Need help with choosing smoker!!

[Utbbq]

Hello.
I am fairly new to the smoking, although I've been eating for several years. I have a couple of Traeger pellet grills and am looking to move up a little. Can anyone tell me the difference (or preference) between the YS640 and YS1500, besides the obvious size difference? I wouldn't be catering or anything. I've just heard there are a few differences in the way that they cook and not sure if it will make a difference to me personally.

Thoughts, comments, suggestions welcome and encouraged.

[PekingPorker]

In my opinion the 640 is probably the perfect cooker for most people, especially backyard smokers. The 1500 is bigger (obviously) but eats a lot more pellets per hour to keep that larger chamber full. I've only had my Yoder for 6 months, so most of my cooks were in winter, and the 1500 did burn through a ton of pellets. My last two cooks with temperatures in the 70's seem to have reduced pellet consumption quite a bit.

I've never cooked on a 640, but I have yet to fill my 1500 to capacity. That said, I do also use a gravity smoker so I haven't needed to fill up the Yoder.

Hopefully nucornhusker will see this post and chime in. I know he's had both smokers.

[Sausage Warrior]

Sounds like you've got your mind made up to me. I'll save my suggestion (for what it's worth).

[SGH]

Originally Posted by PekingPorker

In my opinion the 640 is probably the perfect cooker for most people, especially backyard smokers.

There is a lot of truth in the statement above^^^^^^^^^^^^. If you do not need the added capacity, the YS640 will perform flawlessly. Brother Malcolm Reed uses a YS640 and his food is outstanding. Yeah I can get a deeper more pronounced smoke ring with my large Shirley offset, but this is comparing apples to oranges. After seeing brother Reeds in action, I'm considering a 640 myself. All that said, if you see yourself cooking large loads or events, then the 1500 would be the way to go. However for typical home cooking and small get togethers, the 640 is near perfect as stated above. I have seen the 640 up close and in action, it is built like a tank and does a outstanding job. The 640 is a true all around unit that is reasonably conservative on pellets. It would be my first choice on brother Reeds recommendation alone.

[nucornhusker]

I'll offer the differences first.

• The YS640 is square and based on a grill platform where the YS1500 is round and based off of a wood smoker platform.
  
• The YS640's firepot sits closer to the cooking surface allowing for a better grilling performance were the YS1500's firepot is flush to the floor and further from the cooking surface allowing the air to flow through the pit like a wood smoker and a better smoking performance.
  
• The YS640 uses a standard diffuser plate similar to other pellet cookers where the YS1500 uses the Yoder HMS system with graduated holes to allow heat and smoke to distrubute throughout the pit more evenly. The HMS also has a sliding damper to allow you to adjust temperature evenness or to give you a hot spot if needed to sear, set sauce, etc.
  
• Pellet usage is fairly similar between the two pits, but the YS1500 has a slightly lower pellet consumption rate than the YS640.
  
• The YS640 is made from 10 gauge steel where the YS1500 is made from thicker 3/16" steel.
  
• The cooking surface is larger on the YS1500

Both are great pits and if I could be greedy and have whatever I wanted I would take both. However, in the real world most of us can only have one. I guess the question you need to ask yourself is if you are looking for something that can do it all well, or something that is geared mostly toward smoking. Both pits can smoke, grill, bake, etc. However, the grilling and baking performance is a little better on the YS640 due to its design, but smoking performance is better on the YS1500. The YS640 is a great smoker and the YS1500 is a good grill, but both have their advantage. If you want to use this as mostly a smoker and need capacity, get the YS1500. If you are wanting this to be a jack of all trades, cook anything for the family several times a week, I'd say get the YS640.

Either way you can't go wrong and the customer support from Yoder is fantastic. If you call them up and talk to them they can probably ask you some better questions to determine which pit is best for your uses. Believe me, if they feel the YS640 is the best fit, they won't try to up-sell you into a YS1500. They will be honest and tell you what is best for your needs.

[redline bovine]

Nucornhusker said that the YS640 is the better at grilling and baking. And I agree 100%. However, he also said that the YS640 is the best performer at smoking. Now, I'm not positive about this, But I believe that he meant to say that the YS1500 is the better performer at smoking. Hopefully, nucornhusker will see this post and re-read what he said, and clear things up for us. At least, I hope that this is what he meant to say.

[nucornhusker]

Originally Posted by redline bovine

Nucornhusker said that the YS640 is the better at grilling and baking. And I agree 100%. However, he also said that the YS640 is the best performer at smoking. Now, I'm not positive about this, But I believe that he meant to say that the YS1500 is the better performer at smoking. Hopefully, nucornhusker will see this post and re-read what he said, and clear things up for us. At least, I hope that this is what he meant to say.

The YS1500 is the better performing smoker. That's what I meant to say, I just typed in the wrong model. Prior post edited. Thanks RB for catching that and sorry for any confusion.

[luv2smoke]

Originally Posted by Utbbq

Hello.
I am fairly new to the smoking, although I've been eating for several years. I have a couple of Traeger pellet grills and am looking to move up a little. Can anyone tell me the difference (or preference) between the YS640 and YS1500, besides the obvious size difference? I wouldn't be catering or anything. I've just heard there are a few differences in the way that they cook and not sure if it will make a difference to me personally.

Thoughts, comments, suggestions welcome and encouraged.

Are you stuck on pellet grills or are you open to other types of cookers?
At the risk of starting a huge pissing match I've never tasted anything from a pellet grill that would compare to a stick burner or a charcoal and wood burner. Not trying to get a major reaction from the pellet heads, just stating my opinion.

[nucornhusker]

Originally Posted by luv2smoke

Are you stuck on pellet grills or are you open to other types of cookers?
At the risk of starting a huge pissing match I've never tasted anything from a pellet grill that would compare to a stick burner or a charcoal and wood burner. Not trying to get a major reaction from the pellet heads, just stating my opinion.

I'll chime in with my $.02. This is a common thought. Smoke flavor is not a problem with either pellet pit I owned. Now compared to a smoker not burning a clean fire, yes it will be less smokey, but the pellet pit will always provide good, clean smoke. Some people will start their pellet pits at 180* and cook for a few hours to get a stronger smoke favor on the meat. I have done this a the results are good. Also, pellet brand matters. I only burn Lumberjack and BBQr's Delight. They give the best flavor IMO.

I have cooked ribs on my YS1500 and a Yoder Kingman stickpit at the same time, same wood, same temp (225*) seasoned with only salt and pepper and the results were pretty shocking at how so very close the smoke flavor was. It was a little richer with the stick pit, but if you asked people to tell them apart, they probably couldn't. I will also note that I run an obsessively clean fire in a stick pit, but that's the way it should be.

Yoder designs their pellet cookers to perform like a wood smoker, and in my experience the results are very similar. Identical, no, but very, very similar. I know of people that sell their stick pits because their YS1500 does so good and gives them the flavor they want so well that they don't want to hassle with a stickpit anymore. I love to stick burn and I will have one again, but the YS1500 will always have a place here.

[redline bovine]

Nucornhusker- No problem. I was pretty sure that was what you meant to say. I have read your quite large thread on the YS1500 and the fact that you also had owned the YS640. So, given these facts sir I view you as a somewhat of an expert when it comes to these two smokers. And I know that you are very humble when it come to someone saying that you are an expert. To me, this just solidifies the fact. I have been raised to respect people that are humble and honest.

[tubby384]

Just reading nucornhusker's reply makes me want a pellet grill. Thanks for the detailed info.

[nucornhusker]

Originally Posted by redline bovine

Nucornhusker- No problem. I was pretty sure that was what you meant to say. I have read your quite large thread on the YS1500 and the fact that you also had owned the YS640. So, given these facts sir I view you as a somewhat of an expert when it comes to these two smokers. And I know that you are very humble when it come to someone saying that you are an expert. To me, this just solidifies the fact. I have been raised to respect people that are humble and honest.

Wow, thank you for the very kind compliment. You are right, I don't consider myself an expert by any stretch, just experienced with both pits. But I do appreciate the sentiment.

[redline bovine]

You are very welcome. I am trying to save up for a YS1500. And in a perfect world, I would have one of each. But as slow as it is to save up for a YS1500, I'd never reach the YS640 too. Oh well, The 1500 is my choice of the two.

[Porcine Aviator]

I have always been interested in the discussions about the comparison of wood flavor generated by stick/charcoal burners compared to pellets. I see that you live in Utah so my advice might be hard to follow, but try to find an authentic BBQ joint that uses an offset or other stick burner. See if the wood taste that you experience there is different than your traeger and, more importantly, which you prefer?

I use a Lang stick burner and I have a pellet smoker. There is no comparison when it comes to wood flavor--- sticks win. I have tried virtually every kind of pellet, technique, and ancillary smoke device you can think of and it simply doesn't compare. I have eaten food off lots of pellet smokers and their results are the same as mine.

Last week I stopped at a local roadside BBQ joint run by a fellow from Texas. I stop there often because his technique and food emulates the best of Texas BBQ. I was disappointed because a new Q'er was there that I did not know. I asked if he used the pellets that I spied in the back of his pickup truck and that started a lengthy discussion. He assured me that his pellet smoker was great and that the species wood pellets that he used produced the desired result. It was not unlike many discussions I have had in the past.He said, "He was the pro from Dover and I was sure to like his offering".... he said.

He was wrong-- there was virtually no wood taste on the brisket. Some folks prefer what they call the "subtle smoke" from pellets, and if you do, you have entered the magic kingdom of easy BBQ. Live long and prosper.

I guess what I am trying to say is: if you go to Kreutz Bros. or Franklin BBQ for lunch, then walk across the street and have some meat made on a pellet unit, and it tastes like both were made on the same cooker--- buy a pellet smoker.

I am using Texas joints as examples but ,of course, any regional style will work for comparison.

[luv2smoke]

Originally Posted by Porcine Aviator

I have always been interested in the discussions about the comparison of wood flavor generated by stick/charcoal burners compared to pellets. I see that you live in Utah so my advice might be hard to follow, but try to find an authentic BBQ joint that uses an offset or other stick burner. See if the wood taste that you experience there is different than your traeger and, more importantly, which you prefer?

I use a Lang stick burner and I have a pellet smoker. There is no comparison when it comes to wood flavor--- sticks win. I have tried virtually every kind of pellet, technique, and ancillary smoke device you can think of and it simply doesn't compare. I have eaten food off lots of pellet smokers and their results are the same as mine.

Last week I stopped at a local roadside BBQ joint run by a fellow from Texas. I stop there often because his technique and food emulates the best of Texas BBQ. I was disappointed because a new Q'er was there that I did not know. I asked if he used the pellets that I spied in the back of his pickup truck and that started a lengthy discussion. He assured me that his pellet smoker was great and that the species wood pellets that he used produced the desired result. It was not unlike many discussions I have had in the past.He said, "He was the pro from Dover and I was sure to like his offering".... he said.

He was wrong-- there was virtually no wood taste on the brisket. Some folks prefer what they call the "subtle smoke" from pellets, and if you do, you have entered the magic kingdom of easy BBQ. Live long and prosper.

I guess what I am trying to say is: if you go to Kreutz Bros. or Franklin BBQ for lunch, then walk across the street and have some meat made on a pellet unit, and it tastes like both were made on the same cooker--- buy a pellet smoker.

I am using Texas joints as examples but ,of course, any regional style will work for comparison.

What he said.