Yoder Smokers YS640s Hands-On: a pellet smoker like no other

You may not be thinking about grilling this time of year, but as the weather cools to bearable levels after a sweltering summer, it’s a great time to cook outdoors. While many excellent grill dishes are on the market, from gas Unpleasant charcoal And pellet Unpleasant kamado, choosing the right grill depends on your needs. But what if you could buy one grill that provides a cooking experience comparable to all of these options?

I found that in the Yoder YS640s pellet smoker. From build quality to performance, there are a few things that set this stove apart from others on the market. I’ll break down the three areas that make the Yoder YS640s the grill you’ll want to use all year round.

What makes the Yoder YS640s different from other pellet grills?

As a little background on the brand Yoderthe company began in Yoder, Kansas, in 2007, when president and owner Don Cary designed and built the first offset smoker by hand. But that was only for friends and family. In 2009, Yoder began manufacturing its stoves commercially and has continued to design and manufacture its products in Yoder, Kansas.

The company has gone beyond the traditional offset smoker and offers pellet smokers, grills, flat tops, Santa Marias and even trailer-mounted smokers. But no matter how the company has grown and expanded its product line, Yoder continues to build products that are designed to last a lifetime.

I had the opportunity to visit Everything related to barbecuing in Wichita, KS, which serves as a dedicated storefront for the stoves. While I was there, I spoke with some of the chefs from the Yoder test kitchen, including chef Tom Jacksonto find out everything about their pellet smokers.

1. Build quality

While there are always exceptions to the rule, the expression “you get what you pay for” is often true. In many ways this applies to the grills and smokers, whether the programming determines how many and when to add pellets to the materials used in making the stove; not everyone is created equal.

Traeger is the most recognizable brand in pellet stoves, and for good reason. Traeger popularized the category with great products and innovative features. These are also typically some of the most expensive options on the market. As much as I love using the products, such as the Ironwood XLCompared to the Yoder YS640s, it falls short in terms of build quality.

Most brands of grills use powder-coated steel for the majority of their construction materials. That metal is generally about 1 to 1.5 mm thick. Yoder uses solid 10-gauge steel, which is approximately 3.5mm thick and provides more than just durability to the stove.

In addition to using thicker steel for construction, Yoder also uses high-temperature paint instead of powder coating. When I asked the Yoder team why during my visit, I was told it was a decision to extend the life of the grill.

If you scratch or dent something with a powder coating, it will usually crack and peel. This causes moisture to get under the coating, causing rust. If the paint on the Yoder comes off – or if it becomes scratched – it can be sanded and touched up with paint. When you purchase a grill, a small spray can is included.

Another benefit of using thicker steel is that it increases the cooker’s ability to maintain a constant temperature, which is essential when cooking for longer periods and using fewer pellets. Heavy steel isn’t just relegated to the outside of the grill. It is also used for the base, cooking grates and heat diffuser.

2. Direct access to the flame

You usually cook over direct fire on a gas or charcoal grill. This allows you to sear your burgers and steaks better and you can sear vegetables faster than with indirect cooking. But smokers, pellet or otherwise, don’t have direct access to the flames for cooking Yoder YS640s do.

Modern smokers use a heat conductor to distribute heat evenly across the grill. They can also direct smoke for reverse flow smoking to add more flavor. These deflectors are generally solid pieces of metal that run the length of the stove. The same goes for the Yoder, but apart from using heavier steel than the competition, there is also a removable lid over the pellet burn pot.

By removing this cover you can cook your food directly over the fire, something other pellet grills do not allow. The best way to use this feature is with the anodized aluminum grill rails sold individual. Although this accessory is not necessary, it provides a better searing experience by concentrating the heat on the top rail, where the food rests, and circulating the drippings as they drip to the lower parts of the grill rails.

Another feature unique to the Yoder YS640s is that the brazier is not located in the center of the stove like other brands. The pellet magazine and controller are on the left side of the grill, so Yoder decided to place the brazier on the left side as well. This means that there is a shorter distance between the pellets and the brazier, meaning fewer pellets are left in the auger. It provides a wider temperature range across the grill’s cooking area, giving you more flexibility when preparing your food.

3. Accessories that are as durable as the grill

Yoder not only makes a smoker capable of grilling an excellent steak and smoking a brisket for 15 hours. It offers accessories that are just as well made and that explore the possibilities of the YS640s.

In addition to the grill rails already mentioned, Yoder has grill covers, cast iron baking trays, different grill sizes, shelves, drawers and even a pizza oven. All of these are built to a high standard and are intended to last a very long time.

The pizza oven is particularly impressive, not only in terms of functionality but also in terms of construction. Yoder uses the same heavy steel of the grills to handle temperatures up to 1000 degrees. While I was at the All Things BBQ shop, I watched the team prepare and cook two pizzas from scratch using the pizza oven, and they were delicious — just like the Made pizza on my fire pit.

Although it’s called a pizza oven, Yoder’s kitchen team said they’ve cooked pies, bread, lasagna and more. As a bonus, the top of the pizza oven also gets very hot, which makes an excellent stovetop for cooking something in a skillet while you use the oven.

Yoder doesn’t get the same press and recognition as many other grill brands, but make no mistake: they make some of the best grills we’ve tested. While you won’t find it AI cooking functions or eye-catching product displays at your local big box store, you’ll find these grills provide highly consistent and excellent performance in many areas including heat management, versatility, durability and more in a product designed and built in the USA.