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Which size?

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Rad5
Rad5 Posts: 35
in EggHead Forum
Large or XL? I will mostly be cooking for my wife and daughter, occasionally the in-laws and friends. I was thinking the large size should be sufficient and appears to be more popular, but with everything I buy, I regret not getting the next size up. That’s been the case with generators, welders, cars, etc. But at the same time, I don’t want something that’s too big that takes more effort to get going and only gets used on the weekends, I would love to do more charcoal grilling on the week nights.

Also when is the best time to buy? Now or wait till fall? Local dealers appear to have package deals on sale now.

Thanks again, you guys have been great!

Orlando, FL 
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  • byrne092
    byrne092 Posts: 746
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    XL, you won't regret it  
    XL, Medium BGE & Blackstone I XAR-Woo2 & Rig-BO I Flameboss 500

    St. Louis, MO
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  • Texag06ish
    Texag06ish Posts: 135
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    XL. 
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  • chuckytheegghead
    chuckytheegghead Posts: 1,201
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    Xl
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  • bettysnephew
    bettysnephew Posts: 1,189
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    You can put a lump reducer in an XL. They haven't made a lump expander for any Egg as of yet. The extra area of an XL is good to have at times when you have a large group of folks. Buy the largest you can afford.
    A poor widows son.
    See der Rabbits, Iowa
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  • Tony_T
    Tony_T Posts: 303
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    For 3 and occasionally 5 people for w/e cooks the Large should be enough for your needs.  Compare the grid sizes to what you're cooking on now.
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  • BigGreenGator
    BigGreenGator Posts: 346
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    Well if have to agree on the XL .. I use mine like your going to just me & the wife and occasionally I host an office party or something like that for large crowds ... Luckily I bought the Ceramic grill works two tier rack and now never regret getting the large ... Small enough for small cooks and completely expandable for more ... Good luck with your choice you won't go wrong with either one

    Large Big Green Egg / Ceramic Grill 2 Tier grate / Maverick ET-733 / homemade egg station / Amelia Island Fl. "Go Gators"

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  • WeberWho
    WeberWho Posts: 11,029
    edited April 2016
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    Large. I use it 25 to every 1 time I use my XL. 95% of my cooks fit in the large and the other 5% I could make work but the XL makes it easier
    "The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan

    Minnesota
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  • Miked125
    Miked125 Posts: 481
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    Large then buy a minimax or small later. I use my little guy the most.
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  • six_egg
    six_egg Posts: 1,110
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    I bought a large first now I have an XL and large. XL gets used more in my family. I have way more room on my XL. I can do hot and cold spots on my XL on a large you really cannot without some type of heat deflector.

    XLBGE, LBGE 

    Fernandina Beach, FL

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  • n8er
    n8er Posts: 114
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    Miked125 said:
    Large then buy a minimax or small later. I use my little guy the most.
    Same here. I'd rather have the MM and Large vs one XL but that is what works for my set up. 
    Egging year 'round in North Dakota
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  • Thatgrimguy
    Thatgrimguy Posts: 4,729
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    XL. You don't want to fight for space and the price difference is negligible. The XL holds big briskets with eaze. It's worth it no question.
    XL, Small, Mini & Mini Max Green Egg, Shirley Fab Trailer, 6 gal and 2.5 gal Cajun Fryers, BlueStar 60" Range, 48" Lonestar Grillz Santa Maria, Alto Shaam 1200s, Gozney Dome, Gateway 55g Drum
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  • Carhoch
    Carhoch Posts: 20
    edited April 2016
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    We are a family of three and I have a XL
    Suffolk,VA .XLBGE ,Blackstone griddle.
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  • VanDawg38
    VanDawg38 Posts: 69
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    Large gets much more use than my XL.  Could be due to fact I haven't gotten adjustable rig for XL, yet.  


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  • JMCXL
    JMCXL Posts: 1,524
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    XL love mine and save up for a MiniMax second. I did and use both
    Northern New Jersey
     XL - Woo2, AR      L (2) - Woo, PS Woo     MM (2) - Woo       MINI

    Check out https://www.grillingwithpapaj.com for some fun and more Grilling with Papa (incase you haven't gotten enough of me)

    Also, check out my YouTube Page
    https://www.youtube.com/c/grillingwithpapaj

    Follow me on Facebook 
    https://www.facebook.com/GrillingPapaJ/

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  • 1move
    1move Posts: 516
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    XL, we love ours, mainly cook for my wife and I, and sometimes our parents. I have never sat there and wished I would have gone smaller. I am looking into getting an adjustable rig to get even more space. 

    Everybody knows size matters and 96.745362% of guys with the large wish theirs was bigger.  =)
    XLBGE, MMBGE, CyberQ
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,759
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    with my large im ok grilling for up to 8 to 16 folks and bbqing for crowds of 80 =) its more what your cooking, for 16 i would not be serving ribeyes, but a couple pork loins works just fine
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • johnl350
    johnl350 Posts: 125
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    XXL is the smallest I would go  =)
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  • mgd_egg
    mgd_egg Posts: 476
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    I have a Large and a Mini Max and this works well for my family of 6.  I only wish I had a XL when I'm doing briskets.  Briskets work fine on the large but it does get tight.
    Lg & MM BGE, Humphrey’s Battle Box | Palatine, Illinois  
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  • NonaScott
    NonaScott Posts: 446
    edited April 2016
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    fishlessman said:
    with my large im ok grilling for up to 8 to 16 folks and bbqing for crowds of 80 =) its more what your cooking, for 16 i would not be serving ribeyes, but a couple pork loins works just fine
    Agree. I can easily cook four whole chickens or three chickens and 2 Slabs of St. Louis ribs and a large pan of beans underneath on my large and that is with one standard grate.
    Narcoossee, FL

    LBGE, Nest, Mates, Plate Setter, Ash Tool. I'm a simple guy.
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,759
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    heres some cooks on a large =)

    20racksjpg

    chicken_002jpg

    62 pound hog in a large



    heres 20 something wings in a mini =)






    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
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    @fishlessman, awesome photos man!
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,759
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    bgebrent said:
    @fishlessman, awesome photos man!
    the only ones thats mine is the wings in the mini, the others were pre xl days =)
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • johnkitchens
    johnkitchens Posts: 5,227
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    I have two larges, and I love them, but I guess if I were to do it over again and was only going to have 1 egg I would buy the XL. 

    Louisville, GA - 2 Large BGE's
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  • volfan1
    volfan1 Posts: 164
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    Go with the XL. You'll eventually want an egg that is easily transportable, so you can go with the Mini or MInimax.
    XL & Mini & knock off medium. Western North Carolina. Formerly Franklin, TN. Formerly in Palm Harbor, FL. 
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  • XC242
    XC242 Posts: 1,208
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    I'm in your exact situation and bought a large. It works for me but if I was going to do it again I would get an XL. 
    LBGE (still waitin' for my free T-Shirt), DIgiQ DX2 (In Blue, cause it's the fastest), Heavy Duty Kick Ash Basket, Mc Farland, WI. :glasses:  B)
    If it wasn't for my BGE I'd have no use for my backyard...
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  • bhedges1987
    bhedges1987 Posts: 3,201
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    If it was just my wife and I a medium or small would be fine. I cook for 4 and the large works great. 

    Kansas City, Missouri
    Large Egg
    Mini Egg

    "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us" - Gandalf


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  • Toddski
    Toddski Posts: 26
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    I have a large and a XL. The XL gets used the most.I like the XL better because it's easier to keep the direct heat off the ends of ribs and briskets.
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  • Rad5
    Rad5 Posts: 35
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    Aside from just having more room with an XL, how does it perform compared to a large? Does it take longer to heat up? Is it too big for week night use? I like to do slow and low BBQ and I have read its hard to maintain low temps in an XL. This is a big purchase for me and I want to make the right decision.
    Orlando, FL 
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  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 19,087
    edited April 2016
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    The XL is awesome.  Full racks of ribs, brisket no problem, 60 lbs of pork butt is doable.

    With that said, my medium and MM are my go to cookers.

    The XL gets used with big cooks, salmon filets, and with my dutch oven.

    I've even used all three at once .....

    I guess, what I am saying is pick one and start cooking.  All have plus/minus.  :)  If you really love them, you will be back.
    A bison’s level of aggressiveness, both physical and passive, is legendary. - NPS
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  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 16,989
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    XL
    Good talk.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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