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Egg temp controllers

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RickyBobby
RickyBobby Posts: 744
in EggHead Forum
I like keeping things simple and have not added any electronics to my Egg up to this point. I don't seem to do a bunch of low n slows other than ribs and the occasional pork butt. Not saying I'll never go in that direction though. I'm not 100% sure I'm ready for a temp controller but have been looking. Where does a person begin? There are a ton of choices. I really would like to go with the BBQ Guru PartyQ and keep things simple as possible but am afraid the blower that comes with it just wouldn't be sufficient for my XL BGE. Then sometimes I think maybe I should buy once, cry once and go with either the CyberQ or Stoker WiFi. I'm afraid that I'd get discouraged just trying to get these setup and running with my smartphone though. There is also the PitMaster and the DigiQ to consider too. I'm sure there are other options also. I'm just plain overwhelmed!
My PitMaster IQ120 FREAKIN ROCKS!!!!!!! Current BGE arsenal: XL & MiniMax
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  • Terrebandit
    Terrebandit Posts: 1,750
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    When you figure all that out, please let me know. I too am overwhelmed.
    Dave - Austin, TX
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  • Charlesmaneri
    Charlesmaneri Posts: 1,295
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    I have the DigiQ and love it I bought the CyberQ thinking that it would be nice to be able to monitor my cooks from bed thru my Iphone but for the life of me I couldn't get it to sync I played with if for about 6hours and got very aggravated and packed it back up returned it for a 2nd DigiQ I would recommend the DigiQ without reservations it is very very user friendly and simple to use and it works I set it babysit it for maybe a hour to make sure it's locked on temp and I then go to bed with a clear head knowing that when I get up in the morning it will still be exactly where I set it that being said I sleep very well
    2 Large Eggs and a Mini 2 Pit Bulls and a Pork shoulder or butt nearby and 100% SICILIAN
    Long Island N.Y.
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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,731
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    I bought a partyQ a couple of years back and used it a few times with my drum smokers. It performed reasonably well. Occasionally I lust after after a cyberQ or stoker wifi, but to be honest I have not found that I need a temp controller to maintain temps with the egg. I do an overnight cook every now and then, and my maverick 732 does a great job of letting me know if the egg temps are out of range. i can't remember the last time i had to get up in the middle of the night to go check the egg. The price of the temp controllers is what has kept me from buying one. 

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • RickyBobby
    RickyBobby Posts: 744
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    Anybody here running the NanoQ? How does it work? If I'm not mistaken, I believe I could run whatever size cfm blower I'd want on it. .... Or not?
    My PitMaster IQ120 FREAKIN ROCKS!!!!!!! Current BGE arsenal: XL & MiniMax
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  • YEMTrey
    YEMTrey Posts: 6,829
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    I've been kicking around this idea lately as well.

    Don't do many overnight cooks.  However, I would be very interested in getting one to do weekday cooks while I'm at work.  Get the Egg going and meat on before I go to work.  Monitor the cook from my office, and have it done when I get home.  This, would be appealing to me.
    Steve 
    XL, Mini Max, and a 22" Blackstone in Cincinnati, Ohio
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  • SmokinTiger81
    SmokinTiger81 Posts: 746
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    I got tired of waking up to monitor temps or having maverick alarm go off so I went low end with auber controller at about 150$ (After reading reviews on nakedwhiz site) Very precise and easy to use but no wifi and I don't really need it. I also used at thanksgiving for the turkey and that was nice to set and forget while I worked on other stuff.
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  • grege345
    grege345 Posts: 3,515
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    I have the party q and I love it. No extension cords. Easy to use. Just got some rechargeables dedicated to it. Easily handles a 12 hour + cook. I primarily use it for brisket or butt. I saw on here a week or so ago that someone was usin the party q on their xl. I can see how it wouldn't be a problem. It's not like the fan runs full time. Egg retains the heat well so it only gives a few puffs to keep it goin on "low and slow"
    LBGE& SBGE———————————————•———————– Pennsylvania / poconos

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  • flemster
    flemster Posts: 269
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    Just got my IQ120 and love it. I too do not need wifi control etc. I have a disclaimer that I have never used any other controller. After all my search I thought it was thebestcombo of features and price for my needs
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Keywords: Gator, Nashvegas, LBGE, Looftlighter, Thermapen in Racing Green (faster than the red one!), PSWOO2, Spider with CI, IQ120
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  • RickyBobby
    RickyBobby Posts: 744
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    flemster said:
    Just got my IQ120 and love it. I too do not need wifi control etc. I have a disclaimer that I have never used any other controller. After all my search I thought it was thebestcombo of features and price for my needs

    Do you run or see a need to use a Maverick remote thermometer with the IQ120?
    My PitMaster IQ120 FREAKIN ROCKS!!!!!!! Current BGE arsenal: XL & MiniMax
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  • RickyBobby
    RickyBobby Posts: 744
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    I watched several youtube videos today on temp controllers and the PitMasterIQ seems to be BY FAR the simplest to use! I really think I am now leaning towards the IQ120. I want simplicity.
    My PitMaster IQ120 FREAKIN ROCKS!!!!!!! Current BGE arsenal: XL & MiniMax
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  • Scottborasjr
    Scottborasjr Posts: 3,494
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    get in touch with @stlcharcoal, he has the PitMaster products at very reasonable prices. 
    I raise my kids, cook and golf.  When work gets in the way I'm pissed, I'm pissed off 48 weeks a year.
    Inbetween Iowa and Colorado, not close to anything remotely entertaining outside of football season. 
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  • yogi84
    yogi84 Posts: 189
    edited December 2013
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    Build one....

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  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
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    I hesitated for a long time. I got a digiq dx2 from an egger here at a great price. The computer was new and I ordered the other stuff on amazon. I love it. I would love to have wifi but for $200 I can make it. My last butt I went 220 overnight without a hiccup. A 22 hour cook. I'm going to try 160-180 on some jerky this week.
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
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  • RickyBobby
    RickyBobby Posts: 744
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    Now that I have an AR with multiple grids and as soon as I get this temp controller thing worked out; venison jerky will hopefully become the norm around my place.
    My PitMaster IQ120 FREAKIN ROCKS!!!!!!! Current BGE arsenal: XL & MiniMax
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  • Mike_the_BBQ_Fanatic
    Mike_the_BBQ_Fanatic Posts: 700
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    I got the CyberQ right off the bat and it manages my XL nicely...I do a lot of low and slows but I even use it for 4-6 hour cooks too....I was afraid if I went with one of the others I would want the wifi remote capabilities later....nothing against the stoker...I never really even looked at it...in fact I am embarrassed to say I didn't really look at anything else... I didn't learn there were so many options until later...but I got lucky...
    Making the neighbors jealous in Pleasant Hill, Ia one cook at a time...
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  • jerryp
    jerryp Posts: 232
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    SmokinTiger81 said:
    I got tired of waking up to monitor temps or having maverick alarm go off so I went low end with auber controller at about 150$ (After reading reviews on nakedwhiz site) Very precise and easy to use but no wifi and I don't really need it. I also used at thanksgiving for the turkey and that was nice to set and forget while I worked on other stuff.
    I have the same controller and it's perfect for me.  Basic functions and low-cost. 
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  • Danny Noonan
    Danny Noonan Posts: 29
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    Digi Q works great for me. I do some long smokes overnight and never have to worry about temperature variation. I have had mine about 4 years now and use it for ribs, pork butt, turkey, etc. The plug that goes into the wall outlet did go bad about 2 years in and I sent it back to the folks at BBQ Guru and they promptly replaced it for me. 
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  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
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    We have an Auber and a Flame Boss Pit Controller. I haven't fully tested out the Flame Boss enough to give it a solid recomendation, but I can tell you I like it more than the Auber after the few runs I've done with it. Just to throw out another name and further confuse you. ;)

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

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  • RickyBobby
    RickyBobby Posts: 744
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    Griffin said:
    We have an Auber and a Flame Boss Pit Controller. I haven't fully tested out the Flame Boss enough to give it a solid recomendation, but I can tell you I like it more than the Auber after the few runs I've done with it. Just to throw out another name and further confuse you. ;)

    I appreciate that :-?
    My PitMaster IQ120 FREAKIN ROCKS!!!!!!! Current BGE arsenal: XL & MiniMax
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  • Hotch
    Hotch Posts: 3,564
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    Call Rock's and get the Stoker. You can have as many food and temp probes as you like. The blower will be rated for the XL. I use 2 food and 2 fire (temp) probes. One at the grate and one to replace the temp gauge.
    Large BGE, MiniMAX BGE, 2 Mini BGE's, R&V Fryer, 36" Blackstone Griddle, Camp Chef Dual Burner 40K BTU Stove
    BGE Chiminea
    Prosper, TX
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  • DMW
    DMW Posts: 13,832
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    Hotch said:

    Call Rock's and get the Stoker. You can have as many food and temp probes as you like. The blower will be rated for the XL. I use 2 food and 2 fire (temp) probes. One at the grate and one to replace the temp gauge.

    How does 2 pit probes in the same pit work? Average the two? I always thought it was only for two separate pits.
    They/Them
    Morgantown, PA

    XL BGE - S BGE - KJ Jr - HB Legacy - BS Pizza Oven - 30" Firepit - King Kooker Fryer -  PR72T - WSJ - BS 17" Griddle - XXL BGE  - BS SS36" Griddle - 2 Burner Gasser - Pellet Smoker
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  • Hotch
    Hotch Posts: 3,564
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    The one at the grate I use to control the blower. The other gives me temp high in the dome.

    Two food probes allows me to see temp on two butts or the flat and the point. And with the Stoker Log graphing software it lets me save the total cook in a graph. If I have a great cook I will go back and set it up again. I do experiment a lot with temps and technics such as Turbo, Hot and fast and low and slow.

     

    :ar!
    Large BGE, MiniMAX BGE, 2 Mini BGE's, R&V Fryer, 36" Blackstone Griddle, Camp Chef Dual Burner 40K BTU Stove
    BGE Chiminea
    Prosper, TX
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  • dfrelich
    dfrelich Posts: 104
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    RickyBobby said:
    I like keeping things simple and have not added any electronics to my Egg up to this point. I don't seem to do a bunch of low n slows other than ribs and the occasional pork butt. Not saying I'll never go in that direction though. I'm not 100% sure I'm ready for a temp controller but have been looking. Where does a person begin? There are a ton of choices. I really would like to go with the BBQ Guru PartyQ and keep things simple as possible but am afraid the blower that comes with it just wouldn't be sufficient for my XL BGE. Then sometimes I think maybe I should buy once, cry once and go with either the CyberQ or Stoker WiFi. I'm afraid that I'd get discouraged just trying to get these setup and running with my smartphone though. There is also the PitMaster and the DigiQ to consider too. I'm sure there are other options also. I'm just plain overwhelmed!
    I too was overwhelmed when I started the thought of owning one.    To help you to decide...

    A couple weeks ago, I've decided that I'll go simple and get DigiQ because it is proven to be reliable. And I already have Maverick 732 that I can monitor temp from wherever I may be around the house.

    Now after two low and slow cooks -- I decided that I'm going to return the DigiQ and trade up for CyberQ WiFi.  I dislike having to pull out 4 probes.  2 for Guru and 2 for Maverick.  Then having to pack up everything.  Controller, fan, Maverick and 4 probes.  FYI wires can be easily bent so gotta be careful. 

    Too much work. 
    X-Large & Large
    Frederick County, MD
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  • EGGARIFIC
    EGGARIFIC Posts: 21
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    I have a cyberQ, very easy to setup.  once setup you can manually load the site as an app on iphone and monitor with no issues. 

     

    Simple setup........

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  • cspearce2
    cspearce2 Posts: 107
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    I have a PartyQ and it works great on my XL. Works up to 350 degrees if you help get it to that point. Works on all my low and slows perfect! I love it.
    Kind Regards...Papa C
    Peachtree City, GA
    2-XLBG's E...Webber 22" kettle, Retired Gas Grill
    Roll Tide!!!
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  • Hotch
    Hotch Posts: 3,564
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    One other option about the Stoker is you can control 2 cookers at the same time. All you need is two fire probes and two blowers. And two food probes if you want cook to temperature.

    Almost any of these will do the job. It is the "what else do I need it do" that you will need to look at.

    Large BGE, MiniMAX BGE, 2 Mini BGE's, R&V Fryer, 36" Blackstone Griddle, Camp Chef Dual Burner 40K BTU Stove
    BGE Chiminea
    Prosper, TX
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  • RickyBobby
    RickyBobby Posts: 744
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    The only thing I keep kicking around is that for the price of an IQ120 & Mav733 paired together, I could darn near be into the CyberQ. Decisions ... decisions.
    My PitMaster IQ120 FREAKIN ROCKS!!!!!!! Current BGE arsenal: XL & MiniMax
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