Longtime reader of Amazingribs.com and Meathead fan, I am considering adding a pellet grill to my outdoor cooker lineup. I currently have a Weber 22" with SnS as my main outdoor cooker, and I also have a BGE Mini. I have had a large big green egg in the past, but sold it when I sold my last house and replaced it with the 22" Kettle + SnS for easier 2 zone cooking. I have also had various gas grills in the past (Weber Genesis, a Tec and most recently a Solaire infra red, also sold when I moved as it was built in), but I don't have a gasser now and am not really considering one. I also have a Joule Sous Vide circulator, I mention this as I use it quite a bit for super ease of cooking larger hunks of meat, i.e. if I'm doing a prime rib or something it's usually done sous vide - I definitely do not "need" another cooker, it's just something I am considering.
So would fill the following roles:
1) Would partially replace the role a gas grill has played in the past - weeknights for burgers and stuff when I'm too lazy to start a fire (I have an almost 1 year old son, he takes a lot of the time and attention after work that used to go towards tinkering with a big green egg). Reverse sear ability is a big plus. I realize none of these will sear as well as directly over the SnS, but reverse sear ability about on par with a decent gasser (Weber Genesis) would be nice.
2) Smoker for longer low n slow cooks. I don't love super strong smoke flavor and my wife likes it less than I do, so I don't really see the more subtle smoke flavor knock in many reviews of pellet cookers as a negative.
3) Would like the added capacity when entertaining. The 22" kettle has plenty of room for cooking for my family, but there are times when hosting people over where I think the capacity of something like the YS640 would be nice to have. This could be either as a smoker or for burgers, so again the versatility of either low n slow smoke roasting or reverse sear, or both on the same day, would be nice.
The front runner I am considering is the Yoder YS640, based on the reviews I've read here and elsewhere it seems like it would fit what I want fairly well. It's a little large for my space but I think it would fit ok. I'm not really considering the smaller YS480 as they are almost the same price, and I do think the larger capacity would be nice to have esp when setting it up for reverse sear where the 480 might feel kind of small.
A few questions I have on the YS640:
1) It seems the biggest knock on them is they are "pellet hogs". I have encountered some comments online arguing Yoder did it all wrong and the thick steel is a poor design for a pellet smoker as it just adds mass that needs to be heated. Comments on this, from people who have owned them? Is this issue overblown? I have never given the cost of propane or charcoal a second thought, is pellet consumption a similar magnitude cost wise?
2) I live in FL - is rust an issue? Will be stored under a covered patio. One person in one thread here inferred there have been a lot of rust issues with the Yoder, but they didn't link any sources for this and I have not come across much mention of rust issues in my searches aside from that one comment.
3) Are the wheels on the standard version sufficient to wheel around the patio? I would like to avoid the added cost of the comp cart if possible. Again, this will be stored under covered patio pushed up against the wall, I imagine I will want to roll it out from under the cover when using so smoke can escape. My patio is all pavers, so it's not like I would be rolling it over grass or dirt or anything, but it would be getting wheeled maybe 10-15 ft most times it is used.
4) How well does the YS640 work for reverse sear with the grill grates and trap door setup? How long does it take to go from say 250 for indirect to searing temp? I imagine if doing something like burgers, I could start the cook w/ grill grates already on and trap door open to avoid having to change the layout when it's hot.
5) Does anyone have the dimensions with side shelf removed? Website says width is 61" with the side shelf, I think removing it could resolve the concern I have of it taking up too much space (it will physically fit either way, it's just a matter of how much real estate I want to give up).
As I said, YS640 is clearly the front runner but I am willing to consider other options, some others worth mentioning:
Pitts and Spitts 850 - I really like the look of these, I think it would be less of an eyesore on my patio than the Yoder. Not sure if it would reverse sear as well though, and there is less information/reviews on them in general. Similar heavy construction to the Yoder, which is either good or bad depending on who's opinion I am reading.
Rec Tec - Great value, may be a good option if concerns about the Yoder being a "pellet hog" are valid. I don't like the looks of it that much though, it definitely looks more cheaply made than the Yoder. How is it for reverse sear?
Most of the others on the market don't seem as well suited to reverse sear as the Yoder. The Maks get great reviews, I think the 1 star is a little small for what I want and the 2 star is a different class price wise
Two of the biggest things that are keeping me from puling the trigger are, the Yoder is big and it's expensive (again, I physically have room for it but am trying to keep my patio something resembling uncluttered). OTOH, if I was going the gasser route I don't think I would think twice about getting a Weber Genesis II or even a Summit, either of which would be just as big and similarly expensive as the YS640.
So would fill the following roles:
1) Would partially replace the role a gas grill has played in the past - weeknights for burgers and stuff when I'm too lazy to start a fire (I have an almost 1 year old son, he takes a lot of the time and attention after work that used to go towards tinkering with a big green egg). Reverse sear ability is a big plus. I realize none of these will sear as well as directly over the SnS, but reverse sear ability about on par with a decent gasser (Weber Genesis) would be nice.
2) Smoker for longer low n slow cooks. I don't love super strong smoke flavor and my wife likes it less than I do, so I don't really see the more subtle smoke flavor knock in many reviews of pellet cookers as a negative.
3) Would like the added capacity when entertaining. The 22" kettle has plenty of room for cooking for my family, but there are times when hosting people over where I think the capacity of something like the YS640 would be nice to have. This could be either as a smoker or for burgers, so again the versatility of either low n slow smoke roasting or reverse sear, or both on the same day, would be nice.
The front runner I am considering is the Yoder YS640, based on the reviews I've read here and elsewhere it seems like it would fit what I want fairly well. It's a little large for my space but I think it would fit ok. I'm not really considering the smaller YS480 as they are almost the same price, and I do think the larger capacity would be nice to have esp when setting it up for reverse sear where the 480 might feel kind of small.
A few questions I have on the YS640:
1) It seems the biggest knock on them is they are "pellet hogs". I have encountered some comments online arguing Yoder did it all wrong and the thick steel is a poor design for a pellet smoker as it just adds mass that needs to be heated. Comments on this, from people who have owned them? Is this issue overblown? I have never given the cost of propane or charcoal a second thought, is pellet consumption a similar magnitude cost wise?
2) I live in FL - is rust an issue? Will be stored under a covered patio. One person in one thread here inferred there have been a lot of rust issues with the Yoder, but they didn't link any sources for this and I have not come across much mention of rust issues in my searches aside from that one comment.
3) Are the wheels on the standard version sufficient to wheel around the patio? I would like to avoid the added cost of the comp cart if possible. Again, this will be stored under covered patio pushed up against the wall, I imagine I will want to roll it out from under the cover when using so smoke can escape. My patio is all pavers, so it's not like I would be rolling it over grass or dirt or anything, but it would be getting wheeled maybe 10-15 ft most times it is used.
4) How well does the YS640 work for reverse sear with the grill grates and trap door setup? How long does it take to go from say 250 for indirect to searing temp? I imagine if doing something like burgers, I could start the cook w/ grill grates already on and trap door open to avoid having to change the layout when it's hot.
5) Does anyone have the dimensions with side shelf removed? Website says width is 61" with the side shelf, I think removing it could resolve the concern I have of it taking up too much space (it will physically fit either way, it's just a matter of how much real estate I want to give up).
As I said, YS640 is clearly the front runner but I am willing to consider other options, some others worth mentioning:
Pitts and Spitts 850 - I really like the look of these, I think it would be less of an eyesore on my patio than the Yoder. Not sure if it would reverse sear as well though, and there is less information/reviews on them in general. Similar heavy construction to the Yoder, which is either good or bad depending on who's opinion I am reading.
Rec Tec - Great value, may be a good option if concerns about the Yoder being a "pellet hog" are valid. I don't like the looks of it that much though, it definitely looks more cheaply made than the Yoder. How is it for reverse sear?
Most of the others on the market don't seem as well suited to reverse sear as the Yoder. The Maks get great reviews, I think the 1 star is a little small for what I want and the 2 star is a different class price wise
Two of the biggest things that are keeping me from puling the trigger are, the Yoder is big and it's expensive (again, I physically have room for it but am trying to keep my patio something resembling uncluttered). OTOH, if I was going the gasser route I don't think I would think twice about getting a Weber Genesis II or even a Summit, either of which would be just as big and similarly expensive as the YS640.
Comment