Pellet Pooper WiFi - worth it.?

[SmittyJonz]

How many of you pelleters use the WiFi features regularly.? Do you feel it’s worth $300 difference vs the same model non WiFi pooper.?

Grilla Silverbac WiFi - $899

Grilla Silverbac NoFi - $599

https://www.grillagrills.com/products/silverbac-alpha-smoke

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[larry4406]

My Recteq came with the WiFi feature. I use it and its app. App is little wonky (over night cooks it stops tracking as the cook passes thru midnight) and the grid for graphing fails basic math.

I like its meat probes.

Not sure I would pay $300 for it.

 

[4ever3]

Well you know the old saying?

Ya can’t miss what you’ve never had.

I’ve never had it and to be honest, never seen a reason to have it, but that’s me.

 

[Itsdone]

I use it to check temps just to make sure i didn't run out of pellets or pellets didnt get jammed, but if i want to change temps i prefer to manually turn the dial. I could just as easily use my fireboard probes to check temps, so for $300 extra i would pass.

 

[rwalters]

Haven't used mine in several years.

 

[mike243]

My pitboss don't have it, it's a nice app if you have it imo, I set my blink camera in front of the display, I kick it on to ck temps from any where that I have cell phone coverage. I also set my inkbird 6x to look at food temps instead of the 2 probes. works great as the IB has temp alarms also

 

[ssv3]

Totally worth it for me. I retro fitted my Yoder ys640 with the ACS kit and I use it. Most of the time I do a 100 things so to speak and if I need to change temps, check IT temps etc I get either on my phone or the laptop/desktop to check where the cook is. Plus it keeps a log of all my cooks if I need to go back and reference something. I also upgraded to the ceramic igniter and it lights up in less than 2 mins as opposed to about 7-10 mins before.

I get two temp probes to monitor the meats.

 

[Itsdone]

I almost bought a YS640 but it didn't have Wifi back then so i opted for a Timberline 1300. I still use it for big cooks like Whole Hogs, but i still use my Pit Boss w/rectec WiFi PID for everyday small cooks.

 

[dave32063]

Just surrender your BBQ man card and drive to your nearest BBQ drive in:razz:

 

[tom b]

got it, never have used it

 

[jimstocks53]

The basic advantage of pellet grills is in holding a temp just like sous vide maintains a set-n-forget ease of cooking. I've not found any help for the latter with wifi and can't see as it would be valuable with a pellet grill either. Now if they want to provide it as a free upgrade, I'd probably figure out some use for it.

 

[bowhnter]

It’s worth it to me. I regularly leave the house on long cooks, and if it’s overnight I would much rather look at my phone and go back to sleep than have to get out of bed, find a flashlight and wake all the way up.
When I’m away from the house, it’s just peace of mind knowing all is running ok.
Make sure there is an alarm.
Not just for a pellet pooper, but anything that runs overnight. I ruined someone else’s prime brisket when my trusty primo went out overnight.

 

[Sooner21]

I use it pretty much every cook. It's great with work and the kid's sports schedule.

 

[kevinstaggs]

Didn't get it when I bought mine and have never regretted the decision. I do run a Smoke X so that I have an over/under alarm for overnight cooks, however.

 

[1MoreFord]

Is WIFI worth having? Absolutely!
Is it worth $300? Probably not.
Is a Grilla worth $600 w/o WIFI? No. Not when you can find other grills at that price point with WIFI.

 

[Gore]

I have WiFi and use it just about every time. When the temp is well below freezing and the patio is icy, I want to limit the number of times I head outside to check if the grill is ready. If I lived in a milder climate, it probably wouldn't be a priority.

 

[MisterChrister]

I just picked up a Rec Teq 1250, and used the WiFi yesterday for the first time. Absolutely love it!

 

[IamMadMan]

How many of you pelleters use the WiFi features regularly.? Do you feel it’s worth $300 difference vs the same model non WiFi pooper.?

While I don't have the same manufacturer you are looking at, I do use the WiFi control.


As I get older, it's harder to move around and go up and down the steps to check the smoker. This is especially true when it's, cold, raining, snowing, or just windy. A simple connection from my phone to control and view the status of everything.


On my older smoker I had used Thermoworks Signals for years, not to control the temperature, but rather to monitor the temperatures. I had my temperatures dialed in on the Down East Beast, but it was nice to view them without getting out of the chair / bed to check them.


I bought a Pit Boss for my Daughter when I was visiting in LA, the simplicity just fit her busy schedule and it was easy to connect. I then bought another identical unit for my Daughter in Fort Worth.


After using the smokers I purchased for both of them, when I got home I purchased one for myself. While I do monitor the meat probe, I don't set the max setting as I control the smoker temp setting when needed.


After being hard-core against electronic controls, I have to say the crow I had to eat turned out to be a pleasant alternative. I love never having to go outside just to check the temperatures.

 

[rw02kr43]

I have it on my Smokefire. I use it everytime. I get notifications on high and low temps, running low on pellets etc. I can activate or turn off smokeboost or change temps remotely. I love it.

Jason

 

[PitRow]

Mine has wifi, but where it's at it won't connect to the home wifi, so to use it I have to connect directly with my phone, which means my phone can't be connected to the home wifi. So I've used it maybe once or twice, given that in direct mode I have to be fairly close to get a signal so I might as well just go out and check it.