SnS or Primo XL

[FritzHlzr]

So I'm at point where I am putting my small BGE with custom table up for sale after 10plus years of use, I've made some changes in my lineup and now need a bigger ceramic cooker to do some smoking, a pork butt, rack of ribs, or tri tip for example, for the immediate family on occasion along with the other cooks I use the current Small for. I've narrowed it down to either an SnS gen 2 or a Primo XL, I have a Primo dealer near me but I think the SnS will still be $500 less than the Primo after purchasing the needed accessories. I would prefer to buy American but I am open to other lesser known comparable options if available. Please share the positives and negatives anyone has on these cookers and how they accommodate larger pieces of proteins.

 

[SmokingUPnorth]

I’m not too familiar with ceramic cookers or trying to change your mind but if you’re looking for bigger, have you considered the 26” Weber kettle? Its pretty big and can easily do 3-4 pork butts and multiple ribs.

 

[FritzHlzr]

I’m not too familiar with ceramic cookers or trying to change your mind but if you’re looking for bigger, have you considered the 26” Weber kettle? Its pretty big and can easily do 3-4 pork butts and multiple ribs.

Thanks for the input but I use the ceramic for baking and rely on it as my winter charcoal grill. I recently sold my box smoker so Im looking for something just big enough to facilitate smoking for the immediate family, small pork butt, try tip, a rack of ribs, meatloafs, 2 chickens, etc. Basically a ceramic big enough to cover what I was using both the small egg and the BX 25 for.

 

[dr k]

Thanks for the input but I use the ceramic for baking and rely on it as my winter charcoal grill. I recently sold my box smoker so Im looking for something just big enough to facilitate smoking for the immediate family, small pork butt, try tip, a rack of ribs, meatloafs, 2 chickens, etc. Basically a ceramic big enough to cover what I was using both the small egg and the BX 25 for.

I use insulated cookers but not ceramic. The char griller Kamado Kooker Akorn is loaded with wood stove insulation that is warm hot on the outside at 700* . I like the grill, bbq, bake and high heat pizza oven with insulated cookers. Mine is designed etc in USA and made in China. I'd like to know which are 100% USA. Just like thermometers are designed in the USA but made and assembled in China and the UK makes the renowned Thermapen by ETI, Ltd that Thermoworks eludes as theirs but isn't. Thermoworks maybe 100% USA on their thermometers but IDK. Lots of crap to sift through to get to the truth.

 

[912smoker]

Have you considered the BGE XL?
BIL has a couple and they have a large area?

Keith

 

[FritzHlzr]

Have you considered the BGE XL?
BIL has a couple and they have a large area?

Keith

Having a BGE I certainly considered just getting a larger unit but wanted to try something different and a little more unique.

 

[MBBG]

I had this exact same dilemma a month or so ago. I had a BGE for 10 or so years and really liked it. I moved and it wasn’t in the best shape so I gave it to a buddy for helping me move. I got a Weber to grill on for the time being, added an offset and a pellet grill over the last couple years, but always missed daily kamado cooking. Just never really enjoyed cooking on the Weber. (Blasphemy, I know) So I was debating between the Primo and the SnS kamados.

Ultimately the oval shape just makes more sense to me, I have a local dealer who took 15% off my entire bundle (XL 400, table with stainless shelves, extension grates, heat deflectors, ash tool and grate tool, big bag of Primo lump) and delivered it fully assembled to the covered patio behind my house for free. I’ve cooked on it several times now and couldn’t be happier.

Last fall I was considering buying a Chud Box to do direct heat BBQ. I’m glad I didn’t because the way the Primo XL is set up depth wise with the extender racks, I can basically do the same thing. First cook was direct heat pork steaks and spare ribs with a mop sauce and it was amazing.

 

[gmc2003]

I'm not sure where you live, but I'm in Northern Vermont and use my Weber 26" kettle year round. Although not so much now that I'm getting on in age. The bones just don't handle the freezing temps like they used to, but the Weber doesn't care.

The picture is showing a 15.5 pd. packer and I still have plenty of room for other goodies. I'm also running the SnS for controlled heat.

 

[FritzHlzr]

Ultimately the oval shape just makes more sense to me, I have a local dealer who took 15% off my entire bundle (XL 400, table with stainless shelves, extension grates, heat deflectors, ash tool and grate tool, big bag of Primo lump) and delivered it fully assembled to the covered patio behind my house for free. I’ve cooked on it several times now and couldn’t be happier.

This is what I've decided as well, for the same reasons basically. Trying to decide on how I'm going to house it and wether the 300 or 400 is right, leaning towards the 400. We use the Egg at least twice a week so I put it at the top of the cooker list. The fate of the egg staying in the lineup is still undecided.

 

[MBBG]

This is what I've decided as well, for the same reasons basically. Trying to decide on how I'm going to house it and wether the 300 or 400 is right, leaning towards the 400. We use the Egg at least twice a week so I put it at the top of the cooker list. The fate of the egg staying in the lineup is still undecided.

I felt like the few hundred bucks extra for the 400 was well worth not ever regretting buying the 300. Plus with the oval shape it’s super easy to set it up for direct on one side and indirect on the other, which is how mine has been set up ever since the initial cook. So you’re effectively using a much smaller grill most of the time, which is easy on charcoal, but can easily double it when needed.

I guess you can hang onto the egg for a while and see if it serves a purpose, but my gut tells me it’s going to be pretty redundant and you should be able to get decent money out of it that you could put towards Primo accessories.