OneHump
is one Smokin' Farker
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2010
- Location
- Phoenix, AZ
I see this question all the time and thought that I'd add my .02 for those still contemplating. I've had my Stoker for about a year now, and have been very happy with the unit, but won't stand up and say that it's the best unit simply because I have one.
I really like the flexibility of the Stoker, but their excessive shipping cost and the insane time it takes to receive a unit or accessories can be very frustrating.
The Stoker vs Guru debate has been around for a while and, while the answer seems clear to those who have and enjoy their units, I don't think it's as clear for those looking to purchase one of these very expensive devices.
First, Naked Whiz has some outstanding information about the Stoker and Guru and also offers a comparison. Their data driven approach really takes any subjectivity out of the decision, but I'd like to throw my own opinion into the mix.
One of the things that sets the Stoker apart from Guru is that it has an ethernet port, rather than a USB port, which requires you to connect a laptop within short proximity to the unit. This is a show stopper for me as I find wireless access via my phone, tablet and computers to be very convenient. When I'm doing overnight cooks, I'll typically wake up every hour and check my phone to make sure all is well. I also like the idea of receiving a text when it's time to foil, or if there is an alarm condition. I'm certainly not going to put a laptop outside in the elements to accomodate Guru's network limitations.
On the other hand, the Guru is a more attractive product, possibly a better quality unit and the company has done a better job formalizing customer service. Unfortunately, it's not as extensible as the Stoker and doesn't offer direct ethernet support.
So, how to get around the Guru's network limitation? You can use a wireless USB extender. They aren't as ubiquitous as wireless network bridges, but they aren't much more expensive and will probably get the job done. A comparable Guru is also slightly cheaper, so this eats up some of the cost of an adapter. The only question is range, which I have not tested.
With this workaround for the Guru, you still have the issue of being limited to two cookers, and a finite number of probes, but that's not an issue for the majority.
As for extensibility, the Guru can support up to two cookers, but won't be able to compete with Stoker's support for a virtually unlimited number of cookers and probes. These do, however, come at a great cost, as Stoker's accessories are far from inexpensive. How does $110 for a 10cfm PC fan sound when you can get something similar online for $7, minus the hardware and interface, of course. I'm aware that there is some RnD cost here, but I'm sure the margins on these accessories aren't thin.
I think Guru needs to get with the program and do something with their network access. It would be brilliant if one of the two companies would include a wireless chip inside the unit, but that would likely make an already expensive device even more expensive. Still, if they could do it for $50, we would all be gaining convenience without having to buy an external unit for at least the same price.
In addition, I think both companies have a long way to go with their interface design, both on the unit and on the network. These devices very much remind me of cellular phones, pre-iPhone. Their technology and interfaces are 20 years behind where everything else is. There's really no excuse for this and a strong showing here could really set these units apart from one other. iPhone/Android app anyone?
I would really like to see Guru fix their ethernet limitations and extend support for more devices, at the same time that Stoker stops gouging for shipping and reduces their lead times by several weeks. Only then will the decision between Stoker and Guru be an easy one.
In the mean time, I think it is pretty clear that both devices work equally well unless you have specific network requirements or plan on supporting more than 2 cookers.
Dave
I really like the flexibility of the Stoker, but their excessive shipping cost and the insane time it takes to receive a unit or accessories can be very frustrating.
The Stoker vs Guru debate has been around for a while and, while the answer seems clear to those who have and enjoy their units, I don't think it's as clear for those looking to purchase one of these very expensive devices.
First, Naked Whiz has some outstanding information about the Stoker and Guru and also offers a comparison. Their data driven approach really takes any subjectivity out of the decision, but I'd like to throw my own opinion into the mix.
One of the things that sets the Stoker apart from Guru is that it has an ethernet port, rather than a USB port, which requires you to connect a laptop within short proximity to the unit. This is a show stopper for me as I find wireless access via my phone, tablet and computers to be very convenient. When I'm doing overnight cooks, I'll typically wake up every hour and check my phone to make sure all is well. I also like the idea of receiving a text when it's time to foil, or if there is an alarm condition. I'm certainly not going to put a laptop outside in the elements to accomodate Guru's network limitations.
On the other hand, the Guru is a more attractive product, possibly a better quality unit and the company has done a better job formalizing customer service. Unfortunately, it's not as extensible as the Stoker and doesn't offer direct ethernet support.
So, how to get around the Guru's network limitation? You can use a wireless USB extender. They aren't as ubiquitous as wireless network bridges, but they aren't much more expensive and will probably get the job done. A comparable Guru is also slightly cheaper, so this eats up some of the cost of an adapter. The only question is range, which I have not tested.
With this workaround for the Guru, you still have the issue of being limited to two cookers, and a finite number of probes, but that's not an issue for the majority.
As for extensibility, the Guru can support up to two cookers, but won't be able to compete with Stoker's support for a virtually unlimited number of cookers and probes. These do, however, come at a great cost, as Stoker's accessories are far from inexpensive. How does $110 for a 10cfm PC fan sound when you can get something similar online for $7, minus the hardware and interface, of course. I'm aware that there is some RnD cost here, but I'm sure the margins on these accessories aren't thin.
I think Guru needs to get with the program and do something with their network access. It would be brilliant if one of the two companies would include a wireless chip inside the unit, but that would likely make an already expensive device even more expensive. Still, if they could do it for $50, we would all be gaining convenience without having to buy an external unit for at least the same price.
In addition, I think both companies have a long way to go with their interface design, both on the unit and on the network. These devices very much remind me of cellular phones, pre-iPhone. Their technology and interfaces are 20 years behind where everything else is. There's really no excuse for this and a strong showing here could really set these units apart from one other. iPhone/Android app anyone?
I would really like to see Guru fix their ethernet limitations and extend support for more devices, at the same time that Stoker stops gouging for shipping and reduces their lead times by several weeks. Only then will the decision between Stoker and Guru be an easy one.
In the mean time, I think it is pretty clear that both devices work equally well unless you have specific network requirements or plan on supporting more than 2 cookers.
Dave
