Contemplating an XL

Mayberry

I have had my large for probably 10 years. Have always loved it and it has always served me well.  I've tinkered with numerous grill setups:  gas grill, Weber kettle, Kamado Joe Jr.  I sold them all over time, but consistently use my Egg.  Last year, I bought a RecTec590 and it's been an awesome addition.  I don't think I'll ever sell it, either.  Puts out consistently good food, can hot smoke fish very well and actually may be better than the Egg for chicken, if you want less smoky flavor.  

My dilemma is that I have 3 kids that are growing.  My two boys are eating like grown men and I'm finding it hard to cook on the Egg without also cooking a 2nd batch of food or cooking some on the RecTec.  Last weekend, we did ribs.  We needed more than the Egg could comfortably fit.  So, I had to do a rack on the RecTec, too.  Not a huge fan of the RecTec as a smoker for pork or beef (not smoky enough).  Last night, I cooked a whole chicken and 30 wings.  Could barely fit it all on the large and had to do asparagus and broccoli in a 2nd batch.  I have an adjustable rig, but some things I don't want down low, or right up against the dome.  

I know the XL is about twice the grill space of the large.  While I can get away with using the large, it's just not as enjoyable when I can't fit all I need at the same time.  And these kids are just going to keep growing and eating more and more.  So, I'm looking at an XL.  What are the downsides of the XL vs the Large, if I have the room?  Does it have more hotspots?  Is it more difficult to hold low, or high, temps?  Does it burn through a lot more coal?  I love the idea of zone cooking on it, much like I used to do on my Weber Kettle.  Sear over coal and roast offset.  Very similar to how I use my adjustable rig with raising and lowering grates.  Just trying to think through it.  I'd probably sell my Large if I buy an XL. I know people have multiple Eggs, but if one does it all, I don't think I'd ever use the Large again.  And the XL would more than fit anything I'd ever cook....even for larger crowds.  Just looking for downsides.  I know the upside is more room.  Anyone who has owned both and has an opinion, it's greatly appreciated.  

Ozzie_Isaac

XL is great, downside is accessories cost more, and most are specific to size so you will need new accessories.

If you have porch space, your family won't go hungry if you do not sell the large, I recommend you keep both.  If after a few months you really don't see a use case for both, sell the large then.

Mayberry

That's probably what I'd do.  No need to sell immediately.  But I know what would happen if I liked the XL.  I have a ton of accessories.  I'd definitely be replacing several things through ceramic grill store.  

SonVolt

I already feel cramped on my XL, but I'm not just throw 4 sausages on and calling it a day.  Personally, I think there's only positives in upsizing. It's everything the L is with more real estate. 

FlatsFisher

I come from a family of 5 and the only egg we had growing up was an XL since it was versatile for however much we were cooking...

When I bought a house, I started with an XL of my own and added a medium.  I love my XL and it is my go-to for smoking.  It is a little slower to respond to temp changes, which I find an advantage and feel like it does hold consistent temp better than my medium and is fantastic for overnight smokes (low and high). 

That said, the medium is WAY better for reverse searing since the plate setter is a fraction of the size and weight.  I would recommend looking at a dual zone setup for it if you like to cook this way (i dont have one). The XL also uses WAY more charcoal than the medium and takes longer to light.  The reason I got a medium was because the XL seemed liked a little more of a chore and time consuming if you just wanted to grill a chicken breast for a weeknight meal. By adding my medium I find that I probably grill out 4 nights a week on average, where with the XL it was only 2 or so. 

Mayberry

That's the kind of info I'm looking for.  I use a Mapp torch to light my Large.  Hit a few spots for 20-30 seconds each and walk away to prep meat.  It's flaming out the top within 10 minutes.  I assume the XL would be the same.  

I wish I could grill a chicken breast or two and call it a day.  I wouldn't have a problem, if that were the case.  These kids are seriously eating me out of house and home.  With steaks, we are good on the large. 4 ribeyes will do us....for now.  Same with fillets.  With chicken, it barely fits, and no room for anything else.  But if we have any company, we have a space issue.  I can comfortably cook 3-4 boston butts on my Large.  That's as much as I'll ever cook at one time.  The thing that consistently makes me mad with the Large is kebobs and veggie skewers, and ribs.  Both don't fit the way I want them to, and I always end up cussing the grill when cooking those things.  

Photo Egg

The XL, for me, is hands down the right choice over the Large because of the extra grilling area. Yes, custom accessories cost more. But because of the extra space, more non specific accessories like cast iron pans, with handles, Dutch ovens and griddles easily fit. Once temp is stabilized, grilling temps are pretty even across the grate. If I’m looking for grilling temps I light 4-5 small spots with torch and slowly bring up to my target temp. For low and slow I light 2 spots. One left and one right of center and again, bring temp up slowly. Rock solid low and slow temps around 235-240 with no issues. On the flip side, pizza temps of 800-900 are easily reached.

Mark_B_Good

Mayberry said:

I have had my large for probably 10 years. Have always loved it and it has always served me well.  I've tinkered with numerous grill setups:  gas grill, Weber kettle, Kamado Joe Jr.  I sold them all over time, but consistently use my Egg.  Last year, I bought a RecTec590 and it's been an awesome addition.  I don't think I'll ever sell it, either.  Puts out consistently good food, can hot smoke fish very well and actually may be better than the Egg for chicken, if you want less smoky flavor.  

My dilemma is that I have 3 kids that are growing.  My two boys are eating like grown men and I'm finding it hard to cook on the Egg without also cooking a 2nd batch of food or cooking some on the RecTec.  Last weekend, we did ribs.  We needed more than the Egg could comfortably fit.  So, I had to do a rack on the RecTec, too.  Not a huge fan of the RecTec as a smoker for pork or beef (not smoky enough).  Last night, I cooked a whole chicken and 30 wings.  Could barely fit it all on the large and had to do asparagus and broccoli in a 2nd batch.  I have an adjustable rig, but some things I don't want down low, or right up against the dome.  

I know the XL is about twice the grill space of the large.  While I can get away with using the large, it's just not as enjoyable when I can't fit all I need at the same time.  And these kids are just going to keep growing and eating more and more.  So, I'm looking at an XL.  What are the downsides of the XL vs the Large, if I have the room?  Does it have more hotspots?  Is it more difficult to hold low, or high, temps?  Does it burn through a lot more coal?  I love the idea of zone cooking on it, much like I used to do on my Weber Kettle.  Sear over coal and roast offset.  Very similar to how I use my adjustable rig with raising and lowering grates.  Just trying to think through it.  I'd probably sell my Large if I buy an XL. I know people have multiple Eggs, but if one does it all, I don't think I'd ever use the Large again.  And the XL would more than fit anything I'd ever cook....even for larger crowds.  Just looking for downsides.  I know the upside is more room.  Anyone who has owned both and has an opinion, it's greatly appreciated.  

The only real downside to the XL is the initial purchase cost. Get over that, and you'll not even think about it once following the purchase.

People will tell you it'll burn more coal ... sure, but honestly, whatever ... you're going to let $4 of charcoal decide that?  It's like saying, I want a Ferrari, but I'm gonna be upset that it burns $4 more gas each ride.

You gain so much realestate with the XL ... not just the area ... but the dome volume. I can cook a 25 lb turkey on it for Thanksgiving ... you're not even gonna get close to that on a L.

I would also be tempted to say that temperature control is far better on the XL ... less heat loss per unit volume to worry about.  

EzraBrooks

I was like you and had a L for 10 years. I'm only feeding a family of three regularly, so space wasn't really the issue. The issue for me was I like to do a lot of stuff on the egg. I don't want to just do the main protein, I want to do sides on the egg as well, and a lot of the times the setup will be different. For example I want to bake some potatoes to go with steaks. So I knew I needed a 2nd egg. And then when deciding on L vs. XL for #2 I went with XL simply because I didn't want to fold a brisket over a rib rack for it to fit any more, didn't want to cut a full rack of ribs in half for it to fit, or to grill 16 ears of corn from the farmer's market in batches, etc. I have been very happy with having the second egg being the XL.

That said, I find it a little more difficult to control temp, but it is probably user error just coming from 10 years on a L. For me the temp always wants to creep up on me but I've got probably only a dozen or so cooks on the XL so I'm still figuring it out.

HeavyG

I wouldn't try to persuade someone to NOT buy a larger grill but have you considered an Eggspander (or equivalent aftermarket rig) to see if that would suit your needs while you continue thinking about future grill needs?

dstearn

I have the XL and have never looked back. I
chose the XL because I was tired of splitting slabs of ribs in rib racks.
Also have an RT590. Do not give up on the 590 for ribs. I smoked 3 slabs of Duroc spare ribs at 225  unwrapped the whole way until glazing at 250 for the last leg.
They we’re the best spare ribs that I have ever smoked.
Bear Mountain Bold pellets have made a huge difference.

SonVolt

FlatsFisher said:

That said, the medium is WAY better for reverse searing since the plate setter is a fraction of the size and weight.  I would recommend looking at a dual zone setup for it if you like to cook this way (i dont have one). 

Some of these "cons" can be circumvented with a change in your workflow. I now use a light weight aluminum half-moon "grill grate" for reverse searing and 2-zone cooking on the XL.  It's super light weight so adding/remove it is a breeze, even when it's scorching hot. It works surprisingly well as a heat deflector despite the holes.  Whereas before, adding removing a hot platesetter or even halfmoon was a nightmare. 

Mayberry

HeavyG said:

I wouldn't try to persuade someone to NOT buy a larger grill but have you considered an Eggspander (or equivalent aftermarket rig) to see if that would suit your needs while you continue thinking about future grill needs?

I have them all.  I have an adjustable rig from Ceramic Grill Store, a Spider for dropping a small grate down on the coals or resting a wok in, and another two tier grid for cooking at the felt line and below.  They make the Large WAY more accommodating, but I find it a pain in the butt trying to cook at different levels at one time, and just want more flexibility as far as space.  Plus, things like whole chickens and ribs always end up at the wrong height (too close to the dome, or too close to the coals) for my liking.  

Mr1egg

I started with a medium and thought it was amazing for the first year after that ended up upgrading to a primo xl. When you throw a party it’s much better and you can do tons of food at once.

only thing that sucks is the initial cost and the cost of accessories for the xl. 

You have to remember too that roughly a inch around the entire bbq you shouldn’t really use because there’s no heat deflector under it. So that makes the space a little smaller. 

ColtsFan

Can’t go wrong with the XL. 

littlerascal56

Just make sure to buy at a dealer you can work with.  The XL is notorious for cracked bases.  I replaced several, and 1 dome before I sold mine. 

Mayberry

littlerascal56 said:

Just make sure to buy at a dealer you can work with.  The XL is notorious for cracked bases.  I replaced several, and 1 dome before I sold mine. 

Interesting.  My base on my large just developed a crack last year after a decade.  It was minor, but I had a bad feeling about the Eg falling apart if it failed and catching my deck on fire.  So, I just replaced it.  Most broken ceramic parts I run until they fall completely apart and have the replacement on hand.  That one, I didn't want to risk...just in case.  

RyanStl

I have an XL and couldn't imagine using anything smaller.  We'll, I suppose I can imagine since I also have a medium, which was my BGE gateway drug.   I have a large family and like to cook a lot at a time.

The XL doesn't use more charcoal than my medium because it's the same per food quantity I'm cooking.

Money_Hillbilly

@Mayberry I started with an XL and at one time I had 5 eggs.  I finally settled on two larges and an XL.  I find it absolutely necessary to have multiple eggs since I frequently smoke ribs, grill chicken and tritips or other proteins at the same.  I despise having to deal with a hot plate setter so I leave one large set up for indirect and one for grilling.  I could never go back to one egg.  We are giving some friends a 50th anniversary party this weekend and I will be doing Turkey, pork loin , tritips and sausages, all at different temperatures on multiple eggs. 

Foghorn

1) The L + XL is a powerful combo.

2) The only thing better than the XL is the XXL (and probably the 2XL)

SonVolt

littlerascal56 said:

Just make sure to buy at a dealer you can work with.  The XL is notorious for cracked bases.  I replaced several, and 1 dome before I sold mine. 

I thought that was only true for the old discontinued version of the XL? 

caliking

I didn't see this mentioned, but have you considered getting another LBGE? 

The upside is that you already seem to have a good bit of $$ invested in accessories for the LBGE. You wouldn't feel guilty about firing up the egg for a smaller cook, vs. firing up the XL. You shouldn't have any significant learning curve, since you've cooked on a LBGE for some time. 

The downside is that you may not be firing up just one cooker for meals. 

caliking

And, @Photo Egg ... damn, son!

WildmanWilson

I had a large for years then won an XL in a contest. I sold the large and am very happy with the XL. I made a lump reducer ring and a divider for my Joetisserie and smaller cooks. You can cook smaller on the XL so there's no reason to worry. Go for it.

QDude

littlerascal56 said:

Just make sure to buy at a dealer you can work with.  The XL is notorious for cracked bases.  I replaced several, and 1 dome before I sold mine. 

Exactly on point!  I love my XL but have had to replace the base twice.

Mayberry

caliking said:

I didn't see this mentioned, but have you considered getting another LBGE? 

The upside is that you already seem to have a good bit of $$ invested in accessories for the LBGE. You wouldn't feel guilty about firing up the egg for a smaller cook, vs. firing up the XL. You shouldn't have any significant learning curve, since you've cooked on a LBGE for some time. 

The downside is that you may not be firing up just one cooker for meals. 

I thought about it, but just don't want a 2nd large. I did think of multi-functionality for all the accessories I already have, but I don't have 2 of them and can't use both at the same time if I have a lot of ribs and butts on at the same time.  If it comes down to that, I can always use the RecTec as a backup when needed.  And it's a nonevent to start it, clean it, add pellets, etc.  It does put out some very good food.  And my wife is comfortable operating it.  I made a joke about selling the 590 the other night and getting another Egg, and she said "Don't sell my grill."  She's never been comfortable starting the Egg and getting the temps set.  So, the RecTec is staying.  

As cheesy as it sounds, I really want the XL so I don't have to fire up multiple grills just for a weeknight cook, I want more room for whole racks of ribs without having to stack them on top of one another, and I love doing kabobs.  I always cuss the large when the kabobs won't fit, and that's one of my favorite weeknight cooks, other than tri-tip.

HeavyG

Clearly you have made up your mind so what time today do you pick one up?

Mayberry

HeavyG said:

Clearly you have made up your mind so what time today do you pick one up?

Ha!  I'm waffling.  But if I put in the order today, they can deliver next Tuesday.  

LetsEat

Go for it and please post photos when it’s delivered next Tuesday!

4TheGrillOfIt

The only thing better than one Egg is two.  When your kids are grown you may end up getting a smaller Egg too!  Most of my cooks are on the Small these days.  

Legume

I’ve had an XL, only an XL since 2014, houseful of kids, etc.  Now, same XL for two of us and I won’t downsize, I’m used to the space. I’ve had a crack in my base for years and a replacement base in the garage still in a box, just haven’t bothered to make the switch yet.  It’s in a nest, the crack hasn’t expanded or created any issues.  I’m probably the exception here, but I don’t see myself owning multiple kamados unless I wanted to spend my time making YouTube videos.