Yoder Smokers
Yoder YS640s
The Yoder YS640s is a 315 lb pellet smoker welded from 10-gauge American steel in Yoder, Kansas, with the FireBoard-based ACS controller and true direct-flame grilling. On BBQ forums it's the buy-once-cry-once pellet grill.
Specifications
Features
Pros
- ✓Nothing under $3,000 approaches its build - 10-gauge steel everywhere means thermal mass that laughs at wind, winter, and decade-plus daily use
- ✓The 'Yoder' name caps out search results across r/pelletgrills, r/smoking, r/BBQ, and r/grilling - the consensus endgame pellet grill
- ✓The ACS controller is built on FireBoard hardware with WiFi and two probe ports, and holds within about 5°F across a 14-hour brisket in independent testing
- ✓Swap the heat diffuser for the direct-grilling setup and it sears steaks over live flame at 600°F+ like a charcoal grill
- ✓1,070 sq in across two shelves with nearly 12 inches of headroom swallows briskets, turkeys, and rib racks simultaneously
- ✓Smoke flavor is heavier than mainstream pellet grills thanks to the thick body and firebox design
- ✓It's hand-built in Kansas with a 10-year body warranty and a company that answers the phone and ships parts for decades-old pits
- ✓Resale holds remarkably well - used YS640s still command most of their original price
Cons
- ✗At ~$2,799 (over $3,100 on the competition cart) it costs as much as three mainstream pellet grills
- ✗315 lbs means delivery, assembly, and any relocation is a two-person-minimum event, and it's never going to a tailgate
- ✗The painted steel finish (not stainless) needs occasional touch-up to prevent surface rust, especially in humid climates
- ✗Pellet consumption is higher than insulated thin-wall grills since all that steel takes energy to heat
- ✗No frills - no pellet sensor, no ash-cleanout system (you vacuum the firepot), and side shelves cost extra on some configs
- ✗The direct-grilling conversion means physically swapping internal plates, not flipping a lever like Pit Boss's slide plate
- ✗It's sold mostly direct or through specialty dealers, so you likely can't see one before committing to freight shipping
- ✗Electrical components carry a much shorter warranty than the 10-year body coverage
Compare the Yoder YS640s
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