Big Green Egg Large

The Big Green Egg Large is an egg-shaped ceramic charcoal grill. Amazon lists the offer as “Big Green Egg Large Keramikgrill”, model Large, item number 117632, colour green. We have not handled it, and we have not grilled on it either. This page is based on Big Green Egg’s German product and service pages (retrieved 05.10.2026), the two-page assembly instructions for the Large, the cheat sheet (as of 05/2026), the warranty terms (version 07/2024) and the 2026 product magazine. You will find the other ceramic grills we compare in the kamado overview.

According to Big Green Egg’s history page, Ed Fisher founded the company in 1974 in Atlanta (Georgia, USA). At first it imported kamados from Japan and China, and later it developed the model further with modern manufacturing and new materials. Big Green Egg traces the principle back to clay ovens from East Asia about 3,000 years old, which are called kamado in Japan.

Compared with the earlier version of this page, we have corrected or removed, among other things, the maximum temperature, ceramic thickness, warranty wording and the pizza stone in the starter set, because the manufacturer sources do not support them. Also removed is a described pulled pork weekend with cooking time and core temperature, because it never took place.

Build: ceramic, metal and fire chamber

According to Big Green Egg, the ceramic comes from a factory in Mexico. For over 25 years the company has worked there exclusively with a partner that, according to the manufacturer, builds no kamados for other brands and is certified to ISO 9001 UL. According to the manufacturer’s page, NASA co-developed the material, and every body carries a porcelain glaze. Big Green Egg claims an EGG can be heated at least a hundred thousand times without loss of quality.

On the product photo, the temperature gauge sits at the front of the dome, the rEGGulator on the chimney, a handle with the brand name across the band between dome and base, and at the bottom of the base the bottom air vent with a metal slider. The gauge is a Tel-Tru thermometer in the lid, and the care page lists it, together with a stainless steel grate, among the individual parts supplied. Big Green Egg describes the rEGGulator as a patented air regulator and successor to the top vent, made of cast iron with a silicone handle and a protective coating against rust. You should not burn it off, as that damages the coating and the handle. The hinge is steel, and black spring bands enclose base and dome.

In the fire chamber there is a ceramic fire bowl with a charcoal grate at the bottom, and the ceramic inner ring, that is the fire ring, sits on top. The charcoal should not extend above the rim of the fire bowl.

Big Green Egg gives the Large as 46 cm grate diameter, 1,688 cm² cooking area, 73 kg and 84 cm height. By calculation, a circle of 46 cm diameter gives approx. 1,662 cm², so slightly less than the manufacturer’s figure. Amazon’s catalogue also lists 84 cm height and 73 kg, plus 46 cm each as length and width. That matches the grate diameter. Because the grate sits inside the ceramic wall, the body has to be wider, so the 46 cm is not usable as a footprint dimension.

In detail: air supply, rEGGulator and the zones

A kamado controls its heat through air. It flows in at the bottom through the bottom air vent to the charcoal and draws out at the top through the chimney; the more oxygen the embers get, the hotter they burn. Big Green Egg advertises that the charcoal in the EGG glows longer and produces less ash.

The bottom air vent sets the rough range and the upper limit, and according to the manufacturer the adjusting wheel in the rEGGulator regulates almost to the degree. Big Green Egg warns against closing the air supply completely while cooking: smoke would then stay in the grill and the food would turn bitter. The manufacturer also advises keeping the lid closed where possible. According to the manufacturer’s page, 70 to 350 °C can be controlled, even at sub-zero temperatures outside. The service page, however, says that temperatures above 300 °C are unnecessary, even for pizza, and only raise the risk of damage to the ceramic.

Big Green Egg gives these as starting positions:

• 60 to 150 °C: bottom air vent and adjusting wheel open only a crack
• 150 to 220 °C: bottom air vent a crack, adjusting wheel three quarters open
• 200 to 230 °C: bottom air vent a quarter, top vent fully open
• 280 to 350 °C: bottom air vent fully, top vent half open

So the ranges on the manufacturer’s page overlap, and the table starts at 60 °C although the control range is given as 70 °C. The cheat sheet shows positions for 100, 150, 200 and 350 °C as pictures.

Because ceramic stores a lot of heat, changes to the vents probably take effect with a delay (our inference from the material). The heat shield also pushes the temperature down: when you insert it, it falls by about 40 to 50 °C for smoking, and the baking page speaks of about 50 °C. You therefore heat up higher than you need. The manufacturer’s example: for 180 °C, first heat to about 230 °C, then insert the convEGGtor and stainless steel grate.

Big Green Egg calls its heat shield the convEGGtor. With it, the Large cooks indirectly, like a convection oven. For one direct and one indirect zone, according to the manufacturer’s description, you use a half heat shield instead of a full one; for the Large, the product magazine lists the Split Heat Deflector and the Dual Zone Deflector Kit for this. How zones can be divided is explained in our guide to direct and indirect heat.

You usually grill directly at 180 to 250 °C. You bring the cast iron grate up to temperature about ten minutes beforehand and never cover it completely, so the air can circulate; the meat then rests for 5 to 10 minutes. For steaks thicker than about 5 cm, Big Green Egg first cooks them indirectly with the convEGGtor and stainless steel grate and then sears them briefly direct on the preheated cast iron grate.

For smoking, wood chips or chunks go on the embers, with the heat shield above and a drip pan. 70 to 120 °C is usual, and 90 to 120 °C for large cuts such as pork neck, pork shoulder or brisket. A smoking board is used at 175 to 225 °C dome temperature without the heat shield. Baking is done at 180 to 300 °C with the convEGGtor and stainless steel grate; a pizza stone preheats for at least 20 minutes, and for long bakes around 200 °C a cold stone additionally protects against heat.

How quickly is the Large ready, and how do you light it?

According to Big Green Egg, after 10 to 15 minutes the charcoal glows properly and you can cook; the cheat sheet shows about 12 minutes with the lid open.

The lighting page prescribes this order: put the rEGGulator on the lid; fill the fire bowl to the lower edge of the fire ring, open the bottom air vent fully; light one to three firelighter cubes made of natural material, leave the lid open. The safety page adds that the rEGGulator belongs on the chimney after lighting, because without it a very high, uncontrollable temperature quickly builds up. As fuel, Big Green Egg permits only lump charcoal, never briquettes, wood or other materials. The safety page also rules out liquid firelighter and other flammable liquids.

Burn-off is not necessary. On the first cook you should not exceed 180 °C, so that the felt adhesive holds; after that, higher temperatures are also allowed.

Before opening the lid fully, you lift it carefully several times by about 5 cm; take particular care when the vents are closed. If a flashback still comes, you close the lid immediately and then lift it a few centimetres several times again. You wear heat-resistant gloves for this.

To extinguish, you close the bottom air vent in the ceramic base and the rEGGulator, or better replace it with the ceramic cap. After about 20 minutes the charcoal has gone out, and the lid stays closed that long, because incoming oxygen can trigger a flashback. You never put out charcoal with water.

Assembly, location and safety

The Large is a pre-assembled system: base and dome already carry the black hinge retaining band, and according to the manufacturer the remaining assembly takes about 20 minutes. The instructions are two pages, mostly pictorial, and date from 2020; the text in them is in English and Spanish. You need spanners for 7/16 inch and 1/2 inch, that is 11 and 13 mm. Before starting, you check the instructions and individual parts for completeness.

The Large is set up on level, stable ground, never sloping or uneven, preferably in the EGG Nest or Carrier. If it stands in a table with swivel casters, you lock the casters after placing it. It does not belong on wood or other combustible ground, nor near combustible objects, because the underside of the ceramic base radiates heat; you also do not place it under low trees or hanging branches.

In the metal nest or on a dedicated work table, an empty space remains under the Large, and you should not set it up where combustible materials might be stored. For installation in a table or outdoor kitchen, you use a table nest instead of a stone slab, so that an air gap cools the underside. When lighting, the grill stands on its feet (heat dissipation, tip protection), and nothing combustible is nearby; the pages name dry grass, leaves, low-hanging branches and overhead structures.

As installation locations, the product page lists an acacia wood table, a complete outdoor kitchen or the EGG Nest with frame handle. The warranty terms set limits on this: if you place the EGG directly on a combustible surface, a wooden floor, table or other base without the metal nest, the warranty is voided, and the manufacturer excludes liability for consequential damage. A table nest is intended only as a support in a table or module, not freestanding; only the Carrier for Mini and MiniMax is freestanding.

In principle, burning charcoal produces carbon monoxide, a colourless and odourless gas. On the German safety pages, Big Green Egg prohibits lighting the EGG indoors or with inadequate ventilation. Besides the points on lighting, opening and extinguishing, the safety page contains the following:

• Professional cooks use the EGG in kitchens only if these comply with building regulations with professional ventilation and a fire protection system.
• Local rules also apply outdoors: open fire is not allowed everywhere, in some places only with a minimum distance between the appliance and certain objects.
• The grille of the bottom air vent stays closed so that no sparks or burning pieces of charcoal fall out; it is opened only to remove cooled ash.
• You do not remove or move the fire bowl while it is hot or contains hot charcoal; the ceramic retains heat for a long time.
• You do not look down the chimney while the EGG is in use: escaping hot air can cause injury.
• The outside gets less hot than on a steel grill, but it is hot during operation and before cooling down; children, pets and combustibles stay away.
• You lift hot stainless steel or cast iron grates only with a grate lifter or grate tongs.
• You remove hot accessories such as the heat shield or pizza stone only with heat-resistant gloves and suitable tools and put them down on a heat-resistant surface; stainless steel, cast iron and ceramic get very hot.
• You never leave the lid of a lit EGG open unattended: dry leaves, wooden floors and other combustibles nearby can catch fire from sparks or hot charcoal.
• The user is responsible for their own safety and that of their surroundings.

Big Green Egg’s English US page adds two notes: never leave a lit EGG unattended or hold it open in strong wind, and never store a hot EGG in an enclosed space or vehicle. In the English block “Commercial Use Requirements and Warnings” of the Large instructions (manufacturer in Atlanta, USA) there are further notes for commercial kitchens and the US and Canadian market: an extraction hood per NFPA 96 and UL 710, natural lump charcoal only, no overfiring (flames outside the EGG indicate overfiring), checking the EGG for creosote twice a month and cleaning it if necessary, and not filling the intended air space with insulation or anything else.

What else comes into question?

Three ceramic grills from our catalogue come close to the Large, with a grate diameter of 44 to 46 cm:

In our price boxes, the three alternatives are cheaper: the Kamado Joe Classic II by around €395, the Monolith Classic by around €145 and the Kamado Joe Classic III by around €115. However, the prices do not compare the same thing, because the Classic II comes with a cart and side shelves. They are guide values from our price boxes, with the Classic III price from Santos Grills, and at the retailer they may now look different. Our rating is an editorial assessment from the data comparison, not a measurement result. For the Monolith, price and rating belong to a model that the manufacturer no longer carries.

Costs: packages, accessories and charcoal

The price depends on the package. Big Green Egg itself lists the Large with convEGGtor for €2,149 (product magazine 2026, retrieved 05.10.2026) and the Starter Set with nest for €2,399 (promotional price, retrieved 05.10.2026).

On Amazon on 06.10.2026, only marketplace sellers offered the Large, the cheapest from approx. €1,994, around €155 below the magazine price and around €405 below the promotional price of the Starter Set. The catalogue calls the Amazon listing “Large Pack EGGsentiel” and describes it only as a versatile outdoor cooking appliance; height and weight there match the Large alone.

The Starter Set (item ALHD4) contains the Large, the IntEGGrated Nest+Handler, the convEGGtor, the convEGGtor basket and two half-round cast iron grates. The Large Pro Package (item PPLHD3) costs €2,999 according to the promotion page (retrieved 05.10.2026) and consists of: Large, IntEGGrated Nest+Handler, acacia wood side tables, convEGGtor, 5-piece EGGspander set, 9 kg charcoal, ash tool, Flexible Grill Lamp and SpeediLight Sticks. The Large Outdoor Kitchen package (item FPLHD4) is listed there at €3,999.

The product magazine lists the following individually for the Large:

• Zones and heat protection: convEGGtor €159.99, convEGGtor basket €129.99, Split Heat Deflector €79.99, Dual Zone Deflector Kit €249.99, baking and pizza stone €129.99
• Grates: cast iron grate €99.99, half-round cast iron grate €69.99, half-round stainless steel grate €49.99, 5-piece EGGspander set €279.99, 2-piece grate extender €179.99, rotisserie €349
• Setup: IntEGGrated Nest+Handler €449, Table Nest €79, Acacia Wood EGG Mates €299, EGG Frame €699
• Temperature: EGG Genius €319.99 and WiFi Display & Predictive Thermometer Bundle €649.99
• Fuel and lighters: 100% Natural Charcoal 9 kg €29.99 and 4.5 kg €17.49, Pure Charcoal 9 kg €37.49, SpeediLight Sticks (20 pieces) €12.99, ash tool €39.99, ash shovel €49.99, charcoal basket €159.99

If you add up the individual prices of nest, basket and two half-round cast iron grates for the Large with convEGGtor, you reach €2,867.97, which is €468.97 more than the Starter Set. The sum is our calculation from magazine prices; the set price comes from the promotion page. For charcoal, it is approx. €3.33 per kilo in the 9 kg pack and approx. €3.89 per kilo in the 4.5 kg pack. We do not calculate what a barbecue evening costs in charcoal.

Care and warranty

According to the cleaning page, you remove ash before lighting with an ash tool or ash shovel through the bottom air vent, so that the temperature stays constant for longer. The service page, by contrast, advises always leaving a small layer of ash at the bottom: it slows the airflow slightly, and the ceramic heats more evenly.

Burn-off is not necessary. If you want it anyway, according to the service page you heat to 250 °C for 30 minutes; the burn-off page recommends 30 minutes at 275 °C if the smoke aroma is too strong and warns that higher temperatures damage ceramic, felt and hinge. You brush the grate while still warm directly after use, or alternatively heat the EGG to about 300 °C, and once a year you clean thoroughly. According to the care page, a cast iron grate is sturdy but breaks easily: you heat it slowly, never put it cold into a hot EGG, insert it with the grate lifter and season it regularly.

You clean the outside of the ceramic now and then with mild soap solution, ideally while still slightly warm. You brush the inside of the dome occasionally with a wire brush or 80 grit sandpaper. The Large can stand outdoors all year, as the ceramic is weather-resistant; for the metal parts and the rEGGulator, Big Green Egg recommends a cover.

About a month after assembly, you retighten all screws and nuts. You treat the hinge and bottom air vent several times a year with WD-40 or silicone spray, and because the hinge moves with the ceramic, you check it occasionally and retighten it. The long screws of the spring bands may bend slightly when tightened.

For a longer break, you fit neither cap nor top vent and leave the bottom air vent wide open. According to the cleaning page, mould disappears with a single strong heat-up. The service page, by contrast, requires slow heating after a long break or moisture: in the first hour not above 100 °C, then increasing step by step, with fresh charcoal because charcoal stores moisture. Heating too quickly can make the ceramic crack. According to the manufacturer, hairline and cosmetic cracks are mostly harmless. You prevent them by not moving a hot EGG, inserting heat shield and grates with a basket or grate lifter, and avoiding temperatures above 300 °C.

Big Green Egg tiers the warranty by component (warranty terms, version 07/2024). For all ceramic parts there is a limited lifetime warranty on material and construction, only for the original purchaser who bought from an authorised dealer and registered the EGG, and only as long as they are the owner. As ceramic parts, the terms name base, dome with chimney, fire box and fire ring; the fire bowl, however, they list under the metal parts, while the charcoal page and the product magazine describe it as a ceramic part. Which tier applies to the fire bowl therefore depends on which source you follow.

The convEGGtor and ceramic baking and pizza stones carry 3 years, and metal, stainless steel and cast iron parts 5 years; rust, oxidation and fading are excluded unless they lead to loss of structural integrity. One year applies to wooden parts such as EGG Mates and tables, to the felt gasket and temperature gauge, and to commercial use and comparable applications. The term begins with registration on the manufacturer’s website, and without registration every claim lapses. The warranty supplements statutory rights.

One point matters for how you buy: if you buy from an unauthorised dealer or online reseller, the claim lapses. According to the terms, the EGG is not sold on the internet (authorised dealers excepted) and not by e-commerce shops. Whether the seller behind the Amazon listing is among the dealers in the dealer search cannot be checked, because the search is dynamic. We would ask them before ordering. The Service and Warranty page also links an older PDF version with different wording; we follow the 07/2024 version.

What the manufacturer does not state

We did not find these points on the manufacturer’s pages or in the documents, as far as they matter for a purchase:

• Ceramic thickness in millimetres
• Weight with nest or frame (the 73 kg is given without qualification) and weight of the IntEGGrated Nest+Handler
• Outer width and footprint with and without nest
• Number of people needed to unpack and set up, assembly time per step (the roughly 20 minutes apply to the remaining assembly)
• Heat-up time to target temperature and the temperature’s response time after a change to the vents
• Amount of charcoal in kilograms and burn time of one load
• Maximum temperature above 350 °C
• Minimum clearances for private use (figures only in the English commercial block of the instructions, more in the FAQ)
• Statement on balconies for the Large
• CE marking, EN 1860 or other EU conformity (the instructions list only US and Canadian certifications for commercial kitchens)
• Confirmation of the Amazon ASIN on the manufacturer’s pages (they link neither Amazon nor an ASIN)
• Delivery times and availability of spare parts

When the Large suits you, and for whom it does not

For size, a look at the neighbours helps. According to the manufacturer’s overview, the Medium has a 40 cm grate, 1,140 cm² cooking area and 51 kg, the XLarge 61 cm, 2,919 cm² and 99 kg. By our calculation, the XLarge has around 73 per cent more cooking area than the Large and weighs 26 kg more; Big Green Egg describes it as a device for large guest or catering rounds. On numbers of people, the manufacturer’s figures overlap: the Large has room for the wishes of eight people, the Medium for 6 to 8. We would therefore go less by the number of people than by the biggest piece you regularly put on.

If you have a balcony, first read the location rules above. On the model pages, Big Green Egg names balconies as a possible location only for the Medium, alongside small city gardens and terraces, and even then the tenancy agreement and house rules take precedence.

If you want to grill a few sausages quickly on weekday evenings after work, in our assessment you are better served by a gas grill. With the Large, the heat-up time to target temperature comes on top of the 10 to 15 minutes until the embers glow, and when cooking indirectly the temperature falls by about 40 to 50 °C after the heat shield is inserted. After a few questions, the Grill Finder suggests suitable grills to you.

The Large suits you if you plan long cooks and stay by the grill. For a pork neck of 2 to 5 kg, Big Green Egg’s cooking time table gives indirect at 120 °C about 4 hours to a core temperature of 65 °C, smoked at 90 °C 8 to 9 hours, also to 65 °C. An oven chicken of 1.5 kg needs 75 to 90 minutes at 180 °C to a core of 77 °C, and a pizza at 250 °C 6 to 10 minutes. For pulled pork, our pulled pork guide works with clearly higher core temperatures.

The Large is wrong for anyone who has to move their grill often. According to the manufacturer, you pull the 73 kg Large rather than push it; you hold the nest, carrier or frame handle with both hands, never roll over pebbles, soft soil or grass, and do not move a hot EGG at all. If needed, get help. Also worse off are all who grill commercially: the warranty terms list commercial use both as its own shortest tier and among the exclusions, and which statement applies in an individual case we would clarify with the dealer before buying.