About to pull the trigger on a DigiQ DX


 
S

Stuart S

TVWBB Pro
The 18.5" WSM I scored on CL had an adapter for a BBQ Guru blower on it so I spent the weekend reading up on the various ATC units out there. I want to do overnight cooks, but I'm not a fan of getting up every few hours so I think an ATC is the way to go. I read the differences and I really have no desire to have wi-fi access and have my smoker tweet me so I think I'm making the right choice. I also looked at the Auber unit but I like the fact that the DX has a pit and food probe.

Just looking for any feedback people might have from personal experience, as well as things to look out for. I know allot of people think it's overkill for the WSM...I get that totally, but I can afford the ATC and I like the flexibility it gives.
 
You are going to love your BBQ Guru. I have had one for a few years now and it has never failed me. Pack your lump tightly, minion start and go to sleep.
 
I have an old analog version BBQ Guru Competitor, love it, and have worked in the computer industry for many years. ATCs make smokers like ovens. Set it and know that the temperature is not going to be a problem as long as you have fuel. With an ATC all you need to do is watch the temperature of your meat until you are ready to physically check for done. Features like web page status, WiFi, and other programmable bells and whistles are neat to show to your friends, but matter little in being able to produce quality BBQ. Its a little like fully instrumenting your car engine with lots of guages. It will not make it go faster or corner better. Its just eye candy.

-- Mache
 
When I started using my WSM, I decided early on that I didn't want to babysit the smoker on an all nighter so I decided that I needed an ATC.

My desired features on the ATC were:

1. The ability to control the pit temp (obviously)
2. and monitor the pit and food temp from inside my house.

After looking at all the options on the market, I decided that none fit the bill exactly or were too costly so I decided to build my own. The ATC I built only has a pit probe and controls the pit temp. I purchased a Maverick ET-73 to monitor the pit/food temps via wireless and that met my second requirement. Total investment $85.

IMO, having a food probe on the ATC that you have to walk out and look at sort of defeats the purpose of not having to babysit the smoker. If you have to walk out and check the food temp, you might as well check the pit temp and make the necessary adjustments at that time as well. Also, I don't know how loud the alarm is on these units, but I would assume that I would not be able to hear the alarm going off from inside my house when the smoker is thirty feet away (it definitely wouldn't wake me up as my wife says a tornado couldn't do that).

If you have some mechanical ability and a little bit of electrical knowledge you can definitely build an ATC with the desired simple features for much cheaper than those you can purchase. I have to agree with Mache that all of the additional features offered on ATC's are definitely not necessary and are more for the "wow, that's interesting" comments you'll get from your friends.

Whatever your decision, as you probably already know, there is a wealth of information on this site that could help you with either option.

Good Luck Man!
 
I bought the Stoker purely for the WIFI and overnight cooks. I like (or will soon like) staying inside in the cool fall weather with a butt or more cooking within a tight temp range while sleeping, watching tv or napping.

That said, I don't generally use it for shorter (rib) cooks anymore (unless I'm running errands) as I like to sit in the backyard with a beverage, radio on, watching the thin blue smoke waft away.
 
If you are not looking for wifi or networking it with computer logs, then a Guru is perfect. I have a Digi-Q II unit I bought a few years back. I also had considered the possibility of wifi, but kept it simple and have not regretted it.
 
Stuart,

I bought a Digi-Q II a couple years ago and have no regrets. I use it in conjunction with the Maverick ET-73 that I bought prior to the Digi-Q II. Using both together, eliminates the need to baby sit the cooker.

As you stated, with the WSM, there really isn't a need for ATC, but I use mine everytime I fire it up.

Good luck and let us know how you like it once you get one.
 
Same as Stuart, except I had a Digi Q first then traded up to the II a year later (free, nice folks).

I ended up doing the permanent mount by step drilling a 1" hole. Looks like your WSM came that way.

You'll love the gear. I didn't go for a Stoker as I wasn't looking for networking, but they are fine as well based on all the posts here.

I've found the Guru to be simple to use and very reliable.
 
Ran my first cook with the ATC and 10 cfm fan overnight last night and other than the ramp up I'm pretty sure the fan never kicked on until I foiled the butts this morning because the cooker was running hot. I'm going to have to do some reading on how to better seal the bottom end of the cooker since air must be getting in.

Anybody have any advice based on their experience?
 
I have found it helps to close the top vents to about 50%. If you start with too many lit coals, there is sometimes enough draft even with the bottom vents totally closed to not bring the temp down.

I haven't seen a situation where partially closing the top vent made it so that the fan couldn't bring the temp up if it needed to.

JJ
 
Also something to keep in mind- -if the DigiQ is anything like the predecessor E-Temp Pitminder by BBQ Guru -- the fan assembly has a small adjustment slide, which opens and closes the opening of the intake of the fan. If left completely open, sometimes that is enough of a hole to let the WSM draft on it's own. I had many a cook that had higher temps than I wanted where the fan rarely kicked on. So, check that if you get runaway temps with no fan helping it. When I say "runaway" we are still talking 250-260, as opposed to 250. It's never a huge deal.
 
I have an 18.5 WSM and I use a pitmaster IQ 110 with a jump starter as a power supply. Dead simple and perfect temps on every cook I've used it on.
 
My WSM setup is about as automated as one can get...and I like it this way.
I use a Guru DigiQ DX with a 10cfm fan for my 22.5 unit. There is a air damper on the fan which slides across the opening to control the air output. With a WSM, a 10cfm fan can be operated about 1/2 way open.
I also use a Maverick ET-732 to monitor temps at night for 14 hour lo n slo cooks. It remotely alarms if anything messes up.
I fill up the coal ring with 20lbs of k plus wood chunks started the minion method. Set Guru at your desired temp, relax, sleep...whatever.

WARNING...if you are a Grill watcher and need to sit up and be nervous about temps and such...you need CAFFINE, not a Guru.

HOWEVER...if you want great 12-14 hour smoked meats like briskets and butts with not much concerns, I would be ordering a Guru right about now! LOL

Good luck.
 
I for many years was a constant guard when I did my overnight/long slow and low temp cooking. I enjoyed it but got a bit of flak from my wife about waking her or the kids as I fumble around late at night to get to the smoker.

I recently purchased a 22 WSM and a BBQ guru digiq 2. Life is much easier with it and can see why everyone raves about ATCs. I looked at other ATCs but thought that the digiQ 2 would best suit me since I'm just a backyarder not a professional Q er.

Get one and you'll never look back. I'd also look at the forum about using them.
 
Just ordered a DigiQ DX for my new 22.5 WSM. My second smoke will be a couple briskets, a couple butts and 4-6 chickens for my daughter's adoption party. I figured that I did not to take any chances. My wife is being a real sport about my run away hobby. I'm a lucky guy.
 
@Daris - I just bought one too. Looking forward to it.

PS - I knew the 22 WSM was bigger, but 2 briskets, 2 butts AND 4-6 chickens? At the same time? Did you add a second and third mid section or something? A single whole packer brisket will take up all of a grate in my 18 WSM and the twin shoulder packs take up a single grate as well.
 
No. I'm planning on smoking two briskets the might before, using the DigiQ. I'll put two butts on the smokenator early in the morning. I decided to do a big batch of thighs (instead of whole chickens) on the WSM after the briskets come off.
 
Besides Brisket and Pork Butts, what else needs to be cooked for a long time? Fish, Poultry, and other cuts of meat dont need that long of cooking unless you are cooking large amounts. I am wanting do an all nighter with something that isn't brisket or butt. Any suggestions?
 
Pretty much anything cooked at "low and slow" temps of 225 or so is a candidate for a power draft. I even use mine on two racks full of fatties which only take a few hours. A power draft like the DigiQ's is about temp control and works on short cooks of a few hours to those long overnight cooks.

As to other meats for overnight? Not sure as the long time is a result of the mass of meat and you have already listed the big two.
 
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