Medium big enough?

smokeystover

Great to be a new member here!
I'm getting ready to buy my first BGE this Spring, and I really just have one important question.

I think the Medium size Egg is the right one, but half of those I talk to say go with Medium, and the other half say I really ought to get the Large.

Really, I'm confused and would appreciate the wisdom of the Eggers.

Most of the time, it would only be used for two people, my wife and me. Since I'm retired, we're not talking about huge appetites here.

A little of the time, there would be at most two (occasionally three) other people for dinner.

With this kind of situation, if it would really be smart to get the Large, can you say why, or would it be overkill?

civil eggineer

I have medium and love it! I can cook for two or six. I can cook 2-8 lb butts overnight, a whole 13 lb packer brisket or a 17 lb turkey. The medium uses less lump then the large but truly is the little egg that could. That said, I have cooked for family gatherings and graduation parties for 80 people requiring multiple cooks to produce enough pulled pork. Those are the only times I wish I had a large and even then would require multiple cooks. I would someday like to own a large along with my medium but would suspect even then 90% of my cooks would use the medium. Either size is good and if you are sure you won't be entertaining 8+ people at once I think the medium would serve you well. If there is any doubt...buy the large.

RRP

A large is not overkill for 2 people. BTW there are just two of us as well. 10 years ago I was where you are debating M or L and the good people here convinced me to go large and I did! Then within 3 month I bought a small as the perfect combo. Since then I've added 2 more eggs - it gets in your blood! I vote go large!

Primeggister1

I second that motion, from 1 XL to another XL and a medium just because my blood is green now. :woohoo:

psalzer

We have a large .. there are only 2 of us ... I do not find it to be too big. Cooking a rack of ribs right now .. plenty of room. IMHO bigger is better!!

BR-549

That's a tough call. I have a medium, and it's plenty big for what I do. The large is the most popular, and I think you can get more accesories with it. Wish I could help you more, but you will get more advice before this is over. This is a coin toss.

Little Steven

smokeystover,

I would suggest large as well. Many of us have 2 (or more ) eggs. The large and medium make a wonderful combination so if you were to get the medium and later the large if you needed it you would be in good shape. Best advice is go with the large now though.

Steve

gdenby

My first Egg was a medium. I cooked several large holiday family meals on it, but it was a lot of work. So the next year, I bought a second medium, which gives me as much grill space as a large and small combo. That has served my just fine for large dinners; served 11 this Christmas.

With just my youngest occasionally still staying with us, I use both maybe once a week.

My long range plan is turn over 1 medium to my daughter and son-in-law, and get a large.

smokeystover

This is starting to sound really familiar! :laugh:

I guess I've read at least a dozen reports from folks who talk about how happy they are with their large and small (or some other combination).

Agreed, that makes a lot of sense for many people, but I just want to have one, not a collection. :blink:

Also, there won't be any huge family meals here -- just casual stuff.

jenericzac

I just bought my large egg back in july and I went through the same thought process your going through now. In the end i'm glad I went with the large instead of the medium. The one thing i didnt think about was that on a direct cook you actually lose a couple inches of space due to the fire ring. I sometimes find space tight on the large and am glad I didnt go with the medium. It would have been way too small for me. My vote is for the large.

Wise One

The medium will be large enough for your needs about 90% of the time. The large will be large enough for about 95% of your needs. A large and a medium will just about cover you - except for those times when you wished you had an XL as well.

If money or anxiety is an issue, go with the medium. After you start using it, you will wish you had bought the large but then you start justifying why you need a medium AND a large.

Wise One

"but I just want to have one, not a collection. " I did too, now I have 4. If I had a dime for every EGGer who made that statement, I'd have a fifth.

Lawn Ranger

It probably is, but don't let this vex you too much. Only you know what your needs and expectations are. I have a large, small and mini and use them all equally. If you don't expect to be feeding the Mongul Hordes (my wife's family), then you are probably good to go on the Medium. If you forsee cooking a bunch of butts or a huge bird or ham, then maybe upgrading a size is a thought. You're going to love whatever you get. I find having the option of simply having more eggs to cook on is often more important than size. I often use the large and small at the same time for different things and neither one is at capacity size-wise. Who knows,...maybe a small is in your future.

Mike

Pjoe

I bought the medium just because it it was the wife and I and realized from the first week I should have got the large. The medium has a good amount of cooking space for two people but the height of the dome on the large makes it more versatile. Plus you can get more accessories for the large. I'm in the market for a large now but will keep my medium too.

Bill

smokeystover

OK, so if I can summarize the responses, based on a thorough mathematical analysis of all comments so far, the prevailing wisdom is:

"It depends."

[sigh]

Well, I guess it boils down to the simple fact that there are lots of people with a medium who wish they had a large, but I haven't found anyone with a large who wishes he had a medium.

Anyway, thanks for the comments (and some good laughs!)

2Fategghead

There is two of us with an occasional cook out with company. At first I got a large egg and with all the accessories you can get for the large you can cook most anything. Then a year ago I got another large egg so all the accessories are interchangeable now. We love food cooked on the egg and go out much less. As a matter of fact the food that comes off our egg is better than going out to get it. It will be to your advantage to frequent this forum because you will find this forum can help you immensity in cooking on the egg and food safety recipes... Good luck in your decision and my bias opinion would be for you to get the large and then I have some more suggestions for you but, we'll save that for later. :woohoo:

Carolina Q

I cook for one most of the time. I don't WISH I had a medium, but it would have been more than adequate for my needs. So would a small for that matter. Everyone seems to feel that the availability of accessories for a large means that it's the best choice. I don't think that should be a consideration. I have a platesetter and a pizza stone for accessories. Pretty sure both are also available for the medium and small. I haven't felt the need for any other accessories other than something to raise the grid (easy to make do with fire bricks or similar).

If you think you might need to transport your egg, the large is pretty heavy and unwieldy. I would have liked to lug my egg 400 miles to Mom's for Thanksgiving turkey, but my large was just too, well, large. Could have taken the mini, but it ain't much for a 20 lb bird!

Not sure it even matters anyway. Quite a few folks here own multiple eggs so you may well find yourself buying another before long anyway. I bought a large and then, a few months later, I bought a mini. Some folks have SEVEN eggs. But I won't name names. :laugh:

Btw, the mini is great for a steak or two. Or a couple of chicken breasts or chops. Not so good for a pork butt, but it's been done. I like mine because I mostly cook for one - and it fits in my living room fireplace!

Just pick a size. You'll likely be back for more anyway!

cookn biker

I love my medium. I also have a large and a mini. I cook mostly for me.

RRP

after all this and that I have to tell you that my small is my go to egg for 65% of my cooks! I love my large for big cooks and overnight cooks due to capacity which nobody addressed today. My wife surprised me for my birthday 10 years ago with our medium - which I never even used for the first time until 2 years later when it dawned on me to only use it for baking! It still is a smokey brown inside, but not the same as the meat cooking eggs as there has never been any grease splatters. I call her my little virgin egg if you get my drift...

boston_stoker

For what it is worth, the large is the most popular size. It also has the most number of eggcessories. If you never expect to cook for more than 5 people, I think a medium is fine. You can use the savings on toys for the egg.

Little Steven

Ron

I bought one for baking only. It was to be Norma's. I promised I would never use it or any of the accessories for anything else...I lied

Steve

Clay Q

I have two larges, a small and a mini. I wish I had a medium.

Turk

I have no experience with the medium. However it is just 2 of us in the house and I find the large to be great for cooking multiple foods at the same time. I like the room. I will say that I have done a 21 lb turkey in a 20 quart CI pot. It turned out great. You also have room on the large to use small CI and grill at the same time. For me it is the large. I want to add a small. Good luck.

TheDirtyBurger

Smokeystover,
If you are waiting until spring I would suggest you get an eggfest demo. Not sure where you live, but there is a good chance that by June there will be some type of eggfest within 150 miles of you. They are worth it just for the experience. You get the warranty and everything but you just pay a cheaper price.

If you are willing to buy a new large, I would suggest getting a demo small and a demo large. You will but another egg soon anyway, many of us have (and would if they had space). For about $100 above the cost a new large you could get a demo small and a demo large. Or get a medium or whatever you want.

I bought a large used on Craigslist in Nov 2008 and then a demo small at Peoria Eggfest in June 2010. I regret everyday I did not have my small.

Also it is just my wife and I, but I do feed masses of idiots during football season and the summer. Nice to have 2 eggs but for 2 years my large did me fine.

Good luck and welcome to the cult. Feel free to join our Illinois Egghead FB page, even non-Lincoln lovers are welcome
tim

PattyO

I live alone and bought a Medium. Within a week I added a Mini. The med was too big for me, every day. I suggest going with the Med and Mini. More versatile. Two methods, two temps. Double the fun.

SmokeyPitt

I think you will be happy either way. The medium is certainly big enough for 2-5 people. However, there will be times you wish you had a little more space. If you went with the large, I doubt you will ever say "man, I wish I had a little less room on this grill!".

I would just price them both out, calculate the difference, and then ask yourself if it is worth it for those times you might need extra space.

Chief Chef

This is one case where it can truely be said "Size doesn't matter" I have not come across any posts about "unhappy eggers" no matter what size they are using.

Remember it would be possible to cook a medium meal on a large but difficult to cook a large meal on a medium.
Good luck, either decision will be the right one.

smokeystover

Still on the fence, but thanks so much for all the advice.

I guess I'll take TheDirtyBurger's suggestion and wait until I can see them in action.

I'm in southern Ohio, so I'll be watching the schedule for some kind of Eggfest within a reasonable distance.

Nice forum!

jeffinsgf

I bought a Medium in 1999 and cooked on it at least once or twice a week for 9 years. I used it for meals for the two of us and for family gatherings, too. A few years ago I decided to trade up to a large. I bought the large, and despite several offers, have yet to sell my Medium. However, if I had to give up one or the other, the Medium would be the one to go, and it is for reasons that I haven't seen yet in this thread.

As you spread your wings with your Egg, you'll find that there are things you want to use with your Egg. Most recently I bought a paella pan. The difference in size of those auxiliary items that will fit in the Medium makes a significant difference in some cases. Another, in addition to the paella pan is roasting pans...a few off the shelf roasters will fit the Large, hardly any will fit the Medium. I have a Dutch oven that will fit the Medium, but it fits "better" in the Large.

So, it's not just the accessories for the Egg that are more readily available for the Large, but also the cooking vessels you may want.

Just so you know, you're not alone in the thought pattern of not wanting a "herd". I have a pair, when I really didn't intend to. I just can't bring myself to sell my Medium. In your shoes, I would get the Large. If and when you need another, you'll know it. My guess is that it will serve your needs by itself.

DeanR

I have a medium and from your summary it should be perfect for you.

Couple of advantages, in addition to price, are less fuel useage and as I believe it is the largest egg that is really easy to trasport. Don't ever recall a thread that started "How do I transport my medium". Grab it and strap it in your passenger seat and off you go. One man operation.

All the people that struggle transporting their large eggs would wish a medium if they knew how easy it is.

Pjoe

Accessories shouldn't be a consideration until you wish the one available for the large is available for the medium and then it isn't. For a lot of people, accessories = versatility. Had I known, I would have bought a large for that reason so it should be a consideration for some!