Considering purchase of Traeger or Yoder pellet smokers...any suggestions?

Anyone give me your experience or suggestion about these smokers?

I have not cooked on a Yoder yet, I believe this current batch is waiting on a part to be finished... I have cooked on a traeger or two. That is a pretty wide swing from one end of the spectrum to the other... tell us a little bit about what you are going to do with it... mostly grilling? mostly smoking? is Volume a concern? temp range you want to cook in? etc.

Here is my view so take it with a grain of salt. On another forum they have done pellet pit testing. Traeger and Yoder both have turned down the invitation to have their products reviewed as of this date to my knowledge. Maybe in the future that will change. Memphis, MAK, FEC, Country Smokers,Woodmaster all took part in having their unit reviewed. I purchased one of the first Royall Pits made and to keep this short it went back and the positive review of the MAK is why I own one. BP cooks on what he sells. If they were not good he wouldn't carry them. Add MAK and Memphis to your list and compare. I think you may reconsider.BP did do me right on our second MAK

The Yoder is made in the USA, MOst Traegers are made in China now. I dont know if thats important. I started with a traeger and it cooks real nice food I have not cooked on a yoder but would like to.

i love my lil tex. it puts out some of the best bbq'd food i have every cooked. i learned alot from bp videos. some extremely well educated bbq people here also. just ask anything. someone here will know about it.

My suggestion would be to purchase a MAK or Memphis.

I thank one and all for the tips and suggestions. I'm not interested in a "box" cooker. I like the look of the barrel-type cookers. Also, I would want to do grilling, smoking, baking in the same unit. I have used the LP verticals, the cheaper models of the electric "box" types which can be purchased at Sam's Club, Costco, etc...and now am using the Weber 22.5 Smokey Mountain Cooker. I like it but I don't like having to pull of the lid and replace if basting etc. I have looked closely at the Yoder YS 640 pellet smoker and and leaning in that direction unless some other suggestions from you folks sends me in another direction of interest.

I don't know if I would ever buy another Chinese made grill. Having both a Chinese Traeger & GMG, I've had my fair share of trouble with them both. They both cook you a fine meal.
As I'm writing this I'm looking @ a new controller I'm going to install on my GMG as the Down button no longer works on the other one. Then there was the Rust issue, Stainless lid, Heat rod. All on a grill thats less than 8 months owned.
Don't get me wrong I love the grill! Repairing it is bloody simple!
My Traeger has a worse track record. Broke 5 times in 6 months. I do use my grills. About 4-6 times a week. Sometimes twice a day.
Finally Traeger sent me a whole new burn unit & I haven't had any problems with it. Except now it lives @ my Daughter N Laws & she doesn't use it nearly as much as I did.

Funny thing..........My other hobby is riding Maxi Scooters ( I own 3 of them ) I wouldn't think of owning a Chinese Scooter...........What made me think Chinese made grills would be different?

This is a sensitive subject as it has blown up before so I will delicately try to give you my input.

Lets use guitars as an analogy so I dont upset someone who is passionate about their choice.

When people ask me about what guitar to buy I ask them how well they play, how long they want to play...Usually if they tell me that they play at any level but think they will be playing for many years I tell them the most expensive thing to do is to buy a cheaper guitar. You will end up with the better one...you will find a way to come up with the money.

I dont want to be insensitive in these trying financial times but if you believe that you will be smoking for a long time skip the beginning step and go to the intermediate or advanced grill. It should be cheaper in the long run.

I am a case in point Two Traegers then up to a MAK...There is a thread called How many of you started on a Traeger. Most have and most have stepped up.

Having said that I still believe the Traeger to be a good smoker capable of cooking fine meals. I think that the GMG is a step up from Traeger and then MAK and Memphis are steps above both. Just my opinion and I am a dealer but I am a dealer because I could choose what I sell.

I agree with you about going the "cheap" route. I usually discover that you get what you pay for. However, I'm not in the Traeger mode right now....I've come across a unit built in the USA and the quality and workmanship seems to be far superior to the Traeger...specifically I'm zeroing in on the Yoder YS 640. There is a nice video on it by a guy out of Tacoma WA.

Along the lines of what BP said, that is exactly why I asked the questions that I did... to get an idea for what / how you will be using your cooker. Esp. since you originally mentioned both a $700 entry unit and a $1300 intermediate unit.

Last I heard, the Yoders were waiting on a part that would allow them to start filling current orders. My Sponsor will have them in once they are shipping, and I'll be playing with one. I may end up replacing my Whole Hog with one next year's comp season. They are a very nice unit, but I can't tell you how they cook yet, as I have not had the opportunity to put one through it's paces. In an earlier thread, I provide my input on what I view as the two best "grill style" pellet cookers on the market right now. The FE1000 and the MAK 2 Star Gen. If you are unable to find the thread, shoot me a PM and I would be happy to dig up the posts and cut and paste into a PM, or recount them for you. I may search and try to add a link here to the thread. I would add the FE and MAK to your list of considerations in addition to the Yoder. I think they are a notch above the Louisiana, Memphis, Country Smokers, and GMGs.

The Pellet Boss controller on the MAK is as close as you will get to the commercial IQ4 controller on the Cookshack products... It controls fan speed and fuel delivery. To me, that is a HUGE deal. I got to cook on a MAK in AZ a couple weeks back, and it was flawless for 3 days I pounded on it. The unit I used (there were two in use in our site) ran for almost 3 straight days: doing a dinner of pizzas, practice cook of shoulders, Dinner of Waygu striploins, comp cook of shoulders, and then a finish on the comp ribs. It ran flawlessly and cooked in 78 degree days and 32 degree nights equally well. I have cooked extensively on an FE1000 and it cooks incredibly well also. You do have to get used to it's "top Down" cooking method... but I have turned out some comp winning meat on it as well. You never have to flip a piece of meat. Shoot me a PM if you dont find the other thread with a cursory search, it was fairly recent.

Hey we arent trying force anything on you we are all responding the the original question...The problem here is that none of us have experience with the Yoder. I do think they make great stuff...I hope this covers it for you and you can get to the important things like posting pics of your creations.

I don't take anything anyone says on here as "forcing" at all. I sincerely DO appreciate any and all information from those who have had far more experience in these matters than me. I was online awhile ago and watched all of the BP videos and loved them all. Thank you for what you do for all of us wannabe cooks

sounds to me that you are already getting the yoder. the mak 2 star, memphis pro and fe1000 all have good points and bad. figure out how you want to cook. you a smoker, griller or want to bake on your new grill. but like someone said don't start low. i wish i would would have started with the memphis pro to begin with. would have saved myself $900 that i spent for the lil tex, cover, shelf, smoke rack.

Thanks Goodybar Now show us some food we love photos!

If looks like you have your heart set on the Yoder. It looks like a nice unit. Do take pictures starting with the box in comes in etc and echoing BP bring on the food photos.

Goodybar said:

...I've come across a unit built in the USA and the quality and workmanship seems to be far superior to the Traeger...specifically I'm zeroing in on the Yoder YS 640. There is a nice video on it by a guy out of Tacoma WA.

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Yoder pits are known for their longevity and quality, and I've seen the video from Rob @ SmokingPit.com. The only thing that bothers me is that even Yoder's own website does not list that smoker yet so there's very little info about it.

I think they may be having paint issues with the extra heat. Im not sure but that is the scuttlebut...,It is not an issue exclusive to them...Its hard to get pordercoat or paint to handle 600 degree heat.

Looks like most of the posts in this thread were from a year ago...has anyone had a chance to use the yoder pellet grills? After looking at a green mountain and traeger I am convinced the yoder is hands down a way better quality build and made in the heartland of the USA instead of China. However I haven't heard anything about how they cook and especially the air flow???? Does anyone have any experience cooking with these yoder pellet grills? I'm looking at the YS640.

Thanks!

I had a Traeger 075 (USA built) and sold it for a Yoder YS-640.I have not regretted my decision.