Best Big Green Egg Grills: Size Guide and Buyer's Breakdown

The BGE Size Ladder

Big Green Egg makes seven sizes, but only three matter for most buyers: Large, XL, and MiniMax.

**MiniMax** ($598): 13" cooking diameter, 33 lbs. Perfect for two people, tabletop cooking, or as a secondary kamado. Fits a whole chicken or two steaks.

**Large** ($899): 18.25" diameter, the default recommendation. Fits a full packer brisket, two whole chickens, or three pizzas. This is the size most BGE owners buy and the one dealers stock most heavily.

**XL** ($1,199): 24" diameter for serious entertainers. Two briskets, four chickens, or eight burgers simultaneously. Overkill for most families but essential if you cook for 10+ regularly.

The other sizes (2XL, Medium, Small, Mini) fill niche roles. The 2XL is restaurant-sized. The Medium is a tweener — not much cheaper than Large with significantly less space. Skip both unless you have a specific use case.

What the Egg Does Better Than Anything Else

A Big Green Egg holds temperature from 200°F to 750°F+ with the same load of lump charcoal. That range is unmatched by any other cooker.

At 225°F, a Large Egg runs 12+ hours on 5 lbs of lump — fuel efficiency that embarrasses every metal cooker. At 700°F, it bakes Neapolitan-style pizza in 90 seconds. At 800°F, it sears steaks better than most gas grills.

The ceramic walls store heat so effectively that ambient temperature barely matters. I've held 225°F in -15°F Minnesota weather without an insulated blanket. A metal kettle would burn through three times as much fuel.

The Hidden Costs

The Egg price is just the beginning. You need a table or nest ($200–$800), a heat deflector / plate setter ($60–$120), an ash tool ($25), and a wireless thermometer ($100–$200). Plan on $1,400–$1,800 all-in for a Large with basic accessories.

BGE's accessory ecosystem is the deepest in kamado cooking. The Eggspander system adds multi-level cooking. The pizza stone is genuinely excellent. The cast iron grid sears beautifully. But each add-on is $50–$200, and it's easy to spend more on accessories than on the cooker itself.

The good news: these accessories last decades. Buy once, use forever.

BGE vs Kamado Joe: Should You Consider the Competition?

Kamado Joe Classic III matches the Large Egg on cooking performance and adds features BGE doesn't have: the Divide & Conquer multi-level system, SloRoller insert for even low-and-slow heat, and an air-lift hinge that opens with one finger.

BGE wins on: brand legacy, dealer network, accessory ecosystem, and resale value. A used Large Egg sells for 70% of retail. A used Kamado Joe sells for 55%.

Kamado Joe wins on: out-of-box features, innovation, and included accessories. The Classic III includes things BGE charges extra for.

My recommendation: If you have a strong local BGE dealer, buy the Egg. The warranty and parts pipeline matter over a 20-year ownership period. If you don't, the Kamado Joe Classic III is the better value.

The Verdict

**Solo/couple cooking**: MiniMax. Portable, affordable, and genuinely capable.

**Family of 4, default choice**: Large. It's the 18-wheeler of backyard cooking — does everything, lasts forever.

**Regular entertainer**: XL. Two briskets at once is a game-changer for parties.

**Skip**: The Medium (too small for the price), Small (outclassed by MiniMax), and 2XL (restaurant overkill).