Weber Connect App Trial: A Pitmaster Club Exclusive!

[SmokingSteve]

Got mine on Memorial Day! Has anyone heard anything from Weber yet?

[Huskee]

We will update you once we get a collection from Weber detailing what they want/need. Hang tight.

[barelfly]

I got mine up and running on Monday - actually went to us it for my Peruvian Chicken cook, but I needed to charge the unit first so I didn’t get to. I’ll have my first chance at using it Friday night when I have 40lbs of pork butt in the smoker. Will be nice to reach over to the phone to monitor temps rather than having to get up like I normally do

I’m also excited to see graphing data, as I don’t have any of that. I’m only using a Thermoworks Chef Alarm to monitor temps, and that only allows for one temp at a time. So, I need to go buy a few more probes so I can monitor four pork butts.

thanks for the update, Huskee

[jfmorris]

Note that if you are using the app in the App Store, that is NOT the one they are asking us to test. You need to follow the instructions in the beta website Huskee gives a link to.

[barelfly]

jfmorris - yes…got that already on the phone. It’s through Test Flight. All ready to go.

[grantgallagher]

Thanks Huskee. I havent fully read the instructions yet so maybe this is obvious in there or not, but wanted to ask if there were any guidelines about comparisons. I had envisioned using this plus another product (blinded) side by side but i can understand if thats a complete no go.

[Huskee]

I'm not sure on comparisons, all I know is that they will supply a survey toward late July/early August. Perhaps take as many notes as you can in case.

[Michael_in_TX]

Looking forward to testing this for them this weekend!

[luvthemstillers]

I followed the directions as posted and I'm now running version 2.1.0.852 on Android. I believe this is the correct Beta version.

[jfmorris]

Well, I've got it charged and displaying the temp of my home office with both probes plugged in. I like the bright display, and the actual device is simple in that you just press to see the temp of a particular probe. Graphing and such looks nice. One thing I don't see is a way to rename them in the app from "Probe 1" and "Probe 2" to something else. You can set set points and limits and assign a recipe to a probe. I'm gonna have to play with the app some more before I cook with it.

It's easy to compare this to the Thermoworks app and my Smoke w/ Smoke Gateway, and I can already see it failing compared to that just because it is less sophisticated than the Thermoworks stuff, across the board. However, I can see many people that buy a Weber grill at the big box store liking the simplicity of picking a recipe and letting it walk you through. I'll be doing it that way, as well as trying to set up things manually.

[grantgallagher]

Thats exactly why i wanted to run the two side by side and see if i actually would use/miss the depths of the thermo stuff. Not that im probably ever moving away from them but its a valid point for ive done this cook 20 times and just want to put it on and get it done, barring emergencies of course

[JoeSousa]

I will hopefully find something to cook this weekend that will give me a reason to play with this. All my other thermometers are Thermoworks so I am looking forward to seeing how this compares.

[jfmorris]

Yeah, I have a pork loin I've been meaning to do something with in the freezer, and the app has a pork loin smart recipe, so I think that might be what I cook at some point this weekend. Just gotta do a freezer dive now!

Of course, SWMBO may have other plans. We are hosting a baby shower Sunday 2-5, and will be spending every minute between now and then getting ready for the 87 guests I am told are invited!

[SmokingSteve]

jfmorris just tell her it is for appetizers for the shower!

[SmokingSteve]

Charging the hub first. It won't pair with my phone yet. I suspect it requires a full charge for the initial pairing. I am planning a 3 pound chuck roast on my pellet pooper for tomorrow. It gets the inaugural honors!

[grantgallagher]

Im doing the freezer dive tonight in prep for the weekend. Not sure what im going to do yet

[Huskee]

Attention:

BBQPhil
Smokeater
Jaster
Red Man
Michael_in_TX
grantgallagher
Draznnl
barelfly
jfmorris
radiodome21
synodog
JoeSousa
BBQandLove
SmokingSteve
luvthemstillers


Here are the instruction fresh from Weber (revised)

1. On your iPhone or Android device go to: connect.weber.com
2. Login
3. Scroll down to two red buttons. Select iOS or Android.
4. Install Beta Version even if you already have the current version of Weber Connect on your smart phone. Open it. You can confirm you have the new Beta Version if the Recipe Page includes a search field at the top:

Pair your smart phone with your smart Weber device. For help, go back to: connect.weber.com





Click on the menu bars in the upper left. A drop-down menu provides a lot of info.






Select How-To & Info for help. Note the other selections. Ask A Question, Give feedback and Report a Bug puts you in direct communication with Weber’s software team, although they likely won’t respond immediately. Use those three selections early and often.

Weber’s team is constantly testing the new app, so they will handle specific tests. Rather than give our Pitmaster Club members a list of tasks to perform, Weber asks that you play around with the app as much as you can. You don’t always have to actually be cooking to test. Dry runs are encouraged. The more you test, ask questions, give feedback and report bugs, the happier Weber will be.

Weber will supply a survey towards the end of the 60-day period, which will start on May 30 to accommodate the shipping timeline. Members can fill out electronically. Testers can share their feedback at any time as they play with app through the beta link.

[BBQPhil]

Charging shows a maximum of 95% no matter how long it’s charging. Apparently something that has existed according to old reviews.

[barelfly]

Getting familiar with this for the 35lbs of pork butts I’m smoking tonight. On a whim, I thought let’s see if this thing will work with my Thermowork probes….and it does!!!!! Now I can watch three of the 4 on this unit tonight.

but i gotta figure out the app, as it’s not picking up the unit today although it was the other day. So…off I go

[barelfly]

Alright seems to be ok. Just as a note for those that may have got this going, but then, updated the app with Test Flight. I Had to do another update for the unit but all is working. Able to pick up and track all probes I tried (one Weber probe and 2 Thermoworks probes). So liking that flexibility for me.

This is high tech stuff coming from a basic Chef Alarm brings out the analytic in me! But…a concern I have already on this unit, just the short time it was updating, dropped 5% in battery power. That has me concerned that it won’t last for a 10 hour cook?

Anyone have thoughts on that from any sort of use, just on how quick the battery drop? BBQPhil ?

[jfmorris]

It can run plugged in using a USB cable. Probably a longer one than it came with though - that suckers short! Weber says the battery is good for 20 hours. I think the update process is processor and battery intensive compared to normal use.

[barelfly]

Good to know jfmorris - I missed the 20 hours. Makes me feel better on that. I’ll have these butts going in the next hour or so.

[BBQPhil]

Going through a simulation using one their built in recipes, but instructions are only for a gas grill, nothing else. (Recipe was for sirloin steak.)

[jfmorris]

I noticed that. The ones I looked at also mentioned charcoal but in a very vague sense. Or generic "prepare grill for direct cooking at high heat", etc. I know probably 90% of users are gas versus charcoal, but they ought to be a little more flexible in their directions, considering they make the most widely known charcoal grills.

[barelfly]

Alright these butts are going. I’m only going on the Bluetooth, which could be a mistake. We will see. It’s a simple device, app seems simple once it picks up the probes.

I’ll report back tomorrow, either in the morning if I have time or later in the evening after the grad party.

[barelfly]

jfmorris The app won’t allow me to connect to wifi. It doesn’t pick up any networks and if I enter manually, it errors out with wifi is not enabled. But the phone will be about 30’ away. I’ve walked around to the few places I’d be with the phone to check distance and Bluetooth has worked ok thus far.

[grantgallagher]

Hate to ask the obvious, but you are doing the beta as jfmorris detailed? Ill he doing a cook hopefully tomorrow but set up has been smooth so far. No problems with wifi

[barelfly]

Yes, have the beta - grantgallagher - done the various checks to make sure. But thanks for asking about that. are you able to set a temp alarm if you just have it going by ambient air? Just curious - I also can’t get that to connect for some reason - just times out as well. But, other than those two things, it’s working ok.