Trying to decide what direction I want to head with thermometers. I currently have a Fireboard 2 drive and a 4 probe Combustion Predictive Thermometer package (3 working). I also have a Pit Viper fan, broken Fireboard Pulse, a meater probe, a old school Maverick wireless thermometer, a Heatermeter I soldered and flashed, etc.
Been a Fireboard owner since their KickStarter. Used it primarily through the Fireboard 2 release and I then upgraded to the FB 2 Drive and sold my original FB and drive cable setup. Kept using the FB 2 Drive happily until Combustion Inc. came along. Ordered the Gen 1 Combustion through their KickStarter. Bought a second set when Gen 2 came out - which was a nice upgrade IMO. Rarely use the Fireboard anymore unless I'm using the fan on the WSCG or just using the app to pull data from old cooks (how long does X take to cook on average?)
Anyway, what has me questioning everything is two things. First, one of my original Combustion probes quit charging last month. Trying to decide how to move forward. I don't need 4 probes, however I take 2 to the lake for the summer and leave 2 at home, I don't just leave the old at the lake all year because they'd probably be exposed to -40F temps or worse over the winter.
The tiny bit of sadness about the non-working probe has had me thinking that there doesn't seem to be a perfect thermometer package yet. Fireboard flips a ton of the switches with their units and more so their software. It's been a top notch app and base unit for a long time now. I love the cook history and what you can do there and the reliability. However, I think the Pulse wireless is absolute rubbish. It's way too expensive. It's oddly oversized and heavy (compared to others). It only has one sensor in the tip. Not durable at all, I used mine 2-3 times before somehow the ceramic end cracked and now it's just a paperweight. No idea what happened to it. Did I get it too hot, someone else drop it, I have no clue?
The Combustion thermometers have mostly made me happy so far. I use them way more than I ever used the FB because who wants to hook up wired probes for quick high heat grilling? Plus, I'm not opening the dang lid and probing all the time with my Thermapen making things take longer. The multiple sensors have worked great and made cooking most things perfectly almost a brainless act. However, it doesn't save sessions. I think it can if you save them manually before disconnecting probes, but who remembers to do that when the food is done and they're ready to eat? It's also pretty overpriced, especially when thinking about just trying to replace my one non-charging probe for $150. Plus the one thing I just absolutely despise, their probe docks/chargers are just total garbage. The probes sit in them so loosely that one tiny bump the probe is no longer connected, turns on and goes dead. I don't think they can even stay connected through the act of gently sitting them in a cabinet or the closing of a drawer. You have to charge them every time before you use them pretty much...until they get older and then the battery will no longer charge after it goes completely dead.
So, my question to my fellow pit masters is there a package that checks off everything now versus chasing the innovators constantly the past 6-8 years? Wireless probes with multiple sensors, a good app, session history to search back on, reasonably priced individual probes if I need to replace one or just add on? I've been thinking a little bit about the Thermoworks RFX. I know they'll stand behind it support wise. But how is it's app? Does it have session history? If so, does it auto-save? Can you hook up more than one wired probe (pit and food) if you are smoking a brisket and don't want to worry about battery life?
Are there other newcomers/surprises out there that I'm not thinking of?
I know I should probably reach out to Combustion about the probe just to see what they say, but it just has me thinking about my oversized collection of thermometers that none of which do it all perfectly.
Been a Fireboard owner since their KickStarter. Used it primarily through the Fireboard 2 release and I then upgraded to the FB 2 Drive and sold my original FB and drive cable setup. Kept using the FB 2 Drive happily until Combustion Inc. came along. Ordered the Gen 1 Combustion through their KickStarter. Bought a second set when Gen 2 came out - which was a nice upgrade IMO. Rarely use the Fireboard anymore unless I'm using the fan on the WSCG or just using the app to pull data from old cooks (how long does X take to cook on average?)
Anyway, what has me questioning everything is two things. First, one of my original Combustion probes quit charging last month. Trying to decide how to move forward. I don't need 4 probes, however I take 2 to the lake for the summer and leave 2 at home, I don't just leave the old at the lake all year because they'd probably be exposed to -40F temps or worse over the winter.
The tiny bit of sadness about the non-working probe has had me thinking that there doesn't seem to be a perfect thermometer package yet. Fireboard flips a ton of the switches with their units and more so their software. It's been a top notch app and base unit for a long time now. I love the cook history and what you can do there and the reliability. However, I think the Pulse wireless is absolute rubbish. It's way too expensive. It's oddly oversized and heavy (compared to others). It only has one sensor in the tip. Not durable at all, I used mine 2-3 times before somehow the ceramic end cracked and now it's just a paperweight. No idea what happened to it. Did I get it too hot, someone else drop it, I have no clue?
The Combustion thermometers have mostly made me happy so far. I use them way more than I ever used the FB because who wants to hook up wired probes for quick high heat grilling? Plus, I'm not opening the dang lid and probing all the time with my Thermapen making things take longer. The multiple sensors have worked great and made cooking most things perfectly almost a brainless act. However, it doesn't save sessions. I think it can if you save them manually before disconnecting probes, but who remembers to do that when the food is done and they're ready to eat? It's also pretty overpriced, especially when thinking about just trying to replace my one non-charging probe for $150. Plus the one thing I just absolutely despise, their probe docks/chargers are just total garbage. The probes sit in them so loosely that one tiny bump the probe is no longer connected, turns on and goes dead. I don't think they can even stay connected through the act of gently sitting them in a cabinet or the closing of a drawer. You have to charge them every time before you use them pretty much...until they get older and then the battery will no longer charge after it goes completely dead.
So, my question to my fellow pit masters is there a package that checks off everything now versus chasing the innovators constantly the past 6-8 years? Wireless probes with multiple sensors, a good app, session history to search back on, reasonably priced individual probes if I need to replace one or just add on? I've been thinking a little bit about the Thermoworks RFX. I know they'll stand behind it support wise. But how is it's app? Does it have session history? If so, does it auto-save? Can you hook up more than one wired probe (pit and food) if you are smoking a brisket and don't want to worry about battery life?
Are there other newcomers/surprises out there that I'm not thinking of?
I know I should probably reach out to Combustion about the probe just to see what they say, but it just has me thinking about my oversized collection of thermometers that none of which do it all perfectly.
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