Most useful size BGE?

Japanese Knives - by Tokushu Knife
Kitchen Knife Forums

Help Support Kitchen Knife Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
sudsy9977

sudsy9977

Founding Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2011
Messages
866
Reaction score
30
so what do you guys think is the most useful size, I'm sure a lot of people have them round here....at my house its just me and my wife but I regularly will cook for anywhere from like 6 to 10 people....ryan
 
I’ve got three: large, small and mini. If I could only have one it would be the large. The small gets the most use. Large and newer minimax would be nice setup.
 
Sounds like large is in the lead. I was buying patio furniture today and the owner was talking to me about how someone called her and wants her to start selling them. She didn’t know I knew anything about grilling at the time. After I explained how they work and everything, she said she probably wasn’t going to sell them but if I ever wanted one I could get one wholesale through her. I don’t know what kind of discount that would be but if I’m ever gonna get one I figured this is my best shot
 
I am procrastinating on the car. Lol. My wife did want some patio stuff though
 
I sent an hour+ a couple of weeks ago hemming and hawing over BGEs and a Primo. The guy at the local BBQ store said a large BGE will do pretty much anything except a full brisket. I still haven’t decided if that matters enough to push me to the Primo.
 
Large ... had the XL - too big for regular day to day cooking ... had the med - too small for effective cooking ... Large = just right IMO ... but then I got a 2nd LOL ... one is basically set up for low/slow - fresh gaskets/seals well/etc. and the other is for inferno type cooking with extreme temp gasket material ... IMO you can't go wrong with one large but two are better ...

FWIW - I have cooked a full brisket on mine many times ... a bit of a squeeze initially but they have a tendancy to shrink a bit and really never had a problem but the primo shape is advantageous in that regard ...

Either is great ... but then get a 2nd so I feel better ...
 
I have a small akorn. I'm pretty happy with it but I'd want a large if I cooked for more people. It was 130$ and functionally it does what i want it to do. The BGE people say that theirs are a million times better, but the Akorn people seem to think that they are full of it.
 
First my credentials. I own a large a mini and a minimax. Between eggfests and the competition bbq circuit i have cooked in fields and parking lots in 5 states from PA to FLA.
the large is the most versatile. I have done 30 lbs of pork shoulder on the large. My mini gets a lot of use as well. If i were starting over i would get a large and a minimax. Disclaimer on the minimax... Advertised as portable? It weighs 90 lbs? So unless you are young and strong....
The mini is portable. If you get an egg check out the ceramic grill store for accessories.
 
2nd the ceramic grill store ... great place for mods/adapters

Maybe I need a minimax ... thx to all the enablers ...

Also have to say a friend has an Akorn and is very happy ... price point is great of course ...
 
I've never heard anyone say my grill is too big, but have heard "too small" often. Size depends on how many you might be cookin' for. You can cook for two on a large grill, but ya can't cook for 10 on a small grill. ;)
 
Large. It’s almost as quick and efficient as a medium, but you can stack and/or workaround for larger cooks. The XL is a little more of a tradeoff. Ive cooked a lot of BBQ for past 20 years, using all types of rigs. What I still love about the BGE is that you can do absolutely everything on it. The main downside is that you tend to run out of cooking surface - which is why I’d encourage the Large.
 
Last edited:
JakeLoveshighCarbon said:
I have a small akorn. I'm pretty happy with it but I'd want a large if I cooked for more people. It was 130$ and functionally it does what i want it to do. The BGE people say that theirs are a million times better, but the Akorn people seem to think that they are full of it.
Click to expand...
My own experience suggests that the difference between the various Kamado’s is not that much - perhaps once, but not now. Parts are generally interchangeable (at least for Large). I‘d check on the warranty, as ceramic can crack, and get what you like best.
 
I've done countless demos and have taught classes on the egg for a local culinary store. Have used every size. The two I own are the Large and the Mini-max. I can feed 20 on the Large with a little strategic thinking. The Mini-max spends time in the back of my truck for tailgates, deer camp and other gatherings and is the one I use at home for just me. Temp control is not as good with the mini but otherwise it works well.

The Med just does not "fit" in their lineup and I've heard talk of discontinuing it. The XL is good for up to 40 peeps (my max class size) but it's a half bag of charcoal just to fire it up. The XXL is good for cooking missionaries in.
 
daveb said:
I've done countless demos and have taught classes on the egg for a local culinary store. Have used every size. The two I own are the Large and the Mini-max. I can feed 20 on the Large with a little strategic thinking. The Mini-max spends time in the back of my truck for tailgates, deer camp and other gatherings and is the one I use at home for just me. Temp control is not as good with the mini but otherwise it works well.

The Med just does not "fit" in their lineup and I've heard talk of discontinuing it. The XL is good for up to 40 peeps (my max class size) but it's a half bag of charcoal just to fire it up. The XXL is good for cooking missionaries in.
Click to expand...
There’s your answer.
 
I have three sizes of kamado joes. The 18 inch is my go to.
 
I have the large. With some of the custom racks I can load it up. 4 ten pound pork butts is no issue at all.

Another vote for ceramic grill store.
 
Last edited:
MontezumaBoy said:
Daveb - do you have a nice missionary dry rub recipe you could share? Will send you my Rhino & Elephant rubs in return ...
Click to expand...
20200604_123951.jpg
 
Anybody here running a Komodo kamado? Their most popular size is a 23?
 
RonB said:
I've never heard anyone say my grill is too big, but have heard "too small" often. Size depends on how many you might be cookin' for. You can cook for two on a large grill, but ya can't cook for 10 on a small grill. ;)
Click to expand...

I have heard people - including myself that has said a grill is too large. Takes more fuel and longer to heat up and is a waste. When I was shopping gas grills the last time, I actually downsized and am much happier with that choice.

As for BGE, I have the large. And it’s the most versatile of the sizes. A friend had a large and sold it when he downsized his house and moved to a condo. He loved his BGE and bought a mini max. He hated it and sold it and got another large. He said the mini was harder to regulate heat and needed fed too much for a long smoke.
 
Large works for me, dang I have some ribs in the freezer that need smokin, weekend is here.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top