Yoder 640 pellet

[Dr ROK]

I'm looking at purchasing a Yoder 640 pellet grill and would like to solicit feedback from any pit members that have one. What do you like the most about the grill and what are the shortcomings of the 640? Thanks in advance!

[Troutman]

Don't have one but everything I've heard about them is positive, gotta think you would love it Dr ROK . The only reason I didn't get the Yoder was the $650 shipping fee to my house so I bought locally.

[6th Borough BBQ]

The shipping fee was killer for everything I wanted also. I bit the bullet on my Lang though and have never looked back.

[Donw]

I got lucky with my Yoder. The Yoder dealer about 50 miles away in Dover doesn’t add shipping to the price whenyou buy from him, and Delaware has no sales tax. Saved me over $700.

[Flat Rocker]

I'd suggest taking a look at Blaz'n Grill Works. I was considering a Yoder, but I'm really happy with my Grand Slam. Worse case, you could drive to Beatrice, maybe with a trailer, and pick it up yourself, saving the shipping charges. Tim at Blaz'N has always been very helpful. Let us know what you end up with.

[Jerod Broussard]

If you pick it up I'm pretty sure you're going to pay sales tax, plus fuel, etc....

Ah, now I see he is in Nebraska, helps to read some.

[Dr ROK]

Yes, in NE, but 6 hours away from Beatrice. Easily a couple hundred in fuel to get there and back. Plus meals and motel.

[Donw]

I have a 640. The one thing that bothered me the most was the one piece diffuser plate. It had to be removed entirely to clean the firebox which I do after every cook. It also had to be removed to cook over a direct flame. It wasn’t hard to do, but when I removed it for a cook, I had to store it someplace. I then sprung for the 2 piece diffuser and it makes everything much easier to clean, and also gives me an open flame area when I need it.

I guess my feeling is that the 2 piece diffuse should be standard, and not an almost $200 add on.

[Dr ROK]

I agree that it should be standard too. Have you done any fiddling with the sliding plate in the bottom? How well does cooking directly over the fire pot work?

[Donw]

The 5 inches in on the damper works well for me to balance the sides, and all the way in for just using the flame. I use grill grates on the left side when I want to sear, and use the prime function to get the flames I want for searing. I get a perfectly acceptable sear everytime.

[Spinaker]

I have cooked on one a few times, and I loved it. If I was going to get a pellet grill, I think it would be a YS640.

[Jerod Broussard]

I gave The Yoder640 one more look before I ordered my Grid Iron. The shelf system and upgraded wheels (way less than $795) is what won me over.

[Sweaty Paul]

I just got my 640 and really love it. I did the 2 piece diffuser and it is a game changer. What I like most about the grill is the controller and how accurate it is. I haven’t had time to really play a lot because of work
and western Kansas winds. However, I’ve done one long cook and had two thermometer probes on the grates one on top shelf and the other on the bottom shelf. The one on top was 10 degrees cooler than set point on controller while the bottom shelf probe was within 3-5 degrees for the six hour cook. It burns very clean too.

Bottom line, glad I made the move to a YS-640.

[Dr ROK]

Yes, definitely going with the 2 piece. Have you done any fiddling with the sliding plate in the bottom of the grill? Have you tried cooking directly over the flame?

[Sweaty Paul]

I have fiddled a bit. I’ve found that the whole pit has very even temps if I pull the slider all the way out and then push it in about 5-6”. When I did direct stuff I pushed it all the way in to help focus heat on the bottom of the Dutch oven I was using.

[CandySueQ]

I have the Big One! Yoder Cimarron Pellet Trailer. I cook without diffuser entirely. I have two large Grill Grate panels that I put right over the fire pot to keep the ash down. Never thought to take the diffuser out when I had a 640! But I got real good at taking it out to light it when the hot rod gave out.

The Blaz’n is a good choice too. Tim is good people.

[CandySueQ]

No. It was replaced once and #2 is still working. Backwoods Pellet Chef has a switched ignitor. That's been my favorite setup. That way it doesn't pull power heavy just to start it. I don't mind a bit lighting the fire myself!

[Dr ROK]

CandySueQ , do you remember how difficult it was to replace the ignitor?

[Sweaty Paul]

@DrRok - I saw a YouTube video and swapping igniters
On YS 640

[GadjetGriller]

I had wanted the YS 640 forever until I saw Baby Back Maniac's video on the MAK 2 star. https://youtu.be/l6JZwO0HKhk If he had done one about the Yoder I would have been in a lot of trouble!! LOL

[Dr ROK]

MAK 2 star looks like a great grill too, but the yoder seems to have more room for what I need to do. I cater and need to cook large quantities of butts setting over pans of beans. The yoder seems to fit that need better. I like the probe capabilities of the MAK!

[Sweaty Paul]

Dr ROK - there is a probe port on YS-640 now. Have my Mavericks running through it.

[GadjetGriller]

Dr ROK Well you aint kidding. I got the grill a couple of days ago but just now un-boxing. When I opend the cook chamber for the 1st time I was real surprised how small the area is?? Real happy I opted for the 2nd shelf now. I'm still gonna keep it just surprised.

[Dr ROK]

Sweaty Paul , the thing I like about the MAK is that the probe is part of the computer and will reduce pit temp when your product reaches the desired final temp. I wish Yoder offered this or at least mentioned they are looking at moving in this direction in the future and were going to offer the option of upgrading. I believe the MAK is also wifi capable, that'd be a plus too!

[Sweaty Paul]

Ah ha. Didn’t understand what you meant. I see the benefits and considered that prior to getting the 640, but, then I realized and remembered when the food was getting close to being done I am always there and don’t really need that feature as I want to see and be there then.

[Sweaty Paul]

Also, I needed space. Good luck on your quest.

[Dr ROK]

Sweaty Paul , Yes, I agree that I want to be there, but it would be very nice to be able to monitor the cook online in those instance where I'd like to leave the house/town during a 15+ hour cook. (I live in a very small town in western Nebraska, so I'm about 25 minutes from any larger sized stores for spices, hardware, etc.) Also, I've had a pellet grill bridge on me resulting in the fire going out. Would be nice to get an alarm on the phone. Have you done much direct grilling on yours? What kind of a mess does it make?

[Sweaty Paul]

I haven’t done much direct grilling on mine yet. My buddy, however, direct grills on his daily and it is pretty awesome. He has his grill grates in all the time. He almost never cleans his grill (last time a year ago) and it really wasn’t too bad. I’m pretty obsessive and I have a new toy so mine is pretty darn clean.

[Sweaty Paul]

By the way, where are you in Western Nebraska? I’m
In Hays, KS.
As an aside I’m pretty stoked about Scott Frost as our new coach.

[Troutman]

First off I like BB Maniac for the most part and I really like the MAK, a buddy of mine has a 2 Star General and we're always comparing results of his and my Pellet Pro. What I don't buy off on is BB Maniac's contention that the butt he smoked on the MAK was equally as smokey in flavor as one he could do on a stick burner. Really? Not sure what alternate universe he's living in but I've had both and I gotta respectfully disagree. The MAK is an awesome cooker regardless, as is the Yoder !!!

[Spinaker]

Yeah, I found that one a bit hard to believe, myself.

[GadjetGriller]

Im hoping its true cause thats the reason I pulled the trigger on mine.(well that and I'm lazy) I wanted to go to his home town and cook a brisket on his before committing but we couldn't figure out a time.

[Dr ROK]

Sweaty Paul , I'm about as far west as you can get and still be in Nebraska. Morrill is 8 miles from the Wyoming border. Yes, Frost is a big win for us. Feel the fan base will give him extra time to right the ship if needed since he's a homegrown hero. His recruiting was awesome this year. A few good seasons and he could start making things happen. Small world! I went to Colby Community College for a year. Had my wisdom teeth surgically removed at the Hays Hospital that year. Also have good friends that live there named Troy & Kathy Thompson.

[Sweaty Paul]

Don’t know your friends. But, the world is small. Very excited about Frost. My uncle was a professor at UNL and although I was born and raised in Iowa I am a Husker through and through. Should be a got d beginning. Let me know on your Yoder. Maybe we can compare and exchange recipes.

[Dr ROK]

Would love to compare and exchange. Go Big Red!

[Ed Wyatt]

I just received my YS640 on March 9 2018. It’s a beast. My stick burner is a Myron Mixon MMS60. The Yoder will get lots of work.

[Donw]

Beautiful. Can’t wait to hear about your first cook on it!

[Sweaty Paul]

Think you’re gonna love it. I really love mine.

[randy.56]

Be carefull getting that load out of your truck, call for help.