what size to buy

Unknown

It's time. After looking at these eggs for a couple of years, I'm ready to buy one. However, I'm hung up on what size to buy. My gut instinct says the medium would be fine for my wife and me, as well as when the kids come home or when friends come by. But we do like to entertain at the lakehouse and that can mean a lot of people. The local dealer says buy a large. I looking for thoughts on how much food can be prepared on each size. Can a 15 pound turkey fit in the medium? Does a large use up more charcoal just to cook a couple of steaks? Should I buy 2 of them? Help. I'm hungry to begin my transformation into an egghead.

James

michael graves,[p]When I bought my first egg, I had the same thoughts, but I didn't know about this forum, so I didn't have anyone to ask these questions. I ended up buying the medium, which was fun, but I learned right away that I really wanted the large, so a few months later, I sold my medium to a friend, and bought a Large BGE.[p]GET THE LARGE.[p]
If you add an egg later, you can get a small or medium to play with. Lots of people do that, but for your first egg, My recomendation would be to get the large.[p]

JSlot

Large. Hands down. If you get the medium, chances are that you'll wish you had bought a large. The large/small combination is very popular. When it's a small amount or just the two or you, the small performs wonderfully. For long cooks, large cooks and general entertaining, the large will do all you ask. You'll never regret it.[p]Frosty Ones!
Jim

The Naked Whiz

michael graves,
Like Jslot said, a large and a small is great combo. But even with a large, if you fire it up "just for a couple of steaks", you shut the vents down when you are done, the fire goes out, and you burn rather little charcoal. So if you do go for 1 size, go as large as you can afford. [p]TNW

fishlessman

michael graves, i live on a small lake,and i would recomend the large. i dont have the family to cook for, its just me, however when the weather gets warm, people just show up to cook and relax and eat by the water. the large is definately needed as these gatherings just increase in size.fortunately, most of the people are trained in bringing me meat to cook and some will drop it off the night before. last week i closed on a camp in maine and am now saving for the XL when it becomes available. the problem i see is that 2 eggs are needed at both places to facilitate cooking at 2 temps at the same time.

randomegger

michael graves,[p]For a small family, the medium or even the small would be sufficient. But if you have a group - and you will have them once you start cooking! - you'll need the large's capacity. I've joined the two egg club (large and small) and that seems to have both bases covered. I kind of always thought the medium was a bit of a compromise - maybe a little too big for two and not quite big enough for a group.[p]IMHO[p]RE

Unknown

JSlot,[p]I've owned a Medium for over a year and I've yet to wish I had a Large.

JSlot

You are in a very, very small minority.[p]Jim

Kris in Fl

Hi michael graves,[p]Get the Large – definitely![p]I normally grill for just my husband and I during the week but on the weekends I like to grill for a crowd. As someone posted earlier, it is a piece of cake to shut the egg up and put out the fire if you are just grilling a couple of steaks for two. And on the weekends (and holidays) when you want to cook for a crowd, you won’t have to worry about having enough room to do so.

Unknown

JSlot,[p]On what do you base this conclusion?[p]Tony

Unknown

michael graves,[p]The Medium will hold a 15lb Turkey.[p]See the product line-up:

[ul][li]Product Lineup[/ul]

Smokin Bob

L
A
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G
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Nature Boy

Howdy Tony,
Being in the small minority is not a bad thing at all! I have to agree with Jim, and this is after reading the forum daily for over 5 years.... Jim has been around here longer than that! The question of size comes up very frequently, and after a few hundred threads discussing this subject, the overwhelming majority suggest the large. Try a Google search on this site and type in "does size matter" for one example.[p]Personally, I bought a medium first, then traded it in after 3 weeks or so for a large. Since then I have added more eggs to my collection....including a medium. I love my medium and probaby use it as much or more than the large. But when I need the large, only the large will do![p]Still, everyones' needs are different, and what makes you happy is the most important thing!
Beers
Chris

Bordello

michael graves,
I'm one skinny little DesertRat & the only one in my household, what made the difference for me between the med. & the large was the price. (only about $75 at that time, about 3 yr. ago)[p]I don't remember what the price difference was between the small and med. but it was a much bigger jump.[p]I am still one skinny old Bordello DesertRat but now I have 3 eggs and I'm still the only one in my house. LOL[p]Get the large if you can, it was my first one and is still my favorite.[p]Best of luck and welcome to the cult of Egger's. LOL[p]Regards,
New Bob
(AKA, Bordello)

FatDog

michael graves,
I'll cast my vote for a large. Once you get started, only a large will do as a first choice.

Chubby

Nature Boy,[p]Well said!![p]Do you need a Campaign Manager?[p]Chubby

tn slagamater

michael graves,the large can do anything, you are a little more limited on smaller sizes, BUT ANY EGG IS AWESOME, you can not go wrong.... start large as to size...

Nature Boy

Chubby,
Am I nominated for something?
Hee
Chris

The Naked Whiz

Nature Boy,
Peacemaker, man, peacemaker. Jimmy Carter got nothing on you dude! :-)[p]TNW

Nature Boy

Whiz,
LOL. Thanks man. [p]You think they will take more hostages if I get elected?[p]BTW, I reviewed your Tao of Charcoal section on your website today. I really enjoyed it, but I can't really explain why! Yes, I read all 12 chapters. Just silly enough for me to keep going. That, dude, is wacky stuff![p]Peace bro'
Chris

Unknown

Nature Boy,[p]Jim thinks that a very, very large majority buys a medium only to wish they bought a large. I find that very, very hard to believe. In two months, will all the large owners wish they had an XL? (they should!) Will every question of "I cook for the wife and myself" be met with "BUY AN XL, You will regret it if you buy a Large?"[p]I've found that an 8lb Butt, or a 12lb Turkey, or a 6lb Brisket or 8 hamburgers is plenty for 4 people. Why should I "wish I had a Large"?

Nature Boy

Tony,
Dang. I was trying hard to be diplomatic, and simply expressing my opinion and observations. I did not say you should wish you had a large. [p]I did say "everyones' needs are different, and what makes you happy is the most important thing!"[p]Are you happy?
Cheers
Chris[p]

Unknown

michael graves,[p]Well, it seems like everyone is recomending the Large, but if the large is better, then the XL will be the best.
If you're leaning towards the large, you might want to wait for the XL (due out in August).[p]Tony.[p]P.S. I still don't "wish I had a Large BGE"

Unknown

Nature Boy,[p]I didn't say that you said that, did I?
I said that I find it very, very hard to believe what JSlot said.

WooDoggies

Tony,[p]Oh, Brother!

JSlot

That is exactly what I'm saying, Tony. And, as Chris pointed out, the forum has proven that point over the past 8 years or so. I don't think it would be a stretch to put the figure at 80-90% of folks who buy mediums. As Chris also stated so eloquently, there is nothing wrong by being in that minority. If a medium works for you, that is super. I'm not sure why, but you seem to think I was slamming you for feeling that way and that is certainly not the case. I answered someone's question with my opinion and then backed up my reason with an observation gleaned from years on the forum.[p]Frosty Ones to ya!
Jim

WooDoggies

JSlot,[p]Being in the minority is good..... in one way or another I've been in the minority all of my life...... back of the bus in the short bus, art major, egger ............as far as I'm concerned, the mainstream is for the birds.[p]Viva la différence!

mad max beyond eggdome

Tony,
having seen the XL, i'm not so sure that the same analogy will apply vis a vis medium/large. . ..large/XL. . .that XL is so darn big and heavy, it moves beyond the easily portable nature of the large (not that i'm the strongest guy in the world but i am capable of putting a large in my car by myself, where it would be impossible for me to do it with the XL). . but it might. . .it would be interesting to know what BGE's sales figures look like between the large and the medium. . .i just think (like so many others have expressed, that if you can afford the extra money for a large, it just gives you that much more flexibility over the medium in what, and how much you can cook), and in combination with a small, you have the flexibility to cook multiple courses with varying temperatures, and have your entire meal done at the same time. . .[p]getting back to the original question, i agree that most would recommend a large over a small, all things considered. . .

Gandolf

michael graves,[p]Well, I gotta jump in here. I usually stay outta this size stuff (no matter what the topic!), but I have had a Medium for about two and half years. I really love it and had grown weary of all this "buy a medium and you'll wish you had gotten the large..." stuff. HOWEVER, I'm now itching to add a large so that I can do several things at once and so I can do lo-n-slo n one and high-n-fast on the other when I want.[p]So.... I'm a convert. Start with the large and add others later if you wish. It took me over two years, but it happened - I"m now wishing I had a large.[p]You'll love whatever size you decide on, trust us![p]Dave [p]

Chubby

WooDoggies,[p]Clearly....This is a classoc case of "Large Envy"!![p]This condition is brought on by years of small food...cooked on small grills....served on small plates!![p]Thankfully...there is a cure!![p]Isn't science wonderful!![p]Chubby[p]

Unknown

Chubby,[p]And the cure in an XL.