If you are a grill fanatic, you have more than likely heard about the Big Green Egg grill. It's a ceramic bbq grill that can be used as a bbq grill, smoker or even an outdoor oven. It really is so flexible you could make anything from hamburgers and steaks and other standard bbq grill foods to desserts, breads as well as pizza.

Eggheads are very enthusiastic about the Big Green Egg, but you may be curious as to what makes the Egg (as it's fondly called) different from other bbq grills.

Probably the greatest difference is the appearance. The Big Green Egg smoker is well, green and shaped like a big egg. Although I could not say why it is green, I will point out that the egg shape was created (purposely) to offer the ability to control and maintain the heat in the smoker a lot better than other grills.

The next greatest difference is the material the grill is made of. Instead of being made out of metal, the Big Green Egg features thick ceramic walls. Ceramic is a lot more durable compared to other materials, so the Egg will last longer than other barbecue grills, it can be used all year (even with freezing temperatures). It's also less dangerous than other grills, especially if there are children playing close by, because the ceramic exterior stays cooler than traditional metal grills plus you always grill with the lid down, therefore you don't have to be concerned with flare-ups.

There are lots of other differences however one of my favorite features is definitely the fan club the Big Green Egg has. You will discover Egg fanatics and events all over the U.S., and Eggheads are eager to share their stories, advice as well as recipes at gatherings as well as on the Egghead website. I can't think of any other bbq grill that has such a following.

I will admit, the Egg does have some shortcomings when compared to other bbq grills. For example, it's not an inexpensive bbq grill. You could fork out approximately $700 to get a large Big Green Egg. Additionally, you will want to use lump wood charcoal, which is not always readily available and is usually a bit more expensive in comparison with traditional charcoal briquettes. The Big Green Egg also has a smaller grilling area compared to many gas grills, which means you may want a backup bbq grill if you're cooking for a number of people.

Having said that, the overall flexibility of the Big Green Egg grill, the ability to grill, smoke or even bake with your Egg, and the amazing results you get (the Egg is very forgiving, even for novice grillers) are worth the cost. If you are a bbq lover and you also do a good deal of smoking in addition to barbecuing you'll really enjoy the quality and the results you get while using the Big Green Egg.