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New Egg, Looking to upsize

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Mike & Jana
Mike & Jana Posts: 19
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Greetings!
New to the forum and the "eggsperience".
I got a Large BGE for Christmas. Having a Big (and hungry) family we immediately decided that we needed the XL.
My wife and sons purchased it from a new dealer who hasn't opened his physical storefront yet (and I now have doubts that he will). He has been promising to order an XL and exchange with us, but has not placed an order since Christmas.
The new large & nest have been sitting covered in the corner of the living room since Christmas day, assembled and unused. I'm anxious to get cooking.
Anyone have suggestions for the upgrade?
(One local dealer will consign it, at too great a cost.)
What would could I expect to sell it outright for?
What is the going rate for the Demo Larges after an eggfest?
Thanks, Mike
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Comments

  • Mainegg
    Mainegg Posts: 7,787
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    Hi Mike! and welcome :) how big is your family?? maybe you might want to look at getting a med to go with your large? I cook for about 60 twice a year on a lg and a med combo. granted it takes some planning but it can be done. i have done many 14 lb turkeys on the med too. You might be surprised at what will fit on the large.also where are you located?? that might help in getting rid of it for you. Julie
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  • Gandolf
    Gandolf Posts: 906
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    Only you can decide, but I'd be very surprised if the LBGE doesn't have more than enough capacity for a large hungry family. Especially with all the aftermarket toys available. Grid sq. in. measurement is not the true capacity of these cookers by any means. Good Luck! You'll enjoy whatever size you end up with.
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  • Mike & Jana
    Mike & Jana Posts: 19
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    Family is five, we are always entertaining (family style) and always have a few "extras" at meals. We have cooked with a friend's large and found it maxed with both our families.
    We are looking forward to lots of treats, but our primary reason for the egg aquisition was Baking Pizzas, and we want to be able to do big pies.
    Thanks,
    Mike

    Perdido Key.
    We are at the west end of Florida, between Pensacola, Florida and Gulf Shores, Alabama
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  • Frank from Houma
    Frank from Houma Posts: 5,755
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    You are about 2 to 2-1/2 hours from Gulfport. There will be an Eggfest there April 23rd (see banner) with larges in a nest selling for $669. You may want to think about a second large - would provide much more versatility than a single XL.

    Either way the whole family would enjoy the fest.
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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
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    Hi Mike,
    I like my XL a bunch and would give up my Large to keep my XL any day. The large can not compare in sheer grilling space over the XL. Low and slows are another story as the Large can be loaded up as well. "Grilling" a bunch of burgers, wings, steaks or other high temp cooks are better on the XL because you don't have to move around extra or stacked grates of food. The 24" XL kills the 18" area of the Large hands down. The lump grate of the XL is so much biger and grills very even.

    This being said, in your situation I would lean towards adding a second egg. The loss you will take on the trade would be better spent on a secong egg. Start cooking on your large now and add a second egg when you feel the need.
    Take care,
    Darian
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • Misippi Egger
    Misippi Egger Posts: 5,095
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    Mike/Jana,

    Welcome!

    I will be cooking at the Gulf Coast Egg Fest in Gulfport April 23-24. You should sign up and come. It will be my first eggfest and should be tons of fun!

    I have a large and small combo. Works pretty good for us, but we only cook for large groups (kids/grandkids) on Holidays.

    Perdido Key - what a terrible place to have to live! :ohmy: :laugh: :laugh:

    PS - sent you and email a little while ago.
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  • Bacchus
    Bacchus Posts: 6,019
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    The pizza's coming off the Large are quite Large, equal to or larger than the largest pies from the major chains.
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  • Dave in So Cal
    Dave in So Cal Posts: 603
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    Mike, welcome to the forum.

    When I first bought my LBGE, I too thought it would be too small. I have found that the large will hold a lot of food if you add a few eggcessories. With the adjustable rig, sliding grates, grid extender, and spider from the Ceramic Grill Store, I have doubled my grilling space and tripled my low / slow space for ribs. Check out their set ups to see if you can get some ideas about maximizing your space.

    http://www.ceramicgrillstore.com/ceramicgrillstore/

    Some of the more experienced pizza makers may want to chime in on this, but it may also be possible to stack pizzas on the BGE. If you put a pizza stone on the plate setter (legs down) and then get something like the grid extender to raise a grate with a second stone, you may be able to cook two pizzas at the same time. I don't know if you would have temp issues, but it may be worth a try.

    Also, a thin crust pizza on the BGE would cook fast enough that you may be able to do several in a row in a short amount of time.

    Finally, if I had the choice of trading my LBGE for an XL or getting a second egg (no matter what size), I personally would go for the second egg because that would give you a lot more flexibility.
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  • Mike & Jana
    Mike & Jana Posts: 19
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    Wow!
    Thanks for all the quick and informative replies.
    It has been killing me not to fire up this egg sitting in the corner sayin "cook with me" for 3 months.
    I'm looking at this as an outdoor Tuscan Baking Oven as much as a griller/smoker. We really want to do large pizzas, New York style and NYC sized. The 15" pizza stone we use in our current oven and gas grill will fit the large egg perfectly, and it cannot make the Pizzas as big as we want. I have been lurking and researching trying to make the decision, and an XL, while maybe not as versitile as a large, will best suit us (IMHO). A second Egg will not be in our forseeable future, so I don't want to settle (I will build the table, sans 2nd hole, to fit a XL & L someday).
    If Demo eggs go for $669, would $725 be reasonable for ours, unused with nest? I think we could get it to the Gulfport Eggfest.
    Thanks again.

    PS-
    Clark, I did not see an email, pls try to resend to mikejana@yahoo.com. I work most all weekends and am already scheduled to be away for work during the weekend of the Gulfport Eggfest, sorry my current schedule is not of my own choosing.
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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
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    I think if you list it on Craigs List you will be able sell with little problem local. You could buy your XL Demo from the fest.
    If do get an XL purchase the "Flip Ring" from Tom at the Ceramic Grill Store. It works so well in XL. Even as good as the web site is at showing you sample set-ups it does not do the ring justice. It expands your cooking range so much.
    Darian
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • Hungry Celeste
    Hungry Celeste Posts: 534
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    My Egg was also purchased as a (relatively) affordable (and more versatile) pizza oven, and I understand your pizza centric needs. I can turn out a pizza every 4-8 minutes, depending on the crust thickness, dough hydration, and amount of toppings. For high-gluten NY style thin crust, the time will be slightly longer...most of my 'za is neapolitan-style, with rather restrained toppings (by American standards). When I do high-gluten NY crust, I generally use the oven & a rectangular stone, as a super-hot egg can result in browned cheese (ick) before the crust is as charred as I like it.

    If you're craving really wide pies, you'll only be happy with the XL...but you might want to consider the additional fuel consumption and preheating in your calculations. (Incidentally, my Mini is a pizza beast: heats up to scary-hot in 20-30 minutes, and a 8" stone allows everyone to have a custom pie. Yes, you have to wait your turn, but it makes the whole pizza party more sociable.)

    The Craigslist option is a good one...Eggs never seem to stay on it for very long. The dealer in Orange Beach (the one located at the Wharf--the place also has locations in Foley & Daphne) always seem to have a ton of accessories in stock...dunno about their customer service, tho).
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  • Hungry Celeste
    Hungry Celeste Posts: 534
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    I just saw an "Egg Wanted" posting on the Gulfport section of Craigslist: http://gulfport.craigslist.org/wan/1634533732.html
    Maybe the interested party is willing to meet ya halfway (or even go over to PK).
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  • Bacchus
    Bacchus Posts: 6,019
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    I have been wanting to try pizza on my Small, and hear that the Medium BGE stone fits and works well on them. I am borrowing one from another Egghead next week for a trial run or three. And Fuel consumption is one of the reasons for my interest.
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