THANK YOU for this thread! I was just about to order a FireBoard Pro 2 and Drive Blower. Your issues caused me to read the entire thread. My confidence in the company was wiped out as those singing FireBoard praises all seemed to have had issues that needed resolving.
MAK 2 Star
Napoleon 500 Pro gasser grill
Pit Boss Ultimate 2-burner griddle
Instant Pot Duo Crisper 8 qt
Cuisinart food processor
Kitchenaid Stand Mixer
Breville Smart toaster oven
Anova Sous vide (Pro version and Standard Version)
Cabella 15” Vacuum Sealer
Combustion Inc Wireless Probe
Fireboard v2
Fireboard Spark
Thermoworks IR gun
Thermoworks MK4
Thermoworks Zero
Thermoworks Signals
Grill Rescue brush
Grillmaster electric steam brush
7 Shun knives (paring to 12" slicer)
Misen Chef's knife
Dalstrong Phantom Series Boning Knife
8-9 other knives (enough to get an eye roll from wife!)
2 Mandolins, 1 veggie spiralizer
Work Sharp E5 sharpener
Chef's Choice sharpener
BCam Well, just so you have more info, I have owned a FireBoard V1 and now V2 with no issues. I have had to replace 1 probe, which FB did for free even after my warranty period was over.
THANK YOU for this thread! I was just about to order a FireBoard Pro 2 and Drive Blower. Your issues caused me to read the entire thread. My confidence in the company was wiped out as those singing FireBoard praises all seemed to have had issues that needed resolving.
YIKES!
I look at the experience this way:
1. FireBoard puts a lot of technology/utility into their product that no one else does. You can monitor and control your cook via Bluetooth (phone/tablet) or wifi (browser). You have an automatic fan controller that can be customized to your own temperature program. It works with most 12V fans.
2. They are a technology company that focuses on temperature control for BBQ. They are constantly fiddling with the firmware to improve the performance. Unlike a retail oriented company that focuses on providing a few reliable functions that can be mass produced with few returns, they operate on the edge.
3.They clearly have production and quality control issues that result in some units that should not go out the door being shipped. It took 4 units to get one that was functioning correctly. They did ship me these units at their cost after my initial shipping charges.
4. I could not find another brand that provided the same functionality.
Been following this one because I was thinking of replacing my BBQ Guru "CyberQ" with a Fireboard. Mainly because the BBQ Guru only works remotely through a website and not a simple app, so checking on an overnight cook requires more steps than it should. Also because if there is a power fluctuation at 2 or 3 AM, the fan continues to operate. I can augment the internal battery with an external USB battery if I wanted, or just plug it into 120vac and if the power quits then meh. Who cares. Well I do because no AC but at least the smoker doesnt crash. This has not happened yet, but it is a possibility with every long cook. South FL summer weather is rather unpredictable, meaning it WILL rain just about every day but you never know when. One well placed lightning strike or car that skids off the road and crashes into a utility pole and poof no electricity.
If I do go with a FB, I will check it out extra carefully to make sure everything functions as it should.
I picked up the BBQ Guru UltraQ and access it with my iPhone via Bluetooth and the web via "ShareMyCook". I'm in the TampaBay area (Lightening Captial) and throw my electronics on a UPS (APC brand) when a strom is predicted.
I received the new unit, FedEx overnight from FireBoard with a note from Ted Conrad as well as some swag and a couple of competition probes. It booted up and paired fine, but there is an issue with the backlight and LCD. The LCD flickers and just cuts off. The screen flickers. I contacted FireBoard and spoke to one of the developers. It seems this one may have a bad LCD cable. The saga continues.
This is exactly the experience I am having with Fireboard now. I bought a brand new FB2 directly from them in the Father's Day sale of 2022. The screen just cuts out and doesn't return when I attach probes, detach probes and look at the unit funny. They told me it was a long update. It happened again (and again and again) and they will replace the unit when they receive the old one back. At first they would only repair it. They will not do an advanced replacement with my credit card or anything like that.
I wonder if it will be a new unit or a refurb. If it's a refurb I am done with FB and back to Thermoworks although in my opinion the Thermoworks wireless tech is still kind of piecemeal and not really competitive. I may do that anyway - the whole experience with FB has left a bad taste in my mouth. I've had to push back against FB every step of the way.
I am speaking as an original FB owner - the ones who helped FB build their business and stay in business.
On the return (that is within 30 days) they only want the FB2 back. That just screams refurb to me. Does anyone know who to speak with or how to speak with anyone at Fireboard to make sure that the brand new defective unit I purchased from them is not being replaced with a refurb within the 30 day period? I'd rather do this just once if possible.
Meathead If you have any thoughts on this I would appreciate it. This sounds like the same screen issue and apparently the same customer service problems that happened to Truckbutt just one year apart.
Gosh, I don't know what to say. I can tell you this, if you have problems, I have Ted's number and he will take care of you personally or I will kick his butt.
On the return (that is within 30 days) they only want the FB2 back. That just screams refurb to me. Does anyone know who to speak with or how to speak with anyone at Fireboard to make sure that the brand new defective unit I purchased from them is not being replaced with a refurb within the 30 day period? I'd rather do this just once if possible.
Meathead If you have any thoughts on this I would appreciate it. This sounds like the same screen issue and apparently the same customer service problems that happened to Truckbutt just one year apart.
I really appreciate your offer to help and wanted to provide an update.
I received what is supposed to be a new unit during the first week of August. I just had an opportunity to use it for the first time cooking a hot and fast spatchcock chicken on the smoker.
As soon as I plugged in the pit probe on this unit the screen went blank, but recovered. When I moved the unit from the smoker side shelf to a chair, the unit restarted itself. When I moved it back from the chair to the smoker side shelf it restarted itself again. This time the screen remained on, but this can't be right. I am the furthest thing from an engineer, but like the last unit it's fine until you plug the probes in.
If these were both new units and FireBoard is not mixing and reselling the returned stream with the new stream of products, there seems to be some trouble in paradise.
I have an email in to FireBoard.
Edit: Oof - I moved it again and the screen froze like this.
Last edited by MtView; August 25, 2022, 03:25 PM.
Reason: Added a pic - the pic is poor quality, but it shows another thing that happened on the first cook and at least I'm not in it.
Update: FireBoard contacted me today and they are sending me another unit. They are definitely working with me on this and that's all I can ask for. I think they are as perplexed as I am. I was using the new FB competition probes I bought with the unit, but I tried the old FB1 competition probes just in case and got the same results.
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