had a large (the XL) was not available for 5 years and a small for 3 and works great for 1-2 steaks on the small and 4-5 slabs of ribs. on the large. Many choices with this combo. Welcone to the "CULT".

WADoug · August 2008

I'm pretty new to this too. I got a Large. Just my wife and I and we don't entertain, well maybe occasionally. Our lifestyles are such that sometime I am just cooking or reheating a meal for myself. I just ordered a Mini for that situation. The large is the most popular, but after reading the BGE forum, I think maybe the Medium would have been a better choice for us. No regrets, love the Large. Things to consider, Medium, Large and X-Large are very heavy...where will they go and will they need to move. What do you cook, the X-Large has lots of surface area for a one cooker (one temp) meal. The Large/Small - meaning lots of us get multiple Eggs - gives you more temp options for a meal, but the overall surface area doesn't match the X-Large. But, you can put lots of food on the Large, just depends on what you cook. Whatever your choice, the BGE is a great cooker.

Semolina Pilchard · August 2008

Unless you'll be catering or cooking for an army, a large should work fine for you. For the price of an XL, or close to it, you can get a large and a small, or a large and a medium. You will be able to cook 2 different things at 2 different temps. And sooner or later, no matter what you buy first,you'll probably end up with at least 2 eggs. Welcome to a cool cult.

Pitmaster · August 2008

Well, if you get the large you are going to end up wishing you had the XL. You will end up cooking more and for more people, believe me. I have the XL and I love it, a lot of the time it is just for my wife and I. But, I have the space for when I do entertain, which gets to be more popular with the friends and family. There are people that will tell you that you can get a large and a small for the price of a large, but not where I am. They will tell you that you will burn more fuel and I am not sure of that as I don't have anyhting to compare it to except my old chargriller which was not efficient and I used a lot of fuel with that.

Just my 2¢

John

Semolina Pilchard · August 2008

You're right about the prices. I only checked one dealer's website, but an XL is $999, a large is $699, and a small is $399. So to buy a large and a small would cost $100 more. That would be worth it in my opinion, but alas, it is only my opinion. Whatever they buy, they will be egging, and that is all that matters.

jughead · August 2008

It is much better to have the XL and not need it than to need the XL and not have it.

Grandpas Grub · August 2008

Nola Girl,

I have not used an XL. No matter what egg you decide you won't be over your head. There are plenty of people here that can help you.

I talked with my dealer about the XL and he said he thinks the XL uses less lump than the large. I have no idea about that. The XL does take more lump to fill.

For my wife and myslef, I got a large. Plenty of space for us and we cook for our kids & grandkids 26 of us in all.

If I plan what I cook the large works fine. However, I ended up buying a medium, then a small and then the mini.

Frankly, my wife and I (and up to 3 or 4 grandkids) we use the mini 90% of the time.

With that said, I sould suggest a large and then take your time & think about the next size you might get (small or medium).

Good luck deciding,

GG

Frank from Houma · August 2008

NOLA Girl wrote:

I'm a newcomer. I've decided to buy my first BGE. My question is should I get the large or extra large. It is mostly just my husband and me. My son and daughter come home from school several times a year and they often bring friends. We do like to entertain.

If 90% of the time you are cooking for "mostly my husband and me", a medium or small would work. To cover the extra 10% and for added flexibility when your "son and daughter come home from school" I would get a large.

I have an XL and a small. I cook on the XL for big gatherings quite often. When cooking for two, I generally use the small.

You will be happy whichever way you geaux.

Charter member of the "Who Dat Nation"

[Deleted User] · August 2008

I have a Large and my neighbor had an XL. I'm not a skilled Q'er, but I did more on my Large than he ever did on his XL. He used more lump, but I don't know how much more. Bigger doesn't mean better. He got his Egg first and happened to get a deal on the XL and that's why he had an XL.

As someone else mentioned, in your case you might be fine with a small. Stike often cooks for he, Mrs Stike and the two little Stikelets on the small.

I don't own a small but would like one. You will be safe getting a Large. It's a great size.

In the fall and winter I cook a 6+ lb chicken, baked potatoes and squash all at the same time.

In the summer I like to grill steaks and then throw a wok in and stir fry some veggies while the steak is resting.

Saturday I cooked 3 pizzas that I brought to a party.(they were all still hot when I got there. I was amazed but pleased).

I want to stress that I am not a skilled Q'er and I can feed the four of us easily on the Large. I can fit 6 racks of BB's on but I'm not skilled enough to do more than that (others can).

Go Large.

bitslammer · August 2008

I have an XL & a MED. Just bought the MED this weekend for the quick weeknight sears for me and the wife. I love my XL too though. I just did a huge spatchcocked turkey yesterday and it took up a good deal of room. I was able to surround it with a dozen baked potatoes but that filled up the grate.

That bird might have fit on a Large but it would have been tight. On the XL I had plenty of room to do it on 1 level.

Aside from these really big items, or the really big pizzas I cook we'll see the Medium getting the majority of the weeknight action. The XP will be for the weekend chow downs.

mattm · August 2008

I purchased an XL and a few weeks later bought a medium. I cook for 2-3 on a regular basis. I use the medium 90% of the time. I only use the XL when I am doing briskets, ribs, pork shoulders, etc. Occasionally I will grill on it. It is a lot of grill for regular cooks for 2-3.

If I had it to do over again I would have gotten a large and a small or meduim and been good. I do agree with many on this forum that having 2 eggs is a good thing so you can do different kinds of cooks at the same time.

civil eggineer · August 2008

I just cooked 16 pounds og butt on my medium on one level. I have also done a 12 pound turkey and packers cut brisket. I love my medium and can easily cook for 2 or 8 people.

Lab Rat · August 2008

I'd get the large.

I have a large family and host large get togethers. I didn't think the extra large would be big enough so I bought two larges!

I like the flexibility of having the two eggs and have used both often - even for smaller cooks when I just wanted to cook several dishes at different temps.

With only four of us at home now, I usually only use one egg. The large has plenty of capacity for cooking for 4-6 adults.

Large or Extra Large Egg??

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