Chris A. (Grillilla)
TVWBB Member
For well over a decade I've smoked without using a probe thermometer. Things always worked out, but it was usually difficult to predict when meat would be done. I thought getting a probe thermometer might help, so I cut a slot in the WSM rim as described in TVWB "modifications" article. This took less than two minutes, was very easy to do and allows cables to be routed perfectly. The next problem was where to put a thermometer display/transmitter? Interestingly, the products I looked at did not provide much guidance about this. Most of them are are magnetic, but I didn't think it would be a good idea to stick one on the side of a hot smoker. I found that Weber sells a mounting kit (part number 3254) for their Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub. I was not interested in the Smart Grilling Hub itself, but I did buy this mounting kit along with an iGrill 2.
The bracket was easy to install and seems well made. Since these are intended for the Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub the iGrill 2 does not fit perfectly, but it works better than nothing. I paid about $40 for the bracket at a local hardware store which seems a little much. As with most things, you can find them online for a little less.
I've been a devoted Weber fan for over 25 years, but my iGrill 2 purchase was a leap of faith. Neither the product packaging nor the information I found online was very detailed in terms of what the unit would or wouldn't do. The unit comes with two meat probes, but no ambient temperature probe. I called Weber to ask if a meat probe could be used as an ambient temperature probe and they said no. So if you want to monitor the grill temps, you need to buy a third probe. (The unit will support up to 4 probes at once.) In theory, Bluetooth connectivity allows you to monitor temps on your smartphone. I installed the software on an Android phone, which requires location services to be turned on. Weber claims this is a Google/Bluetooth requirement. Perhaps. But why does anyone need to track where I am barbecuing? I don't like that. Bluetooth pairing was problem-free, but to read temps on your phone you need to be within just few feet of the unit. At this range you can literally just read the unit's LED display, so I'm not sure what the benefit is. I did validate the temp readings with two other thermometers. All readings were within 1 degree F.
Conclusion:
The cable slot is definitely the way to go. No smoke loss, by the way. The mounting bracket is better than nothing, but I wish Weber had not made it a proprietary shape. The iGrill 2 works, but it seems WAY over-priced for what it does. The ability to support 4 probes is great. Smart phone integration would be great if it worked better. To be fair, this is probably just the nature of Bluetooth, so don't blame the iGrill 2. In practice all you really get is a thermometer you can read without taking the lid off your WSM cooker and you can get one of those elsewhere for 1/3 the money. I probably would not buy it again.
The bracket was easy to install and seems well made. Since these are intended for the Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub the iGrill 2 does not fit perfectly, but it works better than nothing. I paid about $40 for the bracket at a local hardware store which seems a little much. As with most things, you can find them online for a little less.
I've been a devoted Weber fan for over 25 years, but my iGrill 2 purchase was a leap of faith. Neither the product packaging nor the information I found online was very detailed in terms of what the unit would or wouldn't do. The unit comes with two meat probes, but no ambient temperature probe. I called Weber to ask if a meat probe could be used as an ambient temperature probe and they said no. So if you want to monitor the grill temps, you need to buy a third probe. (The unit will support up to 4 probes at once.) In theory, Bluetooth connectivity allows you to monitor temps on your smartphone. I installed the software on an Android phone, which requires location services to be turned on. Weber claims this is a Google/Bluetooth requirement. Perhaps. But why does anyone need to track where I am barbecuing? I don't like that. Bluetooth pairing was problem-free, but to read temps on your phone you need to be within just few feet of the unit. At this range you can literally just read the unit's LED display, so I'm not sure what the benefit is. I did validate the temp readings with two other thermometers. All readings were within 1 degree F.
Conclusion:
The cable slot is definitely the way to go. No smoke loss, by the way. The mounting bracket is better than nothing, but I wish Weber had not made it a proprietary shape. The iGrill 2 works, but it seems WAY over-priced for what it does. The ability to support 4 probes is great. Smart phone integration would be great if it worked better. To be fair, this is probably just the nature of Bluetooth, so don't blame the iGrill 2. In practice all you really get is a thermometer you can read without taking the lid off your WSM cooker and you can get one of those elsewhere for 1/3 the money. I probably would not buy it again.
