Medium BGE or Primo Oval Jr. 200

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prodano

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Looking for some advice/guidance on a new smoker. Money is my limiting factor, otherwise I would go for a larger smoker. However, it is just my daughter and I so I don't really need a lot of cooking space for large amounts of food. Thanks!
 
I have the following eggs and in order of how often I use them: Med, Sm, XL, L, and Mini. This ordered method doesn't highlight that I use the medium almost 99% of the time. That is for my family of five. Can't speak for the primo but I've read they are fantastic. I don't think you can lose either way.
 
Bge

I just about 2x days ago, bought a BGE XL.
So far...LOVING it!!

I looked at a Primo XL.....I went for the BGE. One things was, they didn't have the Primo on display in the size I wanted and I wasn't going to lay out that much cash sight unseen.

But the other driving factor...even though I heard they were good cookers (see my other threads last week on this)....is that due to the oval shape, I was a bit wary in that there aren't as many third party accessories for the oval shape as there are for the round ones.

That was a driving factor in my decision. I did, however, note that it was likely easier to set up a dual zone heat set up with the oval than the round, but since I got the large BGE XL I felt with the larger diameter of the round one...I could set up a dual zone in it that might be more difficult than the smaller round ones.

So, that might be something to consider...how you like to cook, etc.

HTH,

cayenne
 
How is Primo's warranty compared to BGE? I would take that into consideration also.
 
CT-Mike said:
How is Primo's warranty compared to BGE? I would take that into consideration also.
Click to expand...

If I recall...I think Primo had the same basic limited lifetime warranty (for original owner) that the BGE did....

But before buying, I'd double check that on their website.

HTH,

C
 
cookingdude555 said:
I have the following eggs and in order of how often I use them: Med, Sm, XL, L, and Mini. This ordered method doesn't highlight that I use the medium almost 99% of the time. That is for my family of five. Can't speak for the primo but I've read they are fantastic. I don't think you can lose either way.
Click to expand...

Do you find the medium BGE to be large/versatile enough for the majority of your needs and cuts of meat? Do you have to cut racks of ribs in half so they fit better?
 
Your selections are both quality cookers. If you google "BGE medium rib" it popped up photos of a medium BGE with a large BGE rib rack- inverted to fit perfectly and holding three racks of ribs cut in half.

Both cookers have limited warrantys advertised. If I remember both are limited to original registered owners that send in their proof of purchase from s qualified dealer. Again on memory- BGE is limited lifetime to OP and Primo is limited either 20 or 25 year.

I own a Primo XL and a BGE Mini. Not a medium. But sight unseen I would be a proud owner of either cooker you have selected.
 
Is a Kamado Joe Classic worth considering? If so, how do they compare price wise?
 
I love my Primo Junior! The 2-zone, half moon deflector plates and grill grates make it extremely versatile. I think the BGE brand makes a fine product, but if I were to do it all over again I wouldn't hesitate getting another Primo Oval.
 
prodano said:
Is a Kamado Joe Classic worth considering? If so, how do they compare price wise?
Click to expand...

The Kamado Joes are right on par with BGE and Primo. The KJ use to be considerably cheaper than BGE, but with their increase in popularity, their price has increased as well. I haven't priced them lately, but about a year ago they were very similar in price to BGE. With that said, they did come standard with more accessories than the BGE. I own a couple of BGE's and a KJ, they both are great rigs. You will be happy with either. I do not own a Primo but I have cooked on one. The Primos are top of the line as well. Can't go wrong with any of the three.
 
SGH said:
The Kamado Joes are right on par with BGE and Primo. The KJ use to be considerably cheaper than BGE, but with their increase in popularity, their price has increased as well. I haven't priced them lately, but about a year ago they were very similar in price to BGE. With that said, they did come standard with more accessories than the BGE. I own a couple of BGE's and a KJ, they both are great rigs. You will be happy with either. I do not own a Primo but I have cooked on one. The Primos are top of the line as well. Can't go wrong with any of the three.
Click to expand...

I found this too while I was hunting for my ceramic cooker last week.

I'd thought that the Primo and KJ would be much cheaper, and with the "package" my BGE dealer had....I'd have only saved about $200 or so if I'd gone with Primo or KJ equivalents (I was looking at XL in all of them).

So, I said that isn't enough money to seriously sway me, so I went with the BGE.

Good Luck!!!

C
 
Don't get hung up on accessories. There are only a handful of items worth buying, as opposed to what will collect dust in your garage. You really only need a setup for indirect/drip pan option and grate height adjustments, which all of these brands address in one way or another.

Between the three choices mentioned pick the one you like best for whatever reasons. For me it was price (Primo's can often be had for ridiculously low prices, especially off-season) and the oval design really appealed to me.
 
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I was initially excited for the primo oval jr but they are $800 where I am...

Tell me if this is a bad idea:

A place 90 minutes from me is selling Kamado Joe Jr. for $350, regular price $500. Very small though (13.5" grate). Thinking about going for it and using my 18.5" WSM for larger cuts/quantities of food.

Am I setting myself up for disappointment or is this a great opportunity to get into cooking on a ceramic?
 
From a beg owner, I would go with the promo. Don't get me wrong, I love my egg, but cook on my father in law's premo which is the same size and the oval shape I feel has more usable cooking area. Both cookers are functionally similar enough. Shape is really the only thing that sets them apart.
 
I'd be patient and go for the grill you want. As I mentioned Primo, and I'm sure Kamodo Joe's, go on sale. You already have a few good cookers to help tie you over.
 
prodano said:
I was initially excited for the primo oval jr but they are $800 where I am...

Tell me if this is a bad idea:

A place 90 minutes from me is selling Kamado Joe Jr. for $350, regular price $500. Very small though (13.5" grate). Thinking about going for it and using my 18.5" WSM for larger cuts/quantities of food.

Am I setting myself up for disappointment or is this a great opportunity to get into cooking on a ceramic?
Click to expand...

I have a Kamado Joe Jr. and really like it for small cooks. I paid $335.00 for mine when they first hit the market, so $350.00 is not a bad deal in my opinion.
 
arclite said:
I'd be patient and go for the grill you want. As I mentioned Primo, and I'm sure Kamodo Joe's, go on sale. You already have a few good cookers to help tie you over.
Click to expand...

My patience is starting to run out haha! Good advice though. On one side I can see myself loving the Kamado Joe Jr and getting a lot of use out of it. However, I can also picture having buyers remorse and immediately wanting a larger ceramic grill.
 
Well, I bit the bullet. Bought the Kamado Joe Jr yesterday! Definitely smaller than ideal, buy I think it will work well for 75% of my needs. Can always fall back on the WSM or Weber OTG when more space is needed. Couldn't pass up the price, and will buy me a few years until I can afford a larger ceramic. Thank you everybody for the responses and feedback!
 
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