Is WiFi worth it on pellet grills

[toys4dlr]

I don't have a mak, but when I had the restaurant I used a Tappacue to monitor the pit temps remotely overnight. In case I had an electrical issue and I could correct the issue before it became a big problem. It was very rare, but it did save me on a couple issues over the years.

 

[dave32063]

True story. A good buddy is a pellet guy and I'm a die hard lump and wood guy, so we are constantly railing each other in a friendly way. He has a big brand pellet smoker with all the bells and whistles including wifi. I of course told him he should surrender his man card and go to the nearest BBQ drive in and order meat by the pound....but I digress.

He told me about a huge cook he had going on, family coming etc and he left for the store for a few hours, planning to monitor and control his smoker with his I phone. He got back home to a cold smoker with a bunch of ash in it. Got online with tech support....(In my mind, the term BBQ and Tech Support just dont go together :shock:, but again I digress) and found out they had pushed through a "software update" which shut down his smoker and caused it to belch out a bunch of ash! His new nickname is now and forever "software update"!!!!!

All joking aside, I've had his Q and it's delicious, but I will never let him live this one down.

 

[APPARITION]

Just received this email from MAK

Greetings MAK Family,

We are thrilled to announce that as of June 1, 2021, all MAK Grills will come standard with MAK Mobile Wi-Fi, an add-on currently priced at $300. Since we introduced convenient grilling with wi-fi in 2011, it has been one of our most popular features, and we’re proud to bring that convenience to every new MAK owner.

This is a change we’ve always wanted to make, and now is the perfect opportunity due to a variety of supply line changes and rising materials costs facing all U.S. manufacturers. As a result, this upgrade will come with a price increase for the MAK One-Star General Grill and the MAK Two-Star General Grill.

As of June 1, 2021, The MAK Grills One-Star General will retail at $2199. The MAK Grills Two-Star General will retail at $3199. Though the price of the base models will increase by $200, the inclusion of the previously $300 wi-fi add-on will result in a net savings of $100 for a feature which is highly recommended by an overwhelming majority of owners who have used it.

MAK Mobile allows you to operate your grill using any device with a web browser. Change and set grill temperatures, set meat probe alerts, graph cooks for future reference, receive text or email notification alerts anywhere, anytime.

The All-Stainless Two-Star General and the Three-Star General will not increase in price.

Thank you for supporting U.S. manufacturing and for being a part of the MAK Family.

 

[jj13]

As far as the Mak WiFi, I’m assuming the email/text alerts can be setup to alert you in the event the grill has a problem and shuts itself down? Maybe just reading the pit temp?

 

[NickTheGreat]

I must be OCD enough to like to see what my temps are at all times. If you can't control it, that's fine, but in this case I'd get the wifi module.

Will it show meat temps too? That's helpful as well!

 

[Bob C Cue]

I must be OCD enough to like to see what my temps are at all times. If you can't control it, that's fine, but in this case I'd get the wifi module.

Will it show meat temps too? That's helpful as well!

Yes it allows up to three meat probes. This from their site:

MAK Grills Mobile® lets you monitor your cook from iOS, Android, or other device with a web browser via your home wi-fi network.

With MAK Grills Mobile® you can:

Set, monitor, and change grill temperatures instantaneously.
Create and implement unlimited recipe programs to control hours of cooking automatically and to your exact specifications.
Create and receive notification alerts by email or text message when your grill or probes reach predetermined temperatures.
Turn your grill off remotely once your cook has finished.

 

[glitchy]

A lot of it is personal preference, especially if you already have a Fireboard, Smoke, etc. One big benefit is the programs are very simple to setup in MAK Mobile, but to be fair, since I ordered WiFi from the start, I haven't tried building programs via the Pellet Boss itself to see if or how much harder they are to setup just using the buttons.

I know that MAK has more alerts for potential issues than many other pellet grills. Things like the 'fire alarm' if the grill goes 100 over set temp (to cover some of the situations like Dave32063 talked about). However, if I'm doing an extended or overnight cook, I still setup my Fireboard. I like the option to closely watch a narrow temp range (I usually set 30 plus and minus) on the pit looking for possible flameouts or fires, plus the ability to repeat alarms to text me every 5-10 minutes so I don't sleep through issues for hours. I don't know that MAK alerts repeat at all. After 2 months with the MAK and trying to get over all the issues I had with my SmokeFire requiring a constant baby sitter, I still haven't even used the MAK probes yet. I've just grown so accustomed to setting up the Fireboard to watch things. I really need to play with the MAK probes and try some temp based programs and give it a chance to do it's job. I have no good reason to believe the MAK won't behave as it should.

The one thing I do really like is being able to startup a cook and run a program from MAKMobile to cook on the Smoke setting for an hour, then automatically bump to 225 or 250. I use that program about every time I cook something LnS.

 

[Happy Hapgood]

Nothing against MAK as I've seen they are Fine units. As with any smoker there are better ways. I'm just saying the Wi-Fi does not have to come from the smoker control for true Wi-Fi.


Just FYI:


https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=286402


Is it perfect, no. Does it work? Yes. I like it because when it's 110*F in the shade I don't want to go outside until I have to. Guessing the same is true for cold.


I know it does not adjust temp on pit remotely but Hey, Still got to have a human element, right? :becky:

 

[jj13]

plus the ability to repeat alarms to text me every 5-10 minutes so I don't sleep through issues for hours. I don't know that MAK alerts repeat at all.

That would probably sway me to pick up the WiFi module. I have an irrational fear about sleeping or leaving the house with an oven (now pellet grill) cooking.

The iPhone will allow you to repeat text alerts up to 10 times, along with making the Mak # an annoying alarm, that should wake anybody up. Unfortunately, I haven’t found a way to single out one number without having repeat alerts for your entire phone book.

 

[TRx]

I wasn’t sure I’d use the wifi but am happy I got it on my smoker. It’s not a “need” but is “nice”

 

[jkief]

Short answer: On a MAK, no.
On an inferior pellet grill: yes.
Long answer: I’ve not had one on my MAK since I bought it in 2017. My .02$, since you asked, is this...(specifically for MAK). I rarely ever use probes while the meat is cooking. The MAK is so consistent in keeping temps (although set temp and actual temp will vary) with little fluctuation. Therefore it’s easy to predict stages of the cook based on times alone after cooking on it so long. I also don’t really adjust my temps either. At 200-275, she chugs enough smoke, I don’t have to start low then bump temp. The Yoder is the first pellet I’ve had where it came with WiFi. In the Yoder, I would 100% recommend it because if you wanted that smoke flavor, you’re going to have to start early and go really low, then bump the temp up. I re-heated my tri-tip in the Yoder yesterday and the WiFi worked great for that so I knew when the meat was back up to temp, but I wouldn’t shell out extra $ for it on my MAK. In a few months, it won’t matter to new MAK owners. They’re going to start putting them standard. That’s a smart move on their part. Need to stay feature rich to compete in this segment. I would rather see a second shelf as standard myself, but I digress.

 

[SVTNate]

I haven't used it on my RecTec other than to turn the unit on and just glance at the app during a cook, really... but if I was going to use temp probes, I like that I can monitor that from my phone.

I can say that it works perfectly in my limited experience, so it's a feature

a) I didn't pay extra for
b) May come in handy at some point.

So why not?

 

[Ylouder]

I have found the software to be buggy and not reliable over time.

If i have to run somewhere and my wife isnt home to keep an eye on things, ive used an arlo camera and my wireless, 2 probe thermometer and will set both on my back porch away from smoker (camera pointed at digital display on thermo). It gives me the temp of pit and meat, i cant figure out what else a brand specific wifi controller would do.

 

[kevinstaggs]

My take is that’s it depends. I would not want to do overnight unattended cooks without at least some type of remote pit alarm (and preferably a meat probe as well). On my MAK I don’t have WiFi but I use a Smoke to give high and low alarms. I’ve used the CyberQ on my WSM for this purpose and have, occasionally, changed cook temps from the golf course. At this point I’m not really looking to go WiFi on the MAK - just want to know if the fire goes out or is about to burn down the house.


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