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HelpBuying First Egg Need Shopping Tips

Barbie Cutie
Barbie Cutie Posts: 1
edited November -0001 in EggHead Forum
Hi Everyone,
I am buying my first egg for my husband for Father's Day and need some shopping tips. I am wanting to get the XL Egg. How should I get it set up? We live in the midwest and not sure if it could be left outside in the winter? Do we need the wood table cart? What is a good price? Do they ever go on sale or have discounts? and what Eggcessories will he need? Thanks for any help!
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Comments

  • Bacchus
    Bacchus Posts: 6,019
    What a great gift.
    I would recommend a nest setup, with a cover. He can buy or build a table in the future if he wants to go that route. The nests work great.
    Definately get a "plate setter".

    btw....sorry I stepped on you and broke your neck, but if my duaghter would stop leaving you on the floor at the bottoom of the stairs, it would be helpful.
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
     
    Welcome to the forum. You didn't say how many people are in your family or how many you cook for.

    As for shopping, if you can get to an Eggfest (there are a lot of them) you can get a pretty good deal on any of the eggs. Other than that find the dealers in your area and start shopping to find a best price or a best dealer...

    I would see if your dealer would set the egg up at your location. I have left my eggs out exposed to the high heat and freezing cold, rain, snow for 4 years. No problems at all. I also cook year round. The carts are nice but so is a side cart/table leaving the egg in a nest (metal stand).

    Accessories - this will vary, personally I would use the egg then start buying what you think you need or want.

    You will want some lump, ash tool, grid lift(er) - however, on the grid lift I would strongly suggest getting the ThirdHand made by Thirdeye (forum member). XL grids are big and heavy. You may want a plate setter, if you were getting a large I would recommend an Adjustable Rig and Spider over a plate setter.

    There are a lot of fun things you can get some are very useful.

    GG
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  • Jai-Bo
    Jai-Bo Posts: 584
    I would definitely reconsider getting a Large instead of XL unless ya'll cook TONS at a time. I have a family of 5 and cook fer friends about 1-2 x's a month and have a large and its plenty big....everyone is right on track about the eggcessories....I don't have my egg in a nest but I am gonna build me a table so I figured I'd cook w/ it on the ground until I build it....

    That's a GREAT GIFT!!!! And You'll be LOVED forever!!! :woohoo:
    Hunting-Fishing-Cookin' on my EGG! Nothing else compares!
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  • Austin Egger
    Austin Egger Posts: 256
    Barbie Cutie, go to www.biggreenegg.com and in the upper left corner type in your zip code to find local dealers. Call them up and see what you can get. Different dealers definitely charge different prices and some have different packages. I thought there was only 1 in my area and turns out there were 12. All different deals. Good luck!
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  • Capt Frank
    Capt Frank Posts: 2,578
    I will go along with Jai-Bo on the large idea. The XL is mostly for very large cooks. The large with eggcessories will cook for a lot of people [4-5 pork butts] and is way more suitable for a family or smaller groups. It will cook a 20# turkey easily or a bunch of salmon, like this :ohmy:
    http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4032/4604533375_27fdb0efc2_b.jpg [img size=150][/img]

    Capt Frank
    Homosassa, FL
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  • Capt Frank
    Capt Frank Posts: 2,578
    Or Like this:

    4604533375_27fdb0efc2_b.jpg

    Capt Frank
    Homosassa, FL
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  • Lei'd-n-Egg
    Lei'd-n-Egg Posts: 289
    Hey BC, what a great gift. Nice job.

    As for help, I think you should get the Egg only and then let him eggcessorize. Half the fun is picking things out and debating the different options.

    You're going to get a ton-o-advice on the size. Most of us have the Large and love it.

    Good luck
    Bryan
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  • Bacchus
    Bacchus Posts: 6,019
    She didn't ask what size to get. She said she wants to get an XL and would like help with the setup and accessories.
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  • Capt Frank
    Capt Frank Posts: 2,578
    Not necessarily trying to disuade her, I just know a lot of folks think the XL is the way to go, and that ain't always so. I have two close personal friends that bought XLs and now wish they had gone for the Lge, plus, we see that the lge is the hands down recomendation on here all the time. The price differenc will buy a lot of eggcessories :)
    just my .02 ct

    Capt Frank
    Homosassa, FL
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  • ChargerGuy
    ChargerGuy Posts: 357
    Capt, I am with you on the eggcessories thing!! ;)
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  • EGGARY
    EGGARY Posts: 1,222
    If I were you I would stick with the XL. Yes a lot of people will recommend the Large but the way I see it, it is nice when you need the extra space. There are EGGCESSORIES for the XL as well. One nice EGGCESSORY to get is a Lump Reducer.
    With the Reducer you can use less Lump. The place to get this and other accessories for the EGG is the CERAMIC GRILL STORE. Their products are well-built, and excellent quality.

    Whichever EGG you decide to go with, you are making a very good decision in getting an EGG. One more thing, if you have a Gas Grill, don't plan on using it as much as before, but don't get rid of it. It will come handy once in awhile.

    Have fun in your new journey.
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  • Bacchus
    Bacchus Posts: 6,019
    You guys kill me..... she never mentioned needing or wanting advice on which size to get. So her first thread on what accessories to get for the XL she is going to buy, turns into a L/XL debate.....
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  • Bacchus
    Bacchus Posts: 6,019
    :)
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  • Capt Frank
    Capt Frank Posts: 2,578
    Sorry, perhaps we assummed to much ;)

    Capt Frank
    Homosassa, FL
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  • stevesails
    stevesails Posts: 990
    i love my xl, all you need is the plate setter and the grill tool. and a bag or two of lump to start with. i wient with the xl as i didn't want to buy and store all those extra grids and things. I did buy a reducer, but not sure is just filling up the fire box ans shutting the thing down when done is just as efficient.
    XL   Walled Lake, MI

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  • EGGARY
    EGGARY Posts: 1,222
    I agree with you. It just irks me that people steer prospective EGGers to the Large.
    Yes, she did say she is interested in an XL. So whatever she decides, she and her husband will be happy.
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  • WessB
    WessB Posts: 6,937
    well alrighty then...my recommendation will always be a large first.....just my opinion..
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  • Bash
    Bash Posts: 1,011
    My recommendation is to shop around, as some dealers will throw in more loot. They are not allowed to drop the price of the egg beyond a certain amount (or so I understand), but may throw in more items, like the nest and platesetter or cast iron grid.

    Also, I bought my XL used, which I would not do again, as the warranty is a must in my opinion. The base was cracked when I looked at the used one, and the owner got it replaced with a new base. Since then, the new base has cracked, and since I bought it used, it is not under warranty. I will never buy another used egg (unless it is ridiculously cheap), and probably not even then.

    Your husband will really enjoy the egg, and you will really enjoy the egged food.

    Good luck!
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  • Mr. Matt
    Mr. Matt Posts: 59
    When I was new to the forum Grandpas Grub (GG) gave me some good advice by recommending the ash tool, grate lift tool, etc. I just purchased the adjustable rig combo from the ceramicgrillstore.com and don't cook without it now! I would also recommend a large pizza stone.

    Next bonus check I will be buying a Thermapen, it's a little pricey but way worth it!


    What a lucky husband!
    Good Luck!
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  • boston_stoker
    boston_stoker Posts: 794
    I agree, unless you cook a ton of food, the large is the way to go. I would wait on most accessories. You learn about a lot of options from reading the forum over a month, and will likely learn about different options (i.e. non-BGE made accessories, like the one GG recommended) that you wish you had purchased instead of what you did purchase. I like the long table I purchased for my large.

    From what I have heard Eggfests are probably the best price for a new egg.
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  • Jagcanes
    Jagcanes Posts: 1
    I just bought an XL BGE a few months back and I could not imagine using it on the metal stand compared to a table/nest. If you have enough room for a large gas grill then you can fit the long table and it will give you a place to set up for cooking and to store the accessories.

    Highly recommend a plate setter for indirect cooking, extra long ash tool, small ash shovel, lump charcoal, and something to start the fire. I use a torch and it gets things going quickly.

    You will win the "Wife of the Year" award with this gift.
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