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Considering a Small....Advice?

CPARKTX
CPARKTX Posts: 2,095
in EggHead Forum
I've been loving my Large and cook twice a week (it would be more except for work hours and travel; I find myself resenting travel when it takes me away from weekend Egging opportunities...and oh yeah my family). Considering adding a Small for picnics, camping and tailgating, but I have some questions:

Other than the smaller cooking area, how is cooking on the Small compared to the Large? Does it do low and slow and indirect as well?

I was thinking of skipping the plate setter and getting a Woo and stone, any disadvantage to going that route?

How do you transport your small? Do you have. Nest and Mate?

Any other thoughts or advice?
LBGE & SBGE.  Central Texas.  
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Comments

  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
    yup, one thought, buy it!


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
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  • Solson005
    Solson005 Posts: 1,911
    The small is perfect for cooking away from home. I have the large / small combo and love it. 
    image

    I use a eggCARTen to make transporting it very easy. I have a teak shower stool that I put it on or use my dutch oven table. But @RAC did this post about the small egg New Family Member I think that table would be perfect and will be checking it out next time I goto Sams Club. 
    image

    I have the Woo and stone setup and actually have not cooked without the woo in place. I've done a 9 lb Small Turkey and it turned out great. A pork butt is on the list for a true low and slow but I haven't gotten to it yet. 

    image

    I can try and help with any other questions, I travel with my small almost every week. 
    Large & Small BGE, CGW Two-Tier Swing Rack for BOTH EGGS, Spider for the Wok, eggCARTen & and Cedar Pergola my Eggs call home in Edmond, OK. 
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  • Scottborasjr
    Scottborasjr Posts: 3,494
    I would go through and look at as many of @Solson005 posts as you can find to get a idea how much food you can get on one. Because when you look at a small in the showroom with LG and XLG eggs around it looks SMALL. But if you look through @Solson005 posts you can see how versatile a cooker it is.
    I raise my kids, cook and golf.  When work gets in the way I'm pissed, I'm pissed off 48 weeks a year.
    Inbetween Iowa and Colorado, not close to anything remotely entertaining outside of football season. 
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  • Solson005
    Solson005 Posts: 1,911
    edited March 2013
    Thanks @Scottborasjr I felt the same way when first deciding. @cazzy did a post My SBGE Weekend Adventure last year and that help me decide that even being so small you can do big things. 


    Small BGE goes Camping was my first post when I got my small. 

    Large & Small BGE, CGW Two-Tier Swing Rack for BOTH EGGS, Spider for the Wok, eggCARTen & and Cedar Pergola my Eggs call home in Edmond, OK. 
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  • Scottborasjr
    Scottborasjr Posts: 3,494
    edited March 2013
    Thanks for finding @cazzy and @R2Egg2Q posts. I knew they existed but have been covertly posting from work.  I was going to get a small but dealer gave me a deal on the medium that with nest, plate setter, it was only 20 bucks more then getting same package with the small.  Now I'm debating small or mini to travel with.  I think I could travel with medium but would like something I can easily handle myself, or the wife could handle if necessary.
    >:)
    I raise my kids, cook and golf.  When work gets in the way I'm pissed, I'm pissed off 48 weeks a year.
    Inbetween Iowa and Colorado, not close to anything remotely entertaining outside of football season. 
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  • R2Egg2Q
    R2Egg2Q Posts: 2,137
    CPARKTX said:
    I've been loving my Large and cook twice a week (it would be more except for work hours and travel; I find myself resenting travel when it takes me away from weekend Egging opportunities...and oh yeah my family). Considering adding a Small for picnics, camping and tailgating, but I have some questions:

    Other than the smaller cooking area, how is cooking on the Small compared to the Large? Does it do low and slow and indirect as well?


    I don't find a whole lot of difference in how the LBGE & SBGE cook. It'll do low & slow fine. As posted by Solson005, I have done a Small packer brisket (not exactly low & slow) in my SBGE. It does great on low & slow butt cooks (just fill it up high with lump). For my Eggs one difference is my SBGE won't get as hot as my LBGE. Even with a High-Que, I don't think my Small will ever wrap the thermo around or even hit 700. I don't cook this hot so not a problem for me. The Small also won't cook for as many hours straight as a Large due to the smaller firebox but with a denser lump should have no problem finishing a butt cook on one load.
    CPARKTX said:
    I was thinking of skipping the plate setter and getting a Woo and stone, any disadvantage to going that route?


    No disadvantage I can think of. Advantage is ability to cook raised direct & the Woo can help with Wok cooks.
    CPARKTX said:
    How do you transport your small? Do you have. Nest and Mate?


    I put the SBGE in a car seat on top of a small board & strap it in with a seatbelt & motorcycle tie strap (probably overkill but I'd rather overdo it than not secure it enough). My nest sits in the back of the SUV. They don't have Mates for the SBGE but they do offer the composite shelves (which I don't have but I am considering).
    CPARKTX said:
    Any other thoughts or advice?

    Personally, I wouldn't ask my wife to lift our SBGE alone. She'd be willing to try but I'd never ask her. The Mini is about all I'd be comfortable with her lifting.
    XL, Large, Small, Mini Eggs, M&M BBQ Texas Smoke King, 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

    Bay Area, CA
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  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
    I have the woo and platesetter for my small. The woo is much nicer cause you can do raised. Flipping a burger at fire ring level when you have 7 burgers on the small is a PITA.
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  • Fred19Flintstone
    Fred19Flintstone Posts: 8,174
    I transport my small in our minivan in the nest.  I secure it with bungee cords so it won't tip.  I learned it tips the hard way.  In the nest, it's center of gravity is pretty high.  I felt like a fool.  I also transport our mini in the nest, but the center of gravity is much lower and it's not tippy.  I agree with @Lit - the woo is the way to go.
    Flint, Michigan
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