Primo vs Big Green Egg - Kamado Grill Brand Comparison

For outdoor cooking enthusiasts, Kamado grills are unparalleled. If you're torn between the Primo or Big Green Egg Kamado grills, you're in the right place.

In this article, we will take a look at and compare the difference between Primo and Big Green Egg kamado grills. So, when it comes to making your choice, you’re well-informed!

Without further ado, let's get into it.

Primo Brand Overview

Primo was founded in 1996 by George Samaras - who started the company with only a 700 sq. ft. manufacturing facility.  It was only enough space to make 2 grills at a time.

There was immediate demand for his high quality kamado grill products - fast forward today and Primo stands as one of the leading manufacturers of ceramic grills.  And they're all made in the USA.

Primo is known for their unique oval shaped eggs - unlike their peers who all tend to stick to more round, circular shaped cooking chambers.

The Primo Oval XL400 - A Closer Look

Primo grills come in a handful of sizes, but their flagship size is the Primo Oval XL400.

The X-Large Charcoal Primo is the most popular Primo grill, and it's easy to see why! This grill is highly versatile, allowing you to grill, roast, bake, or smoke any food.

Primo grills are made out of a blend of natural materials, producing the highest grade of ceramics that are both superior in terms of moisture and heat retention.

Boasting a 400 square inch main cooking area, alongside the patented oval shape, this grill offers superior accessibility and cooking efficiency. Thanks to the shape, you can easily fit a whole brisket on the cooking grate.

There are also additional elevated racks you can purchase to easily add more cooking surface area.

The impressive temperature control of this grill allows you to cook as low as 150°F to a whopping 850°F.

This means that you can cook a variety of different foods with ease, whether you want to make a sizzling steak or cook a brisket low and slow for deliciously tender meat!

The X-Large Charcoal Primo grill lights super easily, and you can be ready to cook within 15 minutes!

The great thing about this grill is that Primo offers multiple installation methods.

For an additional cost, you can get your hands on a cradle, table, a Primo cart, or an All-In-One package for your new grill!  You can also get the head only and place it in a custom built-in configuration.

Pros

• Excellent Temperature Control - Primo grills offer excellent temperature control, allowing you to cook as low as 150°F to well over 850°F.
• Weather Resistant - Primo grills are specifically designed to keep outdoors, meaning that you can enjoy your grill for years to come. 
• Low Maintenance - Primo grills work like a self-cleaning oven and are very low maintenance to clean.

Cons

• Smaller Cooking Surface - One customer noted that the cooking surface of this particular grill is smaller when compared to similar models from other brands.

Shop Primo →

Big Green Egg Brand Overview

Over the past couple of decades, Big Green Egg has emerged as one of the most recognizable brand names in the world of outdoor cooking.

It's for good reason too as they were really the first company to popularize ceramic cooking in the United States.

Their founder, Ed Fisher, found the food made in ceramic cookers found in many Eastern cultures to be incredibly delicious - moreso than anything stateside.

That led him to start Big Green Egg in the 1970's, and since then the company has tweaked and gradually improved their products into what they are today.

Big Green Egg XL - A Closer Look

Big Green Egg offers multiple grills, so today I'll be taking a closer look at the XL egg - which is the most comparable to the Primo model we took a look at above.

The Big Green Egg is designed to be housed within a Nest, Island, Table, or built-in surround, so once you have selected your Egg you will need to select one of these options.

The XL egg boasts 452 square inches of cooking surface, meaning that you can easily cook for large groups of people when you're having a barbecue with all your friends. 

This Big Green Egg boasts an impressive temperature range of 225°F to 750°F, meaning you can cook a range of delicious meals for your friends and family.

The Big Green Egg has multiple vents, making it easier than ever to manipulate and control the temperature of your cooks.

A significant downside to the Big Green Egg products is that they’re not available to purchase online. 

Pros

• Large Cooking Surface - The Big Green Egg offers an impressive 452 square inches of cooking space, meaning you can easily cater to a large group of people when you're hosting.
• Wide Temperature Range -  The XLarge Big Green Egg offers a temperature range of 225°F to 750°F.
• Stainless Steel Grilling Grates - The Big Green Egg grilling grates are made out of stainless steel, meaning they are likely to last for years to come without rust!

Cons

• Accessories - Unfortunately, the majority of the accessories for this particular grill are sold separately to the grill itself, meaning you can end up spending a lot of money on additional accessories

Primo vs Big Green Egg

Now you've got a better idea of these Kamado grills individually, let's compare some of the key product features between Primo and Big Green Egg.

Design

The design of these grills is one of their biggest differences.

Primo opts for a unique oval shape, providing the ideal environment for indirect cooking. The unique shape also maximizes the cooking surface.

On the other hand, the XLarge Big Green Egg grill has a round shape that unfortunately results in quite a bit of wasted space.

This is likely the reason why the two grills can accommodate a similar amount of ingredients, despite the fact that the Big Green Egg grill is actually larger than the Primo grill.

The grills are similar in terms of their design. They’re both sold as stand-alone units, with installation options available at an additional price. 

For instance, if you opt for Primo’s “All In One” package, you get a cradle stand that boasts useful side tables, as well as a grate lifter and a tool to help you remove the ash.

Temperature Range

The temperature range between these two grills isn't worlds apart.

Primo claims that the temperature range for their grills is from 150°F to well over 850°F.

Big Green Egg, on the other hand, claims that their grills have a temperature range of 225°F to 750°F.

Generally speaking, people look to add Kamado grills to the outdoor cooking setup because they want to cook low and slow without having to interfere too much during the cooking process.

As a result, the Primo model is preferable to the Big Green Egg model when it comes to temperature range.

Heat Retention

Heat retention is hugely important when you're choosing an outdoor grill, as this is a hurdle many grills fall at.

The Primo boasts ceramic walls and a porcelain glaze makes for superior heat and moisture retention.

As a result, you can use less fuel and reduce the time that you spend cooking.

The XL Big Green Egg grill is made with only the best materials, meaning its heat retention doesn't leave anything to be desired.

Heat Distribution 

In the same breath, you need to think about heat distribution.

The Big Green Egg heats up to the desired temperature in a fairly quick time. It also provides a steady, even heat to the entire surface for consistent results every time.

The Primo grill heats up within 15 minutes and is ready to go. What makes this grill special is that when you insert the optional rack, you have the ability to create two heat zones.

As a result, it's possible to roast and grill meat simultaneously, giving it a unique ability over the Big Green Egg grill.

Construction

The construction of the grill that you buy must be high quality for you to get the most out of your investment, so which of these grills offers better construction?

Primo's grills are made out of premium-grade ceramics for superior moisture and heat retention.

The X-Large Primo grill is a little heavier than the XLarge Big Green Egg grill. While this makes it more of a challenge to move around your backyard, it does reassure you that your grill will be able to withstand years of use!

The Primo grill also comes with a lift-and-lock lid. This is super handy during the grilling process when you need to tend to the food. In addition to this, the lid can be placed high enough for you to cook whole chickens and turkeys vertically.

Big Green Egg is a company that prides itself on making its grills out of the best ceramics available to them. The results are grills that are incredibly durable and that are sure to withstand the test of time, albeit being a little heavy to move around.

The Big Green Egg grill features a wooden handle, whereas the Primo grill has a metal handle instead.

The difference between these handles is largely cosmetic, as both grills are so well insulated that the handles becoming too hot to hold shouldn't be an issue!

While Primo uses materials crafted in America, Big Green Egg grills are manufactured in Mexico. You might want to consider this when it comes to getting parts replaced.

All things considered, when it comes to construction, I'd recommend Big Green Egg over Primo.

Cooking Surface

As extra-large grills, both these Kamado grills boast significant cooking surfaces. While the X-Large Primo grill has 400 square inches of cooking space, the XLarge Big Green Egg offers slightly more at 452 square inches.

When it comes to barbecuing multiple types of meats at once, the oval shape of the Primo model allows you to make the most of the grilling space. As a result, you can prepare 8 whole chickens, 12 steaks, or 20 burgers at the same time.

On the other hand, the XLarge Big Green Egg grill has the ability to hold 24 burgers, 11 whole chickens, or 12 steaks at once. Perfect for hosting large barbecues with all of your family and friends!

In addition to this, Primo offers an optional second rack for their X-Large unit. This additional rack boosts the cooking space of the X-Large Charcoal Primo grill by an impressive 280 square inches, thus improving the overall versatility of this grill.

While Big Green Egg offers similar additional racks, none are this size. As a result, Primo has the edge in terms of cooking surface.

Air Vents

Both of these Kamado grills have vents to help you alter the temperature of your grill.

The Primo X-Large grill boasts a durable cast iron chimney cap. On the lower level, there is a stainless steel vent that is easy to adjust to achieve the temperature that you're looking for depending on what you're cooking. To help you check your progress, there's also a handy built-in thermometer.

The Big Green Egg has multiple vents. Its lower vent is ideal for regulating the temperature. When it's opened all the way, the coals become red hot.

On the other hand, when it's nearly fully closed, you can even try to achieve a lower temperature than Big Green Egg claims.

In addition to this, Big Green Egg is equipped with a top vent cap known as the regulator, allowing you to calibrate the airflow and control the temperature.

To let in plenty of air when you want a smoking-hot fire, you simply open the vent fully. When it's shut all the way, all of the flavorful smoke gives whatever you're cooking an unbelievably smoky flavor.

Grilling Grates

Both the Primo and Big Green Egg grilling grates are made out of stainless steel.

As stainless steel is able to withstand years of use, with a little maintenance, these grilling grates will last you without rusting.

The stainless steel is great for imparting grill marks on various types of meats, including steaks, pork chops, as well as burgers.

It's important to note that Big Green Egg also sells cast iron grilling grates, but these will cost you more money.

Price And Warranty 

When you look at the price of these grills, the Big Green Egg grill is significantly more expensive than the Primo grill. The exact price of these units depends on the retailer, however, as I mentioned above, you cannot purchase the Big Green Egg grill online.

The warranty is hugely important to consider when you're making a large investment such as a grill. This ensures that you're covered should something happen to your grill, or you're not happy with the way that your grill is wearing.

Primo's warranty offers a 20-year guarantee on all ceramic parts. They also offer a 5-year guarantee on all metal parts, with the exception of cast iron parts.

The cooking grates and cast-iron parts are covered under warranty for one year. On the other hand, built-in thermometers and gaskets are only covered by a 30-day warranty.

The ceramic components of all Big Green Egg units are under warranty for as long as the original purchaser owns the grill. However, to make a claim on your warranty, you need to register your grill as soon as you can.

Metal parts are covered by a 5-year warranty, while any ceramic parts that you buy separately from your grill are covered by a 3-year warranty.

Gaskets and built-in thermometers are also covered under a 1-year warranty.

As a result, Big Green Egg offers a better warranty when compared to Primo.

Final Thoughts

So, there you have the Primo and Big Green Egg grills. Which you opt for will depend on your needs from a grill.

We hope this article has given you a better understanding of the Primo and Big Green Egg grills and which one is best for you.

Need help deciding?  Reach out to our team and we will be happy to help.