Inexpensive temp controller


 
You mean I don't need a digital wifi blue tooth controller box, fans, multiple probes with wires running all over the place to cook on charcoal?
 
Nope, fire, smoke(or not), beverage of choice and, time.
I had roommates years ago who were both photographers, I accused them of having "accute Gizmosis" (the need to acquire every piece, part or gadget remotely related to the profession), I see an awful lot of that here too! I'm guilty of getting more stuff all the time. When I had almost nothing my cooks were every bit as good if not better than before I started diddling with all these tools!
Now, all that said, I am still a collector of all kinds of crazy stuff and this area is far from off limits! I didn't get my Vortex for my birthday but, I may be going to Wally World here for something else and I will look for a steel bowl for a test first.
 
Hmm I see that's quite an old story, but I just discovered this thread.

I'm trying to improve my temp control when smoking with lump using the Slow 'N Sear in my kettle and fellow SNS users recommended adding a Tip Top Temp kit to my setup. How well does this gadget work? Timothy, are you still using this device?
 
Just saw this Kristof,
I have not used it this season, it worked well enough last year. I used it a couple of times, they are not miserably expensive (at least here) the idea is pretty clever really. I will use it again this summer I'm sure!
 
Thanks, Timothy!

I found out meanwhile that the guys over kamadoguru.com consider this kit as an essential tool for their low cooks so considering its price, I placed my order a few hours ago.

I hope it will help balancing the performance with lump in the SNS, I really prefer the smell of lump to the Weber (and noname) briquettes we have around.
 
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Well, it's an interesting piece of equipment, some of it is really kind of baffling, like the run it with all bottom vents closed instructions! I found I needed to crack them just a touch just to let it breathe a little. Just a tiny bit but just enough.
It's a nifty tool, once you figure out the intricacies I think it's probably a very worthwhile little product.
 
TonyUK said:
TFL. Still haven't used mine yet. How embarrassing!! :o
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You and me both Tony. Mine is still shall we say "new in the box". Actually just discovered it when I was doing my spring cleaning of my grilling stuff. Dropped it in a drawer when I got it and promptly forgot about it. Ain't old age wonderful:p
 
Well, I'm looking for the appropriate storage case for my therm pro which arrived today! I plan on using it this weekend so, that won't be necessary for a while.
 
Rich Dahl said:
You and me both Tony. Mine is still shall we say "new in the box". Actually just discovered it when I was doing my spring cleaning of my grilling stuff. Dropped it in a drawer when I got it and promptly forgot about it. Ain't old age wonderful:p
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Mine too. It's spleet, (a local colloquial term for brand new). TFL was kind enough to send me one. Must try harder.
 
Getting back to the temp controller..

I received my TipTopTemp 3 days ago. Smoked Armadillo Eggs on the first day and made a pulled pork Tue day after, using it. I'm absolutely amazed with this device, it worked on the very first attempt just as I thought it will (that much about the learning curve) and it kept the grate temperature within +-10F automatically, making it a perfect cruise control kit.

In both cooks I used it with a Slow N Sear basket in my 22" kettle and used lump for fuel. They say the SNS is pretty stable with briqs but I really prefer lump.. In earlier attempts I had to fiddle with the vents in every 10-30 mins with such a setup. Doing the pork yesterday with lump in heavy wind I made three adjustments in 12 hours!

I am really stunned with this gadget. I only wonder why it's now Weber manufacturing it.. If you have one already, give it a try! :)
 
I just bought one because my HeaterMeter controller died and I'm not an electronics tech so I had to send it to someone who is. I found it listed on Amazon and had a hard tiime finding it here - I tried Tip Top Temp just like Maverick spells it and kept striking out.

One of the reviewers on Amazon had a great idea to alleviate the effects of breezes on the bimetallic coil - just open both ends of a soup can and slip it over the unit to give it a little chimney to keep breezes from getting to the coil.

The electronic stoker is great when it works, but I've fought wireless issues and configuration, and finally resorted to running an Ethernet cable out to the patio every time I smoke. I can indeed sleep all night with almost no concern, and check temps on my phone whenever I wake up. Very nice. But the Tip Top Temp looks like I can just put it up there and forget all the rest.

Also, my WSM is fine for smoking, but I only recently returned to charcoal grilling with a new Weber 22" MasterTouch. Wow - after struggling with a natural gas grill for decades. Always something - spider nests block the burners, stupid thing blows out if it's not on a high temperature setting, and on and on. The Weber kettle is wonderful simple to clean (and not using KBB any more I don't have to deal with mountains of ash), and since I learned about using a chimney to start the coals that problem went away too.

I'm so impressed with the temperature stability in the kettle already that I think that with the addition of the Tip Top Temp I'm going to be smoking more on the kettle unless I really need the larger area of the WSM.
 
I've got one and used it on a brisket flat and small pork butt cook this weekend. It works very well. There was a cool wind which hindered the kettle a bit but the tip top temp made it much easier to adjust. Great product.
 
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