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Is the BGE Worth it?

Jason
Jason Posts: 45
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I love to grill, and have been using a Weber for years, but don't have a smoker. Is the BGE really worth the considerable price? Am leaning toward picking one up, but it aint cheap at $600 or so. I kind of figure since I am posting this here I will get some pretty positive anwers, but appreciate everyone's honesty...thanks.
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Comments

  • Bobby-Q
    Bobby-Q Posts: 1,994
    Jason,
    Yes it is worth it. I have been an owner for over 18 years. I now own 2 larges and a small.[p]You will not be dissapointed.

  • Sigmore
    Sigmore Posts: 621
    Jason, Let's put it like this. I bought a large almost 2 years ago and have enjoyed it more than any grill I have ever owned. I've had gas grills, offsets, water smokers, and webers. I just bought a medium BGE last Saturday because I enjoy doing low-n-slows but it ties the large up for 24 plus hours. I needed another to continue to cook other things while the large was tied up. My wife said that this one was all I could have. I will find a way to get junior in the future. 8^D

  • Smitty
    Smitty Posts: 19
    Jason,
    It's true, there are a lot of fanatics on this site who will tell you this is the greatest thing since beer.
    Is any grill worth $600? $1,000? If you like to grill / smoke / low & slow butts & briskets and will use the Egg more than occasionally, I give it an enthusiastic thumbs up. If, on the other hand, you're a once a monther, it probably isn't in the cards.
    I'll tell you this: I never was able to grill/smoke a butt, but now (with the help of a great gadget called the BBQ Guru), you can go low & slow for 20 hours and come up with incredible pulled pork & beef briskets. Others cook steaks, pizza, veggies, fish and on and on with great results.
    Beware though, you do need accessories such as a plate setter, ash tool, V-rack, rib rack, Guru, etc. so your total price may approach $1K. Do you need an Egg or the accessories: NO. Will you be glad you bought one. I believe the answer is YES. Read all the replies you will get and the archives to get a flavor of the addiction. Good grilling . . .

  • Why1504
    Why1504 Posts: 277
    Jason,[p]Had a charcoal Webber kettle for years, loved it. One day it got knocked over and the lid bent. The grill would no longer hold temps. So I looked around got a BGE. Cooked lots of good food on the old Webber (it wasn't a bad smoker). Now I have had the egg for 5 years and have never looked back. It has raised my cooking to a new level. It will not only cook a good steak, you can dry beef jerky and bake bread on it. It makes you learn new skills. Why is that? Well I believe it is because it is forgiving and holds temps so well. The accessories are very well made. I have one complaint, it is too heavy. This I miss from my webber days.
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    Jason,
    where else can you buy a grill where the main body and internards are guarenteed for life and sure aren't going to rust out on you? Paying more at the outset is better than replacing every few years. Despite my outdated profile I actually have 4 BGEs now - I'm not bragging as being a multiple owner is not uncommon at all! It's like anything else - you get what you paid for. A 2 cycle moped can get you around the block if that's the way you want to go, but to me - life is no dress rehearsal - and I went with the best...BGE!

    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • Mark Backer
    Mark Backer Posts: 1,018
    Jason,[p]absolutely. The way to tell is noticing how many folks have more than one. I got my large last summer for father's day / birthday, added a mini in the fall and a small at Christmas. [p]The wife says I'll have to win a medium to get one, but we'll see about that. (insert evil grin and vincent price laugh here).
  • Smokin Bob
    Smokin Bob Posts: 239
    Jason,[p]If you learn everything (just hang around here) that the EGG can do for you (not only as a grill) in combination with the customer service/warranty provided by BGE, you'll answer your own question.[p]Cheers~[p]B o B
  • Jason
    Jason Posts: 45
    Mark Backer,[p]I think my wife is going to be a problem ;-)
  • Jason
    Jason Posts: 45
    sigmore,
    As another reply I posted says...got to convince the wife! Ha ha...we'll see..thanks everyone

  • mollyshark
    mollyshark Posts: 1,519
    Jason,[p]Well, considering it will last a lot longer than the car in your garage and you'll keep it a lot longer, it's pretty much of a bargain. Of course I have 3 of them, so maybe I'm biased. Then again I have 3 cars, too. And I've had three...uh oh...there's a trend here.[p]hasty exit[p]mShark
  • Wise One
    Wise One Posts: 2,645
    Jason, my wife gave me my first BGE for a Father's Day/birthday gift. My initial response upon seeing the sales receipt was - "that expensive but, I can return it next week". After one cook I determined that I was not going to return it (one, I had "messed" it up by using it; two, it was the best grilling I had ever done). Now five years and four additional Eggs later (along with three I have given as gifts and four others where I accompanied the person to buy theirs) I would say it's worth it. [p]I have nothing against Webers because I have seen some mighty fine stuff come off of it but all the Weber folks will tell you - "I like Weber, this is my 4th one." BGE folks tell you "I like BGE, this is my 4th one." The difference is, the Weber folks still have a single grill while the BGE folks now have 4 grills.

  • Wise One
    Wise One Posts: 2,645
    mollyshark, yes but you still have three BGEs, not ex-BGEs.

  • Smokin Bob
    Smokin Bob Posts: 239
    jason,[p]You're just realizing this now? : )
  • Nature Boy
    Nature Boy Posts: 8,687
    Jason,
    A few questions for you. Are you ready for a major change in your life? Can you handle your neighbors stopping in unannounced with a plate and fork? And bringing over a raw brisket and asking you to cook it for them? Are you good at accepting incessant compliments on your cooking? Will you mind when your wife delegates all of the cooking duties to you?[p]Good luck with your decision ;-)
    Chris[p][p]

    DizzyPigBBQ.com
    Twitter: @dizzypigbbq
    Facebook: Dizzy Pig Seasonings
    Instagram: @DizzyPigBBQ
  • Cajun
    Cajun Posts: 147
    Jason,[p]Like others on this forum, I have had small Webers, natural gas cookers, even a converted 55 gallon drum as smokers/grills. Barbeque during that time was twice per month, max.[p]My wife, darlin' that she is, got me a BGE for Christmas. I did not know of this beast, so I went to this forum for information on what she had given me.[p]Well, I did not want to disappoint my wife, especially after spending that much $$$ for my gift. The first cook was a turkey and it turned out so much better than anything we had ever tasted, I started to look at other meat to try. Two weeks later I had invested in a pizza stone, rib rack, etc. etc. and never looked back.[p]Now the beast is fired up every weekend (at least) and many times during the week.[p]This tool will last you a lifetime. Your grand kids will enjoy this cooker when they inherit it, while you will go through any number of other grills and smokers over that period of time.[p]Treat this EGG as an investment. It will pay you back many, many, many times over. You will not believe the things you will do with this "tool".[p]Buyer Beware: Food is addictive. And the EGG will feed your addiction like no other.[p]Take the plunge..... You will not be sorry you did... [p]Cajun
  • Sigmore
    Sigmore Posts: 621
    Wise One, What you just said! 8^/

  • Toy Man
    Toy Man Posts: 416
    I echo the comments others have made here. It makes other grills/cookers look like junk. It is also VERY addictive.[p]I was like you a year and half ago. Not sure if I could believe everything I was reading. I now have my original large (recommended for a first egg)and a small. It is one of the VERY best 'toys' I have ever purchased.[p]Toy Man

  • tinman
    tinman Posts: 86
    jason,
    I thought the wife would be a problem and it was hard convincing her to let me have the first egg, but now I have two! she said anything to keep me around the house and it benefits her (yum). [p]good luck!
    Jorge

  • Eggtuary
    Eggtuary Posts: 400
    Jason,
    I had the fancy Weber Performer for several years, the one with the gas start. It was handy until the gas start became unreliable. Plus, a couple of times I lost track of how long I had let the charcoals start up, so I would go out to find my briquettes mostly burned up.[p]This past June, I considered getting a gas grill because I wanted convenience, but I hated losing the charcoal taste. Lucky for me, I found out about the Egg. Talked my wife into getting me one for Father's Day (although I think I ended up using some of my birthday and other presents, too, but it was worth it!) [p]Holy cow, what a difference! I could never maintain such consistent temps with my old grill, and it would have been a real challenge to try a long cook of any kind. I certainly could never get the temps high enough to do the kind of searing I do now (700 degrees or more).[p]Plus, the Egg is just so much more forgiving than any grill I've ever had before. If I overcook a little (which happens more than I'd prefer, since my wife likes me to err on that side), I still have moist, tender meat. That characteristic alone makes the Egg worth it in my book.[p]The Egg is making me look like an accomplished cook all of a sudden. Now I've got friends and family asking me advice on how to improve their grilling, but all I can tell them is that the Egg is responsible for the vast majority of the difference in my cooking.[p]Hope that helps!

  • FlaMike
    FlaMike Posts: 648
    Jason, I was a Weber guy also, and thought i was barbequing. Well, my first BGE meal about a month ago was a simple chicken, but no ordinary chicken, right then I knew i was in another league entirely. Yes it's not cheap, but definetly worth every penny! With the egg, you learn as you go, and it just keeps getting better. You have to ask yourself, "Do I just want to grill? or "Do I want something better?" Go with the egg, you'll love it!
    Mike

  • WessB
    WessB Posts: 6,937
    Jason,
    You have gotten a lot of great responses so far...one thing I would suggest , since your wife may be a little leary ( as mine was also 4 eggs ago..LOL) give a shout out to any local eggers to where you live.....since we don`t know where you are....eggers are a great bunch of people someone will surely give you an invite....and once your wife eats a meal off the egg you will have no problem convincing her......HTH[p]PS....I`m in Maryland if your close I`ll cook ya up some feed...[p]Wess

  • Nature Boy
    Nature Boy Posts: 8,687
    jason,
    Try this on the wife. It worked with my friend this summer. Of course it will cost you extra money, but could strengthen your case.[p]Get a BBQ Guru to control your temps while you all are at work. Tell your wife that with this egg/guru setup you can put on a couple slabs of ribs (or butt or brisket) as you leave for work, then come home, open the cooker, and the ribs are ready. [p]Now he is looking into a second egg. His skeptical wife is fully hooked.
    Beers!
    Chris

    DizzyPigBBQ.com
    Twitter: @dizzypigbbq
    Facebook: Dizzy Pig Seasonings
    Instagram: @DizzyPigBBQ
  • mollyshark
    mollyshark Posts: 1,519
    Wise One,[p]Well, to be fair, I've only had 2 EXs. Current one is still around and has gained about 20 lb since I met him from BGE cooking..so that's a good sign for his future, doncha think?[p]mShark
  • Bobby-Q
    Bobby-Q Posts: 1,994
    WessB,
    When was Sally leary? I just can't imagine that.

  • badbruce
    badbruce Posts: 353
    Hi Jason,
    In a word, youbetcha.
    Seriously.
    Cheers,
    bruce

  • WessB
    WessB Posts: 6,937
    Bobby-Q,
    When I wanted to buy my first egg....I got that !!!!! $600...OH NO you`re not...yes I am...no your not..yes I am.....LOL...she even laughs about it now....she already has our room booked for Eggtoberfest..go figure.....life is good.[p]Wess

  • Bobby-Q
    Bobby-Q Posts: 1,994
    WessB,
    LOL. I have mine booked as well and I friggin' live here!!

  • WessB
    WessB Posts: 6,937
    WessB,
    Furthermore...if you eat out at restaraunts on a regular basis, you will be saving money, because you wont be going out anymore to eat food that you can make better at home ...cant tell ya the last time I ordered a steak at a restaraunt, they cant compete with an egged steak...[p]Wess

  • Smokey
    Smokey Posts: 2,468
    Jason,[p]Yes, but the first step is to realize "you are powerless over good, smoked and grilled food."[p]Step2
    "Came to believe that a power greater than yours (the egg) could restore you to sanity".[p]There are 10 more steps, but I think you get the idea![p]

  • Why1504
    Why1504 Posts: 277
    Jason,[p]Tonight made 5 dinners in a row. Hamburgers, steak, hamburgers, Pizza, and chicken. Total cost to provide 19 meals for my family and some of my teenagers friends - approximatly $110. For me to take this crowd out for steaks of this quality - $250, pizza would cost $30, burgers @ Outback(which suck by comparision)$60. It pays for itself quick when you think about it like that. These days my family doesn't like eating out.