New Grill?

[UNIT]

I saw the input on a previous post about gas grills but wanted to get your opinions about the BIG GREEN EGG. I have received some great advice and opinions on this site so I thought I would throw it out there. I have been a gas grill guy all my life and am seriously considering the change to charcoal and wonder what everyone thinks about the BGE.

Thanks for your help.

UNIT

[ameyers41]

I cannot speak highly enough of the product or the company. After a couple years of debating on dropping the money on one, my wife surprised me with a large BGE for christmas. I've always been a gas grill guy, and I will never go back. I was always concerned about time to heat, temperature control, etc. It's actually easier with the Egg. I got the nest, the folding side tables, and the placesetter, which is essential if you're going to smoke things (creates indirect heat). I use only BGE brand charcoal. You have to use lump, no briquettes. I've only tried a couple other lump charcoals, and I would not recommend the cheap stuff they sell at Menards, labelled "steakhouse" lump. It doesn't burn as hot, leaves more ash, and burns down faster. I can fill the egg with BGE charcoal, set at 225, and do a pork shoulder for 15 hours overnight with hardly any adjustment to the vents, and it leaves a surprising amount of charcoal left afterwards. Get some good chunk smoking wood, not chips, and you're good to go!

Service is top notch too. I bought mine from a local store that delivered and assembled. Good idea because of the weight of the thing. They didn't properly assemble the handle and I lost a screw holding the wood handle on. I emailed BGE and they sent a whole new assembly (I just needed the screw and nut) within a few days.

I sound like a pitchman for the company, which I am not. Just a happy customer. They aren't cheap, but they aren't much more than a nice, stainless Weber gas grill.

[thirdeye]

I've been an Egg owner for 7 or 8 years (a large and a small) and I would agree with everything that ameyers41 has to say except the comments about Royal Oak Steakhouse lump. Royal Oak actually makes the lump that is sold as BGE lump, so it's the same stuff. At one time Royal Oak claimed that the BGE branded lump got an additional screening to remove some of the dust and small pieces that are found in all bags of charcoal.

Royal Oak markets lump in two colored bags, orange and green. (they also market briquettes in orange bags) According to the press release a couple of years ago, the green "Steak House" bags are just targeting folks that are avid grillers. It's the same product as the orange bag lump with one exception.... Royal Oak does import charcoal from South America. It's in orange bags too, and it is clearly marked "Imported" and this can be found near the UPC Bar Code on the bag. The South American lump does have a different aroma and is sparkier. Orange or green bag, I prefer the Royal Oak made in the US.

The best value for Eggs can be found at an EggFest as dealers sign up guest cooks to demo new Eggs on a Saturday. The dealer knocks several hundred dollars off the retail price because the Egg has been used one time. If you go to the Egghead Forum, you can see a list of Eggfests across the country, maybe one is close by to where you live.

One other note, BGE does not honor the lifetime warranty if the Egg is purchased from an online dealer. So you really need to buy from a regular dealer.