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View Full Version : Stoker II vs Flame Boss 200


damascusmaker
02-08-2016, 04:36 PM
Hello all,
Been smoking since this past summer. I want to get an ATC for the UDS30 that I'm very happy with http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23436&highlight=uds&page=835
#12525 and a UDS55 that I haven't built yet.

I've ruled out the CyberQ and have studied the Stoker wifi and FB 200 to total confusion. Will probably pull the trigger on one of them tomorrow.
Any comments from users would be greatly appreciated, negative or positive. I also have a Traeger that has me spoiled with the control but has not satisfied me with taste. If I can have that kind of control plus remote monitoring on my 30 and a 55 UDS, I'll likely find another good home for the Traeger.

Thanks .. Matt

Untraceable
02-08-2016, 04:57 PM
You ruled out the most proven of the three options?

Ron_L
02-08-2016, 05:15 PM
Here is a recent thread asking the same question...

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=224774

damascusmaker
02-08-2016, 06:51 PM
Thanks Ron_L,
For some reason the search box doesn't show up on my desktop, Safari, I just found it on my Fire tablet.

I moved the CyberQ to the bottom due to the experience of a friend. He has a restaurant and has used the DigiQ for a couple of years. When he recently attempted to move up to the CyberQ he failed to make it work and sent it back returning to the DX2. He is much younger and more tech savvy than I.

jmed999
02-08-2016, 07:45 PM
I started the other thread and researched them to death including phone calls to both Stoker and FB.

Here are the major differences that were important to me...

The Stoker II is expandable so you can use multiple blowers and probes with one Stoker II unit. The Flame Boss 200 is not expandable. The Flame Boss 200 however is incredibly easy to connect to wifi. You simply enter your wifi password and it is connected. The FB will also work outside of your home network with no additional network tweaking and no internet host ~$20 per year. The Stoker II forces you to go into your router and change multiple settings to connect to wifi. Also, with the Stoker II you'll need to use a hosting site to control it from your phone while outside your home network. This requires additional and more difficult networking skills.

I really wanted an expandable unit but the easiness of the Flame Boss 200 won me over. Placed my order Saturday.

damascusmaker
02-08-2016, 08:22 PM
I started the other thread and researched them to death including phone calls to both Stoker and FB.

Here are the major differences that were important to me...

The Stoker II is expandable so you can use multiple blowers and probes with one Stoker II unit. The Flame Boss 200 is not expandable. The Flame Boss 200 however is incredibly easy to connect to wifi. You simply enter your wifi password and it is connected. The FB will also work outside of your home network with no additional network tweaking and no internet host ~$20 per year. The Stoker II forces you to go into your router and change multiple settings to connect to wifi. Also, with the Stoker II you'll need to use a hosting site to control it from your phone while outside your home network. This requires additional and more difficult networking skills.

I really wanted an expandable unit but the easiness of the Flame Boss 200 won me over. Placed my order Saturday.

Many thanks jmed999, Just what I was looking for. Like I said I have read enough to be confusing. I'm a blacksmith so my hammer skills are pretty good, networking skills, not so much. I don't see expandability as an issue for me. Ease of connection and use much more important. Mind made up!

damascusmaker
02-08-2016, 09:17 PM
Thanks for the help, bullet has left the gun. Flame Boss 200 on order!:grin:

NCGrimbo
02-09-2016, 09:00 AM
I started the other thread and researched them to death including phone calls to both Stoker and FB.

Here are the major differences that were important to me...

The Stoker II is expandable so you can use multiple blowers and probes with one Stoker II unit. The Flame Boss 200 is not expandable. The Flame Boss 200 however is incredibly easy to connect to wifi. You simply enter your wifi password and it is connected. The FB will also work outside of your home network with no additional network tweaking and no internet host ~$20 per year. The Stoker II forces you to go into your router and change multiple settings to connect to wifi. Also, with the Stoker II you'll need to use a hosting site to control it from your phone while outside your home network. This requires additional and more difficult networking skills.

I really wanted an expandable unit but the easiness of the Flame Boss 200 won me over. Placed my order Saturday.

I'm not sure why you think the Stoker requires an internet host to use with your phone. All you have to do is forward a port on your router and then connect to your WAN IP address and the forwarded port. Sure, it's not something for someone that is not comfortable with configuring their router, but it doesn't cost anything extra per month. And if you have an iPhone, there are 2 app that can monitor the Stoker. I personally use StokeMaster. :mrgreen:

Now, I've never used a Flame Boss and I've never seen one in use, but unless the Flame Boss people are hosting the data from your local Flame Boss, it will require the same port forwarding technique the Stoker requires to access it from outside your network.

jmed999
02-09-2016, 09:13 AM
I'm not sure why you think the Stoker requires an internet host to use with your phone. All you have to do is forward a port on your router and then connect to your WAN IP address and the forwarded port. Sure, it's not something for someone that is not comfortable with configuring their router, but it doesn't cost anything extra per month. And if you have an iPhone, there are 2 app that can monitor the Stoker. I personally use StokeMaster. :mrgreen:

Now, I've never used a Flame Boss and I've never seen one in use, but unless the Flame Boss people are hosting the data from your local Flame Boss, it will require the same port forwarding technique the Stoker requires to access it from outside your network.

Sorry if I mislead anyone. This review http://www.nakedwhiz.com/productreviews/stokerwifi/stokerwf4.htm

Says....

"Now there is one last thing you need to know. Your external IP address probably isn't going to change as long as you leave your router powered on. Our ISP seems to reassign your IP address to someone else if you don't use it for 12 hours. So you can either make sure you check your external IP address before you leave home, or you can use a dynamic DNS service like www.dyndns.com that does some black magic voodo hocus pocus that gives you a web address like "yourname.dyndns.org" which always points to your computer, even when your external IP address changes. A service like this costs about $20 a year. If you use this service then, instead of typing in your external IP address, you would type in whatever name you are assigned by the service. The name never changes so you always know what to enter to get to your Stoker."

Either way the Stoker II seemed way more complicated than the Flame Boss 200. The guys at Flame Boss told me it can be controlled when the FB and your phone are on different networks so I assume they are hosting the info. So with the FB, you enter your wifi password and you're off to the races. I should have mine soon so I will be able to verify.

Flame Boss
02-09-2016, 09:20 AM
Now, I've never used a Flame Boss and I've never seen one in use, but unless the Flame Boss people are hosting the data from your local Flame Boss, it will require the same port forwarding technique the Stoker requires to access it from outside your network.

You got it right. Flame Boss is hosting the data on its own servers. This is the means we use to make the connection much easier. It also enables us to provide services such as sending texts to your phone for meat and pit alarm functions.

jmed999
02-09-2016, 09:56 AM
You got it right. Flame Boss is hosting the data on its own servers. This is the means we use to make the connection much easier. It also enables us to provide services such as sending texts to your phone for meat and pit alarm functions.

This is why I went with the Flame Boss 200. Great customer service and super easy wifi anywhere you have internet connections!!!

damascusmaker
02-09-2016, 06:27 PM
Great information.

"It also enables us to provide services such as sending texts to your phone for meat and pit alarm functions."

Next question: I don't use a smart phone. Will the FB 200 send e-mail or do I need to figure out how to receive text from the FB on my iPod? I think it will, I just have never had a need. Remember, you're talking to a blacksmith, not an IT guy.:-?

Derrick300
02-13-2016, 06:27 AM
It makes me wonder, if Flame Boss has made it so easy why are Stoker and BBQ Guru not going the same route? I am researching the wireless options also and all I seem to see is that its a pain the arse to connect Stokers and CyberQ units??

damascusmaker
02-13-2016, 08:55 AM
I wondered about that too. My buddy at the restaurant that failed with the CyberQ seems to be pretty tech capable, he uses an iPad as a register. And is loyal to the "Q" company. The day I was there he and a younger employee were really scratching their heads and later he told me they give up and sent it back. Both are 1/2 or less my age. I know youth doesn't guarantee tech ability, but they were raised with this stuff and I wasn't. He had them send another DigiQ to use on his Stumps Gravity unit.

My FB200 should be here today!:-D I have nothing to smoke. :sad:

backdraftbbq
02-13-2016, 11:04 AM
Have you checked out the Auber unit? Great reviews, inexpensive and it works great!

damascusmaker
02-13-2016, 01:50 PM
Yeah BDbbq, I liked what I found about the Auber unit. Just had unexpected funds on hand and wanted one with wifi so I could check and control from my shop while working.

Online with the FBoss pretty quick and easy. Just experimenting on table without firing up a smoker. I guess it was confused because I just put one of the probes in hot water for to see what things looked like. I'm impressed.

Still haven't figured out how to get the messages to my iPod. The screen wants a phone number not an e-mail address. Any ideas?


http://i842.photobucket.com/albums/zz350/blacksmith13/Screen%20Shot%202016-02-13%20at%20Feb%2013%2016%20%202.23.54%20PM_zps1ewtu j38.png

damascusmaker
02-13-2016, 04:53 PM
OK, back after fiddling with the FB this afternoon. Fired up the UDS30 without meat.

As I feared, my UDS takes such a small amount of air to run low, it pulled enough through the shutterless blower to run away without nearly closing the exhaust. As indicated with the included note:
http://i842.photobucket.com/albums/zz350/blacksmith13/IMG_0581_zpsp0c1wuee.jpg

Would you find this method of control acceptable or would you fab some type of shutter or restrictor plate?

Advise I have been following is to run open exhaust and restrict at the intake to avoid stale smoke. I'm still kinda new to smoking.

Found a free app for the iPod that assigns a number to the iPod so that it can receive the text messages, there might be a better one but what I used is named "Textfree" and seems to work fine. Overall I'm happy with the system.

mahenryak
02-13-2016, 05:27 PM
I really like my Stoker. I don't have the latest version but it sure is nice to be able to manage both my Big Green Egg and my Kamado Joe Junior from the same device--which is a feature that has already been pointed out in a previous reply. It is well built and never fails me even in fairly cool temperatures (-5 F). Now, I have read criticisms from some folks on another forum regarding difficulties getting a hold of someone when they were having troubles. I think when they first came out with the latest model they may have had some problems with the firmware. I have not had any issues with my Stoker, and when I have called with a question I was able to get a hold of someone without any troubles. I think they may have been a little overwhelmed for a short time with the firmware issue until they figured it out--at least this is what it sounded like to me from reading what others were saying.

smokinit
02-14-2016, 08:02 AM
Mike is a great guy over at Flame Boss with a great product and thats why I am pairing them with my Humphrey units.

Porcine Perfection
02-14-2016, 11:53 AM
I'm not sure why you think the Stoker requires an internet host to use with your phone. All you have to do is forward a port on your router and then connect to your WAN IP address and the forwarded port. Sure, it's not something for someone that is not comfortable with configuring their router, but it doesn't cost anything extra per month. And if you have an iPhone, there are 2 app that can monitor the Stoker. I personally use StokeMaster. :mrgreen:

Now, I've never used a Flame Boss and I've never seen one in use, but unless the Flame Boss people are hosting the data from your local Flame Boss, it will require the same port forwarding technique the Stoker requires to access it from outside your network.

You don't even need a router.

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=192540

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=98594&d=1404084619

damascusmaker
02-17-2016, 10:15 AM
Mod to stop drawing too much air through the fan. Haven't tried it yet.

http://i842.photobucket.com/albums/zz350/blacksmith13/IMG_0583_zpsv734zkqj.jpg
http://i842.photobucket.com/albums/zz350/blacksmith13/IMG_0584_zpswwknfiz0.jpg

1/4 and 1/2 inch opening reference marks
http://i842.photobucket.com/albums/zz350/blacksmith13/IMG_0585_zpscu0cplsv.jpg