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Small or Mini

thechief96
thechief96 Posts: 1,908
edited March 2012 in EggHead Forum
I need to decide on weither (sp)to get a small or a mini to go along with my XL and large. It is just the two of us for the most part so I don't always want to fire up the large or XL. Ideas pease.
Dave San Jose, CA The Duke of Loney
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Comments

  • bigdogk9
    bigdogk9 Posts: 69
    I have an XL and a small.  The mini was just too small in my opinion.  I can still cook a boston but on the small, 4 or 5 big burgers, and some big steaks.  I know its a matter of opinion but I am happy with my set up!!!
  • thechief96
    thechief96 Posts: 1,908
    Thanks Bigdog.
    Dave San Jose, CA The Duke of Loney
  • smokesniffer
    smokesniffer Posts: 2,016
    I have been dreaming about an other egg. (Have to convince the other half first.) I am leaning towards the small, more grill surface, just in case there is more than 2 people for a meal. I want to be able to tailgate with it and take it camping. 65 pounds doesn't seem like to much weight. What accessories do you have with your small, ie: plate setter, pizza stone, etc. I like the mini because it is very portable, but the grill size concerns me. I have not seem either in person, just going on my minds eye.
    Large, small, and a mini
  • thebtls
    thebtls Posts: 2,300

    I had a mini and sold it.  I know people swear by them but I just couldn't find the utility; it was almost toy like to me for the cost. Kind of like they made it just because they could sell them, not that it was real practical. 

    I'll take a couple of hits for the post probably because I know people have cooked monsterous things on them but in my humble opinion frankly more than a couple of decent burgers fills this thing up in my experience. 

    I didn't even own it long enought to take a picture of any cooks.  My two cents, if you want another Egg, get the small if you have the cash.  The small is still small enough to take camping, etc. 

    Visit my blog, dedicated to my Big Green Egg Recipies at http://www.bigtsbge.blogspot.com You can also follow my posts on FaceBook under the name Keep On Eggin' or the link http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Keep-On-Eggin/198049930216241
  • thechief96
    thechief96 Posts: 1,908
    Thanks Smokesniffer. I'm leaning towards the small.
    Dave San Jose, CA The Duke of Loney
  • bigdogk9
    bigdogk9 Posts: 69

    Smokesniffer,

    I really don't have any accessories for the small.  I have everything for the xl and use the small mainly for cooking meat.  Its really nice because when we go to river camp I can throw it in the back of the truck by myself.  I did that with the xl one time and about killed myself doing it. 

  • thechief96
    thechief96 Posts: 1,908

    @thebtls

    Thanks for your insight. It has been quite helpful

    Dave San Jose, CA The Duke of Loney
  • Gato
    Gato Posts: 766
    I just got a small just because I found a heck of a deal. Wife was not happy. Still not 100° sure I'm keeping it but she did help me move it to the back this am.
    Geaux Tigers!!!
  • thechief96
    thechief96 Posts: 1,908
    It is all but a done deal...a small it is. :-j
    Dave San Jose, CA The Duke of Loney
  • smokesniffer
    smokesniffer Posts: 2,016
    Way to go, enjoy it. Please post some pics of your cooks with the food on the grill.( I can see what fits and how many...) some day I am going to have me one.
    Maybe send a pic of the egg on a camping trip, that could help me persuade my presentation.
    :-))
    Large, small, and a mini
  • Gato
    Gato Posts: 766
    edited March 2012
    Those with a small. What accessories are available for them? What do you recommend/use?
    Geaux Tigers!!!
  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136
    Since I just added small to compliment the nest, I'm going to be bias and say go small.  lol

    @Gato I got the small woo, 10" stone and 10" drip pan from Tom today.  In addition, got the small Hi-Que grate from the Hi-Que fest store.  I'll let you know how they work out after my 1st cook on it.


    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....
  • With the exception of the XL, every egger mini - large needs to invest in the Hi-Que fire grate.

     "Where the weak grow strong and the strong grow great, Here's to "Down Home," the Old North State!"

    Med & XL

  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136
    With the exception of the XL, every egger mini - large needs to invest in the Hi-Que fire grate.
    I have one for my large too and still haven't used it.  I figured I would use it for high heat cooks, but should I even wait for that?  Do you have a problem with low temps?
    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....
  • OLD NORTH STATE BBQ CO.
    edited March 2012
    @ cazzy,
    Put it on. You won't regret it. No trouble on low and slow. In fact, low and slow benifits more from the grate because the small burning coals don't clog up and prevent air flow. The egg just works more efficiently with the Hi-Que fire grate.

    http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r626/jpeterman1979/3cf78a5d.jpg

     "Where the weak grow strong and the strong grow great, Here's to "Down Home," the Old North State!"

    Med & XL

  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136
    okay, I'm cleaning out the egg tomorrow so I'll make the change/upgrade tomorrow.  Thanks for the extra push I needed.
    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....
  • Gato
    Gato Posts: 766
    Thanks cazzy, let me know how the woo works on the small.
    Geaux Tigers!!!
  • setsail
    setsail Posts: 1
    Hi Dave,

    I have a Large and a Mini...I would definitely recommend a Small to augment your nest. The mini doesn't seal very well (stock) and BGE says they are more of a novelty "grill" more than a smoker. With this said I have had amazing results with the Mini as one would expect. But for an augment to a nest for multi-Egg functions I totally recommend the Small.

    Baby-back pork ribs on the Large today! ;)  Happy grilling!

    -Craig
  • R2Egg2Q
    R2Egg2Q Posts: 2,136

    Good question Dave and surprisingly harder for me to answer than I thought it would be. 

    Obviously there's a size difference between the Small and Mini but maybe not so obvious is how different they behave.  With the right accessories, you can do some smoking on the Mini but where it really shines is grilling and searing. 

    The difference in cooking space is pretty significant.  Some things you can fit in a Small: a pork shoulder, a whole chicken (pretty much any way you want it - spatchcock, vertical, etc...).  I think the only way you can get a whole chicken in a Mini is if it is a pretty small bird and you wedge it in spatchcock. 

    I used to think the Small was incredibly responsive to temp changes but after getting the Mini it seems kind of slow to changes in comparison.  I just bought a High-Que fire grate to put in my Small in an attempt to get it to heat up a little faster (like the Mini) and I think it helps but I need to do some more testing to get a better idea of how much it helps. 

    I guess if I had to choose between them I'd have to choose the Small first because of the greater capacity and flexibility in cooking options but the Mini has closed the gap considerably for me. 

     

    XL, Large, Small, Mini Eggs, Shirley Fabrication 24x36 Patio, Humphrey's Weekender, Karubecue C-60, MAK 1-Star General, Hasty Bake Gourmet, Santa Maria Grill, Webers: 14" WSM, 22.5" OTG, 22.5" Kettle Premium, WGA Charcoal, Summit S-620 NG

    Bay Area, CA
  • DevDave
    DevDave Posts: 40
    I have a Large and a Medium.  When I'm cooking for just the Wife and I, the Medium is perfect.

  • thechief96
    thechief96 Posts: 1,908
    Way to go, enjoy it. Please post some pics of your cooks with the food on the grill.( I can see what fits and how many...) some day I am going to have me one.
    Maybe send a pic of the egg on a camping trip, that could help me persuade my presentation.
    :-))




    Thanks Smokesniffer. I will post pictures as soon as I pick it up this Tuesday.

    As far as camping we don't , but we do tailgate (49ers)

    Do I remember correctly, you live in the Bay Area or close by?

    Dave San Jose, CA The Duke of Loney
  • thechief96
    thechief96 Posts: 1,908
    @cazzy let me know how you like the woo. I may be calling Tom soon :-c
    Dave San Jose, CA The Duke of Loney
  • thechief96
    thechief96 Posts: 1,908

    Thanks Craig,

    Hope the ribs came out good..I'm doing a corned beef today.

    Dave San Jose, CA The Duke of Loney
  • thechief96
    thechief96 Posts: 1,908
    Thanks R2 for the insight. Let us know how the grate changes things.
    Dave San Jose, CA The Duke of Loney
  • smokesniffer
    smokesniffer Posts: 2,016
    @thechief96. I live in BC Canada. When it suits please do take some photos of your cook, I would love to see how the size of that grill works for you. In the fall we usually take off out this raining and wet climate and head into Calf or Ar. for a month or two and just relax and ride motorbike around in the warm weather. I have had so much enjoyment preparing and cooking on our large egg since buying it. I love this forum and all the help. Egging up here is great, but I am thinking about when we go south, what a blast to have a small egg smoking away around the RV and enjoying a good cook with friends, dressed in shorts, t shirt and sandals, not long pants, shirt and a jacket.
    Check into the Hi que grate, I have one on the large, it takes a little to get used to, but works great. 

    Large, small, and a mini
  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
    The high que grate works great on the small. I use my small and mini alot and hated how long it used to take for the small to get really hot. It was hard to get the some to read over 500 but now with the high que it heats up much faster and will hit 700. I also think the woo is a necessity because the smaller diameter makes it a pain to flip burgers when cooking down on the fire ting. If I had to have one or the other id keep the small.

  • R2Egg2Q
    R2Egg2Q Posts: 2,136

    I highly recommend the Woo & the pizza stone for the Small.  It'll do all the plate setter does and more. 

    Seems like some pics of a Small in action might be helpful to see what fits so here's some of mine:

    4 chicken leg quarters on a Woo with 10" drip pan on a 8.5" stone

    image

    ...finished up raised direct with the Woo

    image

    Spatchcock - raised on the Woo

    image

    7 lb butt

    image

    2 QT dutch oven on the Woo (making apple sauce)

    image

    Vertical Chicken

    image

    2+ lb porterhouse on the cast iron grid

    image

    Tri-tip (reverse seared) - room for 2

    image

    The Woo is also good for raising a pizza stone in larger Eggs

    image

    I have also picked up a 12" wok recently that fits nicely on the Small Woo.

    Hope these pics are of some help in seeing the size of the Small and some of the accessories.

    XL, Large, Small, Mini Eggs, Shirley Fabrication 24x36 Patio, Humphrey's Weekender, Karubecue C-60, MAK 1-Star General, Hasty Bake Gourmet, Santa Maria Grill, Webers: 14" WSM, 22.5" OTG, 22.5" Kettle Premium, WGA Charcoal, Summit S-620 NG

    Bay Area, CA
  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136
    Love the pics!!  I now cant wait to use my small even more now.  The vertical chicken pic made me crack up and it looked delicious to boot. 

    Question, I have a 10" stone...do you recommend I get a 8.5" stone?
    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....
  • R2Egg2Q
    R2Egg2Q Posts: 2,136
    edited March 2012
    Love the pics!!  I now cant wait to use my small even more now.  The vertical chicken pic made me crack up and it looked delicious to boot. 


    Question, I have a 10" stone...do you recommend I get a 8.5" stone?

    I have the 8.5" stone from Amazon as Tom didn't have a 10" stone when I bought my Woo.  I was actually thinking of ordering a 10" stone so I can make a bigger pizza on the Small without having to get the BGE 12" stone (seems a little large for a Small).

    If I were you, I wouldn't bother with a 8.5" stone.

    XL, Large, Small, Mini Eggs, Shirley Fabrication 24x36 Patio, Humphrey's Weekender, Karubecue C-60, MAK 1-Star General, Hasty Bake Gourmet, Santa Maria Grill, Webers: 14" WSM, 22.5" OTG, 22.5" Kettle Premium, WGA Charcoal, Summit S-620 NG

    Bay Area, CA
  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136
    Thanks for the advice! Fyi, Tom just got the 10" stone back in stock.
    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....