The Fireboard is such a sure thing that I go for it right away. Everything about it works great. I love, love, love that I can document each cook and look back to cooks I did 3 or more years ago on their app with their search engine. I can see in a glance how many pork butt cooks I've done, which cooker I used, and all the deets about meat prep, cook times, charcoal used, where the meat was sourced, etc.And it works every single time I beam it up. I'm still using the probes I bought with the original set. That's a tough act to follow.
IKR????
I can't even begin to count how many times I've gone back and referenced my old cooks. I really ought to be more diligent about actually making notes on ambient conditions, wood types, etc., and adding pics. But I just have so many things on my mind, when I'm cooking I'm often doing 100 things at once, or running 3 cookers and 6 different proteins/sides. lol
But yeah, Fireboard's "ecosystem" has had my captured for almost a decade now. I love it.
I do know that almost all of that type of wireless equipment requires 2.4GHz, and a lot of times, if pairing using a phone app, if your phone is not also on 2.4Ghz, it may have issues with the pairing process. Truth be told, 5Ghz has a much shorter range, and is less likely to penetrate walls and make it out to where our grills live, compared to 2.4GHz.
Yeah someone mentioned that some of these companies haven't migrated to 5GHz yet - they're not GOING TO. This is the whole point of the 2.4 network for them, they want the RANGE, they don't need bandwidth or speed or any of that jazz. Thermometers ain't heavy bandwidth users, they want the range so they can brag about how far they can reach, or wanting less dropouts and better connectivity, etc.
Most routers now will run a 2.4 & 5 network simultaneously, a lot of people don't even know theirs is doing that, because it's often set up to do it by default with these cable modem/router combos and many normal routers out of the box will just automatically duplicate your network on both frequencies.
I used to have my main router in the basement near the modem, but like others have mentioned I had some devices that had trouble connecting on both 2.4 and 5G. Mostly the 5G side. When we bought a few new tv's they struggled to get and keep a connection. So I ran a hardwired network port up to a corner in my living room, brought the router upstairs and solved those problems. Actually, helped the Signals and our 2nd floor tv's connect so much better.
Pit Barrel Cooker
Weber Master-Touch
Blackstone Omnivore 4 Burner Griddle
Thermoworks: Signals, Billows, Thermopens, Thermopops, Nodes, bunch of silicone stuff, and more!
OnlyFire Rotisserie w/ Basket attachment for the Weber
Vortex for the Weber
Both of Meathead's books!
Way too many BBQ related accessories, tools, and doo-dads!
Just on Saturday, with the corned beef/pastrami cook, probably an hour into the cook, I was getting whacked out readings on one of my probes. It kept jumping around in temps (wildly), then disconnecting, reconnecting to the signals unit. I thought maybe it was a cable going bad in one place, so I repositioned it a couple times, but it eventually would start acting up again.
So I swapped the probe out for another one. After about half an hour, same problem cropped up with this other probe.
Luckily, I had ordered replacement probes when they were on sale awhile back. Took one out of the package, and was back in business.
Another probe had gone goofy around the end of last fall, so I put these other two with it, which I tested the next day on some ice water, comparing them with a ThermaPen. Wonky as all get out.
These are the original probes I bought with the unit in 2020, so they've lasted about 6 years. I'm not exactly super careful with them, so I was prepared when they went south.
The cables on the probes were pretty kinked up as well and probably the main cause of the issues. Now that I have the spools, the replacements are going to stay much nicer and kink-free.
The grill temp probe is still hanging in there, but I have a replacement for it as well. Considering the times and amount of cooks I've put them through, I think they're a pretty good deal.
My original ThermaPen is also still working fine (ice bath test about once a year, or if I think it's not quite right). It's even older, I want to say I bought that in 2017? 2016?. I have backups of that too, as well as a couple Dot's to use if needed.
If the signals dies, I've got an old Maverick system (actually, a recommendation from amazingribs.com, back when I first found this site) tucked away, for just such an emergency. Been meaning to order a Smoke just for that reason, maybe I can pull that off for Father's Day.
All in all, I've had good fortune with their products (I have several Node's as well), and given quite a few of the Dot's as gifts to my kids and relatives, which they're still using.
Anyway, I can't complain about their products. I have yet to get something that didn't work or died early. Hope they can make it right for you folks that did experience that.
Pit Barrel Cooker
Weber Master-Touch
Blackstone Omnivore 4 Burner Griddle
Thermoworks: Signals, Billows, Thermopens, Thermopops, Nodes, bunch of silicone stuff, and more!
OnlyFire Rotisserie w/ Basket attachment for the Weber
Vortex for the Weber
Both of Meathead's books!
Way too many BBQ related accessories, tools, and doo-dads!
Update:
I was getting ready to call ThermoWorks for a replacement on the two probes that weren't working. Just to make sure I had the correct probes ready to go in case they wanted them back, I fired up the gateway and laid all the probes on the counter. All four probes connected and all read within 1/2° of each other.
So... Yeah. Not sure if I should try to fix something that isn't currently broken?
Weber Summit Kamado with SnS and Vortex.. Broil King Baron, Primo Oval Junior. Primo XL. Love grilling steaks, ribs, and chicken. Need to master smoked salmon. Absolutely love anything to do with baking bread. Favorite cool weather beer: Sam Adams Octoberfest Favorite warm weather beer: Yuengling Traditional Lager. All-time favorite drink: Single Malt Scotch
The last wireless device I bought from Thermoworks was the Smoke, not long after its debut. It has worked pretty well for years. I occasionally have to re-pair the remote, but other than that it’s great. I DO understand the APP frustration. It took me forever to get my Anova sous vide connected to the wireless.
I hate to hear of the troubles with Thermoworks products. I've never had issues with my Smoke Gateway (wifi box for the original Smoke) or the RFX with 2 probes that my Secret Santa sent me. I do know that almost all of that type of wireless equipment requires 2.4GHz, and a lot of times, if pairing using a phone app, if your phone is not also on 2.4Ghz, it may have issues with the pairing process. Truth be told, 5Ghz has a much shorter range, and is less likely to penetrate walls and make it out to where our grills live, compared to 2.4GHz.
I guess I was lucky that my probes all connected, and the wired and 2 wireless probes that I have all showed the same ambient temperature.
My biggest issues with Thermoworks are that I seem to be having bad luck with Thermapens that start failing to turn on when you open the probe. I've had one repaired, and I got a new Thermapen One last year, and now it won't turn on consistently, even after replacing the battery, and I am back to my 12 year old Thermapen Classic and its touchy turn on.
For your Thermapens: Get a can of WD40 Contact Cleaner (not plain WD40) and lightly spray it where the rotating probe hub connects with the body and rotate the probe back and fourth. You may have to lightly spray it again. Within a few minutes, it should work like new!
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