Should I get a Big Green Egg?

[Anonymous]

Talk to me about this combination smoker/grill/BBQ. It runs on charcoal or wood pellets I think def not gas.

Is this worth giving up the convenience of gas if used as my only outdoor cooking setup?

Is it just a glorified old fashioned charcoal grill or is it really next level amazing?

[Anonymous]

Glorified charcoal grill. It can do some cool things, but it's charcoal, so you will need to factor getting the coals hot and the grill hot into you prep time, plus cool down time for the grill...cannot cover it up pretty quick like a gas grill. Most people I know have both a gas and charcoal grill.

Also, because they are ceramic, they are a little more delicate than a standard charcoal grill, and much heavier. Most people I've seen who have them have outdoor kitchens with the BGE or Kamado built in to the space.

[Anonymous]

I've thought about it, but the convenience of gas always wins. I also have a cheap kettle grill for smoking

[Anonymous]

No. If it is your only outdoor cooking set up, it doesn’t do as much as a standard grill.

[Anonymous]

Only as an addition to a gas grill, not a substitute. It takes forever to heat up.

[Anonymous]

Charcoal is the best; gas BBQs suck.

[Anonymous]

We have both and many other grills. I never touch the Egg. DH does weekly but it’s too much work for me to fire it up on a weekday. I like the convenience of just turning the gas grill on.

If it’s your only grill, no don’t get it.

[Anonymous]

It depends on your personality. If you are a perfectionist who makes a lot of things like ribs, pork butt, brisket etc it is great, and is also fine for doing quicker things like steak occasionally.

If you are a busy working mom who wants a quick and convenient weeknight meal, it doesn’t make sense.

[Anonymous]

I would also pick a Weber Smokey Mountain over the GBE, if you have a gas grill already. The WMS excels as a barrel smoker. It beats out the GBE and Trager any day. We've used it to smoke pretty much everything--meats, veg, cheese. Options are limitless. Plus you can use it as a reg charcoal grill too.

[Anonymous]

Gas sucks. What’s the point of grilling if you will just use gas? Might as well cook in the stove or oven. The entire point of cooking over fire is to have coals. Food drippings fall onto the coals and release vaporized juices imparted with smoke, which adds tons of more flavor.


Kamados are nice because without question they hold heat way, way wayyyy better than standard charcoal grills made out of metal. It’s a basic fact of materials science. If you just want a simple grill though, you don’t need a kamado.


It’s also not hard to get a charcoal grill going. Get a torch or a charcoal chimney. You light the coals and then go prep your food. It’s not a big deal, and you get way better food than gas.

[Anonymous]

We have a Traeger, which runs only on pellets. We pretty much always use it over the gas grill. I even use it for baking.

[Anonymous]

I use the egg for everything, always, and never turn to the gas grill. It runs at precise temps so is our outdoor oven for the summer.

[Anonymous]

These are really helpful responses thank you all!

[Anonymous]

There are several types of cooks who prefer different type things. If you like a challenge and being in control of the fire, the taste, the end product definitely get the egg.

It uses lump charcoal and that is an entirely different beast than your typical briquet charcoal.

It takes temperature management, time management and food management.

Your average griller uses gas and it tastes like they used gas. when you master the kamado style grill/smoker, nothing comes close.

Get the egg if you are willing to invest in learning how to cook everything on it and I mean everything from pies to turkey, to pizza to fajitas.
When you go to someone's house and see them cooking on an egg vs gasser, you know you are in for a treat.

[Anonymous]

The BGE is a great Kamado and the market leader. FWIW, though, I would recommend either the Primo (oval shape so you can set up a two-zone fire) or the Weber Kamado (can do two zone even though it’s round due to clever design).