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Downside to an XL Egg?

nlsteve
nlsteve Posts: 44
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
OK, I'm convinced that a large egg takes care of most people most of the time.

For entertaining, though, that XL looks pretty tempting. Any downside to having an XL for daily use plus entertaining?

Does it use a lot more charcoal? Create hot spots?

Better to have two eggs rather than one oversize one?

Thanks --

Steve

Comments

  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    nlsteve,

    The XL works great. Historically the shallow dome has been an issue with mutiple levels but the new design has a higher dome. More lump, yes but not much more. Hot spots no. More eggs is always better :laugh:

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • I have both and I love them both but the XL does use a little more lump. The big plus with the larges is that there are so many accessories available and with 2 eggs you have so much versility. The biggest plus to 2 Eggs is the ability to cook at different temps at the same time. About the only time I use my XL's these days is for a large brisket or several racks of ribs. I use the larges most of the time even when entertaining friends.
  • Mike in Abita
    Mike in Abita Posts: 3,302
    I have a XL but do not have the LGE. I am an inpartial juror, but I can tell you there are no hotspots in the XL. If you set it up properly you will have a LGE with 52% more square inches. I bought the XL first and added a MED after. There are aftermarket accessories for the XL. A Lump reducing ring will allow you to burn lees lump for samller cooks.

    No matter which way you go you won't be sorry. I would not trade my XL for a LGE.
  • SeaBassHWD
    SeaBassHWD Posts: 44
    I have an XL. It's a little overkill for a small cook. I just cooked a 7lb butt this weekend and there was so much grill space, it was ridiculous! I'm thinking of getting a lump reducing ring and a smaller grate for the smaller cooks. Eventually, I might get a med or large to add to the collection.
  • highpress
    highpress Posts: 694
    Steve,
    i can't comment on actually owning an XL, but I do own a large and small. (small is a recent purchase, had the large for about a year). I will say the large will handle a normal size party relatively easy. Depending on what your "normal" size party is and what your cooking of course... I've had a couple partes with 15-25 people and could of easily handled more, especially if your do a couple butts ahead of time, then fire up burgers later as guests arrive or want them etc...

    not sure what size family you have, but there's only my wife, myself and a 5 month old... So basically for 2 people we were using a large, but most of the times we could have gotten away with the small. Don't get me wrong, i'm so glad we got the large. Extremely versatle... I just picked the small up about 2 weeks ago, and have used i dunno... half dozen times? I love having 2 eggs, if i want to cook 2 different things w/a different temp or setup. For example, saturday i did pizza on large and wings on the small. Unless you've got a family of 5 or 6, i would opt for a 2 egg setup. To me the large/small is excellent combo.. .Plus i like the fact that the small is a little more portable.. Sunday i did 1 rack and a peach cobbler on the small... IMHO the small uses way less lump than the large... only a couple handfuls to fill firebox up... Others will chime in, good luck.
  • Right on Q
    Right on Q Posts: 42
    I agree with the other posts. You will use more charcoal but will not have any hot spots. Also more eggs the better. I have a M, L, and XL. As I told my wife when she asked why I needed another egg...."You don't use a sledge hammer to put in finishing nail! Always have the right size tool for the job."

    100_2553.jpg
  • JMo
    JMo Posts: 23
    I have the XL and it works great. It can handle a ton of food if you are cooking for large groups. I just did 6 shoulders (48 lbs) and they came out perfect. I had a medium and made the mistake of selling it to upgrade size. I wish I kept the medium to go along with the XL. Having two or more is the way to go. I am going to buy another medium or small soon.
  • I love my XL BGE. For my crowd, I could see pretty quick anything smaller than an XL wouldn't work for me. On small cooks, I use a reducing ring. Using a common 4" welding grinder and some cutting wheels, I cut a 4" section out of a 15" dia. SS beer keg. This made a perfect reducing ring for almost nothing in cost. The bottom portion of the keg makes for a good SS drip pan too. You can also buy a reducing ring from a vender on the net. Never had any hot spots or problems with my XL.
  • eenie meenie
    eenie meenie Posts: 4,394
    I really like having the XLG. I entertain quite a bit and I also grill frequently. I like the additional grid space. I like the versatility of the large for those reasons. I purchased the lucmp reducing ring save lump for smaller cooks. http://www.ceramicgrillstore.com/ceramicgrillstore/

    I have a small, but really don't use it.....CWM was kind enough to recently send me some GrateMates, so I hope to use the small.
  • Egg Hound
    Egg Hound Posts: 1
    Is there a downside to owning an extra large?
  • Egg Hound wrote:
    Is there a downside to owning an extra large?
    They are not very portable. :P
  • cookingdude555
    cookingdude555 Posts: 3,188
    I have all but the XL, and I might sell the LG someday to get the XL. I use the smaller eggs most, but when I want a big egg, I wish my LG was an XL. Maybe when I get to the point of buying that XL, I will just keep the LG too. :ohmy:
  • I bought the XL several weeks ago and have cooked on it quite a few times. For two of us it's overkill on needed space, but with a fuel reducing ring it doesn't use much more charcoal and the opportunities for large cooks is still there. We can each make our own pizza the way we like and cook both at the same time. I've used fire bricks on half the grill to cook stuffed pork chops while corn on the cob cooked over the coals, cast iron cookers fit easily, etc. That being said, last night we began looking at a medium egg to supplement the XL. The XL doesn't cook at different temps using different methods at the same time. I haven't used it for BBQ yet, but look forward to learning how the XL does on some butts or brisket. The pellet grill has held that job up until not and does such a super job I hate to try another way.
  • zflava
    zflava Posts: 43
    I purchased an XL and a Medium at the same time. I prefer my XL for spreading large quantities of food out on a single grid type grillin'. I have to admit that my Medium is the work horse and it gets the daily quick cooks for my family of 5 and the low and slow pork and beef. However, I wouldn't trade my XL for anything. If I can afford to get one more Egg, it will be a Large.

    I don't see any downside to owning an XL and I have never had hot spots. It heats up quick and locks temps as fast if not faster than my Medium. I also love to be able to lay full racks of ribs out with plenty of room to spare. Also, from the same place you get the lump reducing ring (Ceramic Grill Store), you can get something called Ang-L Brackets and create temperature zones on the XL when you're grilling direct.
    IMG_3842.jpg
  • beerguy
    beerguy Posts: 116
    I'm a rookie, but so far I love my XL. I got rid of a gas grill (Boo, hiss) that had 650 sq. in. and am happy that I still have some 450 sq. in. to use. I've never had such flavorful food!!!
  • thechief96
    thechief96 Posts: 1,908
    I have an XL and a large. I do perfer the XL. It doesn't use that much more lump. There is ample room for just about anything without worring about creative stacking. :laugh:
    Dave San Jose, CA The Duke of Loney
  • thechief96
    thechief96 Posts: 1,908
    I like your answer to your wife. :woohoo:
    Dave San Jose, CA The Duke of Loney
  • We have a large and a small and cook on one or the other, or both about 5 times a week. With last weeks BBQ competition being our first (hopefully of many) it was very apparent that we didn't have enough cooking space. So now I'm considering the XL ...

    I'm wondering if I pop the lid off can I lift it into a truck or trailer? That's what I do with my large and it's easy to load in and out ... Could I do it with an XL?

    Joel
  • h20egg
    h20egg Posts: 168
    I've had a LGE for ~4 months. Almost went medium, glad not. I think it would be great to have a second to have two temps going at once. If I ever needed the area of an XL, I'd get a second LGE; and have the versatility of two temps. As it is now, I have my Weber gasser (natural gas, decided years ago no more empty tanks, before I got turned on to BGE) on standby to keep stuff warm or do something where the egg wouldn't add anything. I realize I could be banned from the forum, but I find the gasser an acceptable backup and frankly, for some really quick things when I get home, does fine. Wouldn't replace it when it dies, but meanwhile it has some uses.