Have you been thinking about getting the Big Green Egg but are wondering if it’s really worth the investment? Then read on because here is my official review of Big Green Egg! After buying my first Egg in 2010 and having tested all kinds of grills on the market (including competitors to the Egg such as the Kamado Joe and the Primo) I’m giving my honest opinion below.

But, Before we jump into the Big Green Egg, If you are looking to get a new grill, I HIGHLY recommend you first watch my video “What’s the Best Grill For You” and read the accompanying GRILL FINDER GUIDE so you can first identify what is the best grill for you based on your lifestyle. For example, if you’ve never cooked on charcoal before, the Egg might not be a fit for you yet and there are many other categories to explore such as gas, charcoal, pellet and flattop (with different types of technology layered on top to boot) so I recommend you read my guide first before deciding on the EGG.

After reading my guide you decide that a Kamado Style grill is right for you, I recommend you also check out my video and article “Big Green Egg Versus Kamado Joe” where I dig into some core differences of Big Green Egg and their top competitors. When asking, is the Big Green Egg worth it- keep in mind that ANY quality Kamado grill is going to be, at minimum, in the $1200 USD price point or more. I cannot vouch for the longevity and quality of the cheaper Kamados they sell at places like Home Depot. As the old adage goes, “You get what you pay for” in grills as with all other things.

Please also keep in mind that if you are in the market for a Kamado Style grill, Big Green Egg is not your only option. The Kamado Joe and Primo Grills are also great options for a kamado style grill. I recommend you watch my video on Big Green Egg Versus Kamado Joe to get a deep dive onto these type of grills. If you are building an entire outdoor kitchen outfitted with an entire set up of grills, Coyote Outdoor also offers a Kamado style grill as well. So, as I mentioned before- you have lots of options in the Kamado market. However, as I’ve said before, nothing compares with the community that comes with the Big Green Egg. If connecting with and cooking with fellow grill enthusiasts sounds exciting to you, that could make the Egg the differentiator for you. Read on get my thoughts:

What is the Big Green Egg???

PLUS, The Benefits of Cooking On A Kamado Style Grill versus Other Types of Charcoal Grills

The Big Green Egg is a kamado Style Grill that is a type of charcoal grill. A kamado Style Grill is actually an ancient Chinese and Japanese style of Grill that’s been around for thousands of years. If you want a deep dive and comparison of all the different types of Kamado Grills, BBQ Guys wrote an excellent Kamado grill buying guide.

Because the Big Green Egg is ceramic also means that the Big Green Egg (and all Kamado Grills really) offer these benefits over other types of grills:

• 🔥Maintains its temperature very well
• 💦Retains moisture
• 🪵Uses less charcoal AND,
• ‼️Will last virtually forever (unless you drop it and crack it).

PLUS: they can also:

• 💨 🍕Smoke, bake, make pizzas! Ie, they are super versatile and can perform the role of many grills in one!

With proper care, you can likely pass on your Kamado grill to your grandkids one day!

These are all major advantages over other charcoal grills. And, the beauty of a Kamado style grill is that compared to other grills in the market, there are less parts to break. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a pellet smoker crap out on me and need a part replacement at very inconvenient times, like when I’m cooking Thanksgiving turkey, which is why I will always value my Egg!

Over time, you will need to replace the gasket in your Egg (or the gasket in any Kamado grill) but in comparison to Pellet Smokers, Gas Grills and the myriad of other types of grills in the market that need more parts to keep running, this is a minimal investment.

The Egg Community: A Differentiator Among Kamado Grills in the Market

As I mentioned before, and in my youtube videos “Big Green Egg versus Kamado Joe, which one is right for you?”- there are some other really great Kamado style grills on the market that will cook the same and come at a similar price point. However, the core differentiator for the Egg is the community behind it. Because Egg was first to market the ceramic kamado style grill to the US, they definitely have the most brand recognition in the market. However, this doesn’t mean its your only option. Read on to discover what I feel to be a major differentiator.

What I really love about being an Egg owner is that they have Egg Fests that often benefit a charity and these are opportunities where you can go cook in a contest and meet other Eggers and it’s s ton of fun!

I don’t know of any other type of grill where owners will spend their own money to go out and cook on a grill and get together with other grill owners- there’s a camaraderie that comes with an Egg that I have not seen in any other kind of grill in the market.

There’s also Eggtoberfest which is an annual event that Egg holds at their HQ in Atlanta or somewhere nearby in Atlanta like the Atlanta Motor Speedway and it’s another opportunity to go hang out with other people and learn new ways to cook on the egg and eat lots of great food.

There are also a ton of online places to engage and interact with fellow Eggheads online via social media. You’ll see lots of pages created just for the Egg based on location, whether it’s a Eggers of South Florida page or an Eggers of Alaska page- where your are you can find a page to connect with fellow Eggheads and share your cooks. Wherever you are you can connect with fellow Eggers: it’s a common bond that you share with people where you get together and share your recipes and experiences and interact and engage over the love of great food. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure you can find groups online for other kamado style grills like the Kamado Joe, but the community aspect is not as robust as it is with an Egg. This is something that is unique to the Egg in my opinion as someone who has been writing and working in the grilling space since 2008.

Having said all that, if you DO NOT CARE about the social aspect of cooking with others at Eggfests or even online then there are lots of other options.

Price and Versatility

Too answer your question is the Big Green Egg worth it? As an Egg owner since 2010 I’d say definitively yes! I don’t know any other Grill in the market that’s going to have a limited lifetime warranty that you can most likely pass down to your grandkids one day. With that bonus that this grill can smoke bake roast and do all the things, especially with the ability to add on different accessories that give you all kinds of new ways to use the Big Green Egg (pizza, multi-level cooking with the Eggspander, wok).

Considering the price point of around twelve hundred dollars I find this grill to a great value considering the minimal maintenance and how long it will last. Any other Grill you can get at a big box store will not last as long and have the same warranty as you will have in a ceramic grill so I would say for that fact alone the Big Green Egg is a great value, not to mention the versatility that you get with this style of cooker because it can grill, sear, roast, and even bake.

If you want to compare warranties on all the Kamado style grills, BBQ Guys has put together an awesome warranty comparison of all the major Kamado grills.

Keep in mind that the warranty linked above is a bit out of date on accessories as both Primo and Kamado Joe have rotisseries and rotisserie baskets available as accessories. If accessories are a deciding factor for you, I highly encourage you to check and see what is on the roadmap for the big three Kamado makers: Big Green Egg, Kamado Joe and Primo. There are also a lot of companies that make great after market accessories just for the Egg and other Kamados like the Kick Ash Basket.

Frequently Asked BGE Questions:

Is the Big Green Egg Good for Smoking?

💨 After smoking hundreds of things I can definitively say YES! I’ve smoked briskets, pork butts, chicken thighs, and a 3 foot gator on my large Big Green Egg. Now, having said that, if you want to smoke very large things like a whole hog or you are cooking for a LOT of people and need more surface area, you might consider getting the 2XL so you have more room.

Is the Big Green Egg Made in America?

🇲🇽 No, it’s made in Mexico. The only ceramic grill that I know of made in America is the Primo. The only gas grill I know of that is made in North America is Napolean grills just for your reference.

Is the Big Green Egg Warranty Transferable?

🚫 Perhaps you are thinking of getting a used Egg off FB marketplace to save some money. Unfortunately, the warranty is NOT transferable. Big Green Egg states on their website at this link:

Warranty for Residential Use: Each Big Green Egg® ceramic cooker (2XL, XXLarge, XLarge, Large, Medium, Small, MiniMax and Mini) used as a residential (non-commercial) ceramic cooker carries a Limited Lifetime Warranty for materials and workmanship on all ceramic components (including dome, base, damper top, fire box and fire ring) to the original purchaser or owner who has purchased the EGG from an Authorized Dealer, and has registered their Warranty as required (the “Residential Warranty”). This Warranty is valid for as long as the original purchaser owns the EGG®. You can read the full warranty info on Big Green Egg’s website here.

Does Big Green Egg Ever Go On Sale? - How to Get a Discount on a New Egg

Eggs rarely go on sale. They will often run specials for “accessories” but I’ve rarely ever seen discounting of actual Eggs. If you want a new Egg but don’t want to pay full price, then you need to find out when the local Eggfest is in your area. Eggfests, often sponsored by local hardware stores who sell Eggs, supply brand new DEMO Eggs to teams at Eggfest that are used once and then sold for up to 30% off. If you want a highly discounted Egg and the warranty, buying a demo Egg after an Eggfest is the way to go!

Demo Eggs used for Egg fests, are only used once and are offered for sale at a discount up to 30% off! This is the only way to get a discount on an Egg.

Let me know your thoughts below and I’m happy to answer any questions about the Big Green Egg. Don’t forget to check out all the resources we have for new Eggers such as our complete guide to getting started on the Big Green Egg, our series that takes you through the set up and and how to control the temperature in your Egg, including some seminal cooks such as your first pork butt on the Big Green Egg. And make sure to bookmark our site because we have over 100 recipes developed just for the Big Green Egg to help you cook like a pro! Even if you don’t end up getting an egg, the recipes on this site will work for any grill or smoker! Good luck in your search for a Big Green Egg or a Kamado Grill! Let me know what you end up getting in the comments below!

Note, I am on Big Green Egg’s Influencer Team called BGE Team Green, BUT they do NOT pay me. This is my honest review after having grilled on many grills over the years.

The post Is the Big Green Egg Worth It? An Honest Big Green Egg Review appeared first on Grill Girl.