Would I Buy the Big Green Egg Again? | 1-Year Review 

For anyone looking, buy the XL. It’s a little more, but you’ll fit anything you want to cook on it.

I have a large green egg. And I live in Minnesota. What I love about it is it can be -20° with several feet of snow on the ground. But once you get the big green egg to the temperature you want I can smoke all day long. The big green egg doesn’t care about temperature outside once you get the internal temperature set a thing will work like a champ.

Try wrapping in butcher paper instead of foil. The results: bark stays crunchy versus soggy with foil. I used to wrap with foil also, I used butcher paper one time, never looked back.

I bought a $600 Charbroil grill and the components for the fire corroded out in less than 2 years and the parts were made of cheap thin aluminum and cheap cast aluminum or pot metal. I bought an XL Egg and now I am very happy with the product.

Warranty is amazing, I have had mine for 12 years, the paint started to peel on the top and bottom, replaced without any cost to me, amazing service and proves even outside of the US the warranty is stood by.

They have lots of accessories, you can truly go nuts with them. That said, a good dealer likely offers them in package deals. The egg, nest egg handler such as you have, a conveggtor, grid gripper, ash tool, fire starters and charcoal. You’d expect to save about 15% and get 15% off for the next month on accessories. Having an eggspander basket is handy. All the half moon stones and grids, planchas and so on add up, but they aren’t necessary by any means to get started and if you’re into it, no big deal. The SS fire baskets are nice to have makes cleaning the firebox even easier. They are heavy as hell, but that’s why they are so efficient. They aren’t for everyone, but if you’re into cooking they are fun, they have their place.

I have a large egg and would buy it 20x over if I had to. Absolutely love it. Use it weekly. A large fits about 2 racks of ribs (laying flat) or 1 full brisket.

i just found you and subbed. I was really liking you before i heard you say "move back to Cincinnati" and then I understood why I was looking your channel so much.

Love my medium size, have owned for years. It cost alot less than it does today, and it was still painful to purchase. Just cooking for two so it works for us.

I bought an extra large egg nearly 10 years ago and love it! I've gone as big as a 25 lbs beef should clod.

10 year XL BGE owner here and loving it. I recently put in a warranty claim for a cracked fire box and base. It was a painless process and I received my new fire box and base promptly. While it's a great cooker, it's not the be-all and end-all of cookers. I also own an old beat up Weber kettle that still sees a lot of use, and a gravity feed smoker for long low and slows. If I had to pick just one, it would be the BGE.

Was gifted a large Egg about a month ago. Zero smoking experience before that. Just used a basic Weber gas grill forever. Was able to make a passable brisket on the first go. Quickly sorted out how to get it to stay at 250. Tried ribs last weekend for the first time. I’ve wrecked more ribs than I like to talk about on the gas grill. Turned out awesome in the Egg. I’ve been impressed with how easy it’s been to get good results with the egg. A lot of that is due to easy access to good instruction on YT. I’m looking forward to trying some new stuff in the coming months.

We have had the large green egg for over 5 yrs now. Replaced a natural gas grill that had to be retired. We intended to get a Weber Natural gas grill but the Big Green Egg has been so versatile that there has been no need to get another gas grill to fill in gaps.

I totally agree with this review. I’ve had an egg for a few years now. It’s the most versatile grill/smoker/pizza oven you could ask for. Think of it as an investment. Spot on with the downsides as well. I’ve had to get creative on fitting everything on my medium egg (cutting a rack of ribs into thirds). The cost of the accessories is very high, too, maybe as much as the egg itself if you go all in. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It’s a hit with family as well as friends.

Great video. I appreciate all the points you made about the BGE.

I love the BGE! I'm on my second one. Had the large and sold it what I paid for it. Now I have the XL. I have never cooked ribs for 6 hours...those must be some good ribs, but mine is awesome in about 3.5 hours.

Super helpful. Thank you for sharing.

Great video! I have a hard time understanding the place for this if someone already has a nice grill? This seems like a good hybrid between smoker/grill but not sure what it’s best at?

Does the outside of the egg get hot while cooking? Dumb question but I'm asking because in thinking of purchasing one but I would like something built around it table wise.

I feel cold weather cooks actually yields better results, but of course it’s not as enjoyable unable to be seated outside. No critique on the 3-2-1 but for me it’s too long so I’m more a 3-1.5-.5 guy. Plus I use wrap in pink butcher paper rather than foil.

I appreciate the candid review. I've been dreaming about the Big Green Egg for a few months. Can't decide if I should go with Large or XL. Your comments may push me towards the XL. Most of the places I've looked seem to sell bundles, so it seems like a complete kit to get going. Thanks!

Great freaking intro. I don't even know how to cook, was just curious as to if this thing was good or not but yeah the intro was funny haha

I know things have changed but when I got my first egg, stores offered packages that included the basic accessories people want that discounted the egg about $150.

What is that lighter you used?

Compared to say a large Weber grill, what’s the cooking area on the standard egg? I could look this up myself but I’m gonna be lazy and just ask all yall

Great review, thanks!! Ha, ha, that darn piece of butter (5:05).

Stumbled across this vid down an absolute RU-vid hole. Good video, those ribs looked incredible

Fellow kentuckian here! Good video, hope to have a grill this style some day.

Mine is 30 years old . Base cracked and BGE totally replaced it. Only problem is my old one is army green with orange peel texture , new ones are emerald green with dimpled texture. Wasn't having it to have top and bottom looking different, so I bought a new dome at my own expense and basically have a new EGG for the next 30 years !

There are a lot of used eggs on the market. Usually with accessories included.

Thanks, I'll order one. Just need to figure out which one. The bigger the better? Now I'll check out your BBQ sauce receipt

I agree 100% with you, the side tables and stand, cover, and conveggtor was a additional $500 🤦🏽‍♂️🤦🏽‍♂️ something that should come with the egg! Still worth it tho

Great vid! My medium egg is on the way! Can I ask one thing (Australian here), why is it that almost every USA based cooking vid I watch, you get your meat from big box retail, generally Costco? Are small independent butcher shops not a thing in the US? Cheers!

Yo bro the way you described the glazing process has really hit home great teaching.

I’m a devoted egghead and I have an XL and a mini max. They are so versatile I do everything from grilling, smoking, baking,using a wok, literally you can cook everything on a Big green Egg . You will never need another grill I suggest buying the XL no matter what.

I looked at the green egg when they first came out and I determined I absolutely did not need one at all!

What size is the egg on the video?

I was given a Large BGE as a gift from family or I would have totally bought the XL due to the issue of the size. But I knew that I was going to spend almost 1500.00 on accessories and a table. SO we choose to not upgrade it to the XL. I am super happy but have only had it a few weeks. I am sure I will have the same opinion in a year. I did a two stage (indirect/Direct) for some Ribeyes. I was cooking 5 large ribeyes. Had to stack them with the EGGspander in order to fit them on half the grill.... Its hard to explain that size. Anyways thanks for the video!

So medium diez is worthless? You need large at least?

Basic parts are not included in the base price cos customers will pay either way as said here.

What size is yours?

What size is that. Looks like a med egg. I recommend a large or XL and you have so much cooking space especially with the eggspander. I’ve had my egg for 8 yrs and love it still today as the first day I bought it.

Found one used in FB for around $500 3 years old, would anyone recommend a used one to lower that get in price?

Really enjoyed this video. Currently thinking of buying a Green Egg or a Kamado Joe.

id make the suggestion if you are moving, to sell the large and buy an XL for your new place. you get a bit more grill space with not much loss in efficiency. i have found the XL a great size for most things, whole brisket with no fuss.

I had my large Green Egg for 12 years now and can do two racks of ribs at once laid flat. I cooked in a snow storm with easy and one load of charcoal will last better than 16 hours doing a brisket. I would buy it again if I broke it.

Since the first time i bought a green egg xl i cook almost every day in it

The BGE. When you know, you know. It is legit worth the price tag. Have I made shoe leather on it? Yes. But have I also made the simplest of meats into something Eggstraordinary. Believe it. Chicken legs, thighs, wings. No compare. And I believe it is easier to manage to your point about fuel consumption. It also is capable of very low or high heat if wanted. So versatile. Good, honest review. I’m scared of moving that damn thing too.

You’re a natural with charisma. I think I will buy one.

My wife bought her Large BGE about 3 years ago and I absolutely hate it. Its an absolute archaic design with atleast 6 flaws. If I were going to do it again, I would DEFINITELY buy a Kamado Joe. Its a superior design to the BGE. Here are the flaws on our BGE. 1) The stock chimney cap is a garbage design. It slides sideways and will get stuck due to grease buildup. I actually broke the thumb piece off because it wouldnt move. Plus, rain gets in when you use it!! 2) The hinge for the lid is a joke! You cannot life the lid high enough due to the design of the hinge and I continually hit the back of the BGE with food! Plus, when I am flipping the food, clearance in the back is a problem. 3) The ash door horrible. It doesnt open/close properly because the 2 pieces of sheetmetal DO NOT overlap! If you spread them out to far the ends hit each other and you need to mess with it so that they slide properly. 4) The metal rings that hold the bottom and top of the BGE need to continually be adjusted and, if you dont do it right, the BGE will leak air. This means that you close the chimney and the ash door and the BGE will continue to burn! 5) The stand is an utter joke. We have continual problems with the metal either blocking the ash door or the frame bending. The BGE reminds me of Harley Davidson motorcycles. EVERYTHING on it needs to be replaced becuse the parts are garbage but, when you have it the way you want it, it works well. Again, I STRONGLY recommend ANYONE who may read this to compare BGE to Kamado Joe. Lastly, our firebox broke, the BGE bottom has a huge crack in it, the plate setter broke, I have replaced the seals twice and the chimney handle broke. Luckily, the BGE lower half and the firebox are under warranty and we are getting new ones shortly. Never should have happened after 3 years. I had a weber grill I had for almost 20 years and never had the headache I had with BGE.

Great vid! Thank you for producing. Big Egg Novice:)

GD why is the music so loud? Good video tho considering getting 1

2xl grill costs 2,199 USD - just the grill , and in Europe it costs ~4500 USD - it's a good deal but for the company that makes these grills.

When burning natural charcoal it’s not dirty smoke. Kingsford is dirty smoke.

How much fuel do you put in at the start?

Anyone who wears Patagonia definitely has a Green Egg. And a Yeti cooler too.

Those do look beautiful

Nice video thanks for posting. Music could be dialed down a bit.

Looks very delicious.

The cover is a waste of money, my BGE has been outside in the Texas heat for at least 20 years, and it looks the same as the day I bought it. I never bought any Egg accessories for it for the first 15 years. I bought fire bricks to make my own heat shield and use those for 15 years before I finally bought the official round heat shield, but the fire bricks worked just fine. I originally paid around $700 for my egg 20 years ago, and that is what used eggs are going for today, so if I sold it today, I can get most of my money back for it. If I where to buy one today, I would just get a used one. I think the main reason people get rid of their egg is because they buy a new house, and don’t want to move it. After 15 years of owning it, the internal ceramic parts finally cracked, so I bought new ones, and I also replace the original hinge, because I had the old stile hinge that you needed two hands to lift the lid. I have had to replace the thermometer a couple of times, and the wood handle rots out after a few years, and that flat plate the the charcoals sit on cracks and breaks after a few years, but that’s about it.

Loved the Star Wars text edit haha that cracked me up - New Disney Star Wars sucks though, the originals are iconic

Bought a BGE after 2 years w a KJ. Left that to new homeowners after we sold. W the knowledge I gained working w a kamado, the BGE has been super easy to work w and w less moving parts/etc yeah I'm a big fan.

I suppose it depends how much you use it for cooking , I only have bbq a few times in Summer , so for me would not be value for money , plus it looks way to finicky to use , seems to me for fans only !

2 Each His Own But You Can Get Like 4 Oklahoma Joe BBQ Pits Or Even Pellet BBQ Grill Oklanhoma Joe BBQ Grill And A Kingsford BBQ Grill Good Review Though

My wife wants one and I do want to learn to smoke but holy cow how many hours to make those ribs???? And you literally have to spend all day working on it.

Nice video brother....I am still torn between an Egg, a Kamado Joe and a Primo....

I have had the large BGE for close to 20 years now, and I have to say although it cooks well the old hinge system is an unmitigated piece of shit; I have done EVERYTHING possible, including taking it completely apart and rebuilding it, several times, to correct the persistent underbite. I will NEVER buy another one, rather I'll go to the competition. If you want to avoid the fruitless frustration of dealing with what in my opinion is a poorly engineered product then you might want to consider alternatives as well. That's my two cents.

sell it and buy an XL. will help with some of the issues. ive had my xl since it came out .....15 plus years. wouldnt give it up .....but i wish

Patagonia was only cool in the 90’s, but good review

1200? I saw one for 300. Wasn't very big but still...

In the meantime the rest of the family have eaten and are going to bed 😂

You sold me Lyle!

Good to see he made it off of Mars and started video blogging about things others than potato farming.

Can’t believe you didn’t give any to that beautiful little girl!!

Yes, it is 100% worth it, but don't think you're going to be a grill master right away. There is learning curve to master the BGE, once you have an understanding and some experience, you will create some AMAZING food on your BGE. I have 3, the Mini Max, Medium and the XL BGE, all of them are amazing and serve different purposes. Just so your not totally surprised, it is an expensive hobby to get into, but 100% worth it.

That charcoal edible for health products? Pure wood

Nah...overpriced. Thanks for the great review

The music is terrible, I feel like I'm watching an Asian video about cats. The info is good, though.

all thea work for 1 rib, could have made 2,3 at least

You need to buy a bigger cutting board

Hmm I can buy an old weber forn 20$ and a ceramic charcoal basket for 100$ thats hmm 120$ divided by 12 months a year after 10 years it was hmm 1$ a month your at 13.33 a month for 10 years before interest....

3 hours when are going to eat them tomorrow 😂😂😂

Bra my $250 Weber lasted 12 years. Ya math is friggin way off, kid.

Great BBQ very expensive, I have owned one for over 8 years after being conned by my wife during a severe hangover that we 'really' one of these. Honestly haven't regretted it BUT now really offended by the prices Green Egg seem to think they can charge their customers for 'add ons' some of which are really taking the piss. Green Egg get a reality check and look at the prices you are charging for a table etc which you could get made professionally for a tenth of the price. Nice BBQ well over priced!

Same opinion! You need to know how t u use it!

Yes and yes again. Never ever use anything not coming from the Big Green Egg, you will regret it. My nest is no longer that beautiful cream ceramic but navy blue pitch black because I thought using another charcoal not from Big Green Egg just one time use won't hurt. I regret to this day and even if they ever make a XXXL I will get one but will not sell my XXL to anybody. I am keeping it as a reminder because if I had listened to what they told me at big green egg store I will sell it for a reasonable price because it's still in best shape like when I first got it, BUT bad cheap charcoal got it all ugly looking on the inside. Even when people made me offers because they do not care about the color on the inside I refuse. I take pride in this brand and as a good ambassador it behooves me to tell you my pitfall, that is lifetime insurance I messed up. I am a regular janitor and you can understand I was buying one piece at a time. I should have kept my old regular grill so when I don't have money I can get cheap charcoal.

You should have bought the XL. Don’t complain about the size when they offer other sizes.

Kamado Joe all day, price, quality, can grill right out of the box.

Better off to buy a Kamado joe series III

Honestly, my little Char-Broil grill I got at Lowe’s for $250 serves me well. It heats up in 10-minutes, produces excellent Smokey flavor, and the Propane tank is affordable and lasts a long time. It’s stainless steel, doesn’t rust, has a thermometer and holds its heat setting. I just put a small cast iron wood box on the grill with damp hickory and it smokes like crazy. I’m sure the egg is nice, but I can’t justify the cost. I also don’t like the hefty weight and small cooking area. Seems like the egg would be perfect for smoking a brisket or pork shoulder, or whole chicken. But for the weekend steak, hamburger or hot dogs which is 80% of what I cook, it seems a little overkill.

Great video, brother! The XL is probably the sweet spot for BGE…it can do it all and is not too big if you only have a small amount of meat. The 2XL is overkill though, IMO.

Two comments: 1) You could get a lot more on your grill if you cut that huge rack of ribs in half or quarters. 2) You have a $200 dollar baby bottle maker behind you; evidently money is no issues, so buy all the extras

Big Green Egg vs. Kamado Joe?

What kind of math is that

not worth bragging rights...

Ether you're a good cook or not. The best, most expensive tools won't make you a top chef.

Paid $525 for it in 2005 at EggFest. Still going strong, never had to replace anything but a gasket. Just bought a 2nd one for $500 with sturdy table. If something happened to either of them I would replace immediately! So I now have two for what one would cost new today. Cooking machines!!!

After watching this the Egg is not for me.

09:27 🐒

I got a better idea. There’s a place called Dave’s barbecue restaurant. You can eat within half an hour and you don’t have to spend all that time doing that work.😂😂😂