Weber and Big Green Egg

[Foster Dahlet]

I had to help my parents downsize and move this summer. It was a helluva time.  Where they wound up, no charcoal or gas allowed.  I gifted them an electric Q to give them outdoor cooking.  My father gave me his BGE, which he received as a retirement gift 15 yrs ago.  I noticed 6 cracks in the base and repaired them (another story), and replaced internals and other parts.  $500 plus.  After cooking on it multiple times I can say, it is great, and does everything well. But, comparatively speaking, I'll take a 26er over a BGE any day of the week. 

Ceramics are great and hold temps amazingly.  They dial in temps accurately and consistently.  There is nothing wrong with them. But, they are not worth the price tag, at least not the large BGE bought new for $1100.

Cooking on a 26er gives 2 zones without a deflector.  This is huge when doing steaks, whether doing a reverse sear or sear n slide, as it does not require removing the deflector plate and waiting to raise/lower temps mid cook.

Indirect cooking is fine in BGE, but getting charcoal to temp takes longer.  You gotta shoot past target temp, add deflector then dial it in to temp... an hr long process. With Weber 26er, it is dumping in a chimney and it's ready to cook in 15-20 minutes after grates are ready...much faster.  Even pizza cooks are easier and faster.

Where the BGE shines is low and slow. Dial it in and it is set forever.  Problem is, 95% of my cooks are not low and slow.  What's more, I can do 12 HR cooks on a 26er no problem and I have more space for multiple butts, racks of ribs, and such. 

The taste of BGE food is great.  Love the flavor I can get from it.  But, is it better?  Is it $600 better than a 26er?  I don't think so; but that's my opinion.

Why am I writing this?  Simply to say if you are thinking about splurging on a BGE, maybe out of curiosity, maybe to keep up with the Jones's, save your money.  They are great, and there is nothing wrong with them.  This is not a post to bash BGEs.  But, for the money, a 26er is the best deal in the world.   

I'll still cook on both.  But my 26er with the SnS XL still gets the lion's share of my cooks.

Sent from my LM-X420 using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

[bamakettles]

I've had the Kamado Joe Classic 1 (which is the comparable size to the lg bge) for about a year and think I've finally figured it out.  Paid about $300 for it from a lady who cooked one steak on it and was getting divorced and wanted it gone.  I wouldn't have paid $1100 for it for sure but it's fun to cook on when I have extra time to putter around with it.  I just completed a mod to raise a cast iron charcoal grate higher and use a SNS charcoal basket intended for an 18" kettle.  Funny that I modified it to work more like a kettle.  I too prefer cooking on my 26".


Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club

[Foster Dahlet]

I've had the Kamado Joe Classic 1 (which is the comparable size to the lg bge) for about a year and think I've finally figured it out.  Paid about $300 for it from a lady who cooked one steak on it and was getting divorced and wanted it gone.  I wouldn't have paid $1100 for it for sure but it's fun to cook on when I have extra time to putter around with it.  I just completed a mod to raise a cast iron charcoal grate higher and use a SNS charcoal basket intended for an 18" kettle.  Funny that I modified it to work more like a kettle.  I too prefer cooking on my 26".


Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club

Very creative mod.

Sent from my LM-X420 using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

[swamprb]

Shake n Bake!


Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

[bamakettles]

Here's my SNS mod inspired by the new SNS BGE offering....this mod basically gives the option to run a KJ Classic just like a SNS Kamado or a kettle.


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[SixZeroFour]

Agree completely with your assessment. Kamado's are super efficient and you can knock out comp worthy BBQ on one for sure, but they really don't do anything a good old kettle or similar can't pull off at a fraction of the price. I will say they do have more of a presence on the deck, so if you want a conversation piece/special occasion low and slow champ it can be a good fit for some. Weber's have a lot less going on INSIDE the cookbox (no inner ceramic chamber, hanging racks etc) so there is also capacity for more creative charcoal setup options and/or food in there IMO.

Bama' your mod is a great idea! and more or less addresses some of those concerns... Definitely makes the Kamado more similar to a Weber SCG style internal setup now by being able to ditch the ceramic deflector plates for the SNS Griddle, essentially giving yourself a second option for the height of your charcoal grate. Less stuff to fuss with and more setup options - good stuff!