Pellet smokers Please help!

[lonerider]

I am considering buying a pellet smoker and have spent weeks looking at info on various sites...till my head hurts. I have narrowed it down to Yoder YS640s competition or possibly the 1500. My question is what is the reasonable cooking capacity of the 640? If I wanted to do 2 14lb brisket packers and 2 9lb butts in the 640 would it have to be shoe horned and with out compromising air flow? If 640 could handle that much no real need on my part for 1500. How bad is the paint issue I read about on these units? I live in Texas and curious about freight charges...ball park anyway. I see there are dealers and wonder if they have units in stock or how purchases work.


Also considering Pitts and Spitts 1250. I think the Yoder's look sexy on the competition carts but suspect the P&S is probably the better built unit, a bit more capacity than the YS640 and cheaper than the YS1500. But the cart with Yoder looks pretty handy.



And dragging up the rear is and fading fast is Rec Tec RT700. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated. Never seen any of these in action and coming from 14 years of smoking on WSM's I think I would love the more convenient access to all the grates and an increase in capacity.

 

[lonerider]

Bump....Hate to seem impatient gents...but I am.

I would really like to hear from owners of TS640 about capacity. I would not need much most times but occasions do present themselves when the ability to cook 2 or 3 briskets and some room to spare would be nice. I am in buying mode boys and girls and don't want to be remorseful about the choice.

 

[pjtexas1]

No response on a pellet thread? Really odd. I have never seen any of these cookers so I can't help.

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[jermoQ]

I dont have one. Looking at the website, it says the yoder 640 has:
1,070 Sq. Inches
Two 16"x20" Cooking Grates in Main Chamber
15.5"x28" 2nd Level Slide-Out shelf

I am guessing that it is 16 inches deep, and 20 long? I am not sure if a brisket would fit across 16" without major end trimming, but maybe the 20" with some minimal trimming? As for the 2nd rack, you should be able to fit a pork butt across 15, twice? So I would say that the 640 has plenty of capacity for you.

 

[pjtexas1]

Best I can do is share capacities that I know. On my 17x21 grates I can fit 2 12-14 pound packers but nothing bigger and it needs 4 inches vertically. Butts I can fit 2 where 1 brisket sits but they need 6" of vertical height. I would assume you are good with the 640 if you have the vertical clearance.

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[lonerider]

No response on a pellet thread? Really odd. I have never seen any of these cookers so I can't help.

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Thanks for the reply, I can say that if money were absolutely no object I would have the YS1500 and that would be that. No questions asked. But it ain't quite that way.LOL

 

[BKING!]

Are you using for just smoking or smoking and grilling? If just smoking I’d get the maverick. If smoking and grilling I’d get the Yoder. 640 vs 1500 would depend on needs. Common advice would be to figure out what you need in terms of capacity then go one size bigger lol.

 

[lonerider]

I dont have one. Looking at the website, it says the yoder 640 has:
1,070 Sq. Inches
Two 16"x20" Cooking Grates in Main Chamber
15.5"x28" 2nd Level Slide-Out shelf

I am guessing that it is 16 inches deep, and 20 long? I am not sure if a brisket would fit across 16" without major end trimming, but maybe the 20" with some minimal trimming? As for the 2nd rack, you should be able to fit a pork butt across 15, twice? So I would say that the 640 has plenty of capacity for you.

Main grate is 32 inches long and 20 inches deep. I am starting to think the 640 should be plenty in most circumstances I will encounter.


I just went to Lowes and looked at one of their pellet cookers that have similar cooking capacity and it looks plenty big enough.

 

[lonerider]

Are you using for just smoking or smoking and grilling? If just smoking I’d get the maverick. If smoking and grilling I’d get the Yoder. 640 vs 1500 would depend on needs. Common advice would be to figure out what you need in terms of capacity then go one size bigger lol.

Just smoking. I like my Weber 22" kettle for grilling just fine. The P&S 1250 would suit me capacity wise with 4" more in depth and width and it would seem a bit more head room. I see now the S&P has pellet dump feature and apparently the YS640 does not?


How much a convenience is the pellet dump feature?
I read that the controller on P&S is superior to Yoder?


I now see that the standard YS640 outweighs the P&S 1250 by 60 lb even though the 1250 is larger and much touted for superior build quality? Did not expect that or really know what to make of it being the 640 has a ballast or counter balance on the lid that P&S does not.



With the handy dandy Comp cart I just like the Yoder better aesthetically...it just looks cool as heck. I like the 180 sq. inches more of capacity on the P&S and welded construction.



Probably cant go wrong with either and more or less same coin spent.
Also a question for any that have had similar sized units shipped to you what are freight cost's looking like these days?

 

[Ron_L]

I wouldn’t squeeze that much into a 640.

If I were buying today I would look at Rectec. Friends have them and they are well built and cook great.

 

[jermoQ]

I didnt look at the P&S to see what the wheels look like, but the cart on the Yoder would pretty much allow you to roll it anywhere, as opposed to just on the patio or driveway.

 

[gtsum]

If grilling and smoking, get the new yoder s over the Pitts and spitts. You could fit 2 big briskets and 2 butts on the 640, but not much more. If regularly cooking big cooks, get the 1500..although it’s direct grill feature isn’t as good as the 640


Memphis Elite





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[Giantswede]

Check out the Grilla Silverbac. Capacity is 877 sq. in....enough to cook 5 briskets or 8 pork butts. At $800, it’s a fantastic smoker....lots of stainless, double wall construction and a PID controller.

 

[Mandreyka]

Take a look at the fast eddies pellet grill by cookshack , seems like a way better bargain at that price point and all stainless

 

[jermoQ]

Check out the Grilla Silverbac. Capacity is 877 sq. in....enough to cook 5 briskets or 8 pork butts. At $800, it’s a fantastic smoker....lots of stainless, double wall construction and a PID controller.

5 briskets...on 877, with a 7 inch wide top rack... :twitch:? That might be pushing the limits? Unless you are only cooking points or some small flats?

 

[Hot Spot]

The 877 sq. in includes the upper extension rack, between the 2 rack sections, it is wider than 7 inches.

 

[lonerider]

And this may just be quibbling on my part but ya might think when spending north of $1000 and much more these folks might throw in the cover. And lets dispense with the dinky casters on these heavy units and just include the 8" wheels standard issue...Charge more for that if you must but who would not want them? The $299 extra for a set of 8" wheels that I see on one of my preferred units seems a tad excessive at just a glance though on the world wide net.....I can get them cheaper myself but I am guessing quite the chore to put on if some of these units come already on a pallet assembled.

 

[Hot Spot]

The Silverbac has the following dimensions

• Total Cooking Surface Area: 692″ square inches
• Main Cooking Area: 26×19.5=507″ square inches
• Upper Cooking Area: 7×26.5=185″ square inches

You have to add the available extension rack for $24.99 to get the 877 square inches of total cooking surface area which would make the upper

rack 14 inches wide..

 

[jermoQ]

The 877 sq. in includes the upper extension rack, between the 2 rack sections, it is wider than 7 inches.

I am going by the specs on the website. It doesn't show any rack extensions, just the main rack 26x19 and upper rack 26x7. A rack extension would be nice!

 

[Hot Spot]

https://store.grillagrills.com/products/new-rack-extension-silverbac


I edited my original post and in the meantime you posted again. There are 2 different upper extension racks
for the Silverbac depending on whether you bought the original or updated version. I have been researching
this because I am considering one.