Grills have gained massive popularity over the years. As a result, more people are going for grilled foods. As a result, many grill brands have come up, Weber Smokey Mountain and Big Green Egg being included.
Choosing the best grill that suits your needs can be tricky, especially if you are new to this field. But we have made your smoker buying experience easier for you.
Hereunder we shall be looking at two of the best smoking brands today, i.e., Weber Smokey Mountain Vs Big Green Egg. Let's get into details!
Table of Contents
Weber Smokey Mountain
Weber Smokey Mountain (WSM) is one of the most popular brands manufactured by Weber. People primarily embrace this grill due to its excellent performance and elegant build.
The grill has undergone tremendous changes over the past several years. Such changes include new sizes, better construction, and inbuilt thermometers.
WSM comes in three different sizes, namely 14 Inch, 18 Inch, and 22 Inch. The 14 inch suits an average-sized family, while the 22 Inch WSM can cook for crowds.
What about fuel? You will use charcoal when grilling with Weber Smokey Mountain.
This bullet-shaped charcoal smoker can retain a steady temperature for hours. This means that you won't be worrying about sudden temperature changes.
The backyard and WSM are siblings. These two are inseparable. Thus, the WSM has a solid build to protect it from harsh weather in the backyard.
Stand out features of WSM
The damper system is one of the unique features of WSM. This system allows you to control the internal temperature in the smoker without opening the lid. Instead, raise or lower the vents to attain your desired cooking temperature.
Raising the vents increases the oxygen flow in the chamber while closing or lowering the vent turns off the fuel.
Additionally, the inbuilt thermometer makes monitoring cooking temperature easier. You don't have to check how far your food has cooked now and then by opening the lid.
The frequent opening of the cooker can be tiring; you expose your hands to burns and tamper with the internal cooking temperatures. With the thermometer, you will just be reading the temperatures on display, and you can quickly tell when the food is ready.
Drawback
The lid isn't airtight. This means that rain can slightly find its way into the cooking chamber.
Big Green Egg (BGE)
The green egg bbq smoker derives its name from its egg shape and color. The Big Green Egg multinational company manufactures this smoker. The smoker has been in existence since the 1970s up to date.
We have seen the history of this kamado grill; let's now see its features.
The big green egg is a sturdy construction with expensive materials. You can part with more than a thousand dollars for an average BGE.
An ordinal grill cannot be compared to the BGE. With the BGE, you don't need to adjust gas burners or arrange charcoal briquettes for the best heat distribution.
Instead, fill the lower section of the smoker with lump charcoal and flame it up. These hot coals produce a significant amount of heat for the cooking chamber.
But, what makes this egg? The BGE is constructed from ceramic materials. Its ceramic walls are one inch thick, which helps seal in the heat.
This smoker has a heavy grill lid that is heatproof, thus helping to retain heat in the cooking chamber.
One of the advantages of the big green egg is that you can cook your food in either low or high heat.
With the low heat option, you can choose to cook your food for an extended period, depending on the type of food. On the other hand, you can cook your sear or grill pizzas in the blink of an eye using the high heat option.
The Egg can maintain a 350 F temperature for at least six hours. In addition, the interior can get to 900 F when searing and grilling.
The ceramic construction of the BGE makes the smoker heavier compared to other smokers of the same size.
We have so far seen features of the BGE. But, we also need to know whether the smoker comes in one standard size or comes in different sizes.
The BGE comes in seven different cooking space sizes:
● Mini 79 square inches
● Minimax 133 square inches
● Small 133 square inches
● Medium 177 square inches
● Large 262 square inches
● XL 452 square inches
● 2XL 672 square inches
Stand out features for BGE
The ceramic grill has a thick insulation coating. This coating helps in controlling the cooking temperature in the cooking chamber. You can cook with the green egg in cold weather, too, thanks to this grill's great build.
You have different sizes to choose from for the BGE charcoal grill. This means that you have the freedom to select the grill with your desired cooking capacity.
Drawback
The egg grill is a bit more expensive than the other grills of the same size.
Comparing WSM and the BGE
I know that you can't wait to bring a classy charcoal grill to your backyard. But before you choose either of the above two types of grills at your nearest store, here are some differentiating factors you need to consider:
Cost
If you are sensitive to cost or don't have much to part with, then the Weber Smokey is one of the best alternatives to the big green egg. With the green mountain grill, you will dig deeper into your pocket.
Legs and support
The legs of Weber Smokey Mountain are metallic and are vital to support the smoker and the food inside.
On the other hand, the legs of the green mountain grill are in the shape of a nest. It's a nest holding an egg! These legs are more robust than those of the Weber Smokey Mountain cooker.
Handles
The Weber smoker handles are plastic-like. This means that high temperatures can affect the handles as you cook.
The handles of the Green Egg charcoal grill are made of wood. Therefore, these handles remain calm as you cook. You can even move the charcoal grill from one place to another without getting burnt.
Cooking Methods
Most Weber Smokey grills are perfect for grilling. However, there are some WSM versions that you can use in smoking meat by using wood chips or wood pellets.
On the other hand, the Green Egg Smokey can smoke and grill foods and bake or sear meals.
Portability
The big green egg charcoal smoker is heavier than the Weber Smokey. Therefore, if you plan to move your BGE from place to place, then mini BGE or the weber cook can be a perfect choice.
Cooking Space
Both the Weber and the BGE come in different cooking surface areas. However, the largest size of BGE can serve the most crowds with smoked meat or other types of smoked foods.
Temperature control
Both Weber Smokey and BGE have a temperature control mechanism for the cooking chamber. This way, you can know when less heat is needed or when you need to add extra wood.
Warranty
Most often, the Weber comes with a warranty of ten years.
On the other hand, BGE components have different warranties. For example, the temperature gauge has a shorter period warranty than the grate.
Accessories
In addition to buying your favorite smoker, you may consider more smoker accessories for a smoother smoking experience.
Some of the accessories you might need for a green egg bbq smoker include cast iron sauce pot, basting brush, night light for BGE, charcoal blower fan, etc.
Weber accessories include hickory wood chunks, BBQ gloves, apron, large drip trays, and weber chicken roaster.
Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker
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If you desire that rich smoke flavor in your meat cuts, Weber Smokey is the real deal.
Features
● It comes in three sizes, i.e., 14 Inch, 18 Inch, and 22 Inch
● Large cooking space
● The package includes a thermometer, water pan, heat resistant nylon handle, and vents on the lid
● It uses charcoal and wood chips
● Portable
● Strong legs to support the weight in the grill and the food in the cooking chamber
Big Green Egg Kamado Style Ceramic Grill with Nest, XL
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The BGE is famous for its elegant build. However, this cook is also known for its superior heat retention capability and the various cooking methods it supports.
A common question has always been, "why is big green egg so expensive?" The high price is a result of its superior construction and performance.
Features
● High-quality build
● Adjustable temperature controls; set and go
● Can cook a variety of foods
● Plenty of accessories for a smooth smoking experience
FAQs
1. Which is the best food smoked on Big Green Egg?
Some of the best-smoked foods in the BGE include smoked pork shoulder; lager smoked Spanish chicken, smoked spareribs, beef brisket, and smoked meatloaf.
2. How long can a BGE smoke?
The BGE can smoke for up to 18 hours in a slow cooker using lump charcoal.
3. What can I cook on a Weber Smokey Mountain?
You can cook various types of foods on the WSM, e.g., trout, beginner brisket, applewood smoked ham, apple smoked beer chicken, smoked pepper salmon, and teriyaki pork belly with jasmine rice.
4. How many briquettes Weber Smokey mountain?
Use around thirty-five briquettes in the Weber chimney starter.
Conclusion
Finally, you have all the information about Big Green Egg vs Weber. You can now go right ahead and choose the best cooker that best suits your needs between the two.