BBQ Guru

zul · May 23, 2011

Hello all

I am seeking some insider information about the BBQ Guru (http://www.thebbqguru.com/).

Does anyone have advice as to whether or not this badboy is worth the $150 pricetag? I am considering a Maverick ET732 and then I saw this.

Is it overkill or would it be worthwhile?

All comments appreciated.

Thanks

ZUL

fpnmf · May 23, 2011

Most folks here that have them love em.

A quick trip to the handy dandy search tool up top will give you plenty of reading on this topic.

Have a great day!!

Craig

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/search.php?search=+BBQ+Guru+

SmokinAl · May 23, 2011

Got one & love it!

zul · May 26, 2011

Well I've decided to get the Maverick ET-732. I think for me right now at this early stage in my smoking career the Mav will do just fine. I'm sure that there will come a time when I want/need to step up to the big boy Guru, but for now I'm going to enjoy the 732 and use the extra cash I saved on some meat to smoke!

SmokinAl · May 26, 2011

The Maverick is a dual probe thermometer. It gives you the temp of the meat & the smoke chamber. The guru controls the temp of the smoker. It is a small computer that controls a fan to keep the temp in the smoker stable at any degree setting. These are 2 completely different products.

flareside92 · May 26, 2011

I just ordered one yesterday, along with the A-MAZE-N smoker.

Looking forward to getting them.

flareside92 · May 26, 2011

I meant to say I ordered the ET-732 yesterday not the guru. I gotta pay better attention.

flyweed · May 27, 2011

your poll is a bit flawed..you are comparing the Maverick to the Guru..they aren't the same thing at all...the maverick will tell you the temp of your smoker and meat..but the GURU will CONTROL the temp....so you can set a large butt before bed..go to sleep and wake up and it'll still be smoking away at the same temp.

Both the Maverick and Guru (or other PID controller) are both excellent pieces of equipment for Smoking meats.

Dan

pgeobc · May 31, 2011

Several years ago, I bought a Bargeque Guru rig for my Bradley. It had a computerized temp controller, a set of two probes, of course, and would control an electrical relay that sat, connected, between the wall outlet and the Bradley. It pretty much functioned flawlessly, right out of the box. I checked the temps that I set on the dials against other thermometers and they were right on the money.

A new Barbeque Guru outfit that is a direct comparison woud be the radio-controlled rig and the electrical relay, for a total of $650.00+, with shipping. I now have a Smokin Tex whose temp control is quite sloppy. I know that the BBQ Guru will fix that; it's just a matter of that $650.

zul · Jun 1, 2011

flyweed said:
your poll is a bit flawed..

Agreed, guess I could have phrased it a bit better, thanks for noticing.

Ultimately I was trying to hear feedback about any experiences with one or both of these products and whether or not users had strong opinions about either.

Obviously the PID controller has functionality (temperature control of the pit) that a dual probe thermometer like the Mav doesn’t, however it is my understanding that PID controllers control temperature by using thermometers/probes to monitor the temperature of both the smoke box and of the food and fans to control the burning of the fuel. This means that both units (PID & Mav) share a similar function, they both read temperatures! With that said, I can see how someone would suggest making the larger initial investment of a PID controller if they thought the price difference was justified.

As this is a discussion board where members share experiences about technique and equipment I figured this would be the place to ask this type of question as I have been considering both of these products.

pgeobc · Jun 1, 2011

Flyweed wrote: "your poll is a bit flawed..."

Well, most polls can be criticized in one way or another. These small, limited polls done here, by laiety and for a cherry-picked population, have no chance. Some of them seem to bring useful results, but many are simply Blog-drivel. I usually bypass the poll and try to contribute to the written part of the topic, as it seems more useful. However, many written replies seem to miss the mark and never really address the questions asked; at least a poll gives the writer a chance to get opinions on specific questions without the usual crop of nebulous replies.

Warning: the previous statement is worth $0.02 American.

frosty · Oct 26, 2011

I appreciate the great information from both sides of the equation. Thanks to each of you.

Hmmmm . . . . . . . . decisions, better have some more of the pork butt from last weekend to help me decide.

scarbelly · Oct 26, 2011

Pgeobc said:
. I now have a Smokin Tex whose temp control is quite sloppy. I know that the BBQ Guru will fix that; it's just a matter of that $650.

I could not agree more. I love my SmokinTex but the temp thing is tough -

I am looking at one of these

http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=14_28&zenid=792a86402f871066e3f70e10355d88b3

lovinspoonful · Oct 26, 2011

It really comes down to your personal need for auto pilot or not. If you have an ornery pit that is difficult to keep stable, or you're just not very good at keeping it stable or you just can't be arsed with babysitting it then the guru might be exactly what you need and want. Certainly in some pits, like a WSM, it would be redundant since they keep stable temps fairly easily. If you have a big SFB then it might be a different story. It certainly does what it is advertised to do. It's just a matter of whether the value is there for your individual needs.

SmokinAl · Oct 27, 2011

LovinSpoonful said:
It really comes down to your personal need for auto pilot or not. If you have an ornery pit that is difficult to keep stable, or you're just not very good at keeping it stable or you just can't be arsed with babysitting it then the guru might be exactly what you need and want. Certainly in some pits, like a WSM, it would be redundant since they keep stable temps fairly easily. If you have a big SFB then it might be a different story. It certainly does what it is advertised to do. It's just a matter of whether the value is there for your individual needs.

I have a WSM with a Guru. I guess I'm sort of a fanatic about BBQ, but in my thinking if you want to get consistent results. The fewer variables you have, the better your results will be. By completely eliminating the normal temp variations that you get even with a WSM it makes it easier to duplicate your best effort. The only variable you are really left with is the piece of meat that you choose.

frosty · Oct 27, 2011

SmokinAl, Thanks for the insight.

If I want to duplicate my best efforts, I need to eliminate my stupidity and fidgeting and let the smoker do IT's job. Sadly, in my case I think I am the problem. . . . . . . .

That is the best advice I have heard, and very sensible.

fpnmf · Oct 27, 2011

SmokinAl said:
I have a WSM with a Guru. I guess I'm sort of a fanatic about BBQ, but in my thinking if you want to get consistent results. The fewer variables you have, the better your results will be. By completely eliminating the normal temp variations that you get even with a WSM it makes it easier to duplicate your best effort. The only variable you are really left with is the piece of meat that you choose.

I got the Guru for the same reason...and I am lazy.

I also like putting something in about bed time and not worrying about it.

Is having a redundant system a bad ? >>>>(of a device, circuit, computer system, etc.) having excess or duplicate parts that can continue to perform in the event of malfunction of some of the parts.

Craig

michael ark · Oct 27, 2011

This would be more fair stoker -vs-guru.That would be a good head to head.

raymo76 · Oct 27, 2011

I would say get the Guru if you can't maintain your temps well on your cooker and/or if you don't feel like tending to the fire on a regular basis. If you don't mind tending the fire and you can maintain temps then get the Maverick. I got the DigiQ DX for my Bar-B-Chef and it made a world of difference, but I couldn't just set it and go to bed because I still needed to add coals relatively often, I think I went 3 hours max on one load.

SmokinAl · Oct 27, 2011

raymo76 said:
I would say get the Guru if you can't maintain your temps well on your cooker and/or if you don't feel like tending to the fire on a regular basis. If you don't mind tending the fire and you can maintain temps then get the Maverick. I got the DigiQ DX for my Bar-B-Chef and it made a world of difference, but I couldn't just set it and go to bed because I still needed to add coals relatively often, I think I went 3 hours max on one load.

I get 20 hours out of one load in my WSM. If you mix in a bunch of chunks with the charcoal you get smoke & perfect temps for 20 hours without touching it. I can go to sleep at night & when I get up in the AM the temp is right on & she's still smoking. The WSM will hold temps very well on it's own, but if it gets windy or cold or starts to rain the temp will vary widely. The Guru takes all that into consideration & adjusts the air flow so the temp stays steady. As I said previously IMHO consistent temps are critical for consistent BBQ.

BBQ Guru

Is the BBQ Guru a worthy investment?

Hell yes, I can't live/grill without it!

No way, it's a gimmick and not worth the cash.

Great product but for the average home smoker it might be a bit overkill.

Scrp the Guru and get a Maverick and fuggetaboutit!

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