Green Egg vs Weber Bullet

[Hidoyle]

I know, it's probably a stupid question but I'm torn between a Green Egg and a Weber Bullet. I have a Broil King XL for back yard grilling but I'm looking at either a Green Egg or a Weber Bullet for another option. I am a CMJ and see both at competitions. I know the Bullet is quite a bit cheaper but I like the versatility of the GE. I would like to hear the pros and cons from those that have either one.

[aawa]

The Big Green Egg can do what a Weber Smokey Mountain can do, but the Weber Smokey Mountain can't do what the Big Green Egg does (obviously capacity will be different between the 2)

BGE can do high temp searing, pizza's, breads, as well as low and slow bbqing. The thing with the BGE is there are other Kamado Style Cookers that can do the same thing as the BGE but priced lower.

What about going with a lower priced kamado cooker such as the Kamado Joe or the Visions Kamado and also picking up a Weber Smokey Mountain? ManCaveMeals on youtube has great reviews on the Kamado Joe, Big Kamado Joe, and Chargrill Akron steel kamado)

[NickTheGreat]

I had the same question a year or so ago. I have a real nice Weber gas grill I use for daily stuff, and that played into my decision to get the WSM. I just didn't see myself firing up the BGE to do anything other than smoke. And the WSM does that for less money and does a damn fine job.

[NickTheGreat]

Originally Posted by aawa

The Big Green Egg can do what a Weber Smokey Mountain can do, but the Weber Smokey Mountain can't do what the Big Green Egg does (obviously capacity will be different between the 2)

BGE can do high temp searing, pizza's, breads, as well as low and slow bbqing. The thing with the BGE is there are other Kamado Style Cookers that can do the same thing as the BGE but priced lower.

What about going with a lower priced kamado cooker such as the Kamado Joe or the Visions Kamado and also picking up a Weber Smokey Mountain? ManCaveMeals on youtube has great reviews on the Kamado Joe, Big Kamado Joe, and Chargrill Akron steel kamado)

I just posted about choosing the WSM over the BGE, but I find myself thinking what you posted. I keep wondering if I should get some sort of cheap kamodo's to do pizzas and such. I foresee myself getting something along those lines this summer

[aawa]

Originally Posted by NickTheGreat

I just posted about choosing the WSM over the BGE, but I find myself thinking what you posted. I keep wondering if I should get some sort of cheap kamodo's to do pizzas and such. I foresee myself getting something along those lines this summer

If you want a budget kamado that is very functional the Chargril Akron Steel Kamado is at the $300 price point. JMSeltzer of ManCaveMeals on youtube has a very extensive review of the Akron Kamado. He is also very passionate about Kamado cooking and if you sent him a PM, i'm sure he would be more than happy to sound advice on a kamado that would fit your needs (he is very knowledgable about the primo's, BGE, kamado joe, chargrill akron and many other kamados)

[Onenailer]

Price is one thing, affordability is another, but what you really need to look at is what do you want them to do and which one does it better.

[Ron_L]

As a straight smoker I prefer the WSM, but as a versatile cooker, it's the BGE, hands down. It can grill at lava temps, smoke low and slow, roast and bake. Pizza on the Egg is great!

An old friend once said that a BGE costs more than it should, but it's worth more than it costs.

[stl-rich]

I recently bought or stole a red Akorn from Amazon - since I got it I've only been using it or my mini:-) The Akorn is GREAT, I suggest the OP get one and perhaps also a WSM

Whoever dies with most toys WINS :-)

[Dreggs]

hey guys, it's an Akorn.

[Zippylip]

another consideration is portability - the egg is very heavy & clumsy & can shatter if dropped or tipped over, so for the most part if you plan on keeping it in one spot it's fine but if you want to go mobile (even across the patio) be very careful, I've seen more than enough broken eggs over the years. I have two large eggs that don't move so it's not an issue, my Kettle moves all over the place including out by the bonfire pit to be closer to the action.

Both of the cookers you are considering are excellent and you'll be happy with both, I think it really comes down to what you're looking to accomplish with them. If it's primarily bbq, I'd go with the Weber for many of the reasons already cited. If you want to incorporate scorching high temps for baking bread & pizza and so forth in addition to bbq, I'd go with ceramic, or a keg or other similar style cooker.

[katman]

I've used eggs for about 30 years, same with kettles and water smokers. Eggs don't use much fuel and are very stable when you learn how to control them. The cooking capacity is a bit more limited than what you have on a large WSM. You can grill and bake on both. Ceramics do take more time to stabilize, and they are more difficult to transport.

[Bludawg]

First let me be perfectly clear I wouldn't own either one, but it is my choice. I like things I can repair if I need to. 1 errant rock kicked out of your mower will kill ole Humpty Dumpty and annoy the Tin Man.

[DriverWild]

As an owner of both the #1 difference for me is portability. I don't have the option of taking my XL with me to comp's so I bought a WSM and OTS so I can accomplish smoking or grilling via portable units. #2 is cost- XL with accessories will run somewhere around $1500 after taxes. WSM+OTS is ~$500 so you can also decide if that extra grand is worth it to you. #3 is maintenance- The egg has moving parts that can wear out/break and a seal that is a pain to replace and keep from burning out. The WSM doesn't have any hinges or seals to replace so it is cheaper to maintain. #4 is fuel consumption- The BGE is the most efficient cooker in my opinion it uses VERY little fuel so you will save some money on lump charcoal costs in the long run. #5 is quality of cook results- this should probably be number one but honestly they are so close it won't make a huge difference which unit you pick as they both turn out excellent food. If you love a deep smoke ring the WSM will give you a better result as the BGE has a lower oxygen environment and less conducive to the reaction needed to make a ring deep in color. You will get one in a BGE but it won't be as pretty, at least that's been my experience. Just my 2 cents... Good luck!

[K-Train]

I have friends that are egg dealers. They let me use one of their demos for comps. I kept it for about a year. Cooks great, but I literally threw my back out moving it one morning (I'm not the biggest guy in the world in all fairness). I was also worried that I was going to break it hauling it around. I since bought a wsm and no looking back. I have the 22.5 and the difference in capacity is enough to keep me happy. The egg does cook great though.

[jamus34]

I do not have a BGE but would like to own one.

That said the cost difference alone is a pretty big deal since you can get both an Akorn and a 22 WSM and still come in cheaper than the two larger BGE.

If your set on a ceramic Costco sells the Vision brand komado that is somewhat more affordable than a BGE however doesn't look to have quite the same level of production value behind it.

Me personally I have a OTS, the bullet, and in the process of building a mini-WSM. I have a 10 yr old off brand gasser that's on it's last legs and as sooner as the burners rust through it's going in the garbage. I am up in the air between getting a Weber Genesis gasser and a BGE, given that price wise it'll be fairly close.

And apologies as this rambling response really has no bearing for the OP.