Mini Max vs Small BGE...

TN_Sister_State

I was just looking at the differences between the two and it looks like they have the same cooking circumference so my question is why get a small when you can get a mini max?  I know the mini max just came out so this may be a question for most people that already own a small. It came up after explaining to my wife why most of yall have two eggs in hopes to get a green light for a second and her response was, "that makes perfect sense. We should start looking into that." It was also her idea for me to get my first egg. I wanted to start with a less expensive stick burner, because i'm cheap. Not to brag but I married a good one.

Biggreenpharmacist

Small is cheaper, holds more lump for low and slows and I have no problem carrying mine around. The minimax is even more portable, but for the price its just not worth it to me. Just my opinion.

TN_Sister_State

Thats exactly what Im looking for. Thank you, I will be buying one or the other within the year but like to do my research way before. 

Chubbs

You need to ask yourself what you will use the second egg for. Don't overlook the mini and I bet you can get one for cheap now.

Tinyfish

Why stop at two? Two is good but three is better! !

TN_Sister_State

The second smaller egg with be for side items, stews, chicken wings, and the such. Items to compliment my larger cooks when company is over and hanging out. Looking for enough room as well to use when Im just cooking something small for the wife and I. Like tonight I cooked a small flank steak we split on my large. It was probably 10 oz steak, which a smaller egg would have been perfect for the 4 minutes it cooked.

Jeremiah

You'll be happy with either.

DMW

If you want it portable with a carrier, go mini max. If that isn't important, go small.

grege345

I think it just comes down to portability.

Jeremiah

I wish now I would've went with a small and a carten. I wanted the minimax for the portability but damn it heavy. Really needs two people. Oh well.

SkinnyV

Really a small over the mini max? The mini max just looks so much better, I'm biased.
Is the small that much lighter?
I will say this after carrying the mini max around a few spots yesterday, its heavy. My back is sore today so it will only be moved around at times or with 2 people.

The mini feels light now.

I scored a decent price on the mini max so that helped me along into my 3rd egg.

Jeremiah

Actually I believe the small is heavier. But I'd rather have that extra height of the small. Just an opinion, and really not a great one as I've never cooked in a small.

BigWader

Doesn't the mini-max address some potential issues with the small - smaller fire grate and ability to get up to hotter temps?

That was the impression I got - yes you give up lump capacity but I thought that for most uses that wouldn't be an issue.

bcsnave

TN_Sister_State said:

The second smaller egg with be for side items, stews, chicken wings, and the such. Items to compliment my larger cooks when company is over and hanging out. Looking for enough room as well to use when Im just cooking something small for the wife and I. Like tonight I cooked a small flank steak we split on my large. It was probably 10 oz steak, which a smaller egg would have been perfect for the 4 minutes it cooked.

As Chubbs stated....don't overlook the mini

badinfluence

I would say the mini is really the only real portable egg there is. The mini max at 78lbs is only about 10 lbs less then the small.

Don't get me wrong i like all my eggs and all have different purposes but to advertise the mini max as portable is almost a joke.

Mickey

My first Egg was a Small. Then added a Large and Mini and never used the Small. Ended up selling it and bought a Mini-Max that I use more than any of them. Have 2 Larges and a Mini plus the Mini-Max. If I had to go down to only one Egg there would be no question: the Mini-Max.

Mickey

BigWader said:

Doesn't the mini-max address some potential issues with the small - smaller fire grate and ability to get up to hotter temps?

That was the impression I got - yes you give up lump capacity but I thought that for most uses that wouldn't be an issue.

I put a HighQ in both my Small and Mini-Max

jenericzac

I have a large and a small  The small is great and the lump it uses is almost nothing compared to the large.   That being said  If I could only have one it would be my large.  The small just doesnt have the options or the space of the large.  Mini max is nice but i don't see any advantage at all over the small.  

VANcouverEGG

I live near Stanley Park in Vancouver. The mini max is gonna fit perfectly on the dolly on top of the cooler, with the bocce set. Looking forward to lots of salmon on the MM this summer. What a great concept for summer cooking. I just to have to get one first. Saving now + my tax return, i'm sitting pretty.
Do lots of camping too and i couldn't think of a better catch partner.

minniemoh

I bought my SBGE last summer after the announcement of the Mini Max and I bought it to take with me. I got a crazy good deal and I couldn't pass it up to pay full price (or even demo price) on a Mini Max. I really like it and it works well. Then a few months later, I found a deal on a Mini that I couldn't pass up. 

I am intrigued by the Mini Max due to the larger fire grate. I haven't been to a dealer to see the MM in person yet. I would love to see a picture of the two fire boxes side by side (S and MM). I know the MM has the same fire grate as a L. One of these days, I'm going to try my expanded steel fire grate from my Med in my Small to see if it creates even more draft. I have an expanded steel fire grate in the S but I'm curious to see if the M grate would work when I want to sear. My S gets up to about 600, which works fine, but sometimes it takes a little while and I wish I could get it a little hotter. We had some ribeye on Saturday night that were too big to sear on the mini. 

I just ordered the Hi-Que grate for my Mini today as the curiosity of "hotter-faster" got the best of me. 

cookingdude555

I purchased my eggs in this order:

Large

Small

Mini

Medium

XL

Each was my favorite until I got the next.  Until I got the medium, it is the reigning champ of awesomeness.  I would sell the mini and small if I knew I could get any money for them, but its not worth the return.  I hang on to them as backyard ornaments.  I don't travel with eggs, don't plan to, so my opinion is different than others.  I like to preach the Medium gospel whenever I can.  I just cant see why anyone would buy a MiniMax over a medium (I believe they are close in price, but not capabilities).

Whatever you get, will be awesome, until you get the next one ...

minniemoh

@cookingdude555 - I'm with you on the MBGE. It's my favorite too. 

cookingdude555

@minniemoh , Its good to see another medium fan.

badinfluence

@cookingdude555‌ and @minniemoh‌ out of all 12 eggs i have my 3 med. Eggs still are my favorite and get the most use.

NPHuskerFL

MM fan here. Heavy? Yes. Portable? Absolutely! Awesome cooker that can pull off L&S to pizza and everything in between? For sure.

jaydub58

I got frustrated over availability of MM here, and wound up getting a Kamado Joe Jr.

Also a 13 inch cooking grid, and decent portability (about 6-8 lbs lighter than MM).  It comes in a cool stand which will make it easy to cook above a combustible surface.

Very happy with it.

Solson005

I travel with my small all the time and love it. I do have an eggCARTen  which makes it easier to move with one person or a breeze with 2 people. If I was in the market I might look at the minimax, but the small is the perfect portable egg for me. 

theyolksonyou

@Solson005‌ dammit man! Is your whole backyard portable? First the theater shot, now this! Killing me!

Solson005

@theyolksonyou haha thanks! I do like to enjoy good meals with friends and family! 

Lit

There's not much benefit I see in the MM over the small and the KJ Jr is in my opinion atleast as good if not a better option as the MM. The JR with the small Carten would win hands down.

caliking

What are you looking for in a second egg? If its portability then strongly consider the mini - its a real workhorse. If portability is not a factor then I would consider getting a second large - plenty of room for apps/sides/whatever, you can keep on a lower temp the other at nuclear for searing, share accessories between the two, etc.

I bought a small before the MiniMax was anywhere on the horizon, because I though I would lug it around on trips and use it for apps or sides while the LBGE cooked the meat. I often find that the small is not big enough for the sides I want to cook, and so I end cooking everything on the LBGE. I do use the small for wok cooks though.

One of these days SWMBO will go outside and find another LBGE keeping the first one company, and I will feign amnesia or something like that.