Big Green Egg vs Weber: Which One Is Right For You?
The art of backyard BBQ is a notorious mainstay of life in the United States. Today, it’s difficult to find a home that don’t have awesome grills in the backyard where loved ones can congregate over amazing food and great conversation.
The recent surge in the popularity of backyard grilling is due in no small part to the COVID-19 pandemic when many families opted to eat at home more to stay safe. According to a 2022 report by the Hearth, Patio & Barbeque Association, some 38% of all individuals who own grills today bought their equipment in the past two years, and over a quarter of them reported the pandemic as the main reason for their purchases.
While there are many different grills on the market today, two brands stand apart from all the others: the Weber Kettle Grill and the Big Green Egg. If you’re looking for the best outdoor cooker available, you may feel stuck between two options. To determine which grill is right for you, compare and contrast the key aspects of each.
We break down the main differences between Big Green Egg vs Weber grills, including prominent features, unique benefits, and pricing information. Let’s dive in!
Why Are These Two Charcoal Grills So Popular?
Weber grills and Big Green Egg Kamado grills are both painstakingly engineered with reliability and durability in mind. Unlike cheaper grills made with inferior materials, Weber Kettle Grills and Big Green Egg BBQ grills are both premium grills, meant to last for many years before requiring any maintenance.
Additionally, these two grills provide more cooking versatility and control over cooking temperature, making it easy to adjust settings to meet your preferences. Thanks to these products' outstanding construction, flexibility, and consistent performance, Weber Kettle Grills and Big Green Egg Kamado grills distinctly stand out from other options available today.
How To Pick Between Big Green Egg and Weber
Deciding between the Big Green Egg or the Weber Kettle Grill really depends on your budget and how much versatility you want in a grill. Although both these charcoal grills share several commonalities, each has unique characteristics that are important to consider before making a decision. Here is a quick breakdown of these grills, including their history and benefits.
Big Green Egg Overview and Origins
The precursor to the Big Green Egg was introduced to America following World War II. After discovering the outstanding food quality these grills produced, American soldiers brought ceramic kamado grills back from Asia.
It wasn’t long before kamado grills began popping up in American homes from coast to coast. In 1974, American serviceman Ed Fisher decided to create the Big Green Egg company in Atlanta and sought to improve the design of this ancient ceramic grill by incorporating improved materials and modern production techniques. The result is the highly recognizable Big Green Egg grill design we all know and love today.
Key Features of Big Green Egg Kamado Grills
One of the biggest distinguishing features of the Big Green Egg (that differs from the Weber Grill) is it uses wood lump charcoal not standard charcoal that generally has added petroleum. The Lump Wood Charcoal burns hotter and more efficiently than standard charcoal thus, allowing for multiple uses.
The Egg features a cooking chamber with ceramic walls ideal for retaining moisture and heat. Thanks to the airtight design of the lid and the large amount of charcoal the Big Green Egg can hold, these grills can reach temperatures of up to 750 degrees Fahrenheit fairly quickly.
Big Green Egg grills feature a small air intake on the bottom with a rEGGulator Vent Cap at the top that helps control airflow, maintain a consistent temperature and moderate airflow. The lid also includes an accurate and easy-to-read temperature gauge. Big Green Egg sizes vary from the 10-inch mini up to the 2XL 29-inch model.
Benefits of This Brand’s Ceramic Cookers and Grills
One of the biggest problems with lower-quality grills is their uneven distribution and retention of heat across the cooking surface. This not only negatively impacts the flavor of foods but can also result in some foods being undercooked.
With the Big Green Egg, you can enjoy superior control over the cooking chamber's temperature, making it easier to cook your favorite meals to perfection. Their NASA quality ceramics is unlike any other grill on the market. Additionally, the Big Green Egg is excellent at cooking a wider variety of foods than conventional grills, such as pizza, cakes, confections, and much more.
Big Green Egg’s Average Purchase and Running Costs
For many, the high price tag of the Big Green Egg can seem a little daunting at first. Big Green Egg costs are commiserate with the size of the grill. Small and medium models will likely set you back several hundreds of dollars, while the Big Green Egg 2XL will cost thousands but, keep in mind, these grills come with a best in class lifetime warranty on all ceramic parts. The Egg is an investmnt as these grills will last a lifetime.
You must use lump wood charcoal in these grills. They are not made for traditional charcoal. You'll want to start with the Big Green Egg’s natural oak and hickory lump charcoal before trying other brands on the market. Their charcoal has been tested for years on the Egg and while you are learning all of its capabilities, that is our recommendation.
Bear in mind that everything with Big Green Egg is ala carte so, with their huge catalog of accessories, this can drastically increase costs. You do not need to buy everything at once. We see many customers acquiring new accessories over the years. With that being said, you definitely need to start out with a bag of lump charcoal and firestarters (never use lighterfluid in an Egg). If you’re interested in indirect heat grilling, you’ll definitely want to purchase a convEGGtor ceramic plate, which essentially converts the Big Green Egg into an outdoor oven. Costs for a convEGGtor vary depending on size of the Egg. If you want to customize the cooking surface of your Big Green Egg and add different grid levels, you may also want to purchase an EGGspander kit.
Additional accessories worth considering include the Big Green Egg Genius Wi-Fi Temperature Controller, the Big Green Egg Cookbook (or you can search YouTube), and acacia wood side tables. For serious outdoor cooking aficionados that want to go all out, you may want to go for the Egg Table or the Modular system that you can customize and add on to over time.
Weber Overview and Origins
Since its founding in 1893, Weber has maintained a long track record for producing durable, high-quality goods. The first Weber Kettle Grill was created by George Stephen at the Weber Brothers Metal Works in Chicago in 1951. This simple but sleek design resembled a Dutch oven, featuring two dampers on the top and bottom.
Over the years, Weber produced several different iterations of kettle grills at various price points and is widely considered one of the best charcoal grills that money can buy.
Key Features of Weber Grills
Weber Kettle Grills are made from a combination of steel and porcelain enamel, making them far more durable than other grills on the market today. Hinged grates are available on some models, so adding charcoal while cooking is no longer a hassle.
To make cleaning less messy, the Weber Kettle’s one-touch cleaning system makes it easy to sift out ashes from the bottom of the grill in seconds. The circular design of the Weber Kettle helps ensure even heat circulation. Although the Weber Kettle does not have a built-in temperature gauge, they are fairly easy to install with a few basic tools.
Benefits of Weber Kettle Grills
The Weber Kettle Grill's sturdy, simple construction facilitates the product's longevity, making this grill more of an investment than a mere hobby purchase. Weber Kettle Grills are also ideal for travel as they are easy to assemble and weigh only 30 to 60 lbs. depending on the model.
Weber Kettles are also quite flexible, capable of smoking, roasting, or grilling many different foods to perfection. Best of all, Weber Kettle Grills are backed up by warranties, including a 10-year no rust-through guarantee on the lid and bowl.
Another benefit is the availability of replacement parts. Most charcoal grills sold in big box stores do not have parts for Charcoal Grills.So, if your not ready to lay down the money for the Egg and you are looking for a Charcoal Grill, Weber will be our choice everytime.
Weber’s Average Purchase and Running Costs
While more pricey than many lower-end alternatives, the Weber Kettle is still fairly affordable, considering how much engineering goes into producing these grills. Weber Kettles vary in price depending on the size and model. The Weber Ranch 37-inch grills can run, on average, a few thousand, while the basic Weber Kettle Original tends to run under a few hundred bucks. If you’re looking for something in between, the 22-inch Weber 70th Anniversary Kettle is a great option.
There are many different optional accessories for the Weber Kettle Grill as well, including char baskets, attachable side tables, and various inserts for indirect heat grilling. These accessories are relatively inexpensive, but you can easily spend hundreds of dollars on your Weber Kettle setup if you prefer all the bells and whistles.
Which Grill Cooks Better?
In our opinion, Big Green Egg is the winner hands down. Why? Because it checks all the boxes.
Lifetime Warranty - Yes
Versatility - Yes. It is a Smoker, Grill, Oven and Roaster all in one
Heat Retention - Yes. The Eggs ceramic hold heat much better than the metal construction on the Weber Grill.
Discover the Best Big Green Egg and Weber Grill Models
At the BBQ Depot, we provide an enormous selection of today’s top iconic grills, including numerous Big Green Egg and Weber models. We offer a one-stop shop for all your grilling accessories, including griddles, thermometers, sauces, rubs, grill covers, briquettes, pellets, and much more.
If you’re looking for the perfect BBQ grill for your cooking style, our team at BBQ Depot has you covered. We even have experts on hand who can answer any questions you may have and guide you through the process of selecting the type of grill that fits your cooking style and budget. Contact us today to get started.
