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Any alternatives to the BBQ Guru? That thing is expensive!

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Comments

  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    dougcrann said:
    Run, don't walk, away from BBQ Guru products.  Their customer service, in my opinion, leaves a lot to be desired.
    I have always found them helpful. In fact just last night I wrote them asking how to re-calibrate my older BBQ Guru Competitor since my original Teflon coated wires had broken. I had purchased replacements a couple years ago and just recently used them for the first and then second time. By past experience I knew good and well my Guru was not acting right with the new cables. This morning I received a short reply of "we are shipping you replacement cables. Tell us how you like them."

    I call that GREAT customer service!
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • I'm with the guys who just learn to make very minimal adjustments. I like how it just hovers the temps I set it at.
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    I'm with the guys who just learn to make very minimal adjustments. I like how it just hovers the temps I set it at.
    Oh I do too, but when I know I can not pay attention I let my Guru baby sit my egg essentially with blind trust - except for the last two uses as explained above. A good example for instance is at Thanksgiving or when I have a hard deadline to serve pulled pork where I have no room in my schedule. Last month I was committed to serving 6 butts at a given time so yes I put the Guru to task!
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • swordsmn
    swordsmn Posts: 683
    edited October 2015
    Thanks @Jeepster47. Ol Nola can sometimes come across as the forum's Scut Farkus.   He had green eyes I tell ya, GREEN EYES!

    and I wish @nolaegghead  a great time with brisket camp!
    LBGE, AR.  Lives in N.E. ATL
  • I bid the Flame Boss 100 on e-bay up to $100 and it just sold for $103.  Controller only.  Watch for deals on these!
  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 16,984
    Usually when I buy an accessory for the BGE, I either swear by it, or swear at it. I have to say, thus far, the Guru for me was worth every penny. I have had to use, and rely on, the Guru on several occasions, and each time, it performed flawlessly. Mine is older, with limitations, but, knowing its capabilities, it has
    provided some impressive results for my friends and family.
    There are others, I am sure, that are more convenient than mine, but I got to tell you, I would buy mine again, if I had to.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    YukonRon said:
    Usually when I buy an accessory for the BGE, I either swear by it, or swear at it. I have to say, thus far, the Guru for me was worth every penny. I have had to use, and rely on, the Guru on several occasions, and each time, it performed flawlessly. Mine is older, with limitations, but, knowing its capabilities, it has
    provided some impressive results for my friends and family.
    There are others, I am sure, that are more convenient than mine, but I got to tell you, I would buy mine again, if I had to.
    "older and with limitations" YOU TALKIN ABOUT ME, BOY??? LOL

    The reason I bought my BBQ GURU nearly 15 years ago was that Shotgun Fred who invented it along with a boo-coo of other far more important devices was a BGE egger himself. While I never met Fred in person I know several people who did, who attested to  the man's kindness. BTW when Fred passed away he donated $25 MILLION to the U of Texas for scholarships for likeminded young engineers.  As I recall the press release stated his donation was the largest EVER. BTW did I mention?...I love my BBQ Guru Competitor even though it "can't talk to a phone from a thousand miles away?"
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • Toxarch
    Toxarch Posts: 1,900
    I've got a Stoker. I think it's less than the cyberq. I'm betting Guru has the better customer service.
    I like the Stoker and use it all the time. Can I run the temp by hand? Sure. But why bother when I can sit inside or stay in bed and check it on my phone? I can set a temp and it stays there till I change it or the lump runs out.
    Aledo, Texas
    Large BGE
    KJ Jr.

    Exodus 12:9 KJV
    Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.

  • Ladeback69
    Ladeback69 Posts: 4,482
    Toxarch said:
    I've got a Stoker. I think it's less than the cyberq. I'm betting Guru has the better customer service.
    I like the Stoker and use it all the time. Can I run the temp by hand? Sure. But why bother when I can sit inside or stay in bed and check it on my phone? I can set a temp and it stays there till I change it or the lump runs out.

    @Toxarch, is the Stoker water proof?  If not, what do you do to keep rain off it?  I see it has a lot of options to it when you order it and you can get up over $400 quick, but it seems very versatile. 
    XL, WSM, Coleman Road Trip Gas Grill

    Kansas City, Mo.
  • I just bought the DigiQ on eBay last week for 200.00 and that includes shipping. I also saw used ones for 170.00 used. 
  • tgkleman
    tgkleman Posts: 216
    If you are the project sort, you can buy a PID controller and probe (from Auber instruments)and a fan (from BBQ Guru) and make it yourself.
  • Toxarch
    Toxarch Posts: 1,900
    Toxarch said:
    I've got a Stoker. I think it's less than the cyberq. I'm betting Guru has the better customer service.
    I like the Stoker and use it all the time. Can I run the temp by hand? Sure. But why bother when I can sit inside or stay in bed and check it on my phone? I can set a temp and it stays there till I change it or the lump runs out.

    @Toxarch, is the Stoker water proof?  If not, what do you do to keep rain off it?  I see it has a lot of options to it when you order it and you can get up over $400 quick, but it seems very versatile. 
    No, it's definitely not water proof. My egg sits under a covered back porch so direct rain should never be an issue. Unfortunately we haven't seen much rain around here lately.

    Some put the controller in a clear tupperware with a port on the side for the wires. Personally, I'd probably keep the Stoker in a dry place and run a stereo wire out to the Egg for the probes and fan and just waterproof those connections. You can control everything over wifi so there's no real need to have the Stoker right next to the grill.

    I don't know about the Guru, but one Stoker can run multiple grills and multiple probes on each grill. If you might have multiple eggs in the future, it might be something to consider.
    Aledo, Texas
    Large BGE
    KJ Jr.

    Exodus 12:9 KJV
    Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.

  • BearQ
    BearQ Posts: 174
    I find value in being able to adjust my pit temp from my office (Flameboss 200). Otherwise it's an expensive toy but it does give you confidence in long cooks as it works very well.
    Barrie,Ont.,Canada.
  • Downr@nge
    Downr@nge Posts: 83
    edited October 2015
    I have a digiQ but I don't use it because it's super easy to just adjust the vents.  Sure you might be 20 degrees off in the morning but I don't low and slow for breakfast.  
    Honestly, I really only want it for long low & slow cooks.  Recently, I did a 18lb brisket (15 lbs after trim) for work.  I put it on the egg about 3:30pm and it was at 205 at 5:30 am @ avg temp of 245 f.  I got so tired that I foiled at 165 f and put in the oven for the remainder of the cook.  I work in light construction (awnings) and the brisket was for the crew.  I was exhausted.  I want to be able to put the meat on the egg, and be able to walk away from it until it is done on long low and slow cooks.

    XL Big Green  Egg 
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,167
    Earlier posts within this thread mention the Tip Top Temperature controller ($30).  I bought one and test ran it on a low&slow this past Sunday.  It does the job of maintaining temperature within about 20*F.  No bells and whistles but for the investment I don't think you can go wrong.  FWIW-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,663
    Downr@nge said:
    I have a digiQ but I don't use it because it's super easy to just adjust the vents.  Sure you might be 20 degrees off in the morning but I don't low and slow for breakfast.  
    Honestly, I really only want it for long low & slow cooks.  Recently, I did a 18lb brisket (15 lbs after trim) for work.  I put it on the egg about 3:30pm and it was at 205 at 5:30 am @ avg temp of 245 f.  I got so tired that I foiled at 165 f and put in the oven for the remainder of the cook.  I work in light construction (awnings) and the brisket was for the crew.  I was exhausted.  I want to be able to put the meat on the egg, and be able to walk away from it until it is done on long low and slow cooks.

    i pretty much just use the vents and just walk away checking on it every 8 hours or so. your cook i would have just checked it before going to bed, hit the lower lump with a wiggle rod, slept 8 hours, checked it when getting up, hit it with the wiggle rod, and then left to fish another 8 or so hours. i would have a hard time, timing, a brisket with or without a device but theres no reason to babysit an egg on a low and slow (some people have a hard time learning this =)
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Ladeback69
    Ladeback69 Posts: 4,482
    Downr@nge said:
    I have a digiQ but I don't use it because it's super easy to just adjust the vents.  Sure you might be 20 degrees off in the morning but I don't low and slow for breakfast.  
    Honestly, I really only want it for long low & slow cooks.  Recently, I did a 18lb brisket (15 lbs after trim) for work.  I put it on the egg about 3:30pm and it was at 205 at 5:30 am @ avg temp of 245 f.  I got so tired that I foiled at 165 f and put in the oven for the remainder of the cook.  I work in light construction (awnings) and the brisket was for the crew.  I was exhausted.  I want to be able to put the meat on the egg, and be able to walk away from it until it is done on long low and slow cooks.

    i pretty much just use the vents and just walk away checking on it every 8 hours or so. your cook i would have just checked it before going to bed, hit the lower lump with a wiggle rod, slept 8 hours, checked it when getting up, hit it with the wiggle rod, and then left to fish another 8 or so hours. i would have a hard time, timing, a brisket with or without a device but theres no reason to babysit an egg on a low and slow (some people have a hard time learning this =)
    @fishlessman, I did just this a few weeks ago and my meat temp probe wasn't working.   I put a 13 pound trimmed brisket on around 7 pm, checked the temp before bed at 11:30 and it was good.  Got up at 7:30 am and it was at 175 to 180.  I needed it tube done by 9:30 so I wrapped it in foil, cranked up the get from 235 to 275 and it ready at 9:30. FTC'd it for 3 hours and it was still 160.  Came out great.  I would have slept better if I known what the internal temp was, but it came out good.
    XL, WSM, Coleman Road Trip Gas Grill

    Kansas City, Mo.
  • I love my Pitmaster IQ 110 and consider it a must-have for long cook times.  Yeah, it's kind of big and ugly, but it works perfectly and was way cheaper.
  • party q works great
    Large, Medium

    Heflin, AL
  • NibbleMeThis
    NibbleMeThis Posts: 2,295
    I never used a controller other than manual vents for 5 years before trying one out.  Did plenty of overnights that way and did just fine.  But I decided to try out a controller for "insurance".  Went cheap and got the Auber.  It does okay but not user intuitive, no wireless connectivity, and I ended up rarely using it.

    This summer tried out the Flame Boss 200 and I couldn't be happier.  It has proven quite accurate, reliable, and I love being able to see and control what is going on from my computer or mobile device.  The mobile connectivity is the biggest factor for me because things can go wrong with a controller during a cook so getting a remote alert is important.

    In full disclosure, we got our first 200 as a free review sample but when we decided to buy a second controller last month, we looked at all available options did a spread sheet (attached) to "cross walk" the various devices and ended up buying another Flame Boss 200. 
    Knoxville, TN
    Nibble Me This
  • A31unit
    A31unit Posts: 199
    Several inexpensive units out there, but take a look at the Flame Boss 100 for a direct replacement of the Bubba Guru and the 200 for an upgrade to wifi control.  Don't look only at MSRP, there are several places that sell the Flame Boss units for a good price ... as well as the Guru offerings.
    coooltroy said:
    Flameboss 200.  @stlcharcoal is your best bet to buy from.


    ^^^^^^^^^^^ 100%
    LBGE. Plate setter, PS Woo2, Flame Boss 200.  Moorestown, South Jersey (about 15 min outside of Philly, Don't hold it against me.  I would most likely rather live where you are)