Weber brings wireless connectivity apps to new Smart gas grill line

[BBQPhil]

Due to the overwhelming success of their app and wireless connectivity on last year's SmokeFire pellet grills, Weber is now bringing the technology to their gas grills. They add about $250 (corrected from $200) more per grill and offer these features:

• Digital, real-time food temp & readiness countdowns on your phone and grill
• Receive alerts when food has reached your desired doneness
• Never over-cook or under cook-food with step-by- step grilling assistance
• Grill the perfect medium-rare steak, with real-time food monitoring.

The electronics are powered by D batteries. No AC required. Apparently the app also monitors the gas level of the propane tank, as well. The line of these "Smart" grills begin at $800.

[glitchy]

I detect a little sarcasm there . If they follow the SmokeFire, you get outstanding alerts as long as you never let your phone sleep and only ever use the Weber Connect app. It also seems more like a $250-300 increase to me as the E-335 is $949 and the Costco Stainless model is $999, but the EX-335 is 1199 and the SX-335 is $1299.

The principle appears like take a $949 grill and a $129 accessory and charge $1199 for integrating them together. Great for corporate profit margin, bad for image for those that see what they’re doing. However, there is truly something to be said for being the first gas grill with a digital temp display on the grill itself, having an app visible digital gas gauge, and the new makeup (paint job) is sexier. My faith in the accuracy of what the display would be telling me is fairly low after watching the SmokeFire lie to me all the time for 6-8 months.

[Jerod Broussard]

Maybe it's because I have a phone that's 6 years old and can no longer hold any more apps, but I got Wireless nothin' on everything and I really am glad I don't have to mess with "connectivites," amongst other things.

[Richard Chrz]

+ 2

[Mr. Bones]

+3

[Huskee]

annnnnnd...+4

[DavidNorcross]

Just not for me. I may change my tune one day, but for now, I would just rather light a fire and cook. Just my take.

[BBQPhil]

Another example of technology looking for a solution. As a former tech columnist, there are too many companies that think adding an app and WiFi turns them into a more valuable "tech company." It rarely works out that way and leads to many more customer support issues.

[Spinaker]

Such a great point!

[DrJimmy2112]

My experience exactly.

[Jfrosty27]

BBQPhil I agree with this. Too often companies add some wiz bang tech to a product just because they can. But do these features actually improve the product? Sometimes, yes. But too often these days the answer is no. Do we really need a wifi connected refrigerator with viewing screen and interior cameras for over $4,000? Not me. I barely use the wifi feature on my Recteq. It came that way otherwise I would not miss it. Anyway, for some this new smart grill will be the bomb. Again, not for me.

[bbqLuv]

Traeger went after GMG's for that. I wonder if they will even try to take on Weber.

[Richard Chrz]

No thank you. I won’t use items currently that require a phone, do not see me changing my mind on that. I’m slowly moving away from a phone. I also would want to burn the whole unit down the first time it malfunctioned on me. I like building the fire, and knowing it will work.

[glitchy]

I don't think BBQ forum members are likely their target market with this grill. As well, from looking at it I don't think the tech actually controls anything on the grill. I think it behaves more like a fireboard with extra alerts for those that want help cooking. From what I've picked up, it just displays the temp of the grill and has probe ports. So, if the tech fails, the grill should function perfectly fine. I think you still have to adjust burners manually to change any grilling temps, light the grill by pressing the ignitor, etc.

I have a small clue how to properly reheat Famous Dave's carryout without help, so I never tried the cooking programs on the SmokeFire. All signs point to it just giving you indicators that it would be a good time to flip something or that it's done, or hey you should think about turning the grill up or down a bit.

In reality, I don't feel it's any different than anyone here that's ever used a Fireboard, Smoke, Signals, or heck even Maverick with their gasser, just integrating them together and adding a couple minor but cool additions with the built in cooker temp sensor with temp display always there and the digital gas gauge. Compound that with the added inconvenience of needing D batteries around. Something I currently only have for 1 thing, a big LED Mag Light.

[jfmorris]

Personally, the fact that they are integrating the wifi technology from their SmokeFire, but not including control, makes it unattractive as a premium add on. Like BBQPhil says - this is a solution looking for a problem, or something like that. MOST folks I know that use gas grills use them for direct, high heat cooking, things where you really gotta keep an eye on the grill, and not go away and monitor temps via Wifi.

Sure - I've got a son who has smoked ribs on his Spirit 3 burner, but it just made him realize he needs a charcoal grill or smoker, and I've got a dad who does the same thing, but its because in retiring to a small house, he doesn't want more than one cooker cluttering up his much smaller patio. But neither of them would want to pay a premium for this type of feature. They would be better served with an iGrill or Smoke or Maverick.

The monitoring of gas levels is the main innovation here, and I question its accuracy. I doubt its any more accurate than the spring gauge tank level monitoring mechanism that has been on Weber grills for 20+ years.

On the Traeger issue - the big thing to me that keeps this Weber "innovation" for gas grills out of the crosshairs of the Traeger cloud patent is that it does not CONTROL the cooker. I believe Traeger's patent involves monitoring and controlling via the cloud. That doesn't mean Traeger won't sue over it. I am sure they will, once they sue GMG into submission which will set a legal precedent for them to go after everyone else.

[glitchy]

After the past year and lots of people grilling that never grilled much before or wanting to, I won’t be surprised if they sell more of these than they dreamed of. You and I know about Fireboard and Mavericks, but a lot of my neighbors don’t and only have a gasser. They’ll look at it and say "Cool!". Heck, I think it’s cool and if I were buying a gasser would buy it and rarely use a probe for the reasons you gave, but would love the temp display. Then I’d grumble about Weber’s lousy software.

[ecowper]

I expect that my neighbor that has a Weber gasser and a Traeger will be replacing his current Weber gasser with this, soon enough.

[glitchy]

As far as this lawsuit, I think we need Meathead and Greg Rempe out talking about it (maybe they are, I’ve fallen behind on BBQ Central) and finding a way to get an industry wide group together to squash it and put Traeger in check. It has the potential to change or favorite hobby significantly or make all the products we love cost even more.

[jfmorris]

Agreed!

[ecowper]

I can't be the only person here that sees "smart grill" talking about a gas grill and immediately thinks that having an ignitor system and 20 lbs of propane connected to the internet is not the greatest idea in the world?

[jfmorris]

There are no controls. Its really not smart - its just got a wifi thermometer embedded.

[ecowper]

As long as there is a hard physical separation between the networked stuff and the controls for igniter, flow, etc

[rickgregory]

it kind of amuses me to see crotchety old guys who rail against smartphones... and some of you also post graphs from your Fireboards.

[DavidNorcross]

Old guy (60 in August) who lives in the tech world daily and have for a long time. I have a Fireboard. Rarely use it. When I need a probe, I use my Maverick. For me, it is just about cooking and I want to get away from tech and not closer. With that said, I cannot say that I will never get another pellet cooker because I may. I am just personally not a fan of using an app on my phone to cook.

[ecowper]

DavidNorcross 60 isn’t old man .... at least not from the vantage point of 54

[rickgregory]

Get off my lawn you young whippersnappers!

(62)

[Rob Johnston]

I agree with many of the comments above and don't see their target market as many of the members of this site. There are many people--particularly younger people--that see being able to monitor something via their phone as a must and are willing to shell out the extra bucks on it. I personally see something like this as useless, particularly on a gasser, but to each their own.

[Spinaker]

Not for me, but I could see a lot of people my age and younger would be drawn to this feature. I am not a gasser guy,I like outplay with fire too much........ but I could see how people that just want "grill flavor" and don't care how they get it would be into this.

Not a huge surprise, EVERYTHING has to have connectivity these days or it is outdated or not attractive.