Large or XL Green Egg

[Big Kahuna]

Go big or go home!! I love my Primo XL, can't beat it's versatility. BGE XL was my second choice. Got a screamin deal on the Primo and haven't looked back.

 

[Oldyote]

I have a large BGE and if I had it to do over I'd buy the XL. I'd also consider the Primo.

 

[Ozzie Isaac]

Thank you all. It sounds like bigger is better

I plan to stop by my dealer this weekend to check out an XL he has in back. I've never seen one in person. Only seen the larges.

 

[mtbchip]

Go big or go home!! I love my Primo XL, can't beat it's versatility. BGE XL was my second choice. Got a screamin deal on the Primo and haven't looked back.

2nd that.... the go big!!!! Brand name aside. Then buy a "foodsaver". Even though I'm cooking for TWO, I fill my cooker each time I use it and then freeze the remainder for quick Q meals on the days I don't have time to set up and do a proper cook.

 

[Jason TQ]

I don't have a BGE, but if I was committing the $$$ to it I would go XXL just because I will cook for up to 45 people two or three times a year (beef shoulder clod, pork shoulder, maybe chicken or fatty) and think that space wise, it would be the best for me. I know someone said somewhere else that you need a whole family to lift it, but if you are committing to one you will have a lot of room?

You'd be better off getting 2 XL for the price of that new XXL. I saw one at Ace and it was $4600, which means you could almost get 4 XL's for that price. And 2 XL's will give you even more grate cooking space over 1 XXL. Though the footprint of 2 XL's would be larger.

 

[jermoQ]

Wow

You'd be better off getting 2 XL for the price of that new XXL. I saw one at Ace and it was $4600, which means you could almost get 4 XL's for that price. And 2 XL's will give you even more grate cooking space over 1 XXL. Though the footprint of 2 XL's would be larger.

I had no clue they were that much! In that case it would be cheaper

 

[Bob S]

Go with the XL. You will love all of the cooking space.

 

[cookingdude555]

I wished my large was an XL, until I finally added an XL to the collection.

 

[Ozzie Isaac]

I wished my large was an XL, until I finally added an XL to the collection.

Thats how I feel about my 18.5" WSM. I love it, but dang'd if I don't run out of room all the time. Kind of wish I had gotten the 22.5".

 

[martyleach]

I have a large and love it. It is so incredibly fuel efficient. That said, I do wish I had an XL as well. Sometimes you just gotta cook a lot of food. Fortunately, I have choices.

 

[ajstrider]

The names are such a disguise. The XL is not much bigger than your 22.5" kettle. The Large is quite a bit smaller than your kettle. I went the XL route and don't regret that part at all. I cook for just me a lot on mine without much effort.

 

[ibanda]

Weekly I cook for my family and usually whatever friends the kids have over. So I would say 5+. Monthly I cook for friends and neighbors so 4 adults and 6 kids. My 22.5" kettle is about right.

I like smoking on my WSM, but would be doing steaks, burgers, wings, whole chickens on BGE. I would also like to do ribs without trimming.

Cooking for 5 normally and up to 10, you could go either direction. I got the Large and I am very happy with it and can cook for up to 10, but I bought all the goodies from ceramic grill store to cook double decker and even triple decker on ribs. By the time you add extras to increase space on the large the price of the XL is pretty close.

 

[THoey1963]

Weekly I cook for my family and usually whatever friends the kids have over. So I would say 5+. Monthly I cook for friends and neighbors so 4 adults and 6 kids. My 22.5" kettle is about right.

I like smoking on my WSM, but would be doing steaks, burgers, wings, whole chickens on BGE. I would also like to do ribs without trimming.

Just as a side comment, if you roll your ribs, you can do 3 or 4 racks on each grate of your 18.5 WSM.

 

[DaveAlvarado]

You already have familiarity with the sizes.

L is about the size of your WSM
XL is about the size of your kettle

Basically just think of a BGE as an insulated version of those.

 

[Ozzie Isaac]

Thank you all for your input.

I went to the dealer today and I decided on the XL. DaveAlvarado nailed it. The Large was same grill area as my WSM, and the XL matched the kettle.

The dealer was pushing the large really hard. Kept saying that serves almost everyones needs. Then I described the 14lbs of wings I did a few weeks ago, the turkey I did on a whim in the kettle, and the fact that I always wind up cooking for more than my family. When the smoke gets rolling neighbors suddenly appear. After I mentioned my typical cook he said, he rarely recommends it but the XL is the way I should go. I wouldn't be happy with the large.

Now I just have to wait for it to show up! Time to plan my accessories

P.S. THoey1963, I never thought of rolling my ribs! Thats a cool idea.

 

[Ozzie Isaac]

Got my Egg this week

Fired it up last night for two cheap Chickens from Costco. Forgot to get pictures of the done chickens but they were great.

Super easy to get to temp and hold steady at 350 even when it was 27 out yesterday. Cooked direct and the skin was crispy and nice. I love my WSM, but man being able to ramp the temp up to crisp the skin at the end was nice.

Usually I pop the chicken onto my OTG or gasser at the end to crisp. No need last night.

 

[dj-ia]

I've had a classic Joe and now have a Big Joe and don't know that I would want to down size. As the others have said you can do everything of the large/classic and still have the room when you want/need it. Go big!

 

[robbq]

I got a large and am really happy with it. The XL is too big for where I would have to put it. So far I haven't missed the extra space.

 

[Big George's BBQ]

Congrats and enjoy. You are going to live it

 

[Wolverine]

waiting for the UDS comment,,