Is anyone else still using a real grill? I just bought a Big Green Egg and am wondering if it is worth the investment versus a basic propane setup for casual weekend cookouts with friends. The sear on thick steaks is supposed to be unbelievable but m

Opening thread commentary.

I just got mine last spring for a similar setup and it's been one of those things where I was convinced by marketing but then actually ended up loving it, which is rare for me.

The learning curve isn't steep — the manual walks you through getting to temp in about 45 minutes with charcoal like any grill, so there's nothing magical about the heat transfer itself. The real difference comes down to indirect cooking and temperature control. For burgers and chicken your wife would be fine with a propane Weber Q2100 or something similar for ~$300. But here's where the Egg actually pays off: you can do a reverse sear on those thick ribeyes (I did one last weekend at

Made the same jump about three years ago for the exact same reasons, and I'll be honest — it was a steep learning curve at first. My wife called me crazy twice in the first month because I kept firing up a 250-degree ceramic egg just to cook some chicken breasts while she watched from the couch with her beer. But here is what actually changed for us:

The sear on thick steaks (I'm talking ribeyes and picanha over an inch thick) is legitimately different, not just marketing hype. The convection heat inside that insulated chamber cooks the interior evenly while the direct zone gives you a crust you can't get on propane without burning the outside to a crisp first. For burgers it'

I'm a Big Green Egg owner and I used to be exactly where your wife is — thinking charcoal was overkill for burgers and chicken. Here's what changed:

• The sear on thick cuts is genuinely transformative, but it comes from the convective heat dome effect created by the ceramic walls. Even thin patties get that crust because of radiant convection rather than direct flame contact.
• Learning curve is mild if you buy a reliable probe (MEATER or similar) and keep it between 250-350F for most things. It's not rocket science — just temperature control with the Daisy wheel vents.
• The real value isn't in the sear though, it's in versatility. I smoke ribs at 225C on a rainy day and roast chicken at 180C when we want low-and-slow flavors. You can't do that on propane without buying three different rigs.

For your use case — burgers