Finding the best whole pig rotisserie is not important for you, but crucial. Why? Well, let’s be frank from the very beginning. People who want to roast a whole pig or a lamb on a spit think they are more capable than average. And more adventurous. You are such a person too. This means that you want to do what others refrain from. You don’t bake pancakes. You dare to roast a whole pig. This is an endeavor and requires knowledge, skill, talent, patience and courage. And the best whole pig rotisserie to help you master your craft to perfection.

Those who dare do not want average. They want the best. With this in mind, we have prepared carefully deliberated advice for buying or assembling the best whole pig rotisserie. The gear will give you the power.

1.    Keep your eyes on the size

Those who say that size does not matter do not know anything about the ways of the world. Or, at least, have not ever tried to roast a whole pig or a lamb on a spit. So, the very first thing you need to consider when choosing the best whole pig/lamb rotisserie is the size. In the context of whole pig roasters, this primarily mean the length of the spit.

The length of the spit depends on two things:

1. Your needs
2. Your personal preferences

The first actually means how many people you want to feed. This number dictates the size of the pig or lamb. As we have already said in our Ultimate How-to Guide for Roasting a Whole Pig, an adult person, or a very hungry teenager, will eat approximately 1 lb of raw pig meat. However, if you want to be a good host, you have to count on slightly more.  70 lbs pig is approximately 46in long and will feed 50 people. Account for min 20in for trussing equipment. All in all, if you need to roast meat for 50 or so people, a 70in long rotisserie will be the best whole pig rotisserie for you.

What do personal preferences have to do with the best whole pig rotisserie?

Everything actually. After all, personal preferences define our whole lives let alone what we consider the best whole pig rotisserie. So, by personal preferences we mean two things:

1. The place where you intend to roast the pig or lamb, and
2. How often you roast

This means that if you have a brick fireplace, the best whole pig rotisserie will obviously be the one that fits within in terms of length. You are likely to adjust the number of people you are inviting depending on your capacity to host them efficiently. On the other hand, there is the matter of frequency. If you use the rotisserie more often but for less than 50 people, the best whole pig rotisserie for you would be a shorter one. You can also use it to roast poultry or chicken.

So, before we continue, use pen and paper, and start writing down your wants and your needs. Both must be taken into account.

2.    The best whole pig rotisserie has sufficient height

Here, we mean the distance between the ground and the spit. This is defined by the tripods –the bars holding the spit. The height is important for 3 things:

1. It should secure the proper fitting of the pig – the bigger the pig the higher the rotisserie.
2. The height is the gap between the heat source and the meat – proper distance guarantees even cooking. We want crispy, not burnt.
3. It saves your spine – you don’t want to bend too much. Roasting a whole pig or lamb takes time. You will need to check the meat and stir the fire every once in a while. The whole point of roasting a whole pig on a spit is to feel comfortable throughout the whole process – preparing food and eating it. For this reason, choosing the proper height is of paramount importance.

Basically, the best whole pig rotisserie will have an adjustable height. Simply, do not opt for those who do not offer this quality. Consider it an absolute must-have. After all, you are buying a long-lasting product. It is only reasonable not to limit yourself with an inadaptable version.

3.    Material is of key importance

The material the rotisserie is made of is important for several reasons. First, it is the durability of the product. Rotisseries carry weight and sustain fire. So obviously, the best whole pig rotisserie must be firm, reliable and strongly built. Moreover, whole pig rotisserie is not something you buy now and replace the next year. The best whole pig rotisserie is built to last.

With all this in mind, you have to search for just one thing –stainless steel.

At least for the spit and the forks. A pro tip would be to look for 304 stainless steel – the best and the most reliable material ever used in the cooking industry.

Why is 304 stainless steel perfect?

The reasons are many. Firstly, this material does not rust. This means let’s say 30 years of use with nothing more but 10 min of cleaning with hot water and any detergent after every use. Secondly, 304 stainless steel stands for zero harmful emissions from the material itself to the food through heat exposure. This is to say that your food will stay healthy. And last but not the least, it will always look new – the best whole pig rotisserie will remain all elegant, bright and shiny.

4.    Cost-effectiveness is fine but not at all costs

Buying a whole pig rotisserie is not like buying a pan. In the first place, it is not something you cannot do without. The best whole pig rotisserie is something you want to have. And unfortunately, it does not cost 20$. This is to say that we understand the inclination to satisfy your desire to have and use a product but not to waste money while doing so. And that is completely fine. However, thinking cheap is not what does the job with whole pig roasters. Let’s explain.

Many cheap whole pig roasters offered on the market have questionable quality. Some are sold directly, others are offered via resellers. Yet, while looking for the best whole pig rotisserie keep in mind that it has to be durable, firm and made of reliable materials. This simply cannot be cheap. So, low prices here mean low quality. It means you are being lied to.

Again, we are not saying you have to go and buy the most expensive item there is. We are saying you use your brains, consider our advice and search for yourself.

5.    The best whole pig rotisserie must have a reliable motor

We have already covered the spit, the forks and the tripods. This takes us to the last indispensable element of the best whole pig rotisserie – the motor. The motor is the working horse in this whole adventure. It is not an easy job to rotate 50 lbs on a spit every now and then. All those who tried doing this by hand know what we are talking about. So, you have to find a strong and dependable machine to do the rotating job for you.

This is not an easy job. The offer is extensive. Yet, there are several useful tips we can give you.

1. Metal casing – less prone to damage, the motor will last longer.
2. Consider the voltage, power and RPM – this already sounds complicated we know. But, let’s make it as simple as possible. 110 voltage is optimum. Also, it is safe to look for 2-3 RPMs.
3. Check the load capacity in the specifications – choose depending on your needs.
4. Consider the overall size and the diameter – the motor should allow for easy installation on the spit.

6.  Try to buy all the items from one producer, if possible

The safest thing to do when buying the best whole pig rotisserie is to actually choose the rotisserie and buy it as a whole. This is to say that trying to assemble the set by buying a spit from one producer and a motor from the other might cause problems. Again, if you already have the spit you are satisfied with and do not want to waste money, we recommend you to be very detailed in your investigations of other remaining parts. Keep in mind that elements must correspond to one another. Otherwise, you might feel disappointed and that is the last thing an adventurer who roasts a whole pig on a spit should feel.