Small — $75
0.6 metre spit. Up to 6kg meat or 8kg gyros. Best for compact cooks and portable setups.
Melbourne spit-roaster guide
How to Choose a Spit Roaster Size
Use the meat type, total weight and shape of the cook to choose enough capacity without hiring more equipment than you need.
Ask for a size recommendation
Weight is only the start
Shape, mounting and whole animals also affect capacity.
A long whole animal and a compact stack of gyros can weigh the same but need very different space on the spit.
Tell us whether you are cooking gyros, individual cuts, chickens or a whole pig or lamb. Then confirm the total weight and how the meat will be mounted.
Party Spit Hire recommends the smallest roaster that comfortably suits the job. Equipment prices are fixed by roaster size rather than guest count.
The four equipment sizes
Compare length, weight capacity and published hire price.
Standard — $130
1 metre spit. Up to 14kg meat, 18kg gyros, a lamb up to 10kg or a pig up to 12kg.
Large — $160
1.2 metre spit. Up to 16kg meat, 24kg gyros, a lamb up to 12kg or a pig up to 20kg.
Extra-large — $175
1.5 metre spit. Up to 24kg meat, 36kg gyros or a whole lamb or pig up to 30kg.
A simple sizing process
Answer four questions before selecting the equipment.
Start with the heaviest version of the menu you are likely to cook. A little breathing room is useful, but selecting equipment purely from the number of guests can be misleading.
Whole animals require special attention because their length and mounting use the full spit. Extra meats generally need a second roaster.
- What exact meats will turn on the spit?
- What is the combined uncooked weight?
- Is there a whole pig or lamb in the plan?
- Will anything else cook on the grill below?
Avoid common sizing mistakes
Do not assume all meat fits the same way.
Rolled cuts, chicken, gyros and whole animals occupy the rod differently. Confirm the weight and physical arrangement before the event rather than relying on a rough guest estimate.
If a butcher is supplying a whole animal, ask for its dressed weight and mounting needs. If Party Spit Hire supplies it, the animal arrives fitted to the rod with the required brackets.
- Do not combine a whole animal and extra meats on one roaster
- Do not select a motor capacity from guest count alone
- Allow access and safe clearance for the physical roaster size
- Confirm charcoal and serving-time requirements as part of the quote
Keep planning
Move from the sizing guide to a specific setup.
Compare all hire options
Review equipment details, prices, deposits and selection buttons.
Whole pig capacity guide
Choose among the 12kg, 20kg and 30kg whole-pig limits.
Whole lamb capacity guide
Plan equipment and mounting for a whole lamb.
Gyros capacities and packages
Compare roaster-only and meat-included gyros options.
Good to know
Spit-roaster sizing questions.
Send us the date, suburb and what you plan to cook if you would like help choosing the right setup.
Email your question →Can I choose a roaster from the guest count?
Guest count is useful, but meat type, total weight, shape and mounting are more reliable sizing inputs.
What is the smallest roaster?
The 0.6 metre small roaster supports up to 6kg meat or 8kg gyros and has a $75 hire price.
Which roaster fits a 20kg whole pig?
The 1.2 metre large roaster supports a whole pig up to 20kg. Confirm the dressed weight before booking.
Can a whole animal share the spit with other meat?
Generally no. A whole pig or lamb occupies a full roaster, so extra meats or gyros need a second one.
Request a written quote
Choose my roaster