ThermoWorks Billows

NCSmoky

Looks like ThermoWorks is getting into the temp controller game withe the “Billows” Connects to Signals temp probe and appears to be priced at $59 if you already have a Signals ($288 for both) Releases July 9th

stlcharcoal

I'm interested to see the adapter for various grills, and also am curious if you can change the pit temp via the app......or if the app is a receive only.

Ozzie_Isaac

Hahaha, I thought this was going to be a thermoworks complaint thread and you used "billows" to avoid the steely and ever vigilant eye of the buffalo.

Will be interested to see how well this product works.  The controller field is crowded with quality controllers already.

HeavyG

Ozzie_Isaac said:

Hahaha, I thought this was going to be a thermoworks complaint thread and you used "billows" to avoid the steely and ever vigilant eye of the buffalo.

Will be interested to see how well this product works.  The controller field is crowded with quality controllers already.

I'm very surprised tho that we have not yet seen any entries from Chinese vendors in the <$100 market yet. Was betting we'd start seeing some last year. Maybe next year!

johnmitchell

HeavyG said:

Ozzie_Isaac said:

Hahaha, I thought this was going to be a thermoworks complaint thread and you used "billows" to avoid the steely and ever vigilant eye of the buffalo.

Will be interested to see how well this product works.  The controller field is crowded with quality controllers already.

I'm very surprised tho that we have not yet seen any entries from Chinese vendors in the <$100 market yet. Was betting we'd start seeing some last year. Maybe next year!

MAGA blocked that chit...

GrateEggspectations

More power to anyone reaping the benefits of  a temp controller, but given that Eggs are known for their stability, I’ve never personally felt the need. 

Old fashioned, low tech is the way to go for me. 

alaskanassasin

GrateEggspectations said:

More power to anyone reaping the benefits of  a temp controller, but given that Eggs are known for their stability, I’ve never personally felt the need. 

Old fashioned, low tech is the way to go for me. 

Try one...

alaskanassasin

If we are wrong the oven never would have been invented 

stlcharcoal

alaskanassasin said:

If we are wrong the oven never would have been invented 

Yep......and power windows, air conditioning, and smart phones are just a fad.  Better living through technology. 

GrateEggspectations

True. I’d need to own one to truly know. 

My only hesitation is that of all the temp controller posts I see on this forum, it seems that most are about problems (e.g., temp regulation, faulty probes, etc.).

littlerascal56

Just having the ability to monitor my pork butt cook (and turn up/down) during a 4 hour round of golf makes it worthwhile for me.  And it’s cool to show my buddies the screen on my phone in bar afterward.  Wife thinks I had been home all day cooking pulled pork😜

stlcharcoal

GrateEggspectations said:

True. I’d need to own one to truly know. 

My only hesitation is that of all the temp controller posts I see on this forum, it seems that most are about problems (e.g., temp regulation, faulty probes, etc.).

With technology come technical problems.  And just like computers and tech things, it's overwhelmingly user error or user induced error.  

If people would read the directions, warnings, and tutorials first, then it you would see a lot less of those posts.  But everyone is so eager to play and put 100% trust in it right out of the gate, that's why you see "issues".  No one makes the "JitterBug" of temp controllers yet, so there is a bit of learning involved.  The BGE without a controller is the least technological device out there, but there's still a learning curve.

I egged for 15 yrs before I had a temp controller.  I can run it without a controller no problem.  But I sure love my FB200.  For the first time with a FB ever, my fire died on me the other night......but it was because I did something different and fell asleep.  Not the technology's fault--user error from rushing.  No big deal, just had pulled pork a little later than planned.

alaskanassasin

@littlerascal56 nailed it, I can monitor a cook, see it is not going to finish on time and bump up the heat from virtually anywhere.
 Also i like the ability to lite the egg and walk away, no need to stabilize etc. 
 I know I egg more with these conveniences

BugFreak72

Neat item. I've been trying to convince myself to buy the signals for a while now and this might just do it.  $300 bucks is a bit hard to swallow but if the app controls the temp I'll be all over it. There is no info on their site yet so I'm curious to see more details.

For me it is just pure laziness that leads to my tech use. I can cook fine without tech, and often do but its deffinately more enjoyable to use some for long cooks. Waking up and looking at a monitor is much nicer than walking outside, probably waking the dog and wife to do the same thing at 2am. 

rifrench

I realize I may belong to small group, but my life is not so hectic that I cannot devote 12 hours to cooking a butt in the daytime. I just do it on a weekend, wife pulls it that night and we enjoy it the next day, and leftovers during the week.  She kind  of pushed me aside when time to pull, because Murphy the Basset hound and ate a lot of the crust...
I will retire in two months, and will be able to cook anytime the weather permits.

AmericanFlannel

My neighborhood bbq guys are all moving over to the Fireboard from CyberQs. Granted my CyberQ was a first gen - but the Fireboard wifi at least offers G connection (They cyberq wouldn't connect to my new wireless setup) and the app is miles and miles and miles beyond the competition.

Botch

In the last couple years I've purchased the "Smoke", and the Smobot; wish I'd held off and just gotten this....

Dondgc

Botch said:

In the last couple years I've purchased the "Smoke", and the Smobot; wish I'd held off and just gotten this....

You can only buy what's available at the time. And remember this isn't even on their web site yet - so still not "available."

Zick

GrateEggspectations said:

More power to anyone reaping the benefits of  a temp controller, but given that Eggs are known for their stability, I’ve never personally felt the need. 

Old fashioned, low tech is the way to go for me. 

When I first started I was over excited and I bought everything.  After I truly learned my egg, I never thought having one was necessary.  I never used it and wasted a bunch of money. 

jeponline

rifrench said:

I realize I may belong to small group, but my life is not so hectic that I cannot devote 12 hours to cooking a butt in the daytime. I just do it on a weekend, wife pulls it that night and we enjoy it the next day, and leftovers during the week.  She kind  of pushed me aside when time to pull, because Murphy the Basset hound and ate a lot of the crust...
I will retire in two months, and will be able to cook anytime the weather permits.

I consider the egg an all weather cooker. 

wardo

My guess is that these will be more and more common as time goes on.

scsjohn

First post.

So I chatted with the folks at Thermoworks.  Super excited to combine the Signals with Billows.  Also, there's talk about incorporating Alexa into the mix.  That would be AWESOME!

I purchased an XL about a month ago.  Just purchased a used QMaster to wade into the controller field.  I want the Signals and Billows but after just purchasing the Egg, I need to save up or at least know that that's "the one".  

Thanks to everyone for posting on this site!!!!

rifrench

jeponline said:

rifrench said:

I realize I may belong to small group, but my life is not so hectic that I cannot devote 12 hours to cooking a butt in the daytime. I just do it on a weekend, wife pulls it that night and we enjoy it the next day, and leftovers during the week.  She kind  of pushed me aside when time to pull, because Murphy the Basset hound and ate a lot of the crust...
I will retire in two months, and will be able to cook anytime the weather permits.

I consider the egg an all weather cooker. 

It sure is an all weather cooker, but I am not fond of getting wet. Cold is ok, snow is okay, below 90* is okay. 

sjm1027

Would love to know how this will attach to the XL Egg. I already have the Signals so the Billows would be a no brainer

ColbyLang

For $60, I wished it interfaced with the Smoke........

scsjohn

ThermoWorks said the adapter for the xl will be out in August. 

NCSmoky

If anyone is interested in a Smoke unit with wifi gateway I am selling mine for $85 shipped. PM me if interested. Thought I would offer it here before putting it on eBay 

scsjohn

Will the Smoke unit control a billows fan?

Eggcelsior

scsjohn said:

Will the Smoke unit control a billows fan?

No. It doesn’t have the hardware to support it.

scsjohn

Darn it!  Well it was worth asking!
Thanks!

Eggcelsior

I’m looking forward to the adapter coming out. I received a Signals for Father’s Day so the Billows was a no-brainer for the few times I would ever need a controller.