PartyQ from BBQ Guru ?


 
S

Steve M.

TVWBB Fan
Just got an email announcing it this morning. Looks like this one is in my price range.

Would like some of the Guru techies to look it over before I jump in.

Anyone have any info or experience with this one?

Party Q by BBQ Guru
 
It appears that this is there entry into the market to compete with the Pitmaster IQue price range.

BBQ Guru has a great reputation and a solid product and I'm sure this new product will be equally well received.
 
I think it's a really cool idea and would be really easy to use. My concerns would be battery life and whether or not the small fan would be enough on some of my pits. Also, I can't tell if there is a damper on the fan which would absolutely necessary for me to hold low temps on my keg.
 
Impulse buy…picked one up, first atc hopefully will get to try it this weekend and will report back.

First impressions, seems solid, temp probe is not removable; don’t know how much I like that. BBQ Guru was helpful in answering all the questions I had and said that if the probe goes bad I could send it in.

Fan is not strong but from what I understand with these things it’s about feeding oxygen not actually blowing on the coals. I have a 18.5 wsm btw

The one thing I don’t like right off the bat without even using it yet is that the manual stresses that you must remove it when you are done cooking after shutting down. Because if the fan is not blowing you risk melting the plastic fan. This would not be an issue except for the fact that you mount it to the wsm though a vent hole with a wing nut like nut that you tighten INSIDE the bowel….hmmmmm so that means I need to pop the middle off and use some tongs to hold the nut while I unscrew the PartyQ…are they all like this?

Hopefully as a few people get them we can come up with some alternative quick disconnect solution.

Looking forward to using it and doing a mini review, hoping that the minor inconvenience described above will be overlooked based on what this little guy can do.
 
Originally posted by Yianni:
Impulse buy…picked one up, first atc hopefully will get to try it this weekend and will report back.

First impressions, seems solid, temp probe is not removable; don’t know how much I like that. BBQ Guru was helpful in answering all the questions I had and said that if the probe goes bad I could send it in.

Fan is not strong but from what I understand with these things it’s about feeding oxygen not actually blowing on the coals. I have a 18.5 wsm btw

The one thing I don’t like right off the bat without even using it yet is that the manual stresses that you must remove it when you are done cooking after shutting down. Because if the fan is not blowing you risk melting the plastic fan. This would not be an issue except for the fact that you mount it to the wsm though a vent hole with a wing nut like nut that you tighten INSIDE the bowel….hmmmmm so that means I need to pop the middle off and use some tongs to hold the nut while I unscrew the PartyQ…are they all like this?

Hopefully as a few people get them we can come up with some alternative quick disconnect solution.

Looking forward to using it and doing a mini review, hoping that the minor inconvenience described above will be overlooked based on what this little guy can do.
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The old one's use an adapter that the fan slides into. I would be surprised if you don't that that option with the new one.

Thanks for the preliminary review...can't wait to hear how it works.
 
Because if the fan is not blowing you risk melting the plastic fan.
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Seriously? Pass. Hope it works out for you but with what you just shared I'd (I'm) thinking twice.
 
That's disappointing. I'm fond of the packaging of the PartyQ, avoiding all the plug-ins and such, but without the adapter attachment of the guru and a requirement to remove each time I think it'd be a hassle to set up. Please advise how it goes.
 
I wanted it primarly for winter q-ing, I'm not knocking it yet, im sure when its 30 degress on the outside of the smoker heat wont be an issue.

I have a habit of getting nervous when I see a temp drop and addiing more fuel when I probably dont need to. I hope this will help

Hope to try it out sat morning with a small brisket.
 
Originally posted by Rob F:
That's disappointing. I'm fond of the packaging of the PartyQ, avoiding all the plug-ins and such, but without the adapter attachment of the guru and a requirement to remove each time I think it'd be a hassle to set up. Please advise how it goes.
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Wait, Are you saying you don't even have the option of using the adapter? That would be a deal breaker for me as all my pits already have guru adapters installed.
 
Wait, Are you saying you don't even have the option of using the adapter? That would be a deal breaker for me as all my pits already have guru adapters installed.
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This I dont know. This is my first ATC. Maybe someone from BBQG will chime in on the site.

The way it mounts onto the smoker is the output of the fan is threaded, you poke it through a vent hole and secure it with a nut inside the smoker.

I dont know how an adapter would work any different unless I am missing something. Forgive my ignorance
 
BBQ Guru is three miles from my house. I stopped by yesterday to pick up some lump and asked to see the Party Q. When I asked about battery life I was told "24 hours at 40% service". Keep in mind this is on/off and not ramp up/down.
 
Hummm...if your already using an adapter, couldn't you gut some internal threads so the Party would just screw into the adapter? Don't have either so not sure if it could work!
 
Originally posted by Dave Smith:
Hummm...if your already using an adapter, couldn't you gut some internal threads so the Party would just screw into the adapter? Don't have either so not sure if it could work!
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now theres an idea!

honestly I havent even tried the PQ yet but if I am blown away at using a ATC I will already be thinking about an upgrade
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The adapters are stainless steel and they they use friction to hold the fans in. I would not want to cut on them because I'd be worried my Digi Q fans would not fit.
 
Gentlemen, Problem solved, in the bowl mounting nut no longer necessary. I have possibly helped to create the quickest release ATC out there
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stay tuned for a full review hopefully this weekend

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I think that some will buy the Party Q because BBQ Guru makes it and the same stuff that goes into the other Guru ATC's will be in this from a programming standpoint. I believe that it will perform the same as the other BBQ Guru ATC's. I am suspicious of the 4 AAA batteries and whether it can hold on a long cook and the fact that they emphasize that the fan has to be taken off because it will melt. I wonder how much more it would cost if they put a good fan on there and an adapter to plug it in. I'm sure the costs will go up and it will not be able to compete from a cost standpoint with Auber and Pitmaster. I know its an attempt to break into the entry level ATC market to compete with the Auber and Pitmaster IQ110. I do not believe that you can compare the Party Q to the Auber and Pitmaster, they have a lot more by way of features. The Nano Q is more in line with Auber & Pitmaster and it is a lot more expensive. At the end of the day they all do the same thing, mointor and control temperature. I own the Auber. Just my .02 cents.
 
Reading all these posts on Party Q. Everyone seems worried about removing the unit after a cook. Well if anyone would have just called BBQGuru all you have to do is purchase a WSM adapter and then attach the Party Q to that. Problem solved. Maybe this will give you peace of mind.
 
My concern is more about the probe being fixed. If it goes bad you have to send the whole unit in. Since the unit is so inexpensive to begin with I have the feeling that it may not be worth fixing. I think I still may buy it, I am between the party q and iq 100. What do you guys think?
 
Originally posted by John Uline:
Reading all these posts on Party Q. Everyone seems worried about removing the unit after a cook. Well if anyone would have just called BBQGuru all you have to do is purchase a WSM adapter and then attach the Party Q to that. Problem solved. Maybe this will give you peace of mind.
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I did call BBQGuru and was told by the nice lady I talked to that there is not an adapter for the WSM. I called the first day the partyQ was on sale, so maybe things changed in just a few days, but I promise I did indeed call.

With the concern for an easy to remove adapter if BBQGuru did come up with a solution then I think they have a winner.
 
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