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XL vs Large Egg

Aggie Egger
Aggie Egger Posts: 51
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Are there disadvantages of going with the XL vs the Large? Any one buy the large and regret not getting the XL? Trying to decide. Thx.
large and small bge

Comments

  • Kitarkus
    Kitarkus Posts: 181
    many more accessories for the large available. XL is great for cooking for loads of people....if you only do this occasionally...I'd most def go with the large. If you are always cooking loads of food...the XL is the choice.

    The xl takes more charcoal, has fewer accessories...and is BIG
  • I started a thread like this a couple of weeks ago when I was trying to decide also. It was almost unanimous to go with the large. Several suggested to get an additional medium or small (later on) with the money you saved because different foods can have different cooking temperatures.



    hullaballo canek canek.
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
    Aggie Egger, Welcome to the forum! :) We like questions and pictures of food cooked with the BGE.

    Before I purchased my large BGE I looked at all the different sizes and thought I would want an extra large BGE for the bigger area to cook on and truthfully money kept me from doing so. It took me almost a year to decide and purchase one and now I wonder why I hadn't bought one a long time ago.

    Now that I have my large I learned that I can cook a lot of food on this 18 inch food grate. If I want to cook more than one 18 inch food grate can hold I can go two 18 inch food grates. So, now I can cook on two layers. Now I have figured out that there are even more ways to get more food on just one large BGE.

    I only have one large BGE but I can smoke around 60 plus pounds of Boston Butt at one time and in the same amount of time it takes to smoke one. I can cook four or more whole chickens at once. I know I can manage at least four slabs of ribs...If I think about it and have the right tools I can feed a small army of people.

    This past summer with my large BGE alone I fed 18 family members each a baked potato an ear of sweetcorn and a plate full of ribs from one continuous cook. I hope this helps and I'm sure given time there will be a lot of others to chime in here.

    Here is A brisket that I cooked.

    000_1092.jpg

    Here I am baking a loaf of bread in a cast iron dutch oven.

    000_1127.jpg

    It's not just the large BGE it is this forum with all it's wisdom and experience.

    For me the large was my best choice. Plus like Kitarkus said there are so many more things I can get for the large. Tim
  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
    I often hear that the large does not have the capacity to cook for a large family.

    Let me tell you that is a lot of bull. When my family gets together we are typically 20+. My XL sits there and wishes I would use him.

    So here is my proof:

    Please note the amount of sausage on this egg:
    IMG_8030-020.jpg

    6 7-9 pound butts on this egg:

    IMG_8055-033.jpg

    Just for contrast please note the amount of meat on this Lang 60:

    IMG_8059-035.jpg

    I cooked 18 butts on 3 eggs and took up less space. (Update: 36 on 6 large eggs)

    My XL gets used when I cater and even then it's only used for something that may not physically fit on my large and can't be cut into smaller chunks.

    Ohh did I tell you I have 2 small eggs too. (Another update: I now have 10 eggs total) You will NOT be disappointed with the Egg, unless you fail to learn how to use it or don't use it. Many of us use it as our primary cooking source year round.
  •  
    Folks will usually recommend the unit(s) they have and you will probably want to pay more attention from the folks that have both the XL and large.

    First off I haven't used an XL, with that being said...

    The XL is a physically large/heavy egg. Your situation would dictate if that is a disadvantage or not.

    As far as more accessories being available for the large, I would think tjv (Ceramic Grill Store) now has some great tools/accessories for the XL's not also.

    I have a L, M, S & mini. With the large alone I can cook for 26 people. Cooking for that many people on one egg requires me having to plan my food carefully. For example, if I want to serve all at one time I obviously I can't cook steak as there isn't enough grid space. However, pulled pork is a great cook.

    I probably would get 2 larges and a mini. However, I would take a long look at the XL in place of one of the larges.

    You might get a better answer if you were to tell us how many people you cook for normally and how many people you cook for when your larger group's gather.

    Welcome to the forum.

    GG
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,669
    when your first looking at the eggs, alot are looking at the grid space because they are used to cooking hot dogs and hamburgers at cookouts etc. once you start using the egg, you wont be cooking those things too often and when you do it wont be for cookouts ;) guests wont be wanting the burgers and dogs, they are going to want your pulled pork, roasted loin, leg of lamb etc :) large is plenty for most of us and like has been said, there will be a second egg in your future, plan ahead for it
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,669
    really wishing i chose the mini over the small ;) when i need two larges i bring my second home from camp, hard to beat that combo when its needed which isnt too often. i think ive only needed that combo once in all the years ive been egging
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • There is only one way you can screw this up and that is by over studying and vacilating on your decision to buy. :ermm:

    Geaux get a large and then contemplate your next Egg over the next few months. Small or Mini for portability. :)

    BTW - I have an XL, Small, and Mini B)
  • fire egger
    fire egger Posts: 1,124
    Large, with the remaining money you can buy a med or save a little more and have a second large. I regularly cook for 15 and have no problems doing enough on my large, however having 2 eggs gives me even more space, with the added bonus of being able to do different temp cooks at the same time.
  • CBBQ
    CBBQ Posts: 610
    I love your persistance. LOL.
  • So what did you decide on?
  • Autumn09_126.jpg
    I went with 2 large eggs.I like it because I can do two different cooks at the same time. Low and slow on one and steaks on the other.
  • Aggie,
    I absolutely love my XL.
    Grandpas Grub makes a good point. Most people are going to recommend the size egg that they have.
    I think this is a combination of people wanting to justify their own choices and the simple fact that the egg, no matter what size, is an amazing cooker. The large is the most popular size sold and therefore you are going to hear ALOT of people recommending it. Just something to think about when making your decision.
    That being said, let me justify my decision and recommend the XL ;)
    I have been lucky enough to cook on both a large an XL. You can most definitely get ALOT of food on both the Large and the XL, the large requires a little more creativity when really packing it with food. I can be a little lazy and really appreciate the extra space the XL provides, others might be perfectly happy getting creative when cooking mutliple items or fitting in different shaped pans, dutch ovens, and pots. I just like the ease the extra grid space the XL provides. On that note, like many Large owners will tell you, I can cook on multiple grate levels on my XL. I can set it up with 1, 2, 3, or even 4 grate levels at once. My standard set up is 2 levels, the 24" main grate and a raised 20" grate that is about 4 inches above the main grate. Quite a bit of realestate and lots of different options to play with depending on what I want to cook. Now as far as when you're not cooking for an army, tjv's ceramic grill store has some awesome eggcessories. Particularly the lump reducer, which allows me to cook for just me or me and the girlfriend and another couple with out having to fill up the fire box full of lump. There are really alot of great eggcessories on his site that make the XL very versitile and great for cooks of all sizes.
    Alot of poeple will tell you that once you get your egg you will eventually want a 2nd....they are right! Having purchased the largest size available I have no doubt that I will own a 2nd egg in the future. The ability to cook at different temps would be awesome. However I don't necessarily agree with those who say you can buy that 2nd egg with the money you'll save choosing the large over the xl. Especially once you start buying eggcessories that you will need to really take advantage of everything that the egg can do.
    So that's my justification for why I am glad I went with the XL.
    If you don't mind spending the extra $ and prefer the extra space that comes with it, I say go for the XL and plan on getting the right eggcessories to really maximize it's versatility.
    However, rest assured that no matter what size you choose that you will NOT be dissapointed.
    Good luck
    Nick
  • 99% of the time, I'll be cooking for just me and the warden. I can't imagine cooking for more than 6 people, because the rest of the world hates me. :)
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


  • Now I want 2 more Larges, so I can make a cabinet like yours. :)
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


  • Bacchus
    Bacchus Posts: 6,019
    Im not sure anyone has ever regretted getting a Large Egg. A few have regretted the XL.
  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
    Come on up to NC sometime and I'll show you what it's like cooking for 600+ people LOL

    I promise they won't hate you...
  • 997 more posts and you will have caught up to me. well, to one of my psychotic entities, anyway
  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
    I am trying to make it stretch...

    just don't count on me changing my screen name tho....
  • BENTE
    BENTE Posts: 8,337
    so is joe related to you?? :whistle: :laugh:

    i hope alls well for you Pal!!

    happy eggin

    TB

    Anderson S.C.

    "Life is too short to be diplomatic. A man's friends shouldn't mind what he does or says- and those who are not his friends, well, the hell with them. They don't count."

    Tyrus Raymond Cobb

  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
    thankfully no.. He just helped..

    So far all is well..
  • Okay, this forum is chock full of large egg owners. I am the proud owner of an XL. Does it use more charcoal? Yes. Is it a lot? No. I really appreciate the grill space. If you ask me the large egg owners are trying to convince themselves that what they have is the bomb. Get the XL. you won't regret it.
  • Bacchus
    Bacchus Posts: 6,019
    Its becuase the Large IS the bomb. It represents the bulk of the Eggs sold, it has a substantial amount of ceramic for holding the heat, and is proportionatley correct(unlike myself).
  • I have the XL and love it. I can slow cook for 24 to 28 hrs and still have lump left. Also, it can hold a lot of ash before you have to clean it out, nice. Oh did I say - I have a Medium! I love it also. Most people are happy with what they have. Then some of us are "happier" because we have 2 or more Eggs. :woohoo:
  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
    Me to Ron! :laugh: :laugh: ;) :ohmy:
  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
    OKC,
    Ohhhhhhhh you hit a soar spot. :ohmy: :)

    I can say; although I added some used lump in the middle of my cooks my large smoked for 27 hours straight this weekend and I had enough lump left to do a clean burn for at least two or three hours afterwards. I did not time it I merely opened it up let it run out of fuel/lump. Tim ;)

    I will say this I would buy an extra large if I was in the right spot at the right time.
  • Just wondering if anyone has experience with standing rib roasts in large BGE.
    Thanks :S
  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
    Wow that was harsh. It could also be argued that my toy is bigger than your toy; therefore, it is better.

    No matter what sized egg bought, most people are extremely happy with their choice.

    Yes I do own an XL; however, I also own 6 larges, 2 smalls and a mini..
  • Pete,

    I agree, it was harsh.

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • chrono
    chrono Posts: 177
    I was in the same boat this summer. I thought why not just get the XL since more is better right? Well after some research I went with the Large. With the adjustable rig I can cook for any occasion. If you have a large family and do large parties every weekend then maybe an XL would be right for you. Other wise the Large is pretty big enough.