Big Green Egg / Weber Smokey Mountain
 

Whose got one?

I'm splurging $1,000 on kitchen stuff. I have pretty much everything I need and then some already, but I don't have a barbecue. I live in an apartment very high up though, so it gets windy, and since I live in Canada I'm thinking the egg (or there's a Vision Kamado at Costco for $499 that seems appealing for the price).

Then with the extra money I was going to get some Victorinox Fibrox knives (good and cheap) or one good Japanese chef's knife perhaps.

I'm curious if the ceramic cookers like the BGE can be used in Winter, or would they crack?

Up here in Ontario, my local butcher swears by his XL Green Egg. He uses it all winter with no issues. He also mentioned he did a dinner party for friends.. on it.. closed it down, and when he got up the next morning, cooked breakfast on it with the coals from the previous night. How's that for efficiency?

Ontario California?

Nope the colder one in Canada

I have a large BGE (they were at Costco a few months back) and an XL bge (bought a couple of years ago)... As well as a natural gas grill.
I only use my gas grill for hotdogs...

I bbq on the egg in Calgary all the time - and we get far more extreme weather than Windsor.. (We'll hit -40C over night, and then 2 days later, +10C). No issues at all on my XL. It's been used in all temperatures. I use it 2-3 times a week in the winter, getting it to 900 degrees for a pizza when it's -20C outside.
They're also guaranteed for life against cracking, so no worries.
I highly, highly recommend them. Just be careful with the egg though, it gives off a lot of smoke - your upstairs neighbours may complain.

Don't know about the warranty on the Kamado, but fit/finish feels a lot cheaper than the egg - however, I'm sure it'll cook just as well unless you're doing 15+hr smokes.

k thats good news.. The $599 price tag is appealing, I'll check them both out before deciding. The ceramic has a lifetime warranty on the Kamado, but the rest doesn't. The thing is with buying something at Costco you're getting to deal with them on warranty stuff, which is full refund if it breaks 10 years later kind of thing.. so that's another positive. I can't imagine it being feasible to ever ship a 200 lb thing back to the company, especially if it's somewhere in the US.

The smoke may be excessive too you're right. I'm on a corner, so it's really only the two people above me to worry about, and one of them is a chainsmoking pair of rednecks who use my balcony as an ashtray, and the guy above them is a good friend.. Going to the baseball game tomorrow with him and his seasons tickets, 2nd row behind dugout.. annnd bringing a chocolate pie up there now. and some slab bacon. I'll see how much he's in love with the idea.

BIG GREEN EGG -- ALL THE WAY!!! :thumbsup

An old school chum of mine sells them ... I thought he was just trying to pitch me, but then he let me BBQ on it ... I have not looked back since!

I guess if I had checked your info, I would have seen that you are about an hour away from me :winkwink:

Yeah you had me confused because most people from around here don't ever say they're from "ontario" it's either A> more local for locals or B> "Canada" for foreigners. ;)

This video gives me some confidence in the $599 one, looks pretty quality for less than half the price, and comes with a bunch of things that are optional extra accessories on the Egg.. I saw one really redneck egg video yesterday and the guy said "it's like a harley davidson, every extra option is a hundred bucks"

Only concern really is the hinge I guess. The inner ceramic bowl has a crack in it for expansion like the new eggs I believe.

I'm saving up for a big green egg

Ive had the pleasure of using one in the past and they are just amazing at holding temp.

Honestly, they'll cook the same... but I still liken it to kia vs honda...
You can just tell that the BGE is 'better made'. Thicker ceramic, nicer handles, hinges, vents, grills, firebox...
But yeah, buy the kamado and then see if you like it... you can eventually upgrade if you feel the need...
There are a ton of accessories you can buy for the BGE that you might have a little more trouble finding for the Kamado..
I'd recommend:
plate setter - great for indirect cooking... Pizzas, chicken breasts, etc
half moon raised grid / half moon ceramic - creates half your grill for indirect heating, and a nice rack for vegetables

The only thing to consider is that the BGE will retain most of it's value if you ever need to sell it.. The kamado will *probably* depreciate heavily. But yeah, a steak will taste the same..

Yeah that's what I was wrestling with. A large egg here is $1,099, + $169 for cart, + $99 for shelves, +13% tax = ~$1,550... Not to mention the pizza stone, plate setter, etc.

The only thing I'd worry about I guess is it breaking, and it still has a lifetime warranty.. Plus I can return it to local costco (who will always be in business).

And they'll deliver for free, and if I don't like it or there's something wrong, they'll even pick it back up for free, and re-deliver for free.. Which is pretty cool for a 230lb barbecue.

Seems like I'd have to be a real elitist to want the egg at this point. Like you said if I ever want to get another I can. I see some people say they have two eggs and use their small one the most because they're just cooking for their wife and themselves anyways.

Only thing bugging me now is whether to get a gas grill or this. But again I figure if I need/want a gas grill later I can get one then. I wouldn't be able to cook barbecue on a regular grill, seems limiting.. But they sure do look nice and easy in the store.