As any BBQ/smoker veteran will tell you, sitting around the grill tending to the smoke all day is part of the job’s charm. It is also perhaps the most significant factor in whats gatekeeping this form of art.
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Well, the times have changed and with the help of wifi-enabled BBQ smoker controller kits like the Flame Boss, BBQ smoking can become way more accessible. But Flame Boss 400 vs 500 which one is the best choice for you?
Let’s see:
Flame Boss 400 vs 500 – A Quick Overview
In the world of consumer products, a bigger number usually means a newer and better product. That is what common intuition dictates. However, it is only partially true in this case.
Before jumping to the main comparison, look at the quick comparison chart to make a qualified decision –
| Key Features | Flame Boss 400 | Flame Boss 500 |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions (LxWxH) | 6.5 x 4.75 x 2.5 inches | 7.87 x 4.72 x 114.17 inches |
| Weight | 1.04 pounds | 2.35 pounds |
| Probe | 2 | 2 with probe cord organizers |
| Price | Check on Amazon | Check on Amazon |
The Flame Boss 500 is the upgraded version of the flame boss 400. It is a bit newer and comes with a few more features but with these upgrades comes a heftier price tag.
This brings up the question, is the 500 worth it over the older model? That kinda depends on what you are looking for.
A WiFi-enabled smoker controller’s primary job is to transmit all the information it collects from your grill over the air to a device that you can take with you.
In the case of Flame Boss, it is done via a smartphone and the accompanying flame boss app. In this particular regard, the 400 and 500 are virtually indistinguishable.
So the only factor of consideration boils down to what else you need aside from the mobile control.
Do you want a hybrid machine that has an on-device control panel and does not need the app at all times?
Or do you always carry your phone with you and are perfectly content with bringing the app up even if you are right in front of the grill?
The more experienced among you has probably already understood that this is basically the only difference between the Flame Boss 400 and 500.
Now it is pretty easy to declare that the 500 is better just because it has this one extra feature but what you need to remember is that it comes at a price of almost 50% more. So if it is worth it to you is a question only you can answer.
If money is no problem, however, we are gonna make it very easy for you. Pick the Flame Boss 500 and call it a day. It will serve you greatly for years to come and you can cook up perfectly smoked briskets from the comfort of your bedroom.
However, aside from this primary difference, there is a lot more to know about each of these two devices.
I am going to dedicate the next two sections to getting to know these devices better and then give you an in-depth comparison. So strap in!!!
Overview Of The Flame Boss 500
The Flame Boss 400, at the end of the day, is a device made to only cover the very basics at a very cheap price. The 500 on the other hand, builds upon the great work done by the previous Flame Bosses and gives you an even more robust experience.
Top Features
- Supports up to 4 temperature probes
- Wifi as well as Bluetooth Connectivity
- 2 Probes and 2 probe cord organizers included in the box
- Smart Voice Assistants like Alexa and Google Home enabled
- Built-in control panel with backlit screen to view all info at a glance
| Specifications | Parameters |
|---|---|
| Brand | Flame Boss |
| Outer Material | Ceramic |
| Dimensions | 7.87 x 4.72 x 114.17 inches |
| Meat probes | 2 |
The Flame Boss 500 adds Bluetooth connectivity on top of wifi, a total of four temp probe connectors (only 2 probes included in the box), and a full-fledged control panel.
The control panel is really the piece de resistance here. It has a backlit screen for clear visibility in the dark, a magnetic base to easily stick to the grill body, and also does loud alarms for too low or high temps. It even looks pretty slick in our opinion. Maybe a bit bigger of a screen and it would be golden.
This control panel means while you can still control everything via your phone, you do not necessarily have to carry your phone with you to the backyard. Controlling and monitoring temps become even easier and you can cook in full offline mode as well.
Now what you trade for all these added features is size. The control panel adds a lot of bulk to the whole system and it can hardly be called compact anymore.
You are also paying a lot more compared to the flame boss 400 but still at a reasonable price bracket compared to other similar products in the market.
Pros:
- Has Bluetooth functionality
- You can connect upto 4 temperature probes
- The screen has a backlight for visibility in the dark
- The screen has a magnetic base for sticking to your grill
- The Control panel means you do not need your phone to monitor and control temps
Cons:
- Not very compact
- Only 2 Probes included
- A lot more expensive than the 400
Overview Of The Flame Boss 400
Flame Boss originally released the 400 as a compact, lightweight, and wifi-enabled device to ease the tedious nature of having to monitor the smoke temperature. By all means, it was a groundbreaking product that changed the way smoking was done and it holds a strong reputation in the smoker community even to this day.
Top Features
- Precise temperature control
- Meat and Pit probes included
- Compact Dimension of 6.5 x 4.75 x 2.5 inches
- Universal design to fit all of the well-known grills
- Smart Voice Assistants like Alexa and Google Home enabled
| Specifications | Parameters |
|---|---|
| Brand | Flame Boss |
| Outer Material | Ceramic |
| Dimensions | 6.5 x 4.75 x 2.5 inches |
| Meat probes | 2 |
The Flame Boss 400 experience is entirely dependent on the accompanying Flame Boss App and we are happy to announce that the application is great.
It receives regular quality of life improvements through updates and the UI is simple and easy to understand as well as manipulate.
Originally you needed an active internet connection and that was a huge pain to deal with but through a firmware update, the flame boss added direct connection options as well.
As for other features, you can attach two temperature probes to the 400, one for meat and one for the pit.
Both of these probes are found included in the box along with everything else needed for installation.
I would appreciate better instructions on how to set it up but it wasn’t that difficult to figure out anyway.
However, it was pretty obvious that Flame Boss tried to cut costs as a lot of the parts have poor tolerance but as they are offering the 400 at a very low price compared to the competitors, we will give them a pass.
Pros:
- Solid connection over wifi
- Compact and easy to install/set-up
- Very affordable compared to the competition
- The controller and the fan are combined into one part
- Everything except the drill machine was included in the box
Cons:
- Only 2 temperatures probes are allowed
- The app is the only way to adjust device parameters
Let’s Deep Dive Into Flame Boss 400 Vs 500
Now that we know the ins and outs of both the Flame Boss 400 and 500, a comparison between them is worth a look.
In this section, I will compare these two devices in terms of specific features and try to give you an overall look at which device you should pick.
These are the main differentiating features between the 400 and the 500:
- Size and Built
This is one of the areas where the 400 has the upper hand. Since it does not have any screens or controls on the device, it is made very compact and small. You can just set it and forget it.
On the contrary, the 500 has a whole separate unit for the screen and on-device controls. Only the fan unit takes up roughly as much space as the entire 400 devices.
This may not be a big deal to some but we think it is important to know before pulling the trigger on either of them.
Another important thing to mention is whichever one you choose, you will get a solid and well-built device that is covered by Flame Boss’ outstanding warranty services.
- The Control Panel
Simply put, the 500 has a control panel and the 400 does not. This means to monitor or adjust anything on the 400 you need to have your phone connected to the device and whip it up every single time. Regardless of whether you are in your bedroom or right in front of the grill.
The 500 handles this matter in a much more inclusive way. It still carries all the great phone features from the 400 and does not stop you from using your phone to monitor or control from anywhere.
It only adds a separate control panel that stays near the grill and can do almost everything your phone can. You do not even need to have it connected to the app to monitor!!!
- Temperature Probes
The Flame Boss 400 only has 2 ports to connect temperature probes. Naturally one of them is for ambient or pit temperature and the other is for meat.
Now 2 is fine for regular users and admittedly you can buy separate y splitters to add more probes, for super hardcore BBQ enthusiasts, you need at least a couple more probes to cook comfortably.
That is where the Flame Boss 500 shines. It only comes with 2 temperature probes in the box, the same as the 400 but it has a total of 4 ports. One for ambient/pit and 3 for meat.
This means you can buy any third or first-party probes and any number of y-splitters to get as many probes as you can possibly need. This is a huge factor of consideration for seasoned smokers.
- Inclusions
Both the 400 and 500 have pretty much the same things included in the box. The only difference is that the 500 comes with 2 probe cord organizers.
It seems like a gimmick and we even scoffed at it when unboxing. But to say it made our life easier would be an understatement.
The organizers completely changed how we went on about using the probes. Before there would be a mess of loose cable and we had to be extra careful so that they do not catch in flames.
Now we just loop the extra cable around the organizers and never have to think about it again.
- Price
Aside from all the features, this is the most important reason why a potential user will buy one or the other.
For all its features, the flame boss 400 comes at a shockingly reasonable price that undercuts every competitor in the market. As for the 500, it has a pretty steep price up mark but still comes in at a very reasonable price.
Now paying almost 50% more for the 500 may not be worth it to some but if you can afford it, we would always suggest the 500 over the older model.
These are all the differences between the two competing Flame Boss products and we hope to know them, you can pick just the right one for you. Remember, it is always better to have a feature and never use it than to need it and never have it.
Is The Flame Boss 400 The Same As The Egg Genius?
The Big Green Egg is no stranger to rebranding products and advertising them to be first-party accessories to their fantastic lineup of grills.
Just like the Big Green Egg charcoal is rebranded Royal Oak product, The Big Green Egg genius is basically a Flame Boss 400 that has been slightly tweaked to support multiple meat probes. Everything else is identical.
Does The Flame Boss 500 Work With Green Egg?
There are quite a few conflicting pieces of information on the internet regarding compatibility between the Flame Boss 500 and The Big green egg.
That’s why we took the matter into our own hands and tested it out. The verdict is that, Yes, The Flame Boss 500 does indeed work with the Green Egg.
How Does The Flame Boss 400 Work?
All Flame Boss products including the 400 work following the same basic principle. The only difference is in the feature set.
Flame Boss utilizes a blower that can adjust the speed on the fly and can operate at the ideal pace to bring your smoker’s temperature to the appropriate level and keep it there.
This uses the information from the temperature probe to see how higher or lower your grill temp is than the target and adjusts the blower to bring it down or up into a negligible margin of error.
What Does The Flame Boss Do?
The Flame Boss is a WiFi-controlled Smoker Controller that is basically an auto-pilot mechanism for your smoker.
It constantly monitors the cooking temperature and adjusts the blower fan so that your smoker does not exceed or fall below a temperature threshold.
Along with that, if for whatever reason, the blower fails to control the temperature, the Flame Boss will also send let you know via notifications or alarms so that you can take matters into your own hands and fix the issue.
Does Flame Boss Work With Kamado Joe?
Yes, the Flame Boss 400 as well as 500 both support a variety of charcoal smokers and grills including the widely renowned Kamado Joe. You just need to follow the instructions properly and drill appropriate holes to get up and going.
Can Flame Boss Be Used In The Rain?
Weatherproofing or Water Resistance has long been one of the biggest things users complain about in the Flame Boss product.
Since these are products meant to be used outdoors, it is pretty reasonable to assume that they will face harsh weather conditions like rain.
Unfortunately, Flame Boss says that they do not conduct the necessary testing to say that the Flame Boss can be used in the rain.
So No, The Flame Boss can not be used in the rain. It can only withstand the slightest of drizzles and under no conditions should you leave it out during an outpour.
Is Flame Boss 500 Worth It?
This may seem like a bit of a cop-out answer but the answer is that it depends. If you can shell out the extra cash then yes it is worth it but if you only need the most barebones features and do not care for the bells and whistles, the extra money can be put towards other accessories. But for most regular grill users, we do think it’s worth it.
Conclusion
The argument of Flame Boss 400 vs 500 should be over at this point. While these are competing devices, they are kinda meant for different people and as long as you understand what the 500 offers over the 400 and if you need it, the choice becomes very very simple. Either way, we wish you very happy future grilling endeavors, and may your briskets be juicy and your ribs be tender!!!!
