EGG Genius by FlameBoss

greeneggazy

Although the Flame Boss 400 (FB400) was introduced introduced several months ago, it wasn't until last month that the Big Green Egg branded version (EGG Genius) became available in my area. Reviews for the FB400 are limited to simple product announcements. Priced less than the FB300; the big change is that the FB400 is wifi only, no control functions directly on the unit. I patiently waited for more information on the EGG Genius as I wanted to make the best decision for my needs and stay on a budget.  I've never used a temperature control unit prior to this weekend. I live in the metro Phoenix Arizona area, and the hardest part of temperature control here is not so much temperature as it is air flow. Large housing developments with small properties separated by 5-6 foot tall cement block fences in an geographic area which is very warm and arid is not conducive to the natural air flow of the Egg. Most days of the year the wind speeds are 1 mile per hour or less. It seems as if high wind advisories are issued for times when the wind is 5+ mph. Most of my weekend cooks I try to get things going early in the day when there is a slight breeze, and finish about noon to 1:00 pm. Planning a dinner is almost impossible as the what wind that there is will diminish to nothing as ambient temperature goes over 100F. 

When Big Green Egg finally announced the availability of the EGG Genius, I was very happy to find that a near by Ace Hardware (store 16364A) was listed as my nearest retailer. I used the retailers web contact page to inquire about availability and pricing. Art Ruggiero, the store owner, responded within 12 hours by email. They were on order and he would let me know when I could pick up at the store. Just a few days later they arrived. Art email me and introduced me to Jack Bahr, store manager, and Greg Christy their BGE lead. I met Jack later the next day at the store and had a very nice conversation. The Chandler AZ Ace Hardware started carrying BGE about 2 years ago, and this year really increased the entire BGE product line up. For a small to medium sized retail store to be carrying the BGE line which takes a lot of floor space takes a big commitment.  I've really want to compliment Art and Jack for making such an investment, and I appreciate the great service they have provided to me. Having a good neighborhood retailer is worth a few extra dollars, and I'll be doing more shopping with them.

The EGG Genius cost me $229.99, which is about $10 more than the FB400. However the EGG Genius is designed to be able to control up to 3 meat items with the optional Y-cable connector. That alone is worth the extra cost, even though it may be some time before I need it. Since this model does not have a control unit like previous Flame Boss units, it can only be set up initially using the mobile app. Set up proved frustratingly difficult for me. The mobile app only gave the most basic of instructions, and no trouble shooting information. I'm a programmer when not cooking, and my ego would not allow me to ask for help. Google search yielded nothing. A couple of weeks passed before I could spend any time resolving the issue. This Friday morning I sat down in my home office, were my router is located, and plugged in the EGG Genius in the adjacent hallway about 15 feet from the router. My phone is running a custom version of Android Pie. Below are the steps I followed to finally resolve my connection issue.

1) Plugged in EGG Genius within 15-20 of wifi router, with me in between the two in direct sight.
2) On my Android phone: Settings, WiFi, Saved Networks. Here I removed the entry the EGG Genius made to connect previously.
3) On my Android phone: Settings, Apps & notifications, Flame Boss, Storage, Clear Cache.
4) Open the Flame Boss app and logged in. The previous 2 steps cleared memory in order to set back like a new app install.
5) In the Flame Boss app, clicked the WIFI SETUP text near top center. Then select FLAME BOSS 400 for the device type. The phone should prompt you with a popup similar to the one below. Click WIFIS SETTINGS text in this popup.


6) Join the FB-##### network and the phone (not the app) will warn you that there is no internet with the connection. Select the check box to "not be asked again" then click the "Yes" botton.

Note: At this point the mobile app should guide you through 2 more easy steps to complete set up. If it doesn't then proceed to resolve with the next step.

7) Resolution steps:
a) Close Flame Boss app and clear it for recent apps menu on phone.
b) Unplug Flame Boss unit and wait 30 seconds.
c) Plug in Flame Boss, wait for green light to stop blinking. 
d) Using an unfolded paperclip, reset the Flame Boss by inserting one end of the paperclip in to the small whole between the meat and pit probe ports on the unit. You will feel the paperclip make contact with the reset pin, hold the paperclip while the green light turns off then on and blinks one time. Release paperclip after the 1st blink.
e) Open Flame Boss app repeating steps 4 and 5 above.
Note: I needed to repeat steps 7a-7e three times before it succeeded.

Success. I'm not sure if this issue is limited to Android devices or if Apple devices have experienced it also. I had a similar issue with a network device about 4 years ago, and I think it just took me a couple of weeks to recall it and how I resolved it then.

Sunday I used my new and now connected EGG Genius for the 1st time. We had purchased a 8 pound whole turkey breast some time ago and needed to use it before freezer burn made it undesirable. I used a modified version of Mad Max's Turkey recipe. In addition to the EGG Genius, I also monitored with my Maverick ET-733 wireless thermometer. I set up the EGG Genius to a 325 F pit and 160 F meet cook. The entire cook took 3.25 hours, which seemed a little long. What I should have done before starting was tested the calibration of the original BGE thermometer, the EGG Genius, and the Maverick. Once the meet temp reached 100 F both the EGG Genius and the Maverick registered the meet very consistently. However the pit temp varied by as much as 50 degrees, with the Maverick always being higher. I suspect that the Maverick meet probe has lost calibration over time, and it didn't help that I hadn't properly tested ahead of time. Any way this cook allowed me to become familiar with the Flame Boss app and companion web site. I would highly recommend the new EGG Genius, and encourage you to be patient with set up and do a trial cook before entertaining guests.  

Almost forgot, the Mad Max's Turkey recipe is definitely worth trying. 
A couple of cook pics: 

https://instagram.com/p/BqEV2sQBFaj/embed/

Canugghead

Great writeup and welcome to the forum.
Dumb question, will Y-cable work with FB 400 to accommodate up to 3 meat probes like the Genius?

stlcharcoal

Canugghead said:

Great writeup and welcome to the forum.
Dumb question, will Y-cable work with FB 400 to accommodate up to 3 meat probes like the Genius?

No.  One meat probe only on the 400.

The 500 should be out soon....stay tuned.

Canugghead

stlcharcoal said:

Canugghead said:

Great writeup and welcome to the forum.
Dumb question, will Y-cable work with FB 400 to accommodate up to 3 meat probes like the Genius?

No.  One meat probe only on the 400.

The 500 should be out soon....stay tuned.

Wondering if that can be accomplished with a firmware hack.

Hotch

I sure like my Stoker.....

stlcharcoal

Canugghead said:

stlcharcoal said:

Canugghead said:

Great writeup and welcome to the forum.
Dumb question, will Y-cable work with FB 400 to accommodate up to 3 meat probes like the Genius?

No.  One meat probe only on the 400.

The 500 should be out soon....stay tuned.

Wondering if that can be accomplished with a firmware hack.

Nope, board is different between the 400 and EggGenius

Canugghead

@stlcharcoal thanks for the info.

cookingdude555

That's quite a write up.  Thanks for sharing, this will be a big help to those looking into this device.

r00sk0

I can’t seem to set the temperature through the app, nor can I add the controller to the app. It requires a PIN, and the directions do not appear to be for the EGGGenius. Any advice?

tbru

I was using my Egg Genius to do ribs here in MN yesterday with outside temp at approx. 9 degrees F.  It worked wonderfully for 4.5 hours, then the fan stopped working.  I noticed condensation and icicles on the unit...could the fan have frozen stuck?  It made the egg temp drop and I had to pull it out to finish the cook.  Should I take it back for malfunction? 

Dollinger

take it inside and let it dry out and see if it runs ok. 

TexasisBestest

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my egg genius.  Not only can you set pit temp remotely, but obviously the 3 point monitor is fantastic.  I use it to monitor flat and point temp on briskets. It will even auto default to keeping meat "warm" by shutting down when meat reaches temp. Amazing for late night brisket cooks.  The ability to add notes makes reaching consistency a bit less maddening.  It just makes the egg that much easier to use.  It's made my thermoworks Smoke and gateway obsolete...

Tarpon65

I purchased my Genius this past Friday and used it for a short time tonight while doing a reverse sear steak.  Things worked fine, keeping my Egg at 225, but I don't like just receiving one notification on my phone that the cook is done.  I'm worried I will miss it.  Is there a setting I am missing to make a more audible alert or alarm on my phone?  

stlcharcoal

Tarpon65 said:

I purchased my Genius this past Friday and used it for a short time tonight while doing a reverse sear steak.  Things worked fine, keeping my Egg at 225, but I don't like just receiving one notification on my phone that the cook is done.  I'm worried I will miss it.  Is there a setting I am missing to make a more audible alert or alarm on my phone?  

Set it up so it sends you a text message.  Then go into your phone and make the FB ph# a preferred/priority/VIP number so you can assign it a special notification tone (if your phone does that.)  If not you can probably download an app that will do that.

Tarpon65

stlcharcoal said:

Tarpon65 said:

I purchased my Genius this past Friday and used it for a short time tonight while doing a reverse sear steak.  Things worked fine, keeping my Egg at 225, but I don't like just receiving one notification on my phone that the cook is done.  I'm worried I will miss it.  Is there a setting I am missing to make a more audible alert or alarm on my phone?  

Set it up so it sends you a text message.  Then go into your phone and make the FB ph# a preferred/priority/VIP number so you can assign it a special notification tone (if your phone does that.)  If not you can probably download an app that will do that.

I have it set to send me a text, but let me see if there is a sound setting I can change.  Thanks.

Dollinger

I have created a custom ring tone of Weird Al's song "eat it" that plays for about 20 seconds when the text comes in. 

mrakaaka

I just bought the Genius... it is connected..but says off-line upper right... I can NOT set pit temp or meat temp... start a new cook is also shaded out...is there a manual for this app?  Thanks all for the help!

Chef Charles

I got the Egg Genius for my birthday.  I have tried numerous times to get the thing properly connected.  Each time, the Egg Genius gets connected to the wifi but when I close the connection routine, the app only shows a local controller and asks if I would like to add one.  It provides an interface to add a controller with a controller id number but one needs a pin and the only way to get the pin is to have the controller properly connected.  It is kind of frustrating and I have sent a description of my problem to Flame Boss but no one has gotten back to me.