Everyone has that moment where they come across their first Big Green Egg, whether it’s at an NFL tailgate or a family outing where cousin Ed just smoked the best brisket you ever ate.
Before you know it, you’re studying up on the right size, right price and the right space in your backyard. In a perfect world, I would probably just “go big” with the XL, especially if you’re the type of person who can’t say no when all those neighbors come knocking.
(And they will, because you are about to cover the whole neighborhood in heavenly smoke as you grill, roast, smoke and bake.)
Big Green Egg sizes are many. There are seven models to choose from and all of these ceramic cookers have redeeming features including a lifetime warranty so they last forever. They all have the same basic components, including the egg itself, a fire bowl, an insulated fire ring, and a variable cooking surface system. So . . . which one’s right for you?
What Matters Most to You in a Big Green Egg
Start by doing some personal research, as you would a new auto since these are big investments for the average household. See how your friends or family like theirs, watch the EGGsperts in action, and taste the results. Drop by a local dealer like Ace Hardware and kick the tires. Is this something you’re ready to truly dive into rather than throwing quick food on the stove or in the microwave? It’s a passion and a labor of love, so you’ve got to love it first. What do you want to cook, and how many mouths are you feeding? Once you know that, it’s a matter of comparing things like grid diameter and cooking area by square inches, or portability and vertical smoking space. What’s your budget? Maybe you just want the most popular model.
Want some incredible Big Green Egg recipes? We’ve got you covered.
It’s Time to Meet the Gang
Snow White would have been better off with these seven famous workers. If you already have a Weber gas grill or a Traeger pellet smoker, you could buy one of these and join the many people who just combine them for a BBQ master setup. We’ll just lay out the kamado oven choices for you here, from the smallest and most portable to the heavyweight champ:
Mini Big Green Egg
It’s a little dude but the Mini definitely serves a purpose. Say you’re on a fishing trip and want to filet and grill your trout right on the grill, or you just want a steak or a couple of pork chops. An apartment balcony could use this (only if your complex allows it!) and maybe a boat outing as well. It’s also a nice complement for your larger EGG so you add versatility to the overall cook.
Grid Diameter: 10 inches. Cooking Area: 79 square inches. Weight: 39 pounds.
MiniMax Big Green Egg
Tailgating is not complete without this parking lot hero. You win no matter what your team does. The MiniMax is easy to transport with a sturdy carrier and two handles, and you can see why so many people call this more affordable model their favorite. If you’re camping, it’s your cooking solution and warm fire all in one. The Mini Max Big Green Egg is almost twice as heavy as the Mini with nearly twice the overall cooking area size, handling a whole rack of ribs. In fact, it matches the Small in grid diameter and square inches. It’s easy to see why this is so popular.
Grid Diameter: 13 inches. Cooking Area: 133 square inches. Weight: 76 pounds.
Small Big Green Egg
This might be just right if it’s usually just you and another person doing the eating. It will accommodate four burgers, a couple steaks, a beer can chicken, even a 12-pound turkey. The cooking surface space is identical to the MiniMax, but the extra four pounds are due to the deeper chamber so you can use more lumps and get more serious cooks. Again, it’s a great companion to any of the big boys we’re about to discuss, to juggle lots of food.
Grid Diameter: 13 inches. Cooking Area: 133 square inches. Weight: 80 pounds.
Medium Big Green Egg
Now you start to get into the BBQ grill models that accommodate the kinds of EGGsessories that really make the whole green thing really fun. For example, you’ll want the convEGGtor, the high-end rEGGulator on top for optimum air flow, and maybe the pizza and baking stone. The Medium is good for more modest sized families or really hungry couples, and it can entertain like no one’s business. Maybe you want one of these beauties but just aren’t ready for the jumbo sizes just yet. It has room for six burgers or four steaks, but remember you can always smoke and stack, just altering the meats on top of each other as you go to allow more food.
Grid Diameter: 15 inches. Cooking Area: 177 square inches. Weight: 114 pounds.
Large Big Green Egg
This is the model we own and it’s easy to see why it is the brand’s bestseller. If you’re hosting the family for a holiday or weekend outing, it always comes up big. You can smoke seven racks of ribs vertically, or a dozen burgers, or a 20-pound Butterball turkey for Thanksgiving. You’ll want to add some EGGsessories like the convEGGtor and EGGspander so you really make full use of it, going up to three tiers for vertical smoking and ease of use. It’s super versatile and if anything you might want to add a Mini or MiniMax.
Grid Diameter: 18 1/4 inches. Cooking Area: 262 square inches. Weight: 162 pounds.
XLarge Big Green Egg
Still looking for the right one? Hold onto your BBQ apron. The XLarge Big Green Egg has a cooking area two feet across that will never fail, especially if you believe that bigger is better. After all, you can always just freezes extras and clean up if that cookout proved smaller than you expected . . . but you can’t create more space if twice the crowd shows up! Brisket lovers rejoice: You can smoke a 16-22-pounder with bone, and take pride in the juiciest creation yet. A big pizza fits perfectly on the stone here and practically pays for itself if you keep making them like we have. Add the EGGspander and you are the king of your BBQ world.
Grid Diameter: 24 inches. Cooking Area: 452 square inches. Weight: 219 pounds.
2XL Big Green Egg
This is what you call a huge hue of green. At 375 pounds before any add-ons, we’re talking about a statement in the middle of your BBQ area. Everyone is going to crowd around EGGzilla. Got a party of 30 coming up as a reunion or church or corporate outing? No problem. The 2XL Big Green Egg can handle 40 burgers, 18 to 20 steaks, or 14 to 16 whole chickens. There’s room to grow your own BBQ smoker catering business thanks to this monster. This is when you know you are a serious barbecuer and this is when you know you have a lot of friends.
Grid Diameter: 29 inches. Cooking Area: 672 square inches. Weight: 375 pounds.
The main thing is making sure your dream Big Green Egg is the one you get, so you don’t buy one size and realize you really needed more of this or less of that. Before you know it, you’ll be going to Eggfest events and meeting BBQ captains who own every size and baby them like their own kids.
