Big Green Egg XLarge

The Big Green Egg XLarge is an egg-shaped ceramic grill for charcoal. The manufacturer states a 61 cm grate diameter, 2,919 cm² of cooking area and a weight of 99 kg. Amazon lists the item as “Big Green Egg, XLarge, Keramik, für mehr als 10 Personen/AXLHD-XLarge” in green. We have not handled it, and we have not grilled on it either. This page is based on the German manufacturer pages, a few English accessory pages and the manufacturer’s blog on choosing a model (retrieved 06.10.2026), the cheat sheet 05/2026, the two-page instructions for the XLarge, the warranty terms in the 07/2024 version and the 2026 product magazine. You can find more ceramic grills from our catalogue in the kamado overview.

An earlier version of this page described a garden party with 14 guests, a heat-up time of 20 to 25 minutes and a temperature fluctuation of under 8 °C. That never took place, and those passages have been removed. Also removed are statements that neither the manufacturer pages nor the instructions support: a maximum temperature of 400 °C, a ceramic thickness of 25 to 30 mm, suitability for “12 and more people”, a stainless steel band system, and a fan and daisy wheel as components.

How much fits on the XLarge?

According to the manufacturer’s blog, without convEGGtor 16 burgers, 9 rib-eye steaks or 14 peppers fit on the grate, and with convEGGtor 2 salmon sides, 5 pork neck fillets, 4 upright chickens or 8 spare ribs. The post also gives a guest number: at least 16.

The post is dated 07.04.2021 and is the only manufacturer source in which we found a guest number for the XLarge. For the Large, by contrast, the model page names eight people (Medium: six to eight), while the post says about 10; so the manufacturer’s figures already overlap between Medium and Large. The XLarge model page gives no number, and the Amazon title speaks of more than 10.

Compared with the Large, the cooking area grows from 1,688 to 2,919 cm², around 73 percent more (our calculation from the manufacturer’s figures). The capacities in the blog grow by different amounts: 60 percent more burgers direct (16 instead of 10), 50 percent more rib-eye steaks (9 instead of 6) and twice as many peppers (14 instead of 7); indirect with convEGGtor it stays at 2 salmon sides, but 5 instead of 3 pork neck fillets, 4 instead of 2 chickens and 8 instead of 6 spare ribs fit. So 73 percent more area does not mean 73 percent more of every food.

In the model range the XLarge sits between the Large (Ø 46 cm, 73 kg) and the 2XL (Ø 73 cm, 4,185 cm², 170 kg). On the model page Big Green Egg describes it for large families, many friends and regular, also professional catering for large groups, for example as a caterer; large cuts of meat and fish or several pizzas can be cooked there at the same time. According to the manufacturer’s page, the cooking area can be extended by two or three cooking levels with grate extenders.

Ceramic, metal and fire chamber

According to its own statements, Big Green Egg has all ceramic components made in a high-tech factory in Mexico. According to the manufacturer, the cooperation has lasted more than 25 years with a producer that builds no kamados for other brands and is said to be certified to ISO 9001 UL. According to the manufacturer, NASA co-developed the material. Every EGG carries a porcelain glaze, which the manufacturer describes as particularly resistant.

The catalogue photo at Amazon shows the EGG on its own, without nest, stand or accessories. At the front of the dome sits a round thermometer, across the joint between dome and base a wooden handle with the brand name, and at the bottom of the base the air intake vent with a metal plate. According to the care page, the Tel-Tru temperature gauge in the lid and the stainless steel grate are part of the delivery and can be replaced individually.

The hinge is made of steel, and black tension bands run around base and lid; the warranty terms speak of metal bands.

On top of the chimney sits the rEGGulator, according to Big Green Egg a patented cast iron air regulator with a silicone handle and a protective coating against rust. It is the successor to the older exhaust vent. In the fire chamber there is a ceramic fire bowl, a ceramic fire ring and a cast iron charcoal grate. The charcoal should not protrude beyond the rim of the ceramic fire bowl, and the fire ring shows the required distance to the grate.

A circle with a 61 cm diameter has a calculated area of around 2,922 cm², so the manufacturer’s 2,919 cm² fits the grate diameter. Compared with the Large, the grate measures 15 cm more in diameter, and the EGG itself weighs 26 kg more.

In detail: air supply, temperature and zones

In a kamado the amount of air determines the temperature: fresh air reaches the charcoal from below, the exhaust leaves the grill at the top through the chimney, and the more oxygen the embers get, the hotter they burn. Big Green Egg traces the principle back to East Asian clay ovens around 3,000 years old. According to its own company history, the company itself opened in Atlanta in 1974 and at first imported kamados from Japan and China before developing the appliance further on its own.

On the XLarge, the air intake vent in the ceramic base handles the coarse setting and sets the upper limit, while the adjustment wheel in the rEGGulator does the fine tuning. According to the manufacturer, 70 to 350 °C can be regulated, degree by degree. The service page considers everything above 300 °C unnecessary, even for pizza, because it only increases the risk of ceramic damage. The cheat sheet from 05/2026 shows a thermometer scale up to 400 °C, but labels 350 °C as the highest position.

As starting positions, the page on temperature control lists four ranges:

• 60 to 150 °C: open the air intake vent and adjustment wheel only a crack
• 150 to 220 °C: air intake vent a crack, adjustment wheel three quarters closed
• 200 to 230 °C: air intake vent a quarter, exhaust vent fully
• 280 to 350 °C: air intake vent fully, exhaust vent half

The ranges overlap between 200 and 220 °C with different positions, and the list starts at 60 °C although the control range begins at 70 °C. By exhaust vent the page means, in our reading, the rEGGulator.

Ceramic stores heat and conducts it less well than metal; the EGG is well insulated and economical with charcoal, the manufacturer writes. From the mass of 99 kg we infer that the XLarge reacts rather sluggishly to a vent change and that you are better off adjusting the vents in small steps.

The heat shield is called convEGGtor; it shields the embers so that the food cooks indirectly. The manufacturer’s list price includes it for the XLarge. Going by the product pages, two zones at the same time are only possible with accessories: the product magazine lists the Split Heat Deflector, half-round grates and the convEGGtor basket for this, along with grate extenders for additional cooking levels and an EGGspander set. The Dual Zone Deflector Kit is listed there only for the Large. According to the manufacturer’s blog, there is no full cast iron grate for the XLarge because of its weight, but there are one or two half grates on the convEGGtor basket. Our guide to direct and indirect heat explains how to divide zones.

Setting up, lighting and safety

The EGG belongs on level, stable ground, never on a sloping or uneven surface, and preferably in an EGG Nest or an EGG Carrier. If it sits in or on a table with swivel casters, you lock the wheels after placing it. You do not put it on wood or other flammable ground, nor near flammable objects or under low trees and hanging branches, because the underside of the ceramic base gives off heat during operation. An empty space should remain under the EGG, that is a metal nest or installation in a work table; it is never set up where flammable materials are stored.

For a wooden deck, the manufacturer’s wording counts. According to the warranty terms, the EGG should not be placed directly on a flammable surface, a wooden floor, a table or another base without Big Green Egg’s metal nest, since the warranty otherwise lapses and the manufacturer excludes any liability for resulting damage. Whether a metal nest on a wooden deck is sufficient is not answered by any of the manufacturer pages. A table nest is meant only as a support in the table, not free-standing.

You should move the EGG by pulling, not pushing, and hold the nest, carrier or stand handle with both hands. Nest and handle are not designed for rolling over pebbles, soft soil or grass, only over stable ground; if necessary you get help. According to the service page, you do not move a hot EGG at all.

Lighting works like this: put the rEGGulator on, fill the fire bowl with charcoal and open the air intake vent, place one to three firelighter cubes and light them, and leave the lid open. After 10 to 15 minutes the charcoal glows, then you close the lid and set the vents; the cheat sheet reckons with 12 minutes. An older manufacturer page still speaks of three lighters. As fuel the manufacturer allows only coarse, natural lump charcoal, never briquettes, wood or other materials.

To extinguish, you close the air intake vent and rEGGulator or put on the ceramic cap. After about 20 minutes the charcoal has gone out, and the lid stays closed during that time: if you open it earlier, the fire can reignite and cause a smoke explosion or flash fire. You never extinguish charcoal with water. You can reuse the remaining charcoal next time.

In principle, burning charcoal produces carbon monoxide, a colourless and odourless gas. The manufacturer forbids lighting the EGG indoors or with insufficient ventilation. Its safety page also contains these points:

• Professional chefs sometimes use the EGG in kitchens, which then comply with building regulations with professional ventilation and a fire protection system.
• Outdoors too, local regulations apply: cooking over an open fire is not allowed everywhere, in some cases only with a minimum distance between the cooking appliance and certain objects (campsite, picnic).
• No liquid lighter fluid, no flammable liquids, no briquettes: this endangers the warranty claim and can impair the flavour. Light it with natural firelighting material or a special lighter.
• The grille of the air intake 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 stores heat for a long time.
• After lighting, the cast iron rEGGulator belongs on the chimney, because without it a very high, uncontrollable temperature develops quickly.
• You do not look through the chimney while the EGG is in use or the charcoal is burning; the escaping hot air can cause injuries.
• The outside gets less hot than on a steel grill, but it is hot during operation and before cooling down; children, pets and flammable materials stay away at all times.
• You lift hot stainless steel or cast iron grates only with suitable tools, for example the grate lifter.
• You remove hot parts such as the heat shield (convEGGtor) or pizza stone only with heat-resistant gloves and suitable tools and put them down on a heatproof, safe surface; stainless steel, cast iron and ceramic get very hot.
• You never leave the lid of a lit EGG standing open unattended: dry leaves, wooden floors and other flammable materials nearby can catch fire from sparks or hot charcoal, and fire can endanger people, animals, property and nature.
• Before opening the lid fully, you lift it carefully by about 5 cm several times. Take particular care with a hot EGG with closed vents, because oxygen supply can trigger dangerous flash fires. If it happens anyway, you close the lid immediately and then lift it a few centimetres several times again; you always wear heat-resistant gloves for this.
• According to the manufacturer, the user is responsible for their own safety and that of the surroundings.

The two-page instructions for the XLarge are mostly illustrated and come from the manufacturer’s US headquarters in Atlanta. The only text section is called “Commercial Use Requirements and Warnings” and applies to commercial kitchens: extraction hood to NFPA 96 and UL 710, clearance to combustible materials of 14 inches (around 36 cm) at the sides and rear and 36 inches (around 91 cm) at the front, non-combustible floor protection of 30 x 36 inches (around 76 x 91 cm). For precautions, clearances, the minimum air flow of the hood supplier and details, the section further refers to the manufacturer’s instructions and building regulations. It requires installing and operating only according to the manufacturer’s installation and operating instructions, not overfiring (flames coming out of the EGG indicate overfiring), checking the EGG twice a month against creosote fires and cleaning it if necessary, asking the building authority or fire brigade about restrictions and the inspection of the installation in the region, using only natural lump charcoal, and not filling the intended air space with insulation or other materials.

What else is worth considering?

From our catalogue, three ceramic grills come into question as alternatives:

The prices are guide values from our price boxes, for the Big Joe III the one from Santos Grills, and they do not compare the same thing: with the Big Joe III, cart and grate system are part of the unit, while with the XLarge nest and zone accessories are separate items according to the product magazine. For the XLarge the Amazon value from our price box also applies; you will find the manufacturer’s list price under Costs. 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, according to our review, the manufacturer no longer carries.

Costs: packages, accessories and fuel

Our price box lists the XLarge at Amazon at approx. €2,799; however, amazon.de showed “Derzeit nicht verfügbar” (currently unavailable) for this ASIN on 06.10.2026, and the offer overview reported no offers from other sellers. The manufacturer’s list price is €3,249 for the XLarge including convEGGtor (article code BPXLC4, product magazine 2026); the nest is listed there as a separate item. If you want to buy it at the same time, the manufacturer’s Big Deal page (retrieved 06.10.2026) shows three promotional packages:

• Starter Set AXLHD4 for €3,499: XLarge, IntEGGrated Nest+Handler, convEGGtor, convEGGtor basket and 2 half-round cast iron grates
• Pro Package PPXLHD3 for €3,999: XLarge, IntEGGrated Nest+Handler, acacia wood side tables, convEGGtor, 5-piece EGGspander set, 9 kg natural charcoal, ash tool, flexible grill light and SpeediLight Sticks
• Outdoor Kitchen FPXLHD4 for €4,999: XLarge, EGG base frame, extension frame, stainless steel insert, acacia wood insert, stainless steel grill grate insert, 3 swivel caster sets, convEGGtor, convEGGtor basket and 2 half-round cast iron grates

Individually, the product magazine lists the IntEGGrated Nest+Handler for the XLarge at €499, a rolling cart with integrated handle. According to the manufacturer’s page, it has a base of coated steel, sturdy handles that are said to stay cool, and four large casters, two of which lock; according to the manufacturer, it lifts the EGG to a comfortable working height. The manufacturer’s page also lists the EGG Nest XLarge made of powder-coated steel with four casters. Alongside are the Table Nest for €109 (the support for building into a table), a swivel caster set for €79, the EGG Frame measuring 76 x 76 x 77 cm for €699, acacia wood side tables for €339 and a eucalyptus table measuring 160 x 80 x 80 cm for €1,179.

Further accessories according to the product magazine: baking and pizza stone €189.99, grate lifter €39.99, silicone grill glove €29.99, ash tool €49.99, ash shovel €49.99 and a rotisserie for €429, with a load capacity of up to 17 kg.

For charcoal, the 100 % Natural Charcoal costs €17.49 in the 4.5 kg bag and €29.99 in the 9 kg bag, the Pure Charcoal €37.49 for 9 kg. Per kilo that is approx. €3.89, €3.33 and €4.17 (our calculation). For lighting, the magazine lists SpeediLight Sticks (20 pieces) for €12.99 and Twister Firestarters (20 pieces) for €24.99.

Care, warranty and how to buy

You brush the still-warm grate straight after cooking; according to the cleaning page, food residue can also be removed by heating to around 300 °C or with a grate scraper and grate scrubber. Once a year it is cleaned thoroughly. On ash the pages contradict each other: the cleaning page has you clear it out through the air intake vent with the ash tool and ash shovel before lighting, while the service page recommends always leaving a small layer of ash at the bottom.

According to the manufacturer, burning off is usually not necessary, and the black soot layer is harmless. For too strong a smoke aroma, the burn-off page names 275 °C for 30 minutes (the service page 250 °C); higher temperatures harm ceramic, felt and hinges there, which does not fit the around 300 °C of the cleaning page. For excessive smoke, 200 °C for 15 minutes is enough. For firebrick and convEGGtor the manufacturer gives a separate specification: upside down for one hour at 250 °C. According to the manufacturer, burning in before first use is unnecessary; only for the first cook should it be 180 °C at most, so that the felt adhesive holds.

If the EGG stands idle for a longer time, you put neither the cap nor the exhaust vent on the chimney and leave the air intake vent wide open. According to the cleaning page, mould disappears through a single strong heating. After moisture, by contrast, the service page recommends slow heating: no more than 100 °C in the first hour, with fresh charcoal. The ceramic expands when heated and contracts when cooling; according to the manufacturer, isolated cracks are usually harmless and affect neither function nor performance. To protect it, the manufacturer advises inserting the heat shield with the basket and the grates with the grate lifter so that nothing falls on the inner ring, and placing a table nest rather than a stone slab under the EGG.

You care for the hinge and air intake vent a few times a year with WD-40 or silicone spray, and you clean the ceramic outside occasionally with neutral soap. You calibrate the Tel-Tru thermometer in boiling water at 100 °C. You heat a cast iron grate slowly and insert it with the grate lifter. You do not burn in the rEGGulator, as that damages the protective coating and handle; if it goes dull, you rub it with Crisco or vegetable oil, such as peanut oil. The felt gasket between lid and base should be replaced roughly every two years. With the gasket kit you replace it yourself, in five steps, after which the EGG stays unused for 24 hours.

According to the care page, the EGG can stay outdoors all year; to protect the metal parts and the rEGGulator, Big Green Egg recommends a cover. For the XLarge the manufacturer lists EGG Covers with hook-and-loop fastening, ventilated, hand washable, black with logo, also suitable for Nest+Handler, frame and table.

The warranty is graded by component (warranty terms, version 1.9, as of 07/2024):

• For all ceramic parts a limited lifetime warranty on material and construction applies: ceramic base, lid with chimney, fire box and fire ring, as long as the first buyer is the owner, only if they bought from an authorised dealer and registered the warranty.
• The convEGGtor and branded ceramic baking and pizza stones are covered by a limited period of 3 years for the first buyer; breakage from dropping or incorrect use is excluded.
• Metal bands, hinges, exhaust vent, rEGGulator, grates, fire bowl, base plate and air intake vent run for 5 years. Rust, oxidation and fading are excluded, except in case of loss of structural integrity.
• Wooden components such as EGG Mates and tables as well as felt gasket and temperature gauge have 1 year; for wood, normal weathering and cracks are excluded.
• The basis is ordinary private use with proper care. For commercial and comparable applications only a limited period of 1 year applies.

On the fire bowl the sources contradict each other: the terms list it under the metal parts, while the product magazine sells it as a ceramic fire bowl. The period starts with registration on the manufacturer’s website; without registration every claim lapses. For a claim you need the valid proof of purchase with purchase date and dealer name and a description of the problem with a photo. It is handled through the dealer, and you do not send parts in beforehand. The manufacturer replaces or repairs original parts free of charge at its own discretion; it covers shipping, labour, packaging and duty costs only with written agreement. The warranty cannot be transferred.

Excluded are accidental or unforeseen damage and breakage, as well as damage from transport, dropping, incorrect assembly, incorrect placement, attempting to set up the EGG without an approved Big Green Egg nest, commercial use, alterations, modifications, negligent handling, misuse, insufficient care or maintenance, risks of road transport, ordinary and reasonable wear, or natural disasters. Also not covered are scratches, dents, chips, hairline cracks in the ceramic and cosmetic cracks in the outer glaze that do not affect function. Hairline cracks or crazing count only if function suffers structurally or the part breaks completely. The claim lapses with unapproved changes (drilling, altered parts, non-original parts, incorrect part swaps on fire bowl or inner ring) and with liquid lighter fluid or other flammable mixtures.

Four questions belong with the dealer before buying: whether the metal nest is also sufficient on wooden decking, which period applies to the fire bowl, whether an Amazon seller counts as an authorised dealer, and whether club celebrations or company parties count as commercial or comparable use. The manufacturer’s dealer search lists authorised dealers.

What the manufacturer does not state

We did not find these points on the manufacturer pages or in the instructions, as far as they matter for buying:

• Ceramic thickness in millimetres
• Maximum temperature above 350 °C
• Heat-up time to 200 or 250 °C and response time after a vent change
• Charcoal consumption per grilling session, burn time and fill quantity of the fire bowl in kilograms
• Weight with nest or stand and weight of the IntEGGrated Nest+Handler
• Width and depth of the EGG, footprint with nest, reference point of the height (78 cm for the XLarge, 84 cm for the Large, which is why we draw no height comparisons)
• Load capacity of nest and ground
• Material of the tension bands
• Briskets in the capacity list
• Maximum load and thickness of the grate
• Statement on balconies for the XLarge (they are named for the Medium)
• Carbon monoxide warning on the German safety pages, beyond the ban on lighting indoors
• Euro price of the cover and the EGG Nest XLarge (the manufacturer’s page lists both, the 2026 product magazine gives no price for them)
• Clearances to combustible materials for private use (the 14 and 36 inches in the instructions are in the section for commercial use, and a wall or roof clearance is missing from the German pages)
• CE marking on the instructions (they show ETL marks from Intertek with the North American standards UL 2162, ULC/ORD C2162 and NSF 4 for commercial appliances)
• Origin and assembly of the other parts apart from the ceramic
• Scope of delivery and seller of the Amazon listing as well as statutory warranty and right of return when buying there

When the XLarge suits you, and when not

With the XLarge, the location decides first, not the guest number. Because of the weight and the fire safety notes, we would not put it on a balcony. It needs level ground without wood underneath, no canopy and no low branches above, and space for a nest with the 99 kg EGG.

On guests, the manufacturer’s blog helps only to a limited extent: for the Large it gives about 10 people (the model page eight) and for the XLarge at least 16. We would therefore consider the XLarge only from regularly more than 10 guests; in between, it is worth looking at the quantities per head. Our guide to planning a barbecue party works out how much meat and side dishes to plan per guest, and the grill finder narrows down size and grill type after a few questions.

Then there is time: lighting and letting the charcoal glow through (see above) and then heating up to the target temperature. If you want sausages on the grate within twenty minutes on weekdays, you are better served by a gas grill in our assessment. How to fire up and control a kamado is covered in our guide using a kamado properly.

In our assessment the XLarge is the wrong choice if you want to use it commercially: the warranty then drops to 1 year (see warranty), and the commercial section of the instructions describes operation with an extraction hood to NFPA 96.