Yeah, can’t say my jaw didn’t drop when I saw that price. Pretty sure it’s made in China like their other products as well. Not sure how well it will do.
That is what made me even look at Yoder. I thought their had to be something better for your money at the $2500 range. I just ordered my 640 and it's gonna be delivered on Halloween!!
Just picked up one of these Yoder smokers from one of my customers on trade for a month of service. Searched around and your videos are the best ones on YT. Very thorough. Looking forward to binge watching!
I've had my Yoder 480 for nearly 4yrs now and still love cooking on it (so does my family). There have been a few times I wish I had gone with the 640 instead for the extra space, but it's not been a big issue for me. What has been somewhat of an issue, and you touched on it, is the fact that I can't evacuate the pellets from the hopper if I want/need to replace with a different flavor pellet. Having to scoop pellets out of the hopper is frustrating when a trap door would solve the problem as I've seen on other brands. Otherwise, I don't see any other brand at the moment I'd trade it for.
Grab yourself a $25 bucket head shop vac and a 5 gallon bucket from Home Depot. You can vacuum out the pellets for a faster change. Works pretty well. Thanks for watching! 🍻
You don't even have to sand it down, brother. Just spray it with high heat flat black paint from home depot, lowes, or Walmart whenever you see the rust. Don't even worry about trying to make the paint look even. You can't see it when it dries. That's what I do on my smoker.
Just looked at a YS640 today and everyone should experience the Yoder in person if possible. The rust concern is purely aesthetic IMO as it is more than twice as thick as a Traeger or GMG where a little rust on light gauge metals can indeed be a concern. The plate steel exterior construction is thick enough it would take decades of neglect to rust enough to sustain structural damage. If a Traeger or GMG were a half ton pickup truck the Yoder in comparison would be a dump truck.
Great video. I’m considering moving from Traeger to Yoder. Traeger advised me years ago not to use a cover in the rainy northwest as moisture will get trapped between the grill and cover. Funny that they sell them though.
Yoder spent a lot of time on their cover trying to balance protection vs. breathability. Their new cover is much better than the one in this video. Traeger has a better app, both in design and the recipe section. Yoder is just pit control. Traeger also does amazing job with chicken. Yoder cooks good chicken, but something about Traeger gives them the advantage. Traeger is also going to be less maintenance because it’s powder coated. Yoder puts out a cleaner smoke. Yoder goes to 600F Yoder has a removable sear plate and will go over 750 with that removed and grill grates. Sear plate option is now standard. Yoder is better made Yoder has better quality electronics. See a lot of stories about Traeger failures, especially since they moved everything to China. Yoder is easier to clean between cooks because of the sear plate. Those are some of the main points coming from someone who has played with a couple Traegers. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the great video. I've had mine for just a couple of weeks now and love it. I completely agree on the tips for Yoder. Very well said. I just wish there was a way to prevent the exterior rust. Everyone loves the build and design, but hates the rust, There has to be a solution. After watching several videos I have decided to coat my diffuser plate with a light coating of grape seed oil after every cleaning. This should help. As for the cover leaking moisture, this is inexcusable. I've owned a Capital gas grill for 20 plus years and the cover has never leaked during rain. I have two suggestions, either a coating of scotch guard or similar waterproofing product or a water proof cover to sit over the top of the Yoder cover. It sucks to have to do it, but if it help eliminate the rust it may be worth it.
One tip about the grape seed oil. Make sure you heat it up a bit after applying. With Cast iron pans you are supposed to heat them until the oil starts to slightly smoke and kill the heat. This is supposed to prevent the oil from going bad. Be interested to hear how you make out. Good tip on the spray. I use it for my patio cushions and have 4 cans in the garage. I’ll have to apply some soon. Thanks for watching!
20:40 My first pellet smoker (Green Mountain Grill) I lined the diffuser with foil. My second pellet smoker (Rec Tec 680) I didn't use foil and scraped when it needed cleaning. I now FAR prefer scraping than foil. One advantage with scraping is the diffuser is coated with oils and drippings much like a cast iron pan. Those drippings and seasonings will help prevent rust. For Rum and Cook: The YS640 is not cast iron, it is made out of mild steel plate, cut, bent and welded.
Makes sense! My only concern is mixing flavors as that older oil heats up. I can see the advantage though. Thanks for the comment on the mild steel, as a computer guy I was like damn, I should have looked it up first haha. Thanks for watching!
@@RumandCook when u remove your Aluminum foil for clean up spray your Diffuser plate with Pam or some cooking oil spray (both sides) then wrap it with aluminum foil, that should prevent or stop the rusting issue!!
Thank you for maintenance tips. We are installing the conversion kit today and updating our 7 year old Yoder to the new wifi version. We have owned a Traeger back when they were made in the USA and the Yoder is hands down more substantial and sturdy. LOVE the customer support and that it is made in Hutchison Kansas. This thing is built to last!
I have a suggestion about your rust issues. If your grill sits where it gets rained on, even though its got a cover, it will rust because of evaporation. I live in the Southern US. Any thing that I put a cover on will rust. As the rain water evaporates it gets trapped under the cover. That is my guess as to why you see rust on the upper surfaces of your grill. Even long periods under cover will allow normal ground moisture to evaporate up and condensate on the surface of your grill. Just a thought. Thanks for your review.
Just bought one of these and it is good to know about the water problems with the cover. I use a product called Starbrite Fabric Waterproofing Spray on my boat cover that is amazing, water will pond and not leak through the tarp. I will have to spray down the grill cover with it right away before it has a chance to get dusty or dirty. The Starbrite has UV protection as well
Just received my YS640s on Tuesday! Was hesitant to pull the trigger considering the cost, but after having some issues with my Lil Tex, it was time. Followed your burn in/seasoning videos and used three cans of Pam grill spray. The next day was a first cook of St. Louis ribs and I tried an experiment like your video with one wrapped and the other unwrapped. I tended to like the unwrapped a little more but because my wife and I were pretty hungry, I pulled them off at about 190 degrees. Could have used a little more time. Today I received the drip shield and Tel-Thru thermometer (I like old school too). This weekend will be the big test with a 12 pound pastrami that has been brining for a week. ( I will definitely wrap that in brown paper). Thanks for the great videos!
A great video! One bit of advice that you give that I take exception to is putting foil on the diffuser plate. I know that it makes clean-up easier, but it also creates a greater potential for a grease fire, since it will not drain the grease as easily. I strongly recommend against doing that. Keep the videos coming!
I think it’s the opposite though, the grease can run down easier because it’s a clean slippery surface. That being said, I don’t do it much anymore. I’ve gotten too lazy lol. Thanks for watching! 🍻
The Yoder is King of pellet grills. Lots of people make plate steel stick smokers but not pellet smokers. I have a YS 640. my problem is temp swing, I can live with that. I also had the ignitor go bad and the temp sensor go bad. Pisses me off.However, the grill will last a lifetime.
A little temp swing is normal, make sure you keep the pit sensor clean. These grills that show no swing are not showing accurate numbers. They fluctuate just on pellet size alone. 🍻
Just sold my Weber Genesis Special Edition to a buddy...I just cant stand proprane grilled food anymore....I just ordered the YS480...im stoked for it to come in....had the Recteq 590 in the cart but the Yoder and 600 degrees sold me..thanks for this review...very helpful
Thanks so much for your very informative and helpful videos. In large part because of your videos I have purchased a YS640S which came to live on my deck last night. I have followed the initial burn-in and seasoning instructions and am ready for my first cook today. When reading the operation manual, the instructions for “Direct Grilling” (p. 15), say, “In this setup, remove the heat diffuser plate . . .” Shouldn’t that mean removing the heat diffuser ACCESS DOOR, or do you really remove the whole DIFFUSER PLATE? It looks like without the diffuser plate in place the grease drippings will fall, spatter and coat the inside of the grill and the grease will no longer drain into the grease catchment bucket. Thanks again for your great instruction! I am a subscriber and always look forward to more of your videos!
Originally the removable door was an option and now it’s standard. I believe the manual has not been updated to reflect that. Removing the door will work. Congrats on the new unit and thanks for subscribing 🍻
FYI it's made of 10 gauge mild steel, the rust concern is the same with any mild steel built smoker. Simple fix, season the outside just the same way as you season the inside, i do it about every 6 months of if i see some surface rust starting. I've had mine since 2014 no problems/issues with rust.
Thank you sir. Yeah I realized that after the video. Clearly I don’t know my metals 😁. Check out my rust video. Yoder recommends this ACF-50 product that does a great job of preventing external rust. Thanks for the tips and watching!
Seems the rust has been a issue with these for the beginning. Hard to believe that they haven’t addressed this issue. I like the smoker but won’t be buying one until the rusting issues are resolved.
I’m pretty sure they don’t intend to. It’s the material it’s made out of, but because it’s matte black the paint just blends right in. I can’t remember if I read it or watched a video, but the thought process is that if it was coated and got scratched it would be nearly impossible to make a clean repair. This way you can paint and make look brand new anytime you want. It’s def an extra step, mine will be 2 years old this summer and will probably get it’s first touch up. I’ll do a video on it. Thanks for watching.
Great Review, I wish I could find this in-depth review for the Rec Tec Bull. From a fell Tech Guy. The @Recteq RT-700 is the only grill I'm considering other than this one. Right now it's mainly due to its price point.
Thanks you. Unfortunately I don't have any exposure to the Recteq or I'd be happy to share some feedback. I looked at the product and the only thing that stood out to me was a max temp of 500-600F. If you can't get easy access to the firebox to sear you meat and you rely on grill grates, that extra temp might make a difference. It's always a tough choice selecting a grill, I feel you pain! Thanks for watching. Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions more about the Yoder.
I have been very satisfied with my req tec 700. No rust problems. Very stable temperature control. I did not get it to sear, but I can sear with the grill grates in it.
$1800 plus shipping to Hawaii at a weight of 350 lbs comes out to about $4k lol. So can you do a 12-14 hour cook with a 20lb hopper? I know my Pit Boss with a 40lb hopper can't. Even at 225-250°.
Well that adds up quick! Can’t say I’ve filled up the hopper and let it go to see how long it will last. It holds heat well because of its mass, but I’m not sure how long one full hopper will go. Sounds like a good video idea though :)
That’s about it, if you already have a KJ. I do love grilled chicken on a pellet grill though. High indirect heat so you can grill marinated chicken without burning and it comes out great.
Congrats! In this video I used Lumber Jack Pellets. I usually get them from Dicks Sporting Goods. I also like Bear Mountain and BBQ’rs Delight that you can get at atbbq.com
Since you’ve had a Kamado Joe and now have a Yoder YS640S. If you could only get one, which one would you get? I’m looking at the Big Joe and the Yoder. I’m leaning towards the Kamado because I think it’s more versatile and I think it would give the better smoke flavor.
If I could only have one it would be a Kamado. Definitely more versatile. I use my pellet grill during the week and my Komodo Kamado on the weekends when I have more time. Get the big Joe for sure. You’ll want the room.
I have a big joe and a small joe, i would have chosen the Yoder. I have both and hardly use the Kamado or ever, it sits there in my outdoor kitchen but haven’t touched since the Yoder.
I was going get the Yoder, but the rust issue just piss me off for the cost of the grill. I watch countless reviews and follow a group. I realize the performance is there, just the rust issue and people excuse it.
I hear what you are saying. I haven’t addressed it yet and plan to do a video on some painting in the fall. I’m not a guy that enjoys handy work, but I don’t think it’s going to be that big of deal. If you look at all the big stick burners it’s a similar story. They constantly spray the firebox with oil. I understand the concern though. I had to kick around the same issue. Thanks for watching!
Howdy, I'm Brent and just ordered a Trager and just stated watching your TH-cam thing. I may have a helpful suggestion to resolve some your rust thing. I also stated learning about Chinese cooking, and WOK cooking. You may want to look at seasoning carbon steel WOK, and also look at seasoning cast iron frying pans. I recall a video where a Spanish guy scrubbed his cast iron really good without soap, dried it really good on stove top, wiped it with high-temp tolerant oil i.e., veg/oil or peanut oil, and placed in 400 deg oven for about 30 minutes. Repeat 1 or 2 more times. Side note; this is an amazing non-stick thing. Don’t' ever clean with soap again. Clean out with hot water and stiff brush or billow kind of pad, and boil aggressive in water, remove from water, dry wipe with veg oil, and burn off on stove top, in Oven, or maybe in grill?? Might help with rust thing for the parts inside the "Q". You still need to minimize water exposure, but this process is priceless for all kinds of country cooking. If you’re interested in the Chinese thing I recommend see th-cam.com/users/SchoolofWok th-cam.com/users/SeonkyoungLongest, and www.youtube.com/@SoupedUpRecipes, .
I just got my yoder y460s did the burn in for 1 hour at 350, sprayed with pam when it reached 350. My concern is it got up to 383 and as low as 300 with it set at 350, it was 40 degrees outside, I just hope when I cook on it, it will stay at +3 -3 degrees from the set temp??
Unfortunately pellets smokers do have some up and down. The probe is on the left side close to the firebox so you will see a bit of a swing but the actual air temp inside isn’t moving as much. In colder months it’s much more, you can get a thermal wrap for it if it becomes an issue. During the summer it’s probably +/- 10 if I had to guess. That being said in long cooks there are plenty of times I’ve come out to spray and it’s been 1 or 2 degrees. I haven’t really dialed in to watch the swing in detail. Most pits are going to have swing, even the big offset wood ones. Temp has to drop a bit before you know you need to add another log. Winter is tough to judge, if it becomes an issue you can do a special test and Yoder my ask you to adjust the offset. I’ll try and pay closer attention to mine since I’m in the North East and dealing 40 degree weather as well.
One thing people forget that is that digital temp gauge can be as accurate or inaccurate as the manufacturer wants. Yoder shows you accurate temps at all times. Their goal is constant clean blue smoke. Others stop the pellets to get super low swings, but burn a dirtier fire. I’ll be doing a whole video on how Yoder’s handle temperature in a video soon!
Hey brother I was looking at getting one of these but the temp swing scares me I have a came chef and it holds temp well I’m just nervous to but a big purchase
All pellet grills have temp swings, don’t let what they choose to show you cook you. 😉. Unfortunately, honestly is optional when it comes to the programming on the temp display. Yoder shows honest temps. Most don’t vary enough to impact what you are cooking. 🍻
Hello great video! I am in the market for a pellet grill specifically the ys640s however also looking at the traeger tmberling 1300d2 do you have any suggestions on either unit example smoke production etc? Thanks in advance
Thanks! I previously owned a Pro and an Ironwood 885 and feel the Yoder has some advantages. Traeger has a nicer app and built in recipes which is really nice, but when it comes to cooking the Yoder gets hotter, holds temps better because it’s not stamped metal, and the ability to truly sear is important to me. I also like that I can pull the upgraded diffuser door open, dump the ash, and only have to take it apart to clean once a month. I will also share that my after sales support experience with Traeger was dreadful. They also moved manufacturing to China years ago, but still charge a premium for their grills. My experience wasn’t great, but there are many happy Traeger owners out there so take that for what it’s worth. Hope this helps. All this being said, Yoder will require a bit more maintenance in the long run so they aren’t perfect. I like the matte paint so it’s easy to touch up, but wish I could skip that step. I will be trying some of that maintenance and shooting video of it in the spring. Many have mentioned spraying some oil on it. I might give that a try and share a video on it as well. Thanks for watching!
Atbbq.com is where I buy pellets and many rubs etc. They have BBQr’s Delight. They are good, but I’m working on a video with 6 brands and the results are very interesting.
Nothing wrong with a KJ, but the KK is a much better unit. Just stepped up to a Porsche from a Chevy if that makes sense 😁. Kamado grills shine because of their thermal mass and radiating the heat into the food 360 degrees. The KKs are handmade and are 3 times heavier. The food they produce is even better than a KJ. I also stepped up to a 32” which is a lot larger than the big KJ. Thanks for watching!
Hey just came across your chanel, awesome video. Just a quick question. I bought a yoder ys640s back in May, and i love my yoder made some amazing briskets and steaks and lots more. However for a low n slow cook I've always had issues controlling the pit. Like lately not sure why but whenever I set my put to 250 for example it shoots up to 265 or more. And until i don't change the temp to 245 it won't settle down. Was wondering if you've been experiencing any issues with temp control. And if so any tips to fix it. Thanks. Ps just subbed. Keep the amazing content coming
Thank you sir! First tip would be to unplug it for 10 minutes or so before your next low and slow so you can reset the controller. I leave mine plugged in all the time but you actually are supposed to. I didn’t realize this until recently. When you hit the power button, it does the 15 minute cool down and the power is not fully turned off to the controller. Yoder wants you to unplug it but after that or at least unplug before a new cook. When I’ve seen temp swings it’s because I haven’t unplugged it in awhile to do a reset. If you still have issues reach out to Yoder. They will have you follow a very specific setup guide to do a 2 hour cook where they will look at your FireWire charts and possibly ask you to adjust the offset. Make sure you follow the PDF exactly. Hopefully that gets you all fixed up!
@@RumandCookthanks for the response, however i usually do unplugged after every cook as my smoker is far away from the outlet. Will contact yoder to see if they can help me out. Thanks
Just purchased mine today and the salesman said that when you set the temp @250 it will shoot up to like 350 then come down. that's to heat up the heavy gauge steel. look for a down arrow on the control panel indicating it's coming down to the set temp.
How long does it take to get to temp? Say 250°. Is the start up time consistent? I've found that my Timberline 1300 is all over the place. Sometimes it's quick, like 15 minutes, other times it's 30 minutes. Typically it takes longer after I vacuum the fire pot
I’d say around 25-30 when the temps are in the 40s and 15 mins when it’s above 60. It’s pretty consistent. The Yoder has a removable tray in the firebox. I always dump it before every use. I just dump it in the bottom of the unit and then vacuum everything every 6-8 weeks depending how often I use it.
I live near the ocean and even if I keep this covered, I wonder how long it will last? I bought a cheap Cuisinart as my first smoker and have had lots of electrical problems with it. I read that often about all the pellet grills because most are made in China. Anybody have any problems with the electronics? I also need to get somebody to help me carry it up a flight of stairs lol. 300 lbs. Might still be worth it.
These are US made, but I’m not 100% sure on the controller unit. I know it’s well sealed, but I don’t know anyone who has used one near the ocean. Fireboard is a well known brand so maybe check their forums and see if anyone has had any issues. I hope you have a strong friend haha!
Yoder has a three year warranty on the controller. I had a Traeger for 5 years and never had an electronics issue. There were other issues, but not electronics. I upgraded to a Green Mountain Grill 6 years ago and like it much more than the Traeger. No electronics issues on that one either, and very helpful customer service. Yoder will be my next one. Good luck.
Number 1 thing Yoder and Fireboard need to do is go back to the whatever PID firmware they were using pre-2021 or so. At some point they "upgraded" the firmware to allow 50 degree overshoots before it even starts trying to turn the ship around. The problem with this methodology is that by the time you ACTUALLY start seeing reduced temps you're at a 75-100 degree overshoot. This never used to happen. On extremely hot summer days, this smoker has gone to an unrecoverable overshoot where the firepot is totally out of control. Yes my smoker is clean and ash free. This smoker works much better in winter because it limits it's ability to overshoot so far.
That’s not true. I’d try and temp test and adjust your offset. Yoder works on a 4 minute average and adjust temps from there. I’ve never seen this happen with mine. It’s worth asking support. 🍻
@@RumandCook Thoughts on the Ironwood vs. Yoder? Obviously not a tank but significantly less cost (especially with adding up all the accessories you recommend). Is the +$1200 really worth it?
@@LifeisGoodtyGod I'm in the process of cleaning up my Instagram (@1rumandcook) to make it all food/YT video related, and I'm down to 77 posts. If you look near the beginning you will see a couple of the Traeger. I tried a Pro and then an Ironwood. Ironwood is much better than the Pro, but it still can't get as hot and can't sear like a Yoder. If you are just going to smoke meats and do grilling where you don't care about a sear you'll be fine. If you want to sear steaks and smoke than sear burgers, the Yoder is worth the money. I actually shared my history on Traeger vs Yoder in the video originally, but it made the video way too long so I cut it out. I'm not saying it doesn't cook good food because they do, I just value the extra heat and the searing ability. I also don't like that you have to get the Timberline to get a full gasket around the lid. Hope this helps!
Having owned a Traeger and now a Yoder, I don’t believe that’s required. Most of the big smokers out there are offset. The Yoder is made out of very heavy steel and retains heat well. Never had an issue with the firebox being on the side. Everyone has their preference though! Thanks for watching.
Not following you at all. The whole chamber fills with smoke. If you want it extra Smokey, put it on the top shelf and all the smoke will go right over it. Pellet grills aren’t known for their strong Smokey flavor to begin with. A burn box in the middle has nothing to do with that. I owned 2 Traegers and can tell you their food doesn’t haven’t any more smoke. Hope that helps!
@@RumandCook was responding to the poster. Smoke flow is important at higher temps when there is less smoke. At sub 200 temps of course it doesn't matter at 250 or 300 it matters
@@LoveMyKleeKai ahh ok sorry. I’m following you know. I was thinking to myself, an offset is the same way, how does the smoke go around the meat hah. Thanks!
Great video…Yoder is just way over priced for what you get…many competitors now give you more features for less and no rust…at least not so soon…I get it though…some guys just have to have it say Yoder. They all burn pellets at the end of the day.
As someone who has owned other pellet grills I will politely disagree. Most are made in China out of low grade material and with cheap electronics. You get what you pay for and I’ve found a pellet grill to be no different. Few can sear as well and now with the wood fired oven option it’s even tougher to beat. I hear ya, they are pricey but so are the competitors who are making a comparable product. 🍻
I have used my Yoder 640 2x already. I'm not impressed right now. I have done chicken (breast 1st time, wings 2nd time.) The chicken had hardly any smoke flavor whatsoever. I even tried 2 different brands of pellets. Lumberjack and then BBQ'ers Delight. I also noticed that constant temp is not that great on my unit. I had it set at 350..and most pellet smokers have a 10 degree range. Not mine. It would increase/decrease 30+ degrees at times. When I had a Camp Chef..the food had a good smoke flavor..but I sent that unit back because the quality sucked and heat would escape the cooking chamber quite easily and take forever to get back up to temp.
You can try moving the meat to the top shelf to get more smoke in it. Traditionally pellet grills do not have a ton of smoke, especially on a quicker cook. On a longer cook you will get some smoke into it. I do notice some temp fluctuations. More so at the higher temps. I’m going to be testing a device that is supposed to keep more smoke in the chamber and will be doing a video soon.
@@RumandCook let me know how the Godke works. I saw a response post by Herb Yoder on a web board that said using such a device would "void" the Yoder warranty. How the hell would they know one used a Godke?! I went out and bought an A maze N smoke tube for $20. Gonna try that out when doing poultry seeing it looks like chicken isn't able to absorb a lot of smoke flavor. Yoder suggested a smoke tube if one wants "dirty smoke" to their food.
I’ll find out, I hadn’t heard about it voiding the warranty. I’ve used a pellet smoking tube tons and it doesn’t add a dirty flavor. Check out my pork chop video. Pellet smokers put out a lot less smoke flavor above 250-275. I love to do a marinaded chicken breast at 450 right over the firebox with the plate in. It doesn’t get smoke flavor, but the marinade doesn’t burn and gets some grill marks. 12mins a side roughly.
@@RumandCook Anytime! I too once pushed a mouse for a paycheck, in IS. Decided to leave the desk and get into industrial motor controls. I still use my IT background along with industrial controls/automation. My pops has the 480 with the competition cart, and it's quite sturdy. Other than aesthetics, do you feel that your smoker would benefit from the cart, or is it just money wasted?
Cool, both have bright futures! Always need both :) Comp cart really only adds looks and big wheels to move around easier. If you aren’t moving it a ton, I wouldn’t spend the money. The wheels it comes with are pretty sturdy to begin with. Comp cart wheels are just really nice if you are moving over grass or gravel often.
It seems that, at least now, you can get the 10" wheels without getting the comp cart. I'm building a house right now. If it weren't for not wanting to move a 300lb grill, I would have it already! Keep up the videos, I've enjoyed them.
Haha yeah it’s a bit heavy for sure. Mine was delivered and I had it on its side to the wheels on and was trying to get it on its “feet” to roll it around back and fire it up. My wife was like why is it, when instructions say you need two people that you don’t listen? I was like I have a 2x4 for leverage and some blocks to stop the wheels. I’m too impatient to wait. Haha Thanks for the comments and glad to hear you enjoy the vids!
Just like everything else, you get what you pay for. It’s built in the US, unlike most others, and it’s 10 gauge steel. There is a reason why it weighs 335 pounds and most others weigh less than half.
Even Traeger is getting too much for being made over seas, just my humble opinion, and if someone is on the market for a Yoder I don’t think they’re too worried about the price tag since there’s way affordable options like Camp Chef or something.
▶ *Free Download!* - 11 Secrets to More Smoke on a Pellet Grill: www.pelletgrillsecrets.com
**Update** The removable diffuser plate is now included.
Considering how much Traeger is asking for their new Timberline series of grill, this thing is suddenly a great value for the money.
Yeah, can’t say my jaw didn’t drop when I saw that price. Pretty sure it’s made in China like their other products as well. Not sure how well it will do.
That is what made me even look at Yoder. I thought their had to be something better for your money at the $2500 range. I just ordered my 640 and it's gonna be delivered on Halloween!!
Just picked up one of these Yoder smokers from one of my customers on trade for a month of service. Searched around and your videos are the best ones on YT. Very thorough. Looking forward to binge watching!
Congrats! Thanks and glad you find them helpful. 🍻
I've had my Yoder 480 for nearly 4yrs now and still love cooking on it (so does my family). There have been a few times I wish I had gone with the 640 instead for the extra space, but it's not been a big issue for me. What has been somewhat of an issue, and you touched on it, is the fact that I can't evacuate the pellets from the hopper if I want/need to replace with a different flavor pellet. Having to scoop pellets out of the hopper is frustrating when a trap door would solve the problem as I've seen on other brands. Otherwise, I don't see any other brand at the moment I'd trade it for.
Grab yourself a $25 bucket head shop vac and a 5 gallon bucket from Home Depot. You can vacuum out the pellets for a faster change. Works pretty well. Thanks for watching! 🍻
You don't even have to sand it down, brother. Just spray it with high heat flat black paint from home depot, lowes, or Walmart whenever you see the rust. Don't even worry about trying to make the paint look even. You can't see it when it dries. That's what I do on my smoker.
Thanks for the tip. Thanks for watching!
Just looked at a YS640 today and everyone should experience the Yoder in person if possible. The rust concern is purely aesthetic IMO as it is more than twice as thick as a Traeger or GMG where a little rust on light gauge metals can indeed be a concern. The plate steel exterior construction is thick enough it would take decades of neglect to rust enough to sustain structural damage. If a Traeger or GMG were a half ton pickup truck the Yoder in comparison would be a dump truck.
Yep for sure, there is a reason why the 640 weighs 335 pounds. I’m a year into using ACF-50 on it and no rust at all.
Thanks for watching! 🍻
Great video. I’m considering moving from Traeger to Yoder. Traeger advised me years ago not to use a cover in the rainy northwest as moisture will get trapped between the grill and cover. Funny that they sell them though.
Yoder spent a lot of time on their cover trying to balance protection vs. breathability. Their new cover is much better than the one in this video.
Traeger has a better app, both in design and the recipe section. Yoder is just pit control.
Traeger also does amazing job with chicken. Yoder cooks good chicken, but something about Traeger gives them the advantage.
Traeger is also going to be less maintenance because it’s powder coated.
Yoder puts out a cleaner smoke.
Yoder goes to 600F
Yoder has a removable sear plate and will go over 750 with that removed and grill grates.
Sear plate option is now standard.
Yoder is better made
Yoder has better quality electronics. See a lot of stories about Traeger failures, especially since they moved everything to China.
Yoder is easier to clean between cooks because of the sear plate.
Those are some of the main points coming from someone who has played with a couple Traegers.
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the great video. I've had mine for just a couple of weeks now and love it. I completely agree on the tips for Yoder. Very well said. I just wish there was a way to prevent the exterior rust. Everyone loves the build and design, but hates the rust, There has to be a solution. After watching several videos I have decided to coat my diffuser plate with a light coating of grape seed oil after every cleaning. This should help. As for the cover leaking moisture, this is inexcusable. I've owned a Capital gas grill for 20 plus years and the cover has never leaked during rain. I have two suggestions, either a coating of scotch guard or similar waterproofing product or a water proof cover to sit over the top of the Yoder cover. It sucks to have to do it, but if it help eliminate the rust it may be worth it.
One tip about the grape seed oil. Make sure you heat it up a bit after applying. With Cast iron pans you are supposed to heat them until the oil starts to slightly smoke and kill the heat. This is supposed to prevent the oil from going bad. Be interested to hear how you make out.
Good tip on the spray. I use it for my patio cushions and have 4 cans in the garage. I’ll have to apply some soon.
Thanks for watching!
20:40 My first pellet smoker (Green Mountain Grill) I lined the diffuser with foil. My second pellet smoker (Rec Tec 680) I didn't use foil and scraped when it needed cleaning. I now FAR prefer scraping than foil. One advantage with scraping is the diffuser is coated with oils and drippings much like a cast iron pan. Those drippings and seasonings will help prevent rust.
For Rum and Cook: The YS640 is not cast iron, it is made out of mild steel plate, cut, bent and welded.
Makes sense! My only concern is mixing flavors as that older oil heats up. I can see the advantage though. Thanks for the comment on the mild steel, as a computer guy I was like damn, I should have looked it up first haha. Thanks for watching!
@@RumandCook when u remove your Aluminum foil for clean up spray your Diffuser plate with Pam or some cooking oil spray (both sides) then wrap it with aluminum foil, that should prevent or stop the rusting issue!!
That’s a good idea. Thanks for the tip!
Thank you for maintenance tips. We are installing the conversion kit today and updating our 7 year old Yoder to the new wifi version. We have owned a Traeger back when they were made in the USA and the Yoder is hands down more substantial and sturdy. LOVE the customer support and that it is made in Hutchison Kansas. This thing is built to last!
Quite welcome. I’m sure you will love the upgrade. 🍻
I have a suggestion about your rust issues. If your grill sits where it gets rained on, even though its got a cover, it will rust because of evaporation. I live in the Southern US. Any thing that I put a cover on will rust. As the rain water evaporates it gets trapped under the cover. That is my guess as to why you see rust on the upper surfaces of your grill. Even long periods under cover will allow normal ground moisture to evaporate up and condensate on the surface of your grill.
Just a thought. Thanks for your review.
Yeah that makes sense. They changed the cover so it blocks more water out, but can still breath now. So far so good!
Thanks for watching!
Just bought one of these and it is good to know about the water problems with the cover. I use a product called Starbrite Fabric Waterproofing Spray on my boat cover that is amazing, water will pond and not leak through the tarp. I will have to spray down the grill cover with it right away before it has a chance to get dusty or dirty. The Starbrite has UV protection as well
Yoder recommends putting ACF-50 or mineral oil on the outside as well. I have a few videos on that or in my Yoder 101 playlist that will be helpful. 🍻
Just received my YS640s on Tuesday! Was hesitant to pull the trigger considering the cost, but after having some issues with my Lil Tex, it was time. Followed your burn in/seasoning videos and used three cans of Pam grill spray. The next day was a first cook of St. Louis ribs and I tried an experiment like your video with one wrapped and the other unwrapped. I tended to like the unwrapped a little more but because my wife and I were pretty hungry, I pulled them off at about 190 degrees. Could have used a little more time. Today I received the drip shield and Tel-Thru thermometer (I like old school too). This weekend will be the big test with a 12 pound pastrami that has been brining for a week. ( I will definitely wrap that in brown paper).
Thanks for the great videos!
Awesome congrats. Don’t forget to put some mineral oil on the outside. Yoder is recommending that now or ACF-50. 🍻
Wish the manual would have discussed the grease discharge. I had no idea to put the bucket under it.
Good point! Coming from a Traeger I already knew about the bucket. I didn’t know that was missing from the manual.
Just got mine today! I’m super excited so I’m watching all the videos out there. Thank you for yours!
Congrats! Check out my rust video and give it a coat of ACF-50. A year later and it works awesome.
That’s a sweet rig. Some good suggestions their for Yoder. Hope they see this
Thanks! One of things I always liked about KJ, always improving. Hopefully some of these make sense for Yoder.
A great video! One bit of advice that you give that I take exception to is putting foil on the diffuser plate. I know that it makes clean-up easier, but it also creates a greater potential for a grease fire, since it will not drain the grease as easily. I strongly recommend against doing that.
Keep the videos coming!
I think it’s the opposite though, the grease can run down easier because it’s a clean slippery surface. That being said, I don’t do it much anymore. I’ve gotten too lazy lol. Thanks for watching! 🍻
7 years with ours. Cooking reverse sear trip tip, and Yukon gold potatoes with sweet onions. It’s our favorite device to cook on!
Awesome, definitely built to last. 🍻
The Yoder is King of pellet grills. Lots of people make plate steel stick smokers but not pellet smokers. I have a YS 640. my problem is temp swing, I can live with that. I also had the ignitor go bad and the temp sensor go bad. Pisses me off.However, the grill will last a lifetime.
A little temp swing is normal, make sure you keep the pit sensor clean. These grills that show no swing are not showing accurate numbers. They fluctuate just on pellet size alone. 🍻
Great video.....Hopefully I will have my Yoder ys640s this week and looking forward to applying all of your tips and recipes
Congrats! Thanks for watching.
Great review, just got the ys640s on the comp cart...used it once so far, great cooker, just subscribed ya, looking forward to your future videos!👍👊
Congrats! I’m sure you will love it. Comp car is nice. Thanks for subscribing! 👊
Just sold my Weber Genesis Special Edition to a buddy...I just cant stand proprane grilled food anymore....I just ordered the YS480...im stoked for it to come in....had the Recteq 590 in the cart but the Yoder and 600 degrees sold me..thanks for this review...very helpful
No problem, glad you found it helpful. Enjoy your new grill!
Where did you order it from?
@@tylerjensen1730 all things bbq
I bought a YS640 from an estate auction. Thanks for this intro!
No problem. Hope you enjoy it!
The tip about pallets of pellets is clutch!
@@AustinSwinney Def save yourself some money! :)
They did say it would be the last smoker he would ever have to buy.
Thanks so much for your very informative and helpful videos. In large part because of your videos I have purchased a YS640S which came to live on my deck last night. I have followed the initial burn-in and seasoning instructions and am ready for my first cook today. When reading the operation manual, the instructions for “Direct Grilling” (p. 15), say, “In this setup, remove the heat diffuser plate . . .” Shouldn’t that mean removing the heat diffuser ACCESS DOOR, or do you really remove the whole DIFFUSER PLATE? It looks like without the diffuser plate in place the grease drippings will fall, spatter and coat the inside of the grill and the grease will no longer drain into the grease catchment bucket. Thanks again for your great instruction! I am a subscriber and always look forward to more of your videos!
Originally the removable door was an option and now it’s standard. I believe the manual has not been updated to reflect that. Removing the door will work.
Congrats on the new unit and thanks for subscribing 🍻
FYI it's made of 10 gauge mild steel, the rust concern is the same with any mild steel built smoker. Simple fix, season the outside just the same way as you season the inside, i do it about every 6 months of if i see some surface rust starting. I've had mine since 2014 no problems/issues with rust.
Thank you sir. Yeah I realized that after the video. Clearly I don’t know my metals 😁.
Check out my rust video. Yoder recommends this ACF-50 product that does a great job of preventing external rust.
Thanks for the tips and watching!
Seems the rust has been a issue with these for the beginning. Hard to believe that they haven’t addressed this issue. I like the smoker but won’t be buying one until the rusting issues are resolved.
I’m pretty sure they don’t intend to. It’s the material it’s made out of, but because it’s matte black the paint just blends right in.
I can’t remember if I read it or watched a video, but the thought process is that if it was coated and got scratched it would be nearly impossible to make a clean repair. This way you can paint and make look brand new anytime you want.
It’s def an extra step, mine will be 2 years old this summer and will probably get it’s first touch up. I’ll do a video on it. Thanks for watching.
Great Review, I wish I could find this in-depth review for the Rec Tec Bull. From a fell Tech Guy. The @Recteq RT-700 is the only grill I'm considering other than this one. Right now it's mainly due to its price point.
Thanks you. Unfortunately I don't have any exposure to the Recteq or I'd be happy to share some feedback. I looked at the product and the only thing that stood out to me was a max temp of 500-600F. If you can't get easy access to the firebox to sear you meat and you rely on grill grates, that extra temp might make a difference. It's always a tough choice selecting a grill, I feel you pain!
Thanks for watching. Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions more about the Yoder.
Rec Tec is Chinese made garbage. Stick with Yoder, Pitts n Spitts, Smokin Bros. American Made.
I have been very satisfied with my req tec 700. No rust problems. Very stable temperature control. I did not get it to sear, but I can sear with the grill grates in it.
Where did you find your Stainless Sleeves for your shelves? Yoder doesn't have them in their Accessories.. Great Video!
bbq.rumandcook.com/StainlessSteelShelf these will slide right on. 🍻
$1800 plus shipping to Hawaii at a weight of 350 lbs comes out to about $4k lol.
So can you do a 12-14 hour cook with a 20lb hopper? I know my Pit Boss with a 40lb hopper can't. Even at 225-250°.
Well that adds up quick!
Can’t say I’ve filled up the hopper and let it go to see how long it will last. It holds heat well because of its mass, but I’m not sure how long one full hopper will go. Sounds like a good video idea though :)
how do you like the pit boss? The price for the new elite is attractive and apparently you can sear on it.
Excellent video. I aggree with all your suggestions. Thanks
Thank you, appreciate the feedback. The follow up will be coming in a few months.
Good video…I have had a yoder for over 10 years. I learned a lot….thanks
Awesome. Thanks for watching! 🍻
Bought one a few weeks ago. Can’t wait to cook on it!
Congrats! I’m sure you will enjoy it.
And how do you like it after 8 months?
Yep for sure. I have just over 200 cooks on it now.
@@RumandCook I meant TBNR- how does he like it?
@@gosman949 whoops! sorry about that :)
love the name and love the yoder. I hAVE ONE AS WELL. KEEP BRINGING THE CONTENT BROTHER.
Thanks! Can’t go wrong with a Yoder. 🍻
640s now comes with 2-piece diffuser standard
Yeah they changed that last year. Good on Yoder!
Great review. Very nicely done. If it crashes, will switching it off and then back on again fix it?
Thanks, sorry, I’m not sure what you mean by crash? I’ve run it for 20 hours with no issues. It does reboot every time you cycle the power.
@@RumandCook I was just kidding with you 'cos you kept saying that you were an IT guy. I liked the review though.
😂 ahhh now it all makes sense! Thanks for watching. 😊
I have a Big Joe and an thinking of a pellet smoker. I still not 100% sure why I want the pellet smoker other that the convenience.
That’s about it, if you already have a KJ. I do love grilled chicken on a pellet grill though. High indirect heat so you can grill marinated chicken without burning and it comes out great.
@@RumandCook Thank you very much. Waiting an hour for the KJ to get to a stabilized temp is time consuming.
No problem, I’d look at the grill blazer gun. I swore I wouldn’t buy one, but well worth the money. Cuts lighting time in half.
@@RumandCook I have the IKAMAND which does help however, because of the software it's not very good.
Yeah I’ve heard that. I’ve used the BBQ Guru and it’s pretty good.
Thanks for the video. It has helped me decide and go with the Yoder. Could you provide the link of the pellets you use?
Congrats! In this video I used Lumber Jack Pellets. I usually get them from Dicks Sporting Goods. I also like Bear Mountain and BBQ’rs Delight that you can get at atbbq.com
@@RumandCook Thanks so much. I can’t wait to get going.
Since you’ve had a Kamado Joe and now have a Yoder YS640S. If you could only get one, which one would you get? I’m looking at the Big Joe and the Yoder. I’m leaning towards the Kamado because I think it’s more versatile and I think it would give the better smoke flavor.
If I could only have one it would be a Kamado. Definitely more versatile. I use my pellet grill during the week and my Komodo Kamado on the weekends when I have more time. Get the big Joe for sure. You’ll want the room.
Thank you!
No prob!
I have a big joe and a small joe, i would have chosen the Yoder. I have both and hardly use the Kamado or ever, it sits there in my outdoor kitchen but haven’t touched since the Yoder.
Great video, love my YS640!
Thanks! Keep on smoking 😁
Best place to purchase? Strong work on the review!
Regards,
David
Thank you sir!
There is a price increase coming and this is the current best price: bit.ly/YoderYS640S
Thanks for watching. 🍻
Apparently 7% price increase by sept 1st
Yep it’s on it’s way.
Great review. Much appreciated.
No problem. Thanks for watching!
I was going get the Yoder, but the rust issue just piss me off for the cost of the grill. I watch countless reviews and follow a group. I realize the performance is there, just the rust issue and people excuse it.
I hear what you are saying. I haven’t addressed it yet and plan to do a video on some painting in the fall.
I’m not a guy that enjoys handy work, but I don’t think it’s going to be that big of deal. If you look at all the big stick burners it’s a similar story. They constantly spray the firebox with oil.
I understand the concern though. I had to kick around the same issue. Thanks for watching!
Rust is going to happen no matter what. If you properly season & take care of it then it shouldn't be a problem
I have a video coming out soon where I apply a product that Yoder recommends that is supposed to almost eliminate the rust issue.
How many beef briskets would this hold? Do you think it would hold 4 beef briskets? Thanks.
Yeah you should be able to do that as long as they aren’t 20 pounders 😀
For pellets pit boss makes a 40lb compitition blend sold at Walmart for $16
Good tip!
Walmart pellets in a $4,000 grill - no thanks!
@@gosman949 ??
@@tedmccauley9319 I need not say more!
Howdy, I'm Brent and just ordered a Trager and just stated watching your TH-cam thing. I may have a helpful suggestion to resolve some your rust thing. I also stated learning about Chinese cooking, and WOK cooking. You may want to look at seasoning carbon steel WOK, and also look at seasoning cast iron frying pans. I recall a video where a Spanish guy scrubbed his cast iron really good without soap, dried it really good on stove top, wiped it with high-temp tolerant oil i.e., veg/oil or peanut oil, and placed in 400 deg oven for about 30 minutes. Repeat 1 or 2 more times. Side note; this is an amazing non-stick thing. Don’t' ever clean with soap again. Clean out with hot water and stiff brush or billow kind of pad, and boil aggressive in water, remove from water, dry wipe with veg oil, and burn off on stove top, in Oven, or maybe in grill?? Might help with rust thing for the parts inside the "Q". You still need to minimize water exposure, but this process is priceless for all kinds of country cooking.
If you’re interested in the Chinese thing I recommend see th-cam.com/users/SchoolofWok th-cam.com/users/SeonkyoungLongest, and www.youtube.com/@SoupedUpRecipes, .
Sorry man, I just saw some of your privioud vedios and it looks like your already way ahead of me. Thanks for your info.
No prob! 🍻
This unit ended up having a bad paint job. I saw your other comment, thanks for chiming in though! 🍻
So the fan will run in absence of pellets wiithout giving a self shut down? Like Traeger does? Referring to cold smoke option.
Yep, just turn it on and don’t hit the start button. 🍻
Have you heard of the Lone Star grills ?
Yep, I’m familiar with the product.
I just got my yoder y460s did the burn in for 1 hour at 350, sprayed with pam when it reached 350. My concern is it got up to 383 and as low as 300 with it set at 350, it was 40 degrees outside, I just hope when I cook on it, it will stay at +3 -3 degrees from the set temp??
Unfortunately pellets smokers do have some up and down. The probe is on the left side close to the firebox so you will see a bit of a swing but the actual air temp inside isn’t moving as much. In colder months it’s much more, you can get a thermal wrap for it if it becomes an issue.
During the summer it’s probably +/- 10 if I had to guess. That being said in long cooks there are plenty of times I’ve come out to spray and it’s been 1 or 2 degrees. I haven’t really dialed in to watch the swing in detail. Most pits are going to have swing, even the big offset wood ones. Temp has to drop a bit before you know you need to add another log.
Winter is tough to judge, if it becomes an issue you can do a special test and Yoder my ask you to adjust the offset. I’ll try and pay closer attention to mine since I’m in the North East and dealing 40 degree weather as well.
One thing people forget that is that digital temp gauge can be as accurate or inaccurate as the manufacturer wants. Yoder shows you accurate temps at all times. Their goal is constant clean blue smoke. Others stop the pellets to get super low swings, but burn a dirtier fire.
I’ll be doing a whole video on how Yoder’s handle temperature in a video soon!
Yep!
Hey brother I was looking at getting one of these but the temp swing scares me I have a came chef and it holds temp well I’m just nervous to but a big purchase
All pellet grills have temp swings, don’t let what they choose to show you cook you. 😉. Unfortunately, honestly is optional when it comes to the programming on the temp display. Yoder shows honest temps. Most don’t vary enough to impact what you are cooking. 🍻
Hello great video! I am in the market for a pellet grill specifically the ys640s however also looking at the traeger tmberling 1300d2 do you have any suggestions on either unit example smoke production etc? Thanks in advance
Thanks! I previously owned a Pro and an Ironwood 885 and feel the Yoder has some advantages. Traeger has a nicer app and built in recipes which is really nice, but when it comes to cooking the Yoder gets hotter, holds temps better because it’s not stamped metal, and the ability to truly sear is important to me.
I also like that I can pull the upgraded diffuser door open, dump the ash, and only have to take it apart to clean once a month.
I will also share that my after sales support experience with Traeger was dreadful. They also moved manufacturing to China years ago, but still charge a premium for their grills.
My experience wasn’t great, but there are many happy Traeger owners out there so take that for what it’s worth. Hope this helps.
All this being said, Yoder will require a bit more maintenance in the long run so they aren’t perfect. I like the matte paint so it’s easy to touch up, but wish I could skip that step. I will be trying some of that maintenance and shooting video of it in the spring. Many have mentioned spraying some oil on it. I might give that a try and share a video on it as well.
Thanks for watching!
Could you give me your source for pellets. I could not understand the name in the video. Thanks.
Atbbq.com is where I buy pellets and many rubs etc. They have BBQr’s Delight. They are good, but I’m working on a video with 6 brands and the results are very interesting.
@@RumandCook Thank you for your reply. Look forward to your video.
So the rust inside your grill is likely from decarbonization of the steel. This is very common with high heat.
I definitely like to crank it up and do some searing. 😁
How is the smoke amount in that verse the Traeger you had?
Very similar, I didn’t notice much a difference between the two.
Appreciate the insight
Thanks for watching!
Good video. Like the info.
Thank you, glad you found it useful!
Why did you trade out your big joe for the Kamado Kamado?
Nothing wrong with a KJ, but the KK is a much better unit. Just stepped up to a Porsche from a Chevy if that makes sense 😁.
Kamado grills shine because of their thermal mass and radiating the heat into the food 360 degrees. The KKs are handmade and are 3 times heavier. The food they produce is even better than a KJ. I also stepped up to a 32” which is a lot larger than the big KJ.
Thanks for watching!
Hey just came across your chanel, awesome video.
Just a quick question. I bought a yoder ys640s back in May, and i love my yoder made some amazing briskets and steaks and lots more. However for a low n slow cook I've always had issues controlling the pit. Like lately not sure why but whenever I set my put to 250 for example it shoots up to 265 or more. And until i don't change the temp to 245 it won't settle down. Was wondering if you've been experiencing any issues with temp control. And if so any tips to fix it. Thanks.
Ps just subbed. Keep the amazing content coming
Thank you sir!
First tip would be to unplug it for 10 minutes or so before your next low and slow so you can reset the controller.
I leave mine plugged in all the time but you actually are supposed to. I didn’t realize this until recently. When you hit the power button, it does the 15 minute cool down and the power is not fully turned off to the controller. Yoder wants you to unplug it but after that or at least unplug before a new cook. When I’ve seen temp swings it’s because I haven’t unplugged it in awhile to do a reset.
If you still have issues reach out to Yoder. They will have you follow a very specific setup guide to do a 2 hour cook where they will look at your FireWire charts and possibly ask you to adjust the offset. Make sure you follow the PDF exactly.
Hopefully that gets you all fixed up!
@@RumandCookthanks for the response, however i usually do unplugged after every cook as my smoker is far away from the outlet. Will contact yoder to see if they can help me out. Thanks
@@abudesai3762 I did the test on mine and had to adjust my offset. It's pretty easy to do. I may do a video on it sometime to show how it's done.
@@RumandCook Awesome that would be really helpful. Looking forward to that. Thanks
Just purchased mine today and the salesman said that when you set the temp @250 it will shoot up to like 350 then come down. that's to heat up the heavy gauge steel. look for a down arrow on the control panel indicating it's coming down to the set temp.
Just so you know I enjoy the content you put out too. It's one of the main channels besides ATBBQ that has me considering a YS640S.
Thanks, I appreciate that! I bought mine from atbbq 😀
How long does it take to get to temp? Say 250°. Is the start up time consistent? I've found that my Timberline 1300 is all over the place. Sometimes it's quick, like 15 minutes, other times it's 30 minutes. Typically it takes longer after I vacuum the fire pot
I’d say around 25-30 when the temps are in the 40s and 15 mins when it’s above 60. It’s pretty consistent.
The Yoder has a removable tray in the firebox. I always dump it before every use. I just dump it in the bottom of the unit and then vacuum everything every 6-8 weeks depending how often I use it.
@@RumandCook Thanks for the quick response!
No problem!
I live near the ocean and even if I keep this covered, I wonder how long it will last? I bought a cheap Cuisinart as my first smoker and have had lots of electrical problems with it. I read that often about all the pellet grills because most are made in China. Anybody have any problems with the electronics? I also need to get somebody to help me carry it up a flight of stairs lol. 300 lbs. Might still be worth it.
These are US made, but I’m not 100% sure on the controller unit. I know it’s well sealed, but I don’t know anyone who has used one near the ocean. Fireboard is a well known brand so maybe check their forums and see if anyone has had any issues.
I hope you have a strong friend haha!
Yoder has a three year warranty on the controller. I had a Traeger for 5 years and never had an electronics issue. There were other issues, but not electronics. I upgraded to a Green Mountain Grill 6 years ago and like it much more than the Traeger. No electronics issues on that one either, and very helpful customer service. Yoder will be my next one. Good luck.
@@dedblow I bought a GMG and have had no problems so far! Thanks!
Great presentation
Thanks much!
Great video
Thanks! Appreciate you watching.
They should change their prices in Europe to match US prices. Now they are 3 times more expensive here ... so GMG eats them for breakfast.
Wow, some say they are expensive in the US. That’s an expensive grill over there!
For the price the accessories and total cost seem like buying a Cadillac and having to pay for steering wheel and tires separately.
Yeah unfortunately not uncommon. I do believe they include the removable diffuser plate now though which is nice.
Thanks for watching!
I think I missed where you get your pellets from? Do you have a link?
I get mine from atbbq.com. You can by 3 bags with shipping included, or 1/2 and full pallets.
@@RumandCook Thank you. I was on there, but could not determine that they were as you described. Great video!!!!
Thank you sir! Yep just look under fuels. You will see bbqr delight pellets. Actually same pellet Yoder uses to test with.
Thanks for watching!
Number 1 thing Yoder and Fireboard need to do is go back to the whatever PID firmware they were using pre-2021 or so. At some point they "upgraded" the firmware to allow 50 degree overshoots before it even starts trying to turn the ship around. The problem with this methodology is that by the time you ACTUALLY start seeing reduced temps you're at a 75-100 degree overshoot. This never used to happen. On extremely hot summer days, this smoker has gone to an unrecoverable overshoot where the firepot is totally out of control. Yes my smoker is clean and ash free. This smoker works much better in winter because it limits it's ability to overshoot so far.
That’s not true. I’d try and temp test and adjust your offset.
Yoder works on a 4 minute average and adjust temps from there. I’ve never seen this happen with mine. It’s worth asking support. 🍻
Menards has Zep products for super cheap.
I have a Traeger but great review for any pellet grill.
Thank you. Lots of Traegers out there for sure. I owned a Pro and then an Ironwood myself. Thanks for watching!
@@RumandCook Thoughts on the Ironwood vs. Yoder? Obviously not a tank but significantly less cost (especially with adding up all the accessories you recommend). Is the +$1200 really worth it?
@@LifeisGoodtyGod I'm in the process of cleaning up my Instagram (@1rumandcook) to make it all food/YT video related, and I'm down to 77 posts. If you look near the beginning you will see a couple of the Traeger. I tried a Pro and then an Ironwood. Ironwood is much better than the Pro, but it still can't get as hot and can't sear like a Yoder.
If you are just going to smoke meats and do grilling where you don't care about a sear you'll be fine. If you want to sear steaks and smoke than sear burgers, the Yoder is worth the money. I actually shared my history on Traeger vs Yoder in the video originally, but it made the video way too long so I cut it out.
I'm not saying it doesn't cook good food because they do, I just value the extra heat and the searing ability. I also don't like that you have to get the Timberline to get a full gasket around the lid.
Hope this helps!
Buy a Lang lol.. if I would buy a pellet cooker it would be a Yoder 💪🏼. Nice review man
Thanks 🍻. Stick burner is on my list!
Don't like the location of the burn box. Burn box should be centered in grill.
Having owned a Traeger and now a Yoder, I don’t believe that’s required. Most of the big smokers out there are offset. The Yoder is made out of very heavy steel and retains heat well. Never had an issue with the firebox being on the side. Everyone has their preference though! Thanks for watching.
So your smoke flows straight out the stack bypassing the food?
Not following you at all. The whole chamber fills with smoke. If you want it extra Smokey, put it on the top shelf and all the smoke will go right over it.
Pellet grills aren’t known for their strong Smokey flavor to begin with. A burn box in the middle has nothing to do with that. I owned 2 Traegers and can tell you their food doesn’t haven’t any more smoke. Hope that helps!
@@RumandCook was responding to the poster. Smoke flow is important at higher temps when there is less smoke. At sub 200 temps of course it doesn't matter at 250 or 300 it matters
@@LoveMyKleeKai ahh ok sorry. I’m following you know. I was thinking to myself, an offset is the same way, how does the smoke go around the meat hah. Thanks!
Great video…Yoder is just way over priced for what you get…many competitors now give you more features for less and no rust…at least not so soon…I get it though…some guys just have to have it say Yoder. They all burn pellets at the end of the day.
As someone who has owned other pellet grills I will politely disagree. Most are made in China out of low grade material and with cheap electronics. You get what you pay for and I’ve found a pellet grill to be no different. Few can sear as well and now with the wood fired oven option it’s even tougher to beat.
I hear ya, they are pricey but so are the competitors who are making a comparable product. 🍻
I have used my Yoder 640 2x already. I'm not impressed right now. I have done chicken (breast 1st time, wings 2nd time.)
The chicken had hardly any smoke flavor whatsoever. I even tried 2 different brands of pellets. Lumberjack and then BBQ'ers Delight. I also noticed that constant temp is not that great on my unit. I had it set at 350..and most pellet smokers have a 10 degree range. Not mine. It would increase/decrease 30+ degrees at times.
When I had a Camp Chef..the food had a good smoke flavor..but I sent that unit back because the quality sucked and heat would escape the cooking chamber quite easily and take forever to get back up to temp.
You can try moving the meat to the top shelf to get more smoke in it. Traditionally pellet grills do not have a ton of smoke, especially on a quicker cook. On a longer cook you will get some smoke into it. I do notice some temp fluctuations. More so at the higher temps. I’m going to be testing a device that is supposed to keep more smoke in the chamber and will be doing a video soon.
@@RumandCook what's the device you are going to try out?
A godke downdraft. Not sure how well they work, but I’m going to find out 😁
@@RumandCook let me know how the Godke works. I saw a response post by Herb Yoder on a web board that said using such a device would "void" the Yoder warranty. How the hell would they know one used a Godke?!
I went out and bought an A maze N smoke tube for $20. Gonna try that out when doing poultry seeing it looks like chicken isn't able to absorb a lot of smoke flavor. Yoder suggested a smoke tube if one wants "dirty smoke" to their food.
I’ll find out, I hadn’t heard about it voiding the warranty.
I’ve used a pellet smoking tube tons and it doesn’t add a dirty flavor. Check out my pork chop video.
Pellet smokers put out a lot less smoke flavor above 250-275. I love to do a marinaded chicken breast at 450 right over the firebox with the plate in. It doesn’t get smoke flavor, but the marinade doesn’t burn and gets some grill marks. 12mins a side roughly.
That is definitely not made of cast iron. It’s made from sheet steel.
Yeah, I know. It’s 10 gauge steel, just on camera brain freeze haha. Thanks for watching!
They aren't made of cast. They are made of plate steel.
Cool thanks! Shows you what I know about steel. Haha. Appreciate you answering.
@@RumandCook Anytime!
I too once pushed a mouse for a paycheck, in IS. Decided to leave the desk and get into industrial motor controls. I still use my IT background along with industrial controls/automation.
My pops has the 480 with the competition cart, and it's quite sturdy. Other than aesthetics, do you feel that your smoker would benefit from the cart, or is it just money wasted?
Cool, both have bright futures! Always need both :)
Comp cart really only adds looks and big wheels to move around easier. If you aren’t moving it a ton, I wouldn’t spend the money. The wheels it comes with are pretty sturdy to begin with. Comp cart wheels are just really nice if you are moving over grass or gravel often.
It seems that, at least now, you can get the 10" wheels without getting the comp cart.
I'm building a house right now. If it weren't for not wanting to move a 300lb grill, I would have it already!
Keep up the videos, I've enjoyed them.
Haha yeah it’s a bit heavy for sure.
Mine was delivered and I had it on its side to the wheels on and was trying to get it on its “feet” to roll it around back and fire it up.
My wife was like why is it, when instructions say you need two people that you don’t listen? I was like I have a 2x4 for leverage and some blocks to stop the wheels. I’m too impatient to wait. Haha
Thanks for the comments and glad to hear you enjoy the vids!
Lost me a cast
It’s actually 10 gauge steel. I didn’t look it up before shooting the video.
dude sounds like Anthony jeselneck
Lol I checked some sound bites and I don’t hear it, but my ear may be broken hah.
Thanks for watching.
You can definitely tell you're an I.T. guy. Lol
An IT guy who can cook. 🍻
I quit listening once he said it was made out of cast. 🤣
Well like I said, I’m a computer guy. First thing that jumped in my head. 😆
@joe relph
Why are you such a douchebag?
Way overpriced
Just like everything else, you get what you pay for. It’s built in the US, unlike most others, and it’s 10 gauge steel. There is a reason why it weighs 335 pounds and most others weigh less than half.
Buy a traeger for YOUR price range and you’ll see why this is worth it
Even Traeger is getting too much for being made over seas, just my humble opinion, and if someone is on the market for a Yoder I don’t think they’re too worried about the price tag since there’s way affordable options like Camp Chef or something.
Traeger still has some cheap options. Just go to Costco 🤣. They sell super cheap options just to get a sale.
My price range is well within dbag. I just wouldn’t waste my money as there are better alternatives other than treager.
Excellent video
Thanks much! 🍻