Egg Genius - Honest Reviews for Thanksgiving Turkey

EggHeadQ

Hello all, I am contemplating grabbing a Egg Genius for our Large Egg.  I figured I would go to the experts on this one and see how many people care for this product and if anyone has any honest reviews, I would love to hear them.

Thank you in advance.

6baluts

I I have a few controllers but not the egg genius. I have seen folks on here talk about it though. Hopefully one of those folks will be along shortly to discuss the genius with you.

Ozzie_Isaac

I wouldn't buy it just for a single use per year.  The turkey cook is relatively short and isn't overnight.  Usually starts early to mid-morning.

If you need it as an excuse to buy it, then by all means.  You would be better of with a Meater+ or some other remote temp monitoring device for turkey than an entire controller.

(I have 3 controllers and don't use them for turkey.)

stlcharcoal

FlameBoss makes them.  So unless you really want it to be green to match, you can save some $$$ if you buy a Flame Boss 400, or spend a few more dollars and get the 500.

cookingdude555

Egg genius is made by flameboss.  Flameboss has more than one thanksgiving in recent years where their service failed.  The cooks I believe could continue, but without the visibility that most buy the device for in the first place.  So my experience is based on their documented reliability issues around the holidays.  I would assume a resolution would be in place at this point (I hope).  I do have experience with the smobot, and Auber.  They both work fantastically and have never failed me.  The smobot has passive airflow control, and the Auber is forced air like many of the others.  The Auber is interesting as it is really good, and the company has many years of experience.  They make most of the components the other companies use.  However, they dont seem to have a big following for some reason.  It's weird too as its current $199 price is an amazing deal.

6baluts

One of the "few" controllers I mentioned above that I have is a Flameboss (200) oldie but good. In the past Flameboss had some issues around the Holiday's. Has not been the case for about 3 years. Mr. Collins and his crew I believe have put that issue to rest.

fishlessman

its more simple not to set up a controller for this cook.....

stlcharcoal

cookingdude555 said:

Egg genius is made by flameboss.  Flameboss has more than one thanksgiving in recent years where their service failed.  The cooks I believe could continue, but without the visibility that most buy the device for in the first place.  

They all still continued to work, it was the server that went down that allowed you to remotely change the temp.  As long as you had the temp you wanted, and the ramp down temp set, it continued to work as advertised.  Same happens after a power failure, the unit resorts to where it was set to just before the internet or power loss.

cookingdude555

stlcharcoal said:

cookingdude555 said:

Egg genius is made by flameboss.  Flameboss has more than one thanksgiving in recent years where their service failed.  The cooks I believe could continue, but without the visibility that most buy the device for in the first place.  

They all still continued to work, it was the server that went down that allowed you to remotely change the temp.  As long as you had the temp you wanted, and the ramp down temp set, it continued to work as advertised.  Same happens after a power failure, the unit resorts to where it was set to just before the internet or power loss.

Correct, that's what I highlighted.  Most people using them are interested in the monitoring and change aspect of them, which was the component that went down multiple years.  The egg doesn't really need them, but people (including me) like to check in on them to see what the cooker is doing.

stlcharcoal

cookingdude555 said:

stlcharcoal said:

cookingdude555 said:

Egg genius is made by flameboss.  Flameboss has more than one thanksgiving in recent years where their service failed.  The cooks I believe could continue, but without the visibility that most buy the device for in the first place.  

They all still continued to work, it was the server that went down that allowed you to remotely change the temp.  As long as you had the temp you wanted, and the ramp down temp set, it continued to work as advertised.  Same happens after a power failure, the unit resorts to where it was set to just before the internet or power loss.

Correct, that's what I highlighted.  Most people using them are interested in the monitoring and change aspect of them, which was the component that went down multiple years.  The egg doesn't really need them, but people (including me) like to check in on them to see what the cooker is doing.

You could still monitor and control them directly through the app, just not outside their transmission range.  So if you were home, you were fine.  I get this wasn't ideal, but it wasn't the end of the world with a bricked unit like a lot of people made it out to be.  How many times has cable or satellite TV died in the final two minutes of "the big game"? 

EggHeadQ

Ozzie_Isaac said:

I wouldn't buy it just for a single use per year.  The turkey cook is relatively short and isn't overnight.  Usually starts early to mid-morning.

If you need it as an excuse to buy it, then by all means.  You would be better of with a Meater+ or some other remote temp monitoring device for turkey than an entire controller.

(I have 3 controllers and don't use them for turkey.)

@Ozz@Ozzie_Isaac Sorry, yeah I didn't mean for it to sound like it was going to be a one use thing.  It was more for the over night cooks.  I had one go way long on me recently and just was frustrated. 

EggHeadQ

cookingdude555 said:

Egg genius is made by flameboss.  Flameboss has more than one thanksgiving in recent years where their service failed.  The cooks I believe could continue, but without the visibility that most buy the device for in the first place.  So my experience is based on their documented reliability issues around the holidays.  I would assume a resolution would be in place at this point (I hope).  I do have experience with the smobot, and Auber.  They both work fantastically and have never failed me.  The smobot has passive airflow control, and the Auber is forced air like many of the others.  The Auber is interesting as it is really good, and the company has many years of experience.  They make most of the components the other companies use.  However, they dont seem to have a big following for some reason.  It's weird too as its current $199 price is an amazing deal.

Wow!! I am going to do some research on these. I haven't heard of either of them and have been an Egg head for years.  Thank you so much!

cookingdude555

stlcharcoal said:

cookingdude555 said:

stlcharcoal said:

cookingdude555 said:

Egg genius is made by flameboss.  Flameboss has more than one thanksgiving in recent years where their service failed.  The cooks I believe could continue, but without the visibility that most buy the device for in the first place.  

They all still continued to work, it was the server that went down that allowed you to remotely change the temp.  As long as you had the temp you wanted, and the ramp down temp set, it continued to work as advertised.  Same happens after a power failure, the unit resorts to where it was set to just before the internet or power loss.

Correct, that's what I highlighted.  Most people using them are interested in the monitoring and change aspect of them, which was the component that went down multiple years.  The egg doesn't really need them, but people (including me) like to check in on them to see what the cooker is doing.

You could still monitor and control them directly through the app, just not outside their transmission range.  So if you were home, you were fine.  I get this wasn't ideal, but it wasn't the end of the world with a bricked unit like a lot of people made it out to be.  How many times has cable or satellite TV died in the final two minutes of "the big game"? 

I would compare their reliability to other products in the genre.  So far, my observation has been that flameboss trails others in cloud reliability (maybe they finally figured it out, not sure?).  I get that you sell them and heavily endorse them.  I am just pointing out the facts compared to the other products out there.

cookingdude555

EggHeadQ said:

cookingdude555 said:

Egg genius is made by flameboss.  Flameboss has more than one thanksgiving in recent years where their service failed.  The cooks I believe could continue, but without the visibility that most buy the device for in the first place.  So my experience is based on their documented reliability issues around the holidays.  I would assume a resolution would be in place at this point (I hope).  I do have experience with the smobot, and Auber.  They both work fantastically and have never failed me.  The smobot has passive airflow control, and the Auber is forced air like many of the others.  The Auber is interesting as it is really good, and the company has many years of experience.  They make most of the components the other companies use.  However, they dont seem to have a big following for some reason.  It's weird too as its current $199 price is an amazing deal.

Wow!! I am going to do some research on these. I haven't heard of either of them and have been an Egg head for years.  Thank you so much!

Good luck on whatever one you get; you can't go wrong really with any that have been discussed in your thread here.  They all have little quirks but seem to function well enough.

4TheGrillOfIt

The Egg Genius is fine.

stlcharcoal

cookingdude555 said:

stlcharcoal said:

cookingdude555 said:

stlcharcoal said:

cookingdude555 said:

Egg genius is made by flameboss.  Flameboss has more than one thanksgiving in recent years where their service failed.  The cooks I believe could continue, but without the visibility that most buy the device for in the first place.  

They all still continued to work, it was the server that went down that allowed you to remotely change the temp.  As long as you had the temp you wanted, and the ramp down temp set, it continued to work as advertised.  Same happens after a power failure, the unit resorts to where it was set to just before the internet or power loss.

Correct, that's what I highlighted.  Most people using them are interested in the monitoring and change aspect of them, which was the component that went down multiple years.  The egg doesn't really need them, but people (including me) like to check in on them to see what the cooker is doing.

You could still monitor and control them directly through the app, just not outside their transmission range.  So if you were home, you were fine.  I get this wasn't ideal, but it wasn't the end of the world with a bricked unit like a lot of people made it out to be.  How many times has cable or satellite TV died in the final two minutes of "the big game"? 

I would compare their reliability to other products in the genre.  So far, my observation has been that flameboss trails others in cloud reliability (maybe they finally figured it out, not sure?).  I get that you sell them and heavily endorse them.  I am just pointing out the facts compared to the other products out there.

In your comments, you have the phrases:

"The cooks I believe could continue..."
"I would assume a resolution..."
 "...maybe they finally figured it out, not sure?"

So as the first FB dealer, an owner/user of every model they've ever produced in the last 9 years, and a personal friend to the owner of FB, I'm just posting the clarifications since you are questioning your own statements about something you do not own and have never used.  The OP asked for an "honest review" of the Egg Genius / FB400 and the first thing you did was was sh!t on it and suggest another product because their server failed a total of five days in the last seven years.  That's pretty good reliability, and far less times than Amazon, Facebook, etc has gone down in the last few years--and they own millions of servers. backup servers, and some more servers.  It can happen to anybody.

nealmgb

I don’t think the man “**** on it.”  He reported fact that the product failed two consecutive thanksgiving holidays.

cookingdude555

stlcharcoal said:

cookingdude555 said:

stlcharcoal said:

cookingdude555 said:

stlcharcoal said:

cookingdude555 said:

Egg genius is made by flameboss.  Flameboss has more than one thanksgiving in recent years where their service failed.  The cooks I believe could continue, but without the visibility that most buy the device for in the first place.  

They all still continued to work, it was the server that went down that allowed you to remotely change the temp.  As long as you had the temp you wanted, and the ramp down temp set, it continued to work as advertised.  Same happens after a power failure, the unit resorts to where it was set to just before the internet or power loss.

Correct, that's what I highlighted.  Most people using them are interested in the monitoring and change aspect of them, which was the component that went down multiple years.  The egg doesn't really need them, but people (including me) like to check in on them to see what the cooker is doing.

You could still monitor and control them directly through the app, just not outside their transmission range.  So if you were home, you were fine.  I get this wasn't ideal, but it wasn't the end of the world with a bricked unit like a lot of people made it out to be.  How many times has cable or satellite TV died in the final two minutes of "the big game"? 

I would compare their reliability to other products in the genre.  So far, my observation has been that flameboss trails others in cloud reliability (maybe they finally figured it out, not sure?).  I get that you sell them and heavily endorse them.  I am just pointing out the facts compared to the other products out there.

In your comments, you have the phrases:

"The cooks I believe could continue..."
"I would assume a resolution..."
 "...maybe they finally figured it out, not sure?"

So as the first FB dealer, an owner/user of every model they've ever produced in the last 9 years, and a personal friend to the owner of FB, I'm just posting the clarifications since you are questioning your own statements about something you do not own and have never used.  The OP asked for an "honest review" of the Egg Genius / FB400 and the first thing you did was was sh!t on it and suggest another product because their server failed a total of five days in the last seven years.  That's pretty good reliability, and far less times than Amazon, Facebook, etc has gone down in the last few years--and they own millions of servers. backup servers, and some more servers.  It can happen to anybody.

Little dramatic here.  They had cloud problems.  Multiple times.  Trying to not use pronouns related to me here.

Photo Egg

cookingdude555 said:

stlcharcoal said:

cookingdude555 said:

stlcharcoal said:

cookingdude555 said:

stlcharcoal said:

cookingdude555 said:

Egg genius is made by flameboss.  Flameboss has more than one thanksgiving in recent years where their service failed.  The cooks I believe could continue, but without the visibility that most buy the device for in the first place.  

They all still continued to work, it was the server that went down that allowed you to remotely change the temp.  As long as you had the temp you wanted, and the ramp down temp set, it continued to work as advertised.  Same happens after a power failure, the unit resorts to where it was set to just before the internet or power loss.

Correct, that's what I highlighted.  Most people using them are interested in the monitoring and change aspect of them, which was the component that went down multiple years.  The egg doesn't really need them, but people (including me) like to check in on them to see what the cooker is doing.

You could still monitor and control them directly through the app, just not outside their transmission range.  So if you were home, you were fine.  I get this wasn't ideal, but it wasn't the end of the world with a bricked unit like a lot of people made it out to be.  How many times has cable or satellite TV died in the final two minutes of "the big game"? 

I would compare their reliability to other products in the genre.  So far, my observation has been that flameboss trails others in cloud reliability (maybe they finally figured it out, not sure?).  I get that you sell them and heavily endorse them.  I am just pointing out the facts compared to the other products out there.

In your comments, you have the phrases:

"The cooks I believe could continue..."
"I would assume a resolution..."
 "...maybe they finally figured it out, not sure?"

So as the first FB dealer, an owner/user of every model they've ever produced in the last 9 years, and a personal friend to the owner of FB, I'm just posting the clarifications since you are questioning your own statements about something you do not own and have never used.  The OP asked for an "honest review" of the Egg Genius / FB400 and the first thing you did was was sh!t on it and suggest another product because their server failed a total of five days in the last seven years.  That's pretty good reliability, and far less times than Amazon, Facebook, etc has gone down in the last few years--and they own millions of servers. backup servers, and some more servers.  It can happen to anybody.

Little dramatic here.  They had cloud problems.  Multiple times.  Trying to not use pronouns related to me here.

I think it’s good for any potential new buyer to know that a Cloud based unit has the possibility of going down at any time. And there is no way to guarantee that it will not happen again. I didn’t fully understand the system several years ago when mine went down. I drove back home and spent several hours trying to reboot and adjust setting on my unit thinking it was issues with my system. Maybe posts like this will help educate new users.
It’s also important to know that even if the Cloud based program does go down it will still continue your cook perfectly. You just can’t show all the guys in the bar that you can adjust your brisket cook while playing pool and drinking beer.
I also know, as an Xfinity internet user, most of my outages are due to them and not Flame Boss.lol

newby84

I have an egg genius and I enjoy it everyday of the year except thanksgiving. It’s very frustrating having it go out each year.

caliking

I'll chip in as a long time FB200 user.

Their cloud did go down a couple of times (maybe twice?), which meant that you couldn't control it while at the bar (as mentioned above). They resolved that issue soon. The unit can function as an access point (I think that's what its called), so you can control it locally i.e. from your home/property. Most folks are cooking at (a) home on the big holidays, anyways. 

FB has always been top notch about customer service. I have several tales of how they immediately resolved any issue I had. Technical support has also been excellent, when I had questions about how some of the features worked. 

I'd be willing to buy again, for that level of demonstrated support. 

caliking

Also, I don't know of anyone who owns, or has used, as many temp controllers as @6baluts. I'd listen to what he has to say. 

6baluts

@caliking
- Those are very nice words. Thank you. I reached out to @EggHeadQ and passed him soms info.
- I am trying to put together some points to ponder for the controller shopper. It is kind of long and most likely people will not read it.
- However you do not know if you dont try.
- Once again thank you for the nice words.

Ozzie_Isaac

caliking said:

I'll chip in as a long time FB200 user.

Their cloud did go down a couple of times (maybe twice?), which meant that you couldn't control it while at the bar (as mentioned above). They resolved that issue soon. The unit can function as an access point (I think that's what its called), so you can control it locally i.e. from your home/property. Most folks are cooking at (a) home on the big holidays, anyways. 

FB has always been top notch about customer service. I have several tales of how they immediately resolved any issue I had. Technical support has also been excellent, when I had questions about how some of the features worked. 

I'd be willing to buy again, for that level of demonstrated support. 

Flameboss service is absolutely top tier.  When they were first getting started I had an issue with my controller.  @MichaelCollins spent an hour with me on Good Friday resolving the issue.  It was one of their early units, it was a software setting and he walked me through the advanced menus to resolve it.

I have used a cloud based Flameboss controller during an outage.  I just controlled it locally.  Even during the outage, it ran fine.  Just couldn't change settings via the cloud.  It was frustrating since it is a feature that wasn't available, but it maintained the cook temperature just fine and cook was a success.

littlerascal56

I only used Flameboss controllers for my personal eggs, but also installed the FB300’s on the smokers I built & sold to others.  Never had any issues. Very solid product that worked as advertised.  A+++ in my book.

caliking

6baluts said:

@caliking
- Those are very nice words. Thank you. I reached out to @EggHeadQ and passed him soms info.
- I am trying to put together some points to ponder for the controller shopper. It is kind of long and most likely people will not read it.
- However you do not know if you dont try.
- Once again thank you for the nice words.

 I recall you made a very informative, detailed post about various temp controllers some time ago. What I don't recall is which thread it was in!

EggHeadQ

Greetings and sorry this is so late, all the messages and advice were greatly appreciated.  I went with the EggGenius, only because that’s what my local store had.  Not going to lie, I put off getting one for years because I thought it was cheating…. Nope it’s legit!!!! It’s amazing how well they hold temperature and have sold my friends already.  My brisket was a bit dry, but that’s my own fault because I had to crank up the temp because I was running behind on the smoke.  It is nice being able to run somewhere in town and really have zero remorse about leaving it or having one of kids watch the temp. So far so good and it’s amazing IMO