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small egg???

Austin Egger
Austin Egger Posts: 256
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I currently have a large and love it. I have been heavily considering purchasing a small to go with the large, but mainly for the fact that it is a lot more mobile than the large (at 65lbs). I will be using it with the large, but mainly by itself when I go to work out of town or camping. I think the mini will be a little small for me. The question is...does the small limit you to anything besides the reduced space? Can I still do a low and slow with no problem or sear steaks at 600? Is there anything that would be differenet than my large besides surface area and dome area? Thanks!
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Comments

  • vidalia1
    vidalia1 Posts: 7,092
    Nope...the only limitation is space. I have a large, small & mini. The small compliments the large very well. I cook pizzas, butts, steaks, etc...Ceramic Grill store has lots of good accessories and the BGE store has a small platesetter & pizza stone. You will love the combination.
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  • hornhonk
    hornhonk Posts: 3,841
    None whatsoever! Anything you can do on a large can be done on a small. Lots of accessories are made for it. :)I use mine at least as much as my large. Listen to Kim! He types faster :woohoo:
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  • Austin Egger
    Austin Egger Posts: 256
    Out of curiousity...are there any limitations with the mini?
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  • Spring Chicken
    Spring Chicken Posts: 10,255
    The Mini is perfect for fast cooks and even a few slow cooks, but you dont' have much space for lump. Therefore, you will eventually run out of heat much sooner than the larger Eggs.

    My Small was purchased to travel. In fact it still sets in the transporter/cook center in The Coop waiting for the next trip. But I doubt that it will ever travel again. Even 65 pounds is getting heavy as I approach adulthood.

    For you, yes the Small would meet your needs on the road and quite a few of them at home, either alone or working along side the Large.

    Spring "Nine Short Of A Dozen Eggs" Chicken
    Spring Texas USA
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  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,674
    It matters not: small or mini.
    You will get the other one in 6 months anyway :ohmy: B)
    I say this as a large,small and mini owner.
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

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  • berrygood
    berrygood Posts: 372
    Coincidentally, I added a SBGE to my LBGE, recently. Prior to getting it, I read a boatload of posts and there are a lot of differing opinions out there. During my research, though, I tended to add more weight to the opinions of those who have ALL (or most) of the sizes in their arsenal.

    The deciding factor for me was the huge difference in size, which I see as an advantage. I am pleased to say that I split the time between them about half and half, which is what I was looking for.

    Good luck.
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  • Iowa State Egger
    Iowa State Egger Posts: 337
    You will love the small - does everything and easy to transport. I bought a second one for tailgating.

    TravelMode.jpg

    CookingMode.jpg
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  • Austin Egger
    Austin Egger Posts: 256
    That is awesome! I really like that. I will probably end up making something similiar, although different team :laugh: . thanks!
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  • Iowa State Egger
    Iowa State Egger Posts: 337
    I figured with your handle you were probably not a Cyclone fan - not many of us around!
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  • Wise One
    Wise One Posts: 2,645
    I like that set up but I am going to encourage you to get one of those concrete mats to put under the feet. Even with an air gap provided by the feet, it can get hot enough on the bottom to ignite wood. I would hate to see that beautiful red and yellow turned into a dark gray. It MAY never happen without the mats but with the mats it WILL never happen. They're light and don't take up much space.
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  • Iowa State Egger
    Iowa State Egger Posts: 337
    I was wondering about that. The first time out I actually bought a couple of landscaping blocks but I broke them when I was packing my truck. I am not sure what you are referring to when you say "concrete mats," can you steer me in the right direction of where to pick one up at?

    Thanks
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  • cookingdude555
    cookingdude555 Posts: 3,188
    I had the same internal debate a few months ago. Although I was considering the medium, small, or mini to go with the large I already had. I ended up with the small. The medium felt like a large, and the mini seemed like a toy. I love the small. It's a little slower to come to temp compared to my large, I solved that with a weed burner and a heavy trigger finger. About a month ago, I bought a used mini, but ended up letting my brother have it. It was really fun to play with, but really was a one or two person grill. I have done an overnighter low and slow on the small, dont think that would happen on the mini. Having said all of this, I will be buying a new mini in the next year, since my family doesn't always want grilled food like I do.
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  • Trout Bum
    Trout Bum Posts: 343
    I have a large, medium and small. The large and medium, for the most part, cook alike. However, the small tends to have "hot spots" and you have to be aware of them or you will have a very uneven cook side to side, etc.
    Both the medium and small are very stingy on lump compared to the large, which is a real lump eater. Actually, I do not think the medium burns anymore lump than the small.
    If I needed three eggs and had it to do all over, I would have a large and (2) mediums.
    Just my $.02
    Happy Egging,
    Trout Bum
    (aka; Big Daddy)
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
     
    I got my mini just after getting my small. I haven't fired up the small in well over a year now if not longer. However, I am not yet ready to get rid of the small either.

    GG
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
    Trout Bum wrote:
    ... the small tends to have "hot spots" and you have to be aware of them or you will have a very uneven cook side to side, etc.

    ... the large, which is a real lump eater.

    Interesting comments, both.

    In my case, I don't find the large to burn much more lump than the medium and neither really use all that much lump.

    I didn't notice any particular hot spots in the small but I do light in two places, left & right of center.

    I don't take my eggs anywhere. I use the mini almost as much as the large.

    Doing it all over probably 2 lgs & a mini.

    GG
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  • hawkegg
    hawkegg Posts: 97
    Very cool set up. Only thing wrong is the color!! Go Hawks!! I would love that set up!
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  • Iowa State Egger
    Iowa State Egger Posts: 337
    Something tells me the eggs wouldn't look as good on black and gold!
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  • Trout Bum
    Trout Bum Posts: 343
    Maybe I should try a different lighting method. I use a BGE electric starter. Maybe I should try the torch on the small and try to get a more even ignition by starting the lump in 2 or 3 places. Still the grate on the small is very close to the lump, which makes cooking more difficult.
    Trout Bum
    (aka; Big Daddy)
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  • Kokeman
    Kokeman Posts: 822
    I have a large and small. The small gets used a lot. We are a family of 4, and for after work cooks I go for the small. It heets up faster and has plenty of room for food. I have not done any low and slows on the small, but I have a plate setter. I have done pizza, pies, bread and casseroles on it to name a few.
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  • Crimsongator
    Crimsongator Posts: 5,797
    Our small goes camping very well. It can do everything the large can do, just on a more portable basis. We have taken ours and on one load of lump did burgers, pizza, breakfast biscuits and one other cook over 2 days.
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
     
    I have never used and electric starter with lump so I can't be of much help there.

    You don't need to have a huge load of lump for every cook. As long as I am not doing a over night cook I load to just above the holes in the firebox. On the large if I load to just below the top of the fire box I usually get 4 to 8 cooks on one load. I very seldom even mix the lump/ash on the subsequent cooks. The lump lights easily and the air path is already established from the previous cook.

    GG
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  • Frank from Houma
    Frank from Houma Posts: 5,755
    Have only done it once and came out just fine. I would guestimate about 12 hours of smoke at 240-250 if you fill to the top of the fire ring.

    Two Wacks of Wibbies - BBs
    101_2703800x600.jpg

    Have an XL, Small, and mini - the small sees the most action, then mini

    Lo an Slo on the mini? Just once for kicks - got 6 hours at 240 with a guru. Probably get 8 hours.

    One wack of wibbies - I was using a shopmade platesetter of 3/4" carbon steel which radiated too much heat. Next time will use 8" pizza stone.
    IMG_4943800x600.jpg
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  • Frank from Houma
    Frank from Houma Posts: 5,755
    Nice carrier - purple and gold geaux well with the green - colors of Mardi Gras: Purple, Green, and Gold :laugh:

    IMG_3522800x600.jpg

    I always have a paver under the Small when flipped in the cooking position - mini has it's own stand.
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  • FLbobecu
    FLbobecu Posts: 309
    Wow Frank, those ribs look fantastic. I suppose we wouldn't have a problem smoking just one rack on a small then. That was a main concern with me. Now that I can see it can be done on the Mini, I am impressed.

    Just curious, about how long of a smoke can you get on a small with a full load of lump? And approx how "much" (pounds) is a full load in a small?




    Thanks so much!
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