Revolutionize Your Smoking Experience: Unleashing the True Potential of the Brisk It Origin-940

Key Takeaways

The Brisk It Origin-940 is a wood pellet smoker with reliable Wi-Fi and mobile connectivity, making grilling more convenient.

The grill provides consistent cooking temperatures and features two temperature probes. However, it does not have a pellet monitor and only offers a small side shelf for food preparation. The grill itself is user-friendly and uncomplicated, offering a spacious cooking area and storage space underneath. Overall, it presents excellent value as a first smart grill.

How intelligent should a wood pellet smoker be? Those who have experienced the frustration of waiting for a brisket to cook in the backyard while sleeping on the couch would argue that it needs to possess at least some level of intelligence. With the Brisk It Origin-940, this expectation is met as it is capable of connecting to a mobile app over Wi-Fi, allowing for remote control and assistance through pre-programmed recipes. Although a grill may not require exceptional intelligence, the inclusion of wireless access significantly enhances the convenience of grilling.

Manage your Origin-940 grill from your mobile phone with confidence, regardless of your location. Receive proactive notifications about the status of your grill, including when it is ignited, pre-heated, cooled, and when your food has reached the desired temperature.

Specifications:

- Manufacturer: Brisk It

- Color: Black with silver

- Type: Wood pellet smoker

- Weight: 167lbs

- Maximum Temperature: 500F

- Cooking Area: 940 square inches of grilling space

- Materials: Rolled Steel, Stainless Steel

- Pellet Hopper Capacity: 22lbs

- Paint: High Temp Powder Coat

Advantages:

- Reliable Wi-Fi and mobile connectivity

Even cook temperatures

Two temperature probes

large pellet hopper size

Cons No Pellet monitor

Only one small side shelf for food prep

Lack of polish in mobile app

$1199.99 at Brisk It

The Look of a Smart Grill

Brisk introduces their second grill, the Origin-940, following the success of their smaller model, the Origin-580. With an increased cooking area, the Origin-940 offers the same efficient performance and user experience as its predecessor. Despite its larger size, the grill seamlessly fits into my suburban backyard without overwhelming the space. While apartment residents with compact patios may prefer the smaller model, the Origin-940 is a suitable choice for those with ample outdoor room.

In addition to its larger size, the Origin-940 offers the convenience of under-grill storage and a trap door for switching out unused pellets from the hopper. While these features were not essential in the smaller model, they are certainly a welcomed addition in this new unit. Similar to the Origin-580, all the grill's controls are accessible on the non-touch color screen. With a twist dial and a few buttons, users can easily adjust temperature, change settings, and set timers – unless they prefer to use the mobile app for these tasks.

Being tech-minded, I found the on-grill controls to be straightforward and user-friendly. Although I mainly relied on the mobile app, there were occasions when I would conveniently utilize the physical controls within range.

The smaller side table on the Origin-940 doesn't meet the requirements of this larger grill like it did with the Origin-580. With a larger cooking area, there is usually a need for more food, so having a larger foldable side prep area would be more beneficial. I often found myself using the top of the 22lb hopper as a makeshift surface to place food or tools for additional prep space.

The shelf underneath isn't really suitable for food. It's designed for storing items like pellet bins. Adding side walls or a complete enclosure underneath the grill would have made it more practical for long-term storage, protecting it from outdoor elements.

The concealed ash and grease collection in the pull-out tray underneath functioned adequately. It has the potential to cause significant mess if extended too far and not properly secured. Nonetheless, it provides a neater solution compared to hanging a bucket off the side.

In general, setting up all smokers is a cumbersome and weighty task. This particular one, weighing approximately 140 pounds during shipping, was no different. (There was a separate shipping box containing miscellaneous parts, which is why the main shipping box weighed less than the total weight of the grill.)

I managed to place the shipping box onto a furniture dolly, dragging it to my backyard, and single-handedly assembling most parts of the grill. However, connecting the legs did necessitate the presence of two individuals. So, with my wife's assistance, we tilted the grill backward and then onto its legs, which took about five minutes. Completing the assembly without her help would have been impossible.

Although the unit always felt secure, it must be acknowledged that it is a relatively basic product compared to other wood pellet smokers available in the market. While it may lack some refinement, it is important to remember that it is designed for outdoor use. Personally, I didn't find its simple appearance and configuration bothersome.

Cooking With the Origin-940 Smoker

When testing smokers, I strive to explore a diverse array of food options. This includes quick dishes like burgers and steaks, as well as lengthier smoking sessions for pulled pork and brisket. The spaciousness of the Origin-940 exceeded my needs for cooking burgers for my family, and it performed surprisingly well. While the ignition process and getting the grill started take a bit longer compared to propane, the overall functionality is quite similar. In my opinion, burgers cooked on the Origin-940 also possess a slightly superior taste.

During one particular evening, I decided to cook a couple of 1-inch-thick steaks on the Origin-940 for dinner. I slow-smoked them at a temperature of 225 degrees for approximately one hour, before briefly searing them. The end result was nearly flawless in terms of taste.

To conduct a lengthier cooking test, I opted for a 5lb pork butt. This particular cut required approximately nine hours of smoking and an additional hour of resting. The result was a beautifully tender and moist meat. In hindsight, I may consider adjusting the spices used, but that was entirely my own decision. Luckily, I did not encounter any disruptions in connectivity or technical issues during the process. Interestingly, at one juncture when the temperature ranged between 150 and 160 degrees, the Brisk It app promptly notified me about a potential temperature stall, which is quite normal, and offered helpful suggestions to ensure the food continued cooking at the desired pace.

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The absence of a pellet monitor in the hopper became very apparent during a lengthy cooking session, especially for individuals who are new to wood pellet barbecuing. It is essential to know the remaining fuel in the hopper. When I used a Traeger smoker, I became accustomed to being able to view the percentage of wood pellets remaining in the hopper through the Traeger mobile app. This highlighted the absence of this feature in the Brisk It, although it did not impact its performance.

Conversely, while having two temperature probes in the Origin-940 may not be necessary, it was extremely convenient. Most of the time, one probe suffices for me, but having a second one integrated can be a lifesaver.

I was thoroughly impressed with the performance of the Brisk It Origin-940. Despite not being a grill master, I effortlessly used the smoker to cook various meats.

For those who prefer guidance, Brisk It offers the Innogrill feature which automates the cooking process. Through the app, you can choose from a selection of pre-programmed recipes for different foods and send them directly to the grill. This innovative concept allows the grill to provide step-by-step instructions and adjust its temperature accordingly at specific intervals.

However, most of the time, I had no desire to strictly adhere to the provided recipe, be it for taste preferences or the specific choice of meat. Consequently, the automated process became less appealing or practical. Ideally, it would be great to witness further advancements in this area, where users could inform the application about their meat preference and desired accompaniments, and have it generate a personalized plan instantly.

Nonetheless, the inclusion of pre-made recipes within the app did offer a helpful starting point. Particularly beneficial for amateur chefs, it provides a foundation rather than leaving them with no guidance.

Add Wi-Fi to Every Appliance

Not only are the Brisk It grills equipped with Wi-Fi, but many other cooking appliances are also incorporating wireless connectivity for enhanced smart cooking. The ability to receive alerts when food requires attention is incredibly convenient and should be available on various devices.

While Traeger may be more discreet in its wireless connection, Brisk It appears to be more reliable, at least from a subjective standpoint. Unlike Traeger's hidden connection point, Brisk It features a visible black antenna that is attached underneath its grills. This antenna can be adjusted and repositioned as needed. Some may argue that it is not aesthetically pleasing, but in this case, stability takes priority over appearance.

Brisk It Mobile App

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The Brisk It mobile app for iPhone and Android performed adequately, but lacked any outstanding features. It successfully completed the tasks I requested, however, in comparison to Traeger's mobile app and other smart appliances like the June oven, it appeared outdated and disorganized.

One area that exemplified the app's mediocre performance was the setting of a timer. There was a slight delay of a few seconds between selecting the time and it actually being displayed on the main screen. Although a minor issue, it caused me to hesitate on more than one occasion. Additionally, immediately after connecting the app to the grill and choosing the option to season it, I received a message stating that I needed to be connected to my phone to proceed. This message was concerning and either incorrect or unclear, leading to confusion. While it did not impede functionality, it presented an opportunity for the company to improve the software's refinement.

Origin-940 Price and Availability

The Brisk It Origin-940 is currently priced at $1,199.99. While this is already a competitive price, be sure to keep an eye out for any promotions or discounts on the new grill, as the Origin-580 has seldom been sold at full price since its launch.

Should You Buy the Brisk It Origin-940?

I was pleasantly impressed with both Brisk It grills, starting with the Origin-580 and now with the larger Origin-940. While it may not have the same level of refinement as established brands, I had very few concerns regarding its performance and intelligence.

The Brisk It Origin-940, with its

Remotely manage your Origin-940 grill with confidence, no matter where you are. Stay connected and receive proactive notifications about the grill's status, including ignition, pre-heating, cooling, and when food reaches the desired temperature. Available for $1199.99 at Brisk It.