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CyberQ II for Small & large BGE

Kilo
Kilo Posts: 11
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Hello,
I have been away from the forum for sevral years and want to broaden my horizons in cooking on my large and small BGE. What feedback do you have on using the CyberQ II for both size cookers? It is a big investment, will I really use it? Do you mainly use it on low and slow cooks or would you do it on steaks, chicken, pizza etc. I do not enjoy checking all the time to see if meat is done (I am usually multi-tasking unfortunately).

Is this product durable and easy to attach and take off?
Thanks for any feedback!!
Kilo
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Comments

  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
    Kilo, Welcome to the forum. I have a large BGE and I own a CyberQ II. I also own The Maverick ET-73 and A thermapen.

    Although I have only owned my CyberQ II a few months I am very happy using it and sometimes use my ET-73 with the CyberQ II mostly so I can monitor the meat temp in two places. The ET-73 probes can't take the heat the CyberQ II can. So I use my ET-73 for the low and slow cooks and my thermapen has the final say.

    While I mostly use the CyberQ II on low and slow cooks if I am busy I can use my CyberQ II for controlling some of my other cooks with a heat range from 200*-500* like a beer can chicken or a spatchcock chicken. Anything that needs to run an hour or more it can do the job.

    I can use it to bake bread or a dutch oven cook.

    So far it is very durable and easy to hook up. I is east to run but it may take a few cooks to get the hang of it. It has a learning curve like anything else.

    I don't use it for steaks or pizza because I have the pit temp up past 500* and I would not want to cook my pit probe. Plus it's not that necessary and sometimes I like to do it all myself. It helps if you already have a working knowledge of controlling your pit by yourself.

    Others may have different opinions but I love my CyberQ II and BBQ Guru has A great tech call in line.

    I have a picture or two and I will let someone else chime in here. Hope this helps. Tim

    Here I am cooking a pork butt and I am using the ET-73 along with the CyberQ II.



    000_1050.jpg

    Here I am cooking a brisket and I am using the ET-73 along with the CyberQ II.


    000_0907.jpg
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  • SkySaw
    SkySaw Posts: 656
    Hi Kilo,

    I have 2 young children, and fall into the multasker-cook category as well. When the rain/cold/snow/ice come in the winter I am not crazy about going out to check the Egg a lot either.

    I figured that a draft controller that would allow me to monitor AND control my Egg from inside, or on the road would be the ideal solution. The remote monitoring and controlling are to me more valuable than the temperature stability component of draft controllers.

    There are 2 types on the market - the Guru and the Stoker. Both the CyberQ2 and the Stoker allow you to control 2 pits (theoretically you can control as many pits as you want with a single Stoker). This differences in these units comes down to how they are added to a network for remote control.

    The CyberQ2 has a usb port, and so attaches through usb to your pc (the Guru software is pc only), or to a usb hub. I don't know of any Guru users who successfully connect to a wireless usb hub and achieve a wireless connection to their home network, but I'm sure they are out there. Most wind up having their pc next to the BBQ, or using a cable to run inside through a door or window to their computer. From there, you can use Logmein or any of those back-to-my pc solutions to control your pc from the internet.

    The Stoker serves up a web page, and has an ethernet port. You use an ethernet cable to connect to a wireless bridge, game controller, or Airport Express, which then connects wirelessly to your home network. From there, you can use any device that connects to your home network to log on to the Stoker to control it. You can just as easily "open a port" on your router, and access the Stoker's web page from anywhere on the internet, including your (internet enabled) cell phone.

    4058928947_ea63e84e92_o.jpg

    Or, you can have it send you Tweets from a Twitter account at predefined intervals, so you see how the cook is trending:
    4091550584_f4a45e0d75.jpg

    Finally, you can keep a log of your cook using StokerLog or the equivalent Guru software:
    4113195247_1ffc22ea9f_o.png

    This is all a lot of fun, and it is actually really useful if you are doing other things while cooking. The feedback and ability to change the pit temperature and see how the food is coming is great, even for something like chicken drumsticks. I use mine all the time for cooks that take longer than about 45 minutes. However, I would not use it where I think the probe wires might get exposed to direct flames, like when searing, or when cooking really quick cooks like pizza, which takes about 10 minutes.

    Since the Stoker is very easily controlled from any computer or web device, I don't even keep the Stoker in sight when in use. I keep it tucked away in a tupperware container to protect it from the weather.

    4091535834_5c479a8f21.jpg

    I bought a Stoker after checking these units out, mostly because the Stoker is superior at offering wireless web-based control and monitoring. If that is important or useful to you, then the Stoker is the obvious choice. Both units are easily attached to the Egg.

    Mark

    (edited to replace references to DigiQ2 with CyberQ2 - :blink:
    https://plantbasedbbq.wordpress.com
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  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
    you got mail. Tim
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  • SkySaw
    SkySaw Posts: 656
    Thanks Tim. It is confusing enough without referring to the DigiQ when I meant the CyberQ.

    Mark
    https://plantbasedbbq.wordpress.com
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  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
    Have a great Thanksgiving everyone :)
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  • TnVolKen
    TnVolKen Posts: 198
    I have also looked at the CyberQ. Can it controll two eggs at one time? What is the price, and what is the best place to order. Can it withstand the weather. Thanks
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  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
    TnVolKen,

    The CyberQ II will control two pits at the same time. They cost around $259. + your blower and adapter it comes with one set of probes but if you have two eggs you will need to get an extra blower and an other set of probes my guess is around $485. plus shipping or so. Tim

    The manufacture is BBQ Guru and here is there website

    http://thebbqguru.com/

    Here is there phone number

    800-288-4878

    I love mine and they are somewhat rugged but, you may have to cover it up for the rain I'm not sure mine is under a carport.

    Look at what skysaw did for his stoker when it's out in the weather. Hope this helps. Tim
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  • ILL--EGGER
    ILL--EGGER Posts: 478
    I bought the CyberQ for use with a large and small egg but haven't had the chance to order a small fan as i'm really leaning toward another large as I just don't use the small for much low and slow cooking.
    It is a great tool and recommend it for anyone who thinks they might add a second egg as it does offer the dual controls.
    You won't regret it!
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