Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Looking to get first Egg

Options
mrdnks
mrdnks Posts: 67
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Been throwing around the idea but need to decide on size. It is just me and the wife, never cook for others. Definitely want to do pizza so that is a concern. I think a large is the most common but think I could get by with a medium. I guess I would like to hear from a couple with a medium? Once I commit its to late to change so I would like some feedback. Also are there the same accessories for both or are you limited with a medium. Will a 14" pizza stone work in the medium or just a 12". Thanks and can't wait to take the plunge.
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • FlaPoolman
    FlaPoolman Posts: 11,677
    Options
    Never owned a medium but was very happy with 1 large for 6-7 years with just the wife and I before adding another large, a small and a mini.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Meat
    Meat Posts: 233
    Options
    If it helps, my wife's boss bought a medium at the Waldorf Fest last year. Lamented (lightly) that he should have gotten a large. Guess what he's getting this Saturday?

    I have a large and a mini and that combo works well for me. Personally if I had to make the decision I would go for the large. Better to have a little extra Egg, than not enough. ;)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Options
    mrdnks,

    Medium is a great cooker. Large has more options. You may want to think about the ability to do a lot of what you like and freezing leftovers. Lump usage isn't a lot different. :)

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
    Options
    Buy the Large.You will be happy.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • BillHill
    BillHill Posts: 109
    Options
    Go with the large. You'll end up cooking for others!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • thebtls
    thebtls Posts: 2,300
    Options
    The large is more the size of the grids you would be used to using with a weber or a gasser. The medium will be smaller. I cook for two and often run out of space on a LARGE. I can't imagine using the medium as my first cooker personally, many do however.
    Visit my blog, dedicated to my Big Green Egg Recipies at http://www.bigtsbge.blogspot.com You can also follow my posts on FaceBook under the name Keep On Eggin' or the link http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Keep-On-Eggin/198049930216241
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Lei'd-n-Egg
    Lei'd-n-Egg Posts: 289
    Options
    I know you say you'll never cook for others, but that may change once you get the egg. My neighbors have started supplying the meat as long as I'm willing to throw it on the egg for them.

    Good luck with your decision, I won't offer my opinion on size but I do think you'll be very happy with either.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • skihorn
    skihorn Posts: 600
    Options
    I have a Large and a Medium and love them both. I tend to agree with the others that Large is the best way to go as your initial Egg. You will cook for more than you think and accessories are easy to come by. The price differential is not much. However, I think my Medium uses noticeably less lump and also seems to get up to temp just a little faster.

    The 12" stone is the biggest you can use on the Medium. A 14" would technically fit but you would not have enough air flow around it and if you did get it up to high temps you would probably fry your gasket. Surprisingly I use my Medium for most of my pizza cooks. The crusts I buy usually fit just right which surprised me.

    Regardless of what you buy many on here recommend getting the BGE pizza stone as opposed to other brands which are prone to cracking. Based on that advice I got the BGE stone and have had no problem.

    Freddie
    League City, TX
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Bash
    Bash Posts: 1,011
    Options
    Have not read other replies. My view:

    For 90% of cooks, the medium would be sufficient for you and the wife. But, I would get the large, as it would give you more flexibility.

    I tried many times to do pizzas on my medium, but could not get it perfect. The best combo for me on the medium was the 14 inch stone as the indirect piece, with spacers, and then the 12 inch for the pie. Even so, the edges of the pie wants to burn. I now use my XL for pizza (I have the honking big XL stone for it - no chance to burn the edges.) :woohoo:

    I know some do everything on a medium, and you probably could too, but the large would just be more versatile.

    Good luck!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Luvs to shoot clay
    Luvs to shoot clay Posts: 774
    Options
    Get a large, no doubt. Lots of eggcessories fit it. I have 2 larges, wife bought me a small for Christmas but she was OK that I took it back for the large. Now I don't have to buy all the stuff to fit a small.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Hungry Celeste
    Hungry Celeste Posts: 534
    Options
    I have a household of two, and I have a large and a mini. I use the mini for a whole bunch of weeknight quick cooks & individual pizzas. The large gets a workout when I'm grilling entire meals (it's nice to do the sides & entree all at once), for long or large cooks (whole briskets, pork shoulders), and when cooking for a crowd. I'd definitely buy the large again, just because of the accessories.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories