OT: Big Green Egg quandary

[Prediction? Pain.]

For years, I've been smoking and grilling on a plain old 22" Weber kettle grill. I use a Smokenator for the smoking, and have had consistently great results. Temperature control can be an issue on occasion, and it's not the kind of set up that will let me leave it unattended overnight or even for more than a few hours. But otherwise, I have no real complaints.

The other day, I was offered a lightly used, large Big Green Egg for $600. (Not sure what, if any, accessories it would come with.) I think the thing retails new for around $850.

I'm leaning away from pulling the trigger. I'm sure they're nice. Everyone I know that has one raves about the results they get. But I'm pretty pleased with my setup right now, even if it's a bit janky by comparison.

Any of y'all with BGE experience feel like sharing your thoughts? And is $600 fair for a used BGE, assuming the condition is indeed excellent as I've been told?

To give you context, I smoke much more than I grill, but even then, I don't do it every weekend. I typically smoke pork shoulders or briskets, though I do poultry and fish as well. Never had a problem with space on the Weber, whether I'm cooking just for my family (of 3) or for a group of people.

 

[PubDawg]

PM me

 

[Mr Todd French]

Yes. Good deal for that size and you won't regret it. I built my table for half of what they sell for and did it in about 5 hours. It has a built in Yeti cooler and a a brass hook for my Costa's. Not really

 

[o_swimdog]

New large BGE is $759 + tax

 

[Digging dog]

Get it!!! ( only if it comes with a bottle of Dales and a Yeti sticker) ****

 

[Dawgbite]

You wont be sorry and the Large is the ideal size. If you smoke primarily, you will need a platesetter for indirect heat and get a BBQ Guru temperature controller . Depending on what accessories he has will tell you just how good of a deal that it is because an Egg comes bare and everything is extra. Not trying to throw a wrench is your decision but I was is Sams Club in Tupelo last night and they have a Visions kamado the size of the large egg on sale for $499. It includes a stand, side tables, and double level cooking racks. Really the only thing you will need beyond that would be an Ash tool and the platesetter to get started. They also had an accessory kit with an ash tool, ash shovel, rib rack, indirect cooking stone similar to a platesetter, an electric charcoal starter, and a pizza stone for around $100.. you cant buy all that for less than $200.

 

[Dirk Digler.sixpack]

I'd pull the trigger. Had a similar setup to yours and now have the large. you won't be sorry if you make the switch.

 

[aTotal360]

I've never see those BBG Guru products. I'm going to order that PartyQ. That's a great invention. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Dawgbite]

I've never see those BBG Guru products. I'm going to order that PartyQ. That's a great invention. Thanks for the tip.

I have both the Guru and the Party Q but use the party Q most simply because it is battery powered so no extension cord. The only drawback is that it doesn't have a meat probe. I use a Maverick alongside the Party Q.

 

[MaroonNation]

BGE's and YETI coolers are a way for frat boys to be FAF without attending university. The tools don't make the food. The love and attention to detail does. Charcoal and a car radiator can produce the best results obtainable if you know what you are doing. It's funny though. No one I have seen with an actual YETI cooler acknowledges buying it. They are too fearful of someone knowing they were stupid enough to pay $500+ for a YETI. Instead they "got it as a gift" or as a "business perk". Except the guy that bought our alligator last year we killed at Eagle Lake. He had 4 of them and I'm pretty sure he killed the owners and stole them.

 

[hatfieldms]

I was given a yeti cooler for Father's Day last year and love it

Though I admit I would have never paid for one.

As as far as grills I have one of the visions and use it constantly. I have gotten to the point I can't imagine going back to a the brink an I used in the past

 

[aTotal360]

How long do the batteries generally last at 225ish?

 

[civildawg88]

My yeti is terrible. A Walmart igloo cooler would keep ice just as long. I really got it as a gift though

 

[MaroonNation]

Bwahahahahahahahahhaha

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

Exaggerate much? My dad has one he keeps in the back of his truck on the farm and it keeps ice for several days. Crappy igloo coolers melted by the end of one day.

They really are good coolers that are way overpriced.

 

[thatsbaseball]

I`m going to go out on a limb and bet Mr. DCD doesn`t have a sticker though

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

You would be correct sir.

 

[Mr Todd French]

The tools can make things a lot easier though. I could cut two acres of grass with a pair of scissors if I loved it and paid attention to detail. I would much rather use a 60 inch zero turn and do it as good or better in 25 min and way less energy.

 

[squirldawg]

Get a Pelican cooler...

Kicks the Yeti's ***.

 

[aTotal360]

I'm all ears. Tell me how one rotomolded cooler is better than another...

 

[aTotal360]

Only because DCD got to it first.**

 

[bulldogbaja]

Great username.

And btw that is waaay too much money to pay for some used sheet metal.

 

[squirldawg]

Cheaper

 

[SanfordRJones]

Buy an Old Smokey for $60: http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/old-smokey-jumbo-charcoal-grill/pid-27621

I was planning to buy a BGE until I got mine. There's no way it's worth the money compared to the Old Smokey.

 

[Dawgbite]

How long do the batteries generally last at 225ish?

Batteries will last a long time, ten cookings maybe. If I'm cooking overnight I will change them out just to be sure but if it's daytime I'll just keep an eye on it, a low battery light will come on before it stops. Just a little advice, if you want 225, put your fire starter on top of the charcoal and on the edge not the middle. Put the guru on when you light it and allow it to bring the grill up to temp. If you leave the vents open to allow the fire to get started, you will generally overshoot your target temp. If it's really windy, it will force air through the blower and you really have to regulate the top vent to control your fire. I cooked the fourth and it was windy and I couldn't hold 225 and finally had to settle at 275 for the first few hours and then would back the guru down 10 degrees about every hour until it would stay down.

Is a BGE worth the money? I paid a hell of a lot more for a stainless steel oven in my kitchen and my egg gets used a lot more than the oven, I even do biscuits and pizza on the egg, so yeah, to me it's worth it. That being said, I have a buddy that cooks competition BBQ on two Weber Kettels, and is very successful. A ceramic grill will last a lifetime if you take care of it.

I got my Yeti as a Father's Day present and have since purchased two K2's myself because I liked it so well. Anybody who thinks an Igloo from WalMart is just as good as a Yeti would probably think a Yugo is just as good as a Mercedes because heck, they were both made over in one of those your- a- peeing countries. I'm pretty sure the sticker from my Yeti is in a drawer here somewhere, if I can find it, I'll go put it on my trucks back glass.

 

[Prediction? Pain.]

Thanks for all the feedback. I'm going to find out what accessories come with the used one I'm considering before I make a decision, but I'm still inclined to stick with what I've got. The the Weber and the Smokenator have brought me this far. (To the highest pinnacles of smokenating in all of Weberland. Or something.) Nothing wrong with sticking with what works, I guess.

Interesting to see all the YETI back-and-forth. Never used one of their coolers, but my father-in-law bought me one of these last Christmas:

Worked amazingly well. Kept stuff cold for hours. Then, the other day while I was washing it, I set it down on the counter, and it fell over on its side. Upon examination, this is apparently what happened:

And the bottom won't go back on. I've stood on the damn thing, and it just refuses to reattach.

Guess YETI stuff just can't handle my extreme dish-scrubbing style and the earth-crushing power that is my setting-of-things-delicately-upon-the-counter-to-dry technique?

 

[Prediction? Pain.]

Thanks. I'm glad you too appreciate one of Mr. T's most indelible contributions to popular culture. Along with this, of course:

[video] [/video]

 

[MaroonNation]

Looks like mole crickets got to it.

 

[Dawguire]

I would double check the warranty situation on the BGE. I'm pretty sure they're non-transferable and for an extra 150 i'd buy new bc a lot of people have issues with theirs cracking from time to time.