Slow'N Sear Plus or XL for Weber 26

[John Tanner]

Hey Folks,

About to pick up a 26" kettle, would like to add a Slow'N Sear for smoking and reverse searing. What should I get, the Plus or the XL and why? If I get the Plus, I can always add more briquettes if it's burning down and I have more room for indirect cooking space. If I get the XL, I have less to worry about in terms of re-fueling due to capacity and I have a bigger a sear zone...but I also have a smaller indirect zone.

Just wondering what you folks have experienced.

Thanks.

[Jerod Broussard]

The XL, the increased capacity outweighs the little indirect zone you lose. Not to mention the increase in sear zone. OK I did mention it.

[David Parrish]

The XL, the increased capacity outweighs the little indirect zone you lose. Not to mention the increase in sear zone. OK I did mention it.

Agree 110%. I love the XL in the 26". The standard works great in the 26" but the XL really shines, erm, sears.

[jgreen]

I think the experts have already weighed in above, but I had the same question and solved it by ordering both. I figure I can use either, or wait till MCS makes me add a 22 inch kettle as well.

[Spinaker]

and that is a wicked set up, FD! fuzzydaddy

[Jerod Broussard]

Ditto, I load both in the 26 for plenty searing action.

[kmhfive]

Now I have MCS setting in again.

[John Tanner]

Excellent, thanks for the advice.

[bcostlow]

I have the XL SNS in my performer as well as the DNG. My WSM is gathering dust. MCS is driving me to a weber 26 ... and a PBC because, yeah ... MCS.

[Jerod Broussard]

I can honestly say I never had problems with MCS, as long as I needed every penny I made. The necessity to cook large amounts of meat with no time to do it over multiple days has me looking for extra cooking space and would appear on the surface to be MCS, deep down I know better.

[Breadhead]

Jerod... you definitely have a form of MCS. Yours is out of true need as opposed to lusting after cookers you will rarely use because your inventory is so large. You get the same emotional desire and feelings us lusters get but you are going to work that cooker aggressively.

[bcostlow]

With 2 SnS you can also do a lot of simultaneous searing! I have 3 SnS and only 2 Kettles (for now).

I have had trouble keeping two of the weber charcoal thingies burning at the same time. I set them opposite and cooked indirect in the middle but one always went out. Do two SNSs really cook well in tandem? Did you set them opposite or side by side or end to end?

[fuzzydaddy]

I set them opposite but only used this setup when I had a lot of searing once and wanted to give it a try. It worked but kept me busy rotating and flipping!

[Elecsheep9]

I have the XL for my 26 inch. It just makes sense to get the one that is specifically fitted for the 26. There is still a ton of indirect room.

[PJBowmaster]

I have contemplated the same question as I look to feed my burgeoning MCS. And my thought is go with the XL for the 26" Kettle. But Dave already done told you that. And he knows a little bit about this stuff......LOL

[John Tanner]

Just found out I can get the SnS here in Toronto (not the 26 yet, but soon I hope)...good news!

[Breadhead]

I have a large BGE and a 26" kettle. I bought the 26" kettle because I had to have a cooker to use my original SnS in. The proverbial cart before the horse move.

Im planning a big party for friends and family this summer and I'm thinking I'll set up my BGE as my baking station for the first part of the reverse sear cook using 2 grates, one on top of the other so I can bake lots of steaks to 115°.

Then i'm thinking I'll buy the XL SnS to add to my original and put them both on the 26" kettle as my searing station.

Bake them in the BGE and sear them over the SnS's... I could crank out lots of steaks quickly.🤔 Just a thought so far...😎

[Thunder77]

You should expand on that thought... :-)

[John Tanner]

Great idea BH.....perfect use of two different tools.