I know the company recommends a table nest if putting the egg on top of a surface. Is this really necessary? For reference the spot in my outdoor kitchen where it will be sitting is brick.
If the base is non combustible completely then no it's probably fine. The challenge may be getting a ceramic bottom to sit on a brick base without rocking since both surfaces aren't perfectly flat. The table nest is only a $30 accessory but will help it sit without rocking when you open and close the lid.
If there's any wood under the brick I would definitely use the table nest.
People build tables all the time and just throw a 12x12 cement paver under the BGE, you'll be fine. The table nest is just one more sales opportunity for them. Seems like a good idea and sturdy build but not necessary vs. a $2 paver or bricks in your case.
Lots of photos of burned up tables using those bricks like that. An air gap is required to prevent that heat transfer. That's pretty cheap insurance for a roughly $30-$40 part.
Yeah I'm not worried about the extra 30 or $40 I was asking because I've got some dimension limitations on where the egg will be sitting and I think that nest is a little bit wider base then just the base of the egg
I don't have any wood under my Large BGE, but I do have a paver under it, but I also have the ceramic feet between the paver and the BGE. Looks like BGE quit selling them, but you can get them on amazon.
My BGE sits atop of a slab of leftover kitchen granite sitting on top of 4 -2x4 and have cooked on it for years. Got the fire so hot the bottom ring expanded and the lid fell off while making pizzas, had to be 800-900 degrees at least. Never had an outside fire issue, the gasket did melt.