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Defitely Going to buy.....

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dfantl
dfantl Posts: 1
in EggHead Forum
Can't decide on a L or XL BGE.  Everyone seems to always move on up to larger size. Suggestions, please.
Also, any groups/individuals
in St. Louis, Missouri that I may rely on for assistance?
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  • Jeremiah
    Jeremiah Posts: 6,412
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    Paging @stlcharcoal
    Slumming it in Aiken, SC. 
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  • tarheelmatt
    tarheelmatt Posts: 9,867
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    Wished I had an XL in many instances. 
    ------------------------------
    Thomasville, NC
    My YouTube Channel - The Hungry Hussey
    Instagram
    Facebook
    My Photography Site
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  • Biggreenpharmacist
    Biggreenpharmacist Posts: 4,341
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    tarheelmatt said:
    Wished I had an XL in many instances. 

    Little Rock, AR

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  • ToTheMax
    ToTheMax Posts: 150
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    I went with a L, regretted that I didn't get an XL, until I got an adjustable rig from the Ceramic Grill Store.

    Love my L with the AR from CGS, can easily cook for just the 2-4 of us, or for groups of 10-15 (never tried for more...).
    Northern Virginia
    LBGE ~'14
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  • YEMTrey
    YEMTrey Posts: 6,829
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    I ordered a Large, then changed my mind and made it the XL.  I've never had a moment of thought where I said I wish I had gone with the large.  The XL is a helluva cooker and is easy on lump.
    Steve 
    XL, Mini Max, and a 22" Blackstone in Cincinnati, Ohio
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  • WeberWho
    WeberWho Posts: 11,029
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    I use my large 9 times out of 10 over my XL
    "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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  • ChrisgrillsSTLMO
    ChrisgrillsSTLMO Posts: 397
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    I think the question to ask is "Who do you cook for?" - if it your family then a L should be able to handle the workload. If you are cooking for friends/family/extended family then an XL may be the way to go.

    In STL I go to Hackman Lumber in St. Peters for my gear and advice. Good customer service and you might be able to sweet talk them into free delivery. Best of Luck!

    Cheers,

    Chris
    St. Louis, MO
    Unit 1: LBGE, cedar table Unit 2:Akorn
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,897
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    Granted I bought my Large before the XL was ever even made - but just the same I then purchased a Small less than a year later. To this very day my small gets 80% of my cooks for the two of us. So my advice is go for the number of people that you normally cook for. Adults count as 1 and kids under 16 count as .5


    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • DMW
    DMW Posts: 13,832
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    Get the XL, then get the Small. That's what I did, so it must be right. Oh, and stop after that, otherwise you might end up with my signature...
    They/Them
    Morgantown, PA

    XL BGE - S BGE - KJ Jr - HB Legacy - BS Pizza Oven - 30" Firepit - King Kooker Fryer -  PR72T - WSJ - BS 17" Griddle - XXL BGE  - BS SS36" Griddle - 2 Burner Gasser - Pellet Smoker
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
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    WeberWho said:
    I use my large 9 times out of 10 over my XL
    This is what I do too.  Depends on your needs.
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
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    RRP said:
    Granted I bought my Large before the XL was ever even made - but just the same I then purchased a Small less than a year later. To this very day my small gets 80% of my cooks for the two of us. So my advice is go for the number of people that you normally cook for. Adults count as 1 and kids under 16 count as .5


    My 9 year old, wearing size small men's tees and size 10 men's sneakers, eats like an adult.

    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,391
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    You have great advice above.  All I would offer is once you decide, go with the LeRoy Satchel Paige philosophy, "Don't look back, somethin might be gainin on ya."  Above all, enjoy.
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • Florida Grillin Girl
    Florida Grillin Girl Posts: 4,973
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    The XL is a beast. You may or may not need that every time you want to fire it up. I say go Large, then add a 2nd egg after you more accurately define your needs, up or down in size.
    Happily egging on my original large BGE since 1996... now the owner of 5 eggs. Call me crazy, everyone else does!
     
    3 Large, 1 Small, 1 well-used Mini
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  • chuckytheegghead
    chuckytheegghead Posts: 1,201
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    XL, hands down. 
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  • blasting
    blasting Posts: 6,262
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    Welcome.

    Do you have other cookers? If you've got a stickburner or a cabinet smoker, you have your big stuff covered and I'd say get the Large.  If all you have is a gas grill right now, I'd say get the XL so you can do it all.  I'm referring to large briskets etc.

    You can do bigger cooks on the large, but it takes some creativity.  Large is a bit of a misnomer.  The Large has a cooking grate of 18", which is 4 1/2" smaller cooking space than a standard kettle.

    Phoenix 
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
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    blasting said:


    Welcome.

    Do you have other cookers? If you've got a stickburner or a cabinet smoker, you have your big stuff covered and I'd say get the Large.  If all you have is a gas grill right now, I'd say get the XL so you can do it all.  I'm referring to large briskets etc.

    You can do bigger cooks on the large, but it takes some creativity.  Large is a bit of a misnomer.  The Large has a cooking grate of 18", which is 4 1/2" smaller cooking space than a standard kettle.

    Good advice brother.  Coming from a L and XL owner.
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • meggnificent
    meggnificent Posts: 11
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    I am a newbie, but I got an XL.  I think 90% of the time I would have been fine with the large but I love having the option to have a huge cook.  I read a lot on this forum before I pulled the trigger, and the best advice I saw was "buy the biggest one you can afford."  I have been shocked at how easy on lump the XL is.
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
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    meggnificent said:
    I am a newbie, but I got an XL.  I think 90% of the time I would have been fine with the large but I love having the option to have a huge cook.  I read a lot on this forum before I pulled the trigger, and the best advice I saw was "buy the biggest one you can afford."  I have been shocked at how easy on lump the XL is.
    It is easy on lump as is the L.  It's really a matter of need.  Are you cooking for for 4-6 or 6-20.  Practicality  and logic should rule the day.  I'm usually cooking for 2-4.  The L has no gasket.  I also cook for 25 on occasion and the XL still has a gasket.
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • SaintJohnsEgger
    SaintJohnsEgger Posts: 1,826
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    I went through this same exercise last October. I ended up with the LBGE and I haven't regretted that. With 4 kids in their early to mid 20's I have to cook for 6 every time/ Even the ones not living at home will show up by the next day wanting to eat whatever I cooked. The Large has served me well but I did add an AR though I have only really needed it once.

    I am getting ready to pul the trigger on a MiniMax as I find the large to be too much work for doing small weeknight cooks or just doing burgers and dogs.

    Final analysis: you can't go wrong with either but don't be afraid to just get a large.
    Marshall in Beautiful Fruit Cove, FL.
    MiniMax 04/17
    Unofficial BGE MiniMax Evangelist
    Facebook Big Green Egg MiniMax Owners Group


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  • GATraveller
    GATraveller Posts: 8,207
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    I liked my L so much that I got another one.  =)

    "Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community [...] but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel Prize winner. It's the invasion of the idiots."
                                                                                  -Umberto Eco

    2 Large
    Peachtree Corners, GA
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  • TXSamIam
    TXSamIam Posts: 32
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    I just went through having to make the same decision and I ended up with the XL.  It is bigger than what I need 60% o the time but I am glad I have the xtra room for when I need, especially comin in to pool season when we have people over every weekend.  What finally helped decide is when I compared the size of the Lg BGE to my Weber Kettle and realized they were the same size and thought about the many, many times I need more room  
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  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,164
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    Just think of this as what am i going to buy first. 
    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
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  • td66snrf
    td66snrf Posts: 1,822
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    I have an XL, a large, a medium, a small, and a mini.  If I  could  only have one it would be the large. 
    XLBGE, LBGE, MBGE, SMALL, MINI, 2 Kubs, Fire Magic Gasser
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  • DialSquare
    DialSquare Posts: 34
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    I pondered the same question for years before pulling the trigger, ended up with the XL. The Egg was a very long-term investment for me so I wanted no regrets. While the Large is awesome and would cover 90% of my cooks, the price difference was close enough to be insignificant over the lifetime of ownership. In 4 months, I've already spent several times the price difference in accessories and meat and don't miss the extra money at all, in fact I should have spent it sooner! 
    It would be hard to be disappointed with any size egg, but absolutely buy the biggest you can afford. 
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  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 17,186
    edited April 2017
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    dfantl said:
    Can't decide on a L or XL BGE.  Everyone seems to always move on up to larger size. Suggestions, please.
    Also, any groups/individuals
    in St. Louis, Missouri that I may rely on for assistance?
    First and foremost, welcome to the forum. In regards to your question, you haven't provided enough information to give you an informed answer. How many people are you cooking for? What types of food do you envision cooking on the egg? Tell us more about your vision and we can provide real world answers for you. 
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  • six_egg
    six_egg Posts: 1,110
    edited April 2017
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    I had the same situation when I bought my first egg. I bought the Large first. I now have two eggs and yup I have the XL also. The XL just has more room for complete meals. Not just meat but sides and extra stuff. Plus the cold and hot areas. The large does not do cold and hot areas well unless you use a heat deflector. No way will you cook for a family of four and do meat and sides on a large with out some way to get more grill area. 

    XLBGE, LBGE 

    Fernandina Beach, FL

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  • Staygold
    Staygold Posts: 45
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    I've done whole meals start to finish on my L for a family of 4, even did desert so I didn't have to turn the oven on. It took more planning and time than if I had gone another route, but sure was rewarding. I'm curious about a minimax for camping or vacations to the beach.
    LBGE #76 Georgia Mountain Eggfest 2016
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,771
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    ive cooked enough pulled pork in the large to feed maybe 60 people, have not needed more.  did a crowd this summer and between the gasser, egg, steamer pot cooked 3 dozen ears of corn in the gasser, 10 pounds mussels and 18 steamed 1.5 pound lobsters over a turkey burner and smoked some cream cheese in the egg =) its not the size  that matters, its how you use it =) mostly i cook on a mini, you can cook 30 wings on a mini
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • dstearn
    dstearn Posts: 1,702
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    I waffled between the LBGE and the XL. My reason for going to the XL was that I was I wanted to be able to smoke a whole slab of ribs without the need to cut them in half or use a rib rack. Plus I can fit a packer brisket without draping it over a rack or brick to get it to fit. The amount of lump that you use is the same, I just wanted more optionss.
    Most of the time I lonly cook for two but every two months we have guests over. Those are times that I am glad I went with the XL. I recently cooked 6 slabs of ribs and ABTs using the Adj Rig.
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  • YEMTrey
    YEMTrey Posts: 6,829
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    Agreed.  If money isn't an issue, always go with the XL.  You can, or will add another smoker later. 
    Steve 
    XL, Mini Max, and a 22" Blackstone in Cincinnati, Ohio
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