BGE vs WSM???

smokingirl2 · Jun 10, 2012

I'm in need of some serious opinions! BGE or WSM??? I like the ability to "grill" on the BGE (can you do that on the WSM?) but I like that the WSM has double racks so you can smoke multiple dishes (beans, meat, etc) simultaneously. I know the cost of the BGE is double that of the WSM but I'd rather pay more for something that suits all my needs once.

indyadmin1974 · Jun 11, 2012

If you want versatility then buy a WSM and a Weber Performer. You have 2 pieces of equipment but you'll probably still be in for less than you'd pay for a BGE. That's my current setup and I love it. Not to dish on BGEs but man the price is hard to justify when I can put out the same quality on my Webers.

Weber customer service is great, the replacement parts are easy to change and reasonably priced. Everything I've seen with BGE seems vey, very expensive.

This is a Weber fans opinion. Hopefully you'll get a BGE enthusiast the jump in too.

Brackness · Jun 12, 2012

i agree i would do a 22.5 WSM and a 22.5 Weber gold series kettle..

gofish · Jun 12, 2012

I know your location says SoCal ... but check this out

http://eggsbythebay.com/2011_Eggfest.html

I am not affiliated with this event at all. I highly recommend any BBQ fanatic to attend any EggFest, no matter what you cook on or what you want to cook on. Even if you go with the Weber set up, this will be a good time, you'll meet some of the friendliest folks and get all kinds of good bbq ideas. (It maybe sold out by now though.)

EDIT: They are sold out. Sorry for the hype. Check a BGE dealer near you and ask about any local eggfest so you can see them in action and sample all the food being cooked in a festival type atmosphere.

smokingirl2 · Jun 13, 2012

indyadmin1974 said:
If you want versatility then buy a WSM and a Weber Performer. You have 2 pieces of equipment but you'll probably still be in for less than you'd pay for a BGE. That's my current setup and I love it. Not to dish on BGEs but man the price is hard to justify when I can put out the same quality on my Webers.

Weber customer service is great, the replacement parts are easy to change and reasonably priced. Everything I've seen with BGE seems vey, very expensive.

This is a Weber fans opinion. Hopefully you'll get a BGE enthusiast the jump in too.

Have you or rhinton82 purchased a Weber Performer lately??? There are some negative reviews out there comparing the new ones to the old ones. Complaints of cheap/thin metal, steel grates that aren't stainless, legs that bend/fall out when moved. Seems like the old ones may have been built better. No complaints on the WSM that I can find. I'm taking your advice very seriously and considering the Weber kettle/smoker combo but I'm worried about the quality. That's certainly one complaint that can't be made against the BGE...

smokeydez · Jun 13, 2012

I have a new 22.5" WSM and Performer grill. I've only had them for less than a month, but do not see any problems with their quality. Then again I am not hauling them around or beating on them trying to test their durability, either. I decided to go with them for flexibility in interchangeable parts. Like the rotisserie and additional grates & racks.

Brackness · Jun 17, 2012

Yeah i got one for Xmas this year and absolutely love it

Brackness · Jun 17, 2012

there are negative reviews about everything.. u do enuff looking there is prob bunch of complaints about the BGE also... i would look into them to much unless the neg are greater then the pos reviews..

bama bbq · Jun 17, 2012

Another Weber fan here: I have the WSM and Kettle and love them. My brother has the BGE and loves it. I couldn't justify the expense of the BGE and components.

jirodriguez · Jun 18, 2012

WSM all the way

You can grill on a WSM.... just pull you water pan out of the way. You get three levels of grilling: 1- Super duper hot! place the rack right on top of the charcoal ring! Meat is only inches from the heat - works real well when doing things like carne asada where you want that quick sear on the outside but not cooking the thin slice to much that it is tough. 2- regular high heat. Leave the bottom rack where it normally is, and with the water pan gone you got a nice high heat grill. But make sure you got long tongs for reaching down into the WSM body to reach the lower rack over that high heat! 3- Still grilling, but not so darn hot! Use the upper rack with the water bowl taken out. You still get a nice hot grill, but not so hot that you are going to burn stuff in less than 2 minutes.

.... or if you are like me I have the 22.5" WSM and the 22.5" Kettle, so I can just take my top rack from the smoker and swap it right into a hot kettle for a finish sear on ribs and what not!

Being able to fit lots of stuff into the smoker at one go makes a huge difference when you are trying to host a big party. I can have 3 or 4 pork butts on the lower rack, cycle ribs through the top rack, and toss on some baked beans and ABT's after the ribs.

jllbms · Jun 28, 2012

The BGE can't be matched for performance or versatility. You can cook for 24 hours at 225 without replenishing or sear steaks at 700 or higher! I have a Performer also, but it can't match the Egg.

John

flyweed · Jun 28, 2012

+1 on the BGE...I have a Large BGE..and it does everything either of my WSM's did ( I owned both a 18.5 and 21.5). The egg, you put lump in the bottom, and some hardwood of choice, and like one of the posts above said...you can keep it way down to 225F for a long 20+ hour smoker, or dial it WAYYYY up over 600F and quickly sear a nice prime steak!! I love the versatility and efficiency of the egg all the way. Oh and in regard to double racks....I have two racks in my BGE....one slightly smaller rack sits on top of the larger main rack....I've done two pork butts, and briskets at once this way. Works just fine.

Dan

rowdyrawhide · Jun 28, 2012

Another vote for WSM here, the BGE is pretty heavy in weight as well as price; you could buy a couple of WSM's for the price of one BGE. I have grilled on my WSM many times, just remove the middle section and put the grate on top of the coal ring. I have never used a BGE, but had trouble constituting the price, I also move my WSM quite a bit, I don't think I would want to do that very often with a BGE.

chef jimmyj · Jun 28, 2012

onewondershow · Apr 28, 2013

You can go to Costco and by a vision kamado for 600. It's just like a bge. I love mine and it costs a lot less than a bge.http://reviews.costco.com/2070/1176...sic-kamado-charcoal-grill-reviews/reviews.htm

read the reviews this thing is outstanding in my opinion. Everything I'm made so far has tasted great and you don't have to constantly tend to it. Once you get your temp dialed in it will hold it for hours.

BGKYSmoker · Apr 28, 2013

WSM here also.

Save major $$ over the BGE and get a WSM

BGE vs WSM???

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