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Is a controller neccesary?

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    #16
    I have a good 2 channel thermometer with remote (a Thermoworks Smoke) and I also have a thermostatic controller from BBQguru.com (a discontinued model called the PartyQ). For the Smoke, I also have their Wifi gateway, but find myself rarely needing to monitor the cook when away from home these days, so I tend to just use the dedicated remote to keep an eye on things.

    I've got a Weber Performer Deluxe (22" kettle) that I sometimes use the thermostatic controller on - only if its a long overnight smoke. And I have a kamado (SNS Deluxe Kamado). I've never bothered to use the thermostatic controller on the kamado, as it is very stable once I get the vents adjusted right. With the kettle I can get 8-12 hours of burn time on a load of charcoal in the SNS, in my kamado, I've easily gotten 18-20 hours on a load of lump.

    The thermostatic controllers are more convenience than necessity in my opinion. They make it easier to get to a specific temperature without fiddling with the vents, and in the case of the kettle, they can also help get every last BTU of heat extracted from the charcoal. I've had it set to 225 on the kettle before, and come out to find the kettle still at 225, the fan running full blast, and only 3-4 lit coals remaining in the Slow 'N Sear!

    If you are on a budget, nothing wrong with getting the thermometer now, and worrying with temperature control down the road, if and when you need it. With that Summit, being basically a metal kamado, it tend to be more stable than the kettle you have now. That is what I am seeing anyway.

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      #17
      I’ve cooked in a large Big Green Egg for ten years now. Before I moved to Dallas, Texas I frequently did overnight cooks without a controller. Where I lived before the winds were more even, not as strong and less gusty, but here in Dallas they are almost constant and erratic frequently going from gusting to calm to steady. While I think I could do overnight cooks without a controller I am afraid that with the gusts they temperature would be driven higher than I intended to cook. My favorite controller is the Smobot. I think whether you need a controller for overnight cooks depends on the wind situation. Kamados are excellent at holding heat so, winter weather should be a non factor.

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        #18
        Welcome from Chicagoland.

        IMHO you shouldn't use a controller until you are familiar with your cooker and able to control temperatures when the controller craps out on you. In other words, yes, the technology is great and you should get one. But, I agree with RonB and the others above who are urging you to learn your new cooker first and then add the controller.

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        • Mr. Bones
          Mr. Bones commented
          Editing a comment
          I fall squarely into this mindset, as well...

        #19
        Hello from NW Oregon.

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          #20
          As others have said, it's not a necessity. When I first got into kettle cooking (properly thanks to this site) I began the process of learning my vent settings. Then I discovered the Fireboard/Pit Viper fan mod and have never looked back. I even made a sticky you can check out here on how to do it. It can be a bit confusing as there are many options.

          It's probably a good idea to learn it before modding it, but I never really did to any great depth. Even if I lose power during a cook I can just plug everything into a battery pack. If the Fireboard decides to not work (3yrs so far and no issues) then I'll pull out my other Fireboard.

          So I decided since the tech is readily available, why not make things easier on myself. Here too we can have wild temp swings from day to night and extreme heat. That plus all the variables others have already mentioned made it a no brainer for me. Plus the added value of creating cook logs with notes and pics accessible on your devices are incredibly convenient. That way you can repeat what you did or not repeat it depending on the results.

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            #21
            I have the WSCG and once I get it tuned (over about 30 minutes) that thing runs rock solid. That said, I have the Fireboard Drive and when I run that it is rock solider and way faster to "tune". As others have noted, even the best controller manufacturer will advise to have a good understanding of how your cooker performs without a controller. Knowing the sweet spots under various conditions is essential, IMHO.

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            • CaptainMike
              CaptainMike commented
              Editing a comment
              Oh, and Howdy from The Great State of Jefferson!!!

            #22
            Thanks for all the great info, advice and insight. What a great discussion forum this is. I love the UI and the people are so helpful and friendly.

            I am leaning towards a cheap remote setup like the SNS 500 and live with that for a while then pass it on to someone else in a year or so and move up to a controller.

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            • STEbbq
              STEbbq commented
              Editing a comment
              That makes sense to me. Of course I have a Masterbuilt Gravity 560 so no need to a Fireboard yet.

            • jfmorris
              jfmorris commented
              Editing a comment
              Sounds like a good plan to me!

            #23
            Welcome to the Pit!



            no

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              #24
              big_mack - sorry - you are correct that it does not work with the Smoke.

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                #25
                Yes, a controller is nice to have. I learned without one and got pretty good keeping the temps at a good level. But then I invested in a controller and fan and never looked back. Now for anything over an hour or two I always use one. I have a Thermoworks Signals with Billows and a Fireboard with a Pit Viper. Both are fantastic and you won't regret owning either one. More than likely once MCS kicks in you will own both one day.
                Last edited by bep35; July 20, 2021, 10:08 PM.

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                  #26
                  Originally posted by big_mack View Post

                  ...I am leaning towards a cheap remote setup like the SNS 500 and live with that for a while then pass it on to someone else in a year or so and move up to a controller.
                  Sounds like a good plan. As many have said, if you're a multitasker as you use your smoker, then an automatic controller setup is really nice. But that Weber Summit Charcoal that you're considering should run pretty true for most if not all of the cook, so getting to know it first is the way to go, IMO. You're going to love cooking on it, BTW.

                  Kathryn

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                    #27
                    this was such a difficult decision to make just because of the dollar amount math. I could have got a two probe thermometer for around $70 Cnd and up to $140 that would have lasted me 6 months before I needed to upgrade. Once you jump in to ATC electronics its double that, but you get to add a fan. I decided to get the FB2 Drive in the end. No fan for a while. It cost me $350 Cnd. That's freaking crazy. Also purchased an SNS for $130. That's $500 in tools for a $160 original kettle. What I did and bought makes sense and I do love that I put money in to the right spots and the grill is the cheapest part. But its kind of crazy, to my wife especially. But its similar to the espresso machine math. Put all your money in to the grinder, not the maker, and you'll get great results. The original kettle is just a vessel. I'm glad I put my money in to the tech toys not the vessel. It makes sense. Get some basic tools and apply some basic skills and you'll get some great food. Once I get more confidence and adventurous and cook longer and in the winter I'll be glad I have that fan option. and maybe I'll have a couple of issues cooking in the winter on purpose, so I can have a meaningful discussion about why WE need a Weber Summit E6.

                    Much appreciate all the insight and advice. What a friendly forum. I'm going to have to subscribe before the rate goes up.
                    Last edited by big_mack; July 27, 2021, 09:14 PM.

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                      #28
                      You will love your kettle and accessories.

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                        #29
                        I like setting my controller and walking downtown for beers.

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                          #30
                          I'd say Fireboard 2 over the Thermoworks stuff for long cooks and controller capabilities. They're just more refined and the apps seems to be a bit more intuitive. I haven't tried using the Billows controller by Thermoworks but I hear that it's not as good as Fireboard's fan controller while it will work with the Smoke X. I used to use Flame Boss to control my kettle grill back in the day, but upgraded to Fireboard, then to the Fireboard 2 when it came out after considering going with Thermoworks + Billows but the pros didn't outweigh the cons especially since I already had the controller to work with the Fireboard stuff. Here's some comparisons of the various options, which more or less supports my take https://smokingmeatgeeks.com/meat-thermometers/
                          Last edited by Jake435; August 5, 2021, 05:07 AM.

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                          • big_mack
                            big_mack commented
                            Editing a comment
                            I did end up purchasing a FB 2. No fan yet as I want to learn to control heat myself for a while.

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