Are temp control systems worth it?


 
Hey there,

I notice a lot of people on this forum and others will say that the temp control systems don't really help them control temp that well as compared to not using it. Others say it works ok, but it's not a miracle maker or anything. Others say it works very well.

What I CAN say, is I live in Canada. Days can be very hot, with nights getting very cold in the spring and fall especially.

Any help appreciated.
 
Hi Michael.

Our competition barbeque team, Rhythm 'n QUE, has been using a Stoker temperature control system for the last three years and we absolutely love it. Why? Because it works!

What it does, it does very, very well. It isn't going to turn your cooker into a FEC but what it will do is give you a very reliable "assistant" that will constantly monitor your cooker temperatures and make the slight air flow adjustments necessary to maintain your desired temperature level. We have cooked over 60 contests with a single Stoker monitoring all four of our WSMs.

The alarm features that the Stoker has are also very helpful. You can set alarms to go off when your meat reaches a certain internal temperature and you can also set high and low threshold/fire alarms for your cooker so that you will be alerted should the temperature in your cooker rise above or drop below those user determined thresholds. This has been a great feature as it gives me the ability to sleep for a few hours during a competition knowing that the alarm will sound and wake me should the cookers need my immediate attention.

Look, do you "need" a temperature control device to make great barbeque? No, of course not and many people prove that to be true every day. However, having one can help to eliminate a lot of the attention necessary to ensure a great and steady cook over the long haul and the extended ability to control the system over a network can and a whole new level and convenience and fun to the equation.

We think it is an excellent investment and are very happy to speak in favor of our systems performance.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Michael Davidson:
Hey there,

I notice a lot of people on this forum and others will say that the temp control systems don't really help them control temp that well as compared to not using it. Others say it works ok, but it's not a miracle maker or anything. Others say it works very well.

What I CAN say, is I live in Canada. Days can be very hot, with nights getting very cold in the spring and fall especially.

Any help appreciated. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Those of us that like to 'roll our own' usually don't ask this question. The journey is far more fun than the destination.

:)
Curt
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Michael </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Michael, I can say being from the northeast. My Stoker lets me concentrate on my recipies and not pit control. Now I say this, I had my bullet before my Stoker. I have run my pit below freezing temps and made some great cue without the controller. But when I have 40 guests coming over and no plan B, I know the bullet will run consistent with the Stoker. The wireless is great to be able to look at my computer and not have to run outside to check temps.

Jamie
 
Here's another thread on the same topic Michael.

Worth it....well that's relative.

I don't compete but it's sure nice to just "set it & forget it", especially when you have other things going on. Sometimes feels like cheating when you just load the smoker up with charcoal and plug in your ATC and set temps and walk way without any worries. Also very handy for overnight cooks & lower temp cooks like bacon.

Another thing that i like about it is that with it all your lower vents are essentially closed. With that wind isn't as much as a factor anymore when using it. It's ALWAYS windy in my backyard!

I own a BBQ DigiQ DX2 and couldn't be happier with it.

I'd say if you have the coin and like "toys" then why not buy one.
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I think mine is worth every penny I paid for it. It stings initially when you fork out the cash but it works like a charm for overnight cooks. I'm at the point in my life that I really value a good nights sleep. I set my Guru and it hasn't failed me yet, temps are rock solid.
 
If you have a cooker that doesn't have a lot of air leaking into the fire then temp control systems work. And they work well. Most people that have issues with them have air coming in from somewhere besides the systems blower.

A WSM can be as tight as a drum, or leaky as a sieve. But with a little work you can make a leaky one pretty air tight.
 
I don't have an ATC but have been toying with the idea. 2 questions come to mind. Since the WSM is so stable in temp control and with a Maverick with a high & low alarm, I wonder why? 2nd, I wonder why the Stoker and Guru have the need to have alarms if they are supposed to work so well? But like one of the previous posters said, If you got the coin and like toys then give her a ride. Or something like that.

And I hate to admit it but I really like tinkering with my vents while I'm awake. Keeps me involved in the cook.

Mark
 
Michael, till two years ago I did my smokes on a horizontal smoker. I got great product from my cooker , a full charcoal basket would run 5 hours & the temps would range from 205F to 315F & I felt good & got a great product!
Mt WSM will go 12 hours in a tighter range as a set it & forget it cooker!
I'm a backyard cooker I'm not planning on a ATC.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by mk evenson:
I don't have an ATC but have been toying with the idea. 2 questions come to mind. Since the WSM is so stable in temp control and with a Maverick with a high & low alarm, I wonder why? 2nd, I wonder why the Stoker and Guru have the need to have alarms if they are supposed to work so well?

...Mark </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

To answer your first question, the ATC prevents the Mavorick high/low notifications from going off.

Regarding your second questions...The low alarm lets you know if you run out of charcoal and the high alarm is for people like me who occasionally forget to close the vents when I kick off the ATC.
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By the way, not all controllers have alarms.
 
Michael,
The temp controller is basically just buying peace of mind and a good night's sleep. Without a temp controller, you really have to sleep with one eye (or ear) on the thermometer all night which pretty much means your cooking tends to get limited to weekends. Now that I have a controller, I can have pork butt hot off the smoker for breakfast on a Wednesday if we want. That's fun!

It's makes things so easy that it totally changes the entire scenario. It's awesome.
 
One of the nice benefits of the system like stoker is being able to share your cook with others (publishing the graph). You can also go back in time and see how your fire did overnight. Both of these can be great learning tools.
 
I have a 18 weber bullet and was getting good smokes out of it, but the changing owind on the hill I lived on was killing me and my sleep. Made a few cheap wind breaks, nothing stood up.

With the stoker the bottom vents are closed and top only open slightly. This allows me to bypass the wind break and get some sleep.
 
I've had the Digi Q for several years. Nothing more to add in terms of accuracy, convenience, etc. I love the thing for when I need the freedom to run or do errands during cooks or when I need to be remote working in the kitchen on the other elements of the meal, etc. For long/overnight cooks in concert with a Maveric remote therm is great. Controls temps perfectly. The other advantage is for cold smoking.

Do I need it to cook successfully? No. Is it worth every cent? I think so, others might not.

There are several options available so you can get decent controllers that have less function/features for around $150.

Glad I picked mine up and never regretted it.
 
Just today, I ordered an Auber. What can I say? I'm a sucker for "20% off." At the very least, it will be fun to learn about and experiment with.

NickB
 
It makes it easier. For newbies I would suggest learning how to do it on your own and get consistent product, once consistent get the controller. Its like math we all learned how to do it by hand before moving on to calculators. Its nice to set and know you can walk away for 10 hours without having to worry about anything or get a good night sleep.
 
I cannot imagine smoking without a temperature monitor. Set it where you want it and go to bed, sleep tight and awake to the thing being on the 'target' temp you wanted. I tried staying up all night on a smoke, and it nearly put me into the grave. My DigiQ2 Guru works great for me, and If I did not have it, I'd probbly give up smoking BBQ. It makes it so easy and it sure tastes good. Invest in one. I don't care which one, but an automatic temp controller is a "must have luxury" unless you want to stay up all night and juggle your vents and watch the temps. Otherwise, let the ATC do the work for you while you sleep.

Good luck.
 
One thing to keep in mind with the Stoker. It's not a wireless system right out of the box. You need a network connection(wifi is easiest). Then you need either a wireless router or a wireless gaming adapter to connect the Stoker to your network.

The way mine is setup (wifi with wireless gaming adapter) I can check the Stoker's status from any web browser. A couple of weeks ago I tossed on six racks of ribs and after an hour or so I left the house to run errands. I was gone for a couple of hours. Using the browser on my iPhone I was able to keep tabs on the smoker. The Stoker software also allows you to setup a Twitter feed, enabling you to receive text messages. I get a text message every 30 min's, and additional alerts when / if the Stoker has an "alarm" situation (Food is done, WSM temp is too low...).

There are several videos that walk you through all this plus the helpful geeks on this site.

I used to sit outside and monitor my WSM. Still do on occasion. Grab a bunch of motorcycle magazines, a good Churchill sized cigar, some 12 year old Macallan... and just sit outside and enjoy my outdoor man cave. The Stoker allows me to have the option to do that or do other stuff elsewhere.

Hope this helps.
 
I've used the Guru PitMinder for about 5 years. Does a great job overnight, lengthens your burn time, and even on a shorter rib cook let's you get out for errands, kid's activities, etc.

I don't think anyone mentioned the clean-up benefits. You won't have to mess with water or sand in the pan, just foil it and dump the fat when you're done.
 

 

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