WSM, Build or BGE Decision

[JD McGee]

I own a Large BGE and a couple of other smokers. I use it a lot, but my feelings about the BGE are ambivalent. Personally, I think it's one of the most overrated BBQ products out there.

I would love to get a Stoker and one of the Weber dome smokers.

I wholeheartedly disagree with you here sir. I own (and use) several of the Weber dome smokers...and they are outstanding smokers (even a decent grill)...but...the BGE is as advertised and as rated. :biggrin:

What other smoker/grill/oven can you smoke cheese @ 80 degrees, do a 16 hour low-n-slow @ 225, bake artisan breads and pizzas in, or sear a steak @ 700. It is, in my and many others opinions, the most versatile cooker on the planet.

 

[Bluesman]

Peformer Up and Smokin'

Well I got my Performer up and am making some thing for the weekend. On the menu is:

1.) Beercan Chicken rubbed and smoked at 250*

2.) MOINK Balls...appetizer during the games tomorrow

3.) Pork Butt for halftime sammies, with coleslaw

I would like to thank all of you guys for turning me into a complete BBQ Whore :-D:-D. The butcher, lady at the hardware store, Weber grills, and my wife and son would also like to extend a hearty and thankful hand shake.

Now for some Pron. All items prepared and ready for rest and or smokin'. New toys, of course. Wireless digital thermometer, Kingsford Blue, Hickory chunks, chimney and electric starter. I can't beleive I found this site only three weeks ago and have come this far. A tribute to the Brotherhood of Smoke. The WSM is in the works. Need my Tax Cash first. Pron of finished product to follow in a seperate thread.

 

[dwmckay99]

I wholeheartedly disagree with you here sir. I own (and use) several of the Weber dome smokers...and they are outstanding smokers (even a decent grill)...but...the BGE is as advertised and as rated. :biggrin:

What other smoker/grill/oven can you smoke cheese @ 80 degrees, do a 16 hour low-n-slow @ 225, bake artisan breads and pizzas in, or sear a steak @ 700. It is, in my and many others opinions, the most versatile cooker on the planet.

Not a flame, but I said "overrated."

The BGE is a nice thing to have, but it does have cons, just like any other cooker/smoker out there.:wink: They are heavy and clumsy, the company is very proprietary, the cooking space (even on a large BGE) is very limited, many people might not want to make the investment, hard to clean, etc. I also own a Weber, a Lang, and a 40 sq ft custom smoker and I cook on my BGE most often, though.

 

[NewEnglandQ]

Not a flame, but I said "overrated."

The BGE is a nice thing to have, but it does have cons, just like any other cooker/smoker out there.:wink: They are heavy and clumsy, the company is very proprietary, the cooking space (even on a large BGE) is very limited, many people might not want to make the investment, hard to clean, etc. I also own a Weber, a Lang, and a 40 sq ft custom smoker and I cook on my BGE most often, though.

Yes it is heavy and perhaps clumsy, as far as cooking space - you can get an xl which will have as much as any other round vertical smoker/grill out there, so the real issue here should be price, not space. As far as hard to clean, I have many grills/smokers and this is the easiest...open it up and let it rip to 700 degrees with all of the grates, stones etc in there and all is clean. You want to talk about difficult to clean, try cleaning a smoker that only goes to 275 ish and get all the grease and gook out of there.

 

[snoqualmiesmoker]

I wholeheartedly disagree with you here sir. I own (and use) several of the Weber dome smokers...and they are outstanding smokers (even a decent grill)...but...the BGE is as advertised and as rated. :biggrin:

What other smoker/grill/oven can you smoke cheese @ 80 degrees, do a 16 hour low-n-slow @ 225, bake artisan breads and pizzas in, or sear a steak @ 700. It is, in my and many others opinions, the most versatile cooker on the planet.

I agree and approve of this post.

Not a flame, but I said "overrated."

The BGE is a nice thing to have, but it does have cons, just like any other cooker/smoker out there.:wink: They are heavy and clumsy, the company is very proprietary, the cooking space (even on a large BGE) is very limited, many people might not want to make the investment, hard to clean, etc. I also own a Weber, a Lang, and a 40 sq ft custom smoker and I cook on my BGE most often, though.

They are heavy, but clumsy? Cant blame them for being proprietary, lots of folks wanting to cash in.

Yes it is heavy and perhaps clumsy, as far as cooking space - you can get an xl which will have as much as any other round vertical smoker/grill out there, so the real issue here should be price, not space. As far as hard to clean, I have many grills/smokers and this is the easiest...open it up and let it rip to 700 degrees with all of the grates, stones etc in there and all is clean. You want to talk about difficult to clean, try cleaning a smoker that only goes to 275 ish and get all the grease and gook out of there.

I agree and approve of this post, too.

The BGE is by far the best. 29 hours on one load of fuel at 225? Done. Sear a steak at 700? Done.

I love my weber stuff, but after getting 2-22 WSM's all bent to crap in perfect packaging, Weber build quality has gone down the crapper. But you can't beat the success of the WSM on the competition circuit. Man o Man, does it win.
The egg is pretty pricey though. Pretty pricey.

 

[ecowise]

If you're really considering BGE you should check out Primos. The Xl has some major cooking surface and they have extension racks. BGE and Primo are both great, yet primo is the only 100% american made kamado style cooker on the market, just sayin'. Personally I think the primos are slightly more, but I would spend the extra 20 and keep a job in the states. Best of luck bro