Big Green Egg vs. Primo Grill - Kamado Grill Comparison
Big Green Egg or Primo XL - Head To Head
This is the first time I have had the chance to compare the two most popular Kamado grills side by side. I was in the fortunate position to have one of each present at a neighborhood block party recently. This was a big event that happens every year on our street, in fact this party can last for two days. So I was excited to observe the abilities of both these high end ceramic grills as they would be both working hard.
My first impression of these two ceramic warriors was they both appeared to be well made. Both were heavy and felt substantial. All grates and hardware seemed to be of good quality too. Both needed little time to heat up and both seemed incredibly efficient, making the best from small amount of fuel, and both controlled internal temperature the same way.
Features And Usability
Although these great grills are more alike than different, there were some distinct advantages of the Primo oval XL that are hard to overlook. First off, the shape this unit is much more user friendly then the round Big Green Egg. Food on skewers, or ribs simply fit better onto the oval shape, making them much easier to handle and arrange. The Primo XL also has an oval firebox, this allowed for use of the ceramic divider. This divider allows the user to build the coals or fire on one side and cook over direct or indirect heat more easily. It was also much easier to add additional coals when needed. The Big Green Egg required the removal of all internal components to complete this task. This can be problematic as great care must be employed when removing and storing these very hot racks while the coals are added. Another great feature of the Primo XL we used was the adjustable cooking racks. These versatile grids allowed for cooking foods at various levels and greatly increased the total amount of cooking space. Sadly the Big Green Egg did not have this feature.
Best Kamado Grill
In all our block party was a huge success as usual. After all it is about good times and great friends. And as customary, we had more food the we all could eat. Looking back and summing up the performance of both brands of Kamado cookers, I would have to say I was impressed. Both were great units and both cooked exceptionally well. But the clear winner as best Kamado grill is the Primo. I was so impressed with the versatility, ease of use and available Primo accessories, that I have decided to get one for myself:)
