Decided to grab a couple Pellet Smokers

[travisty]

ye everyone,
Been cooking on charcoal smokers for a long time, but started to do some catering and needed something to make that a bit easier since I also work a day job, and cant be manning a pit all night, or even having to deal with charcoal. Anyway, after a bunch of research and time I picked up a beautiful Yoder YS 640! I love this thing, it is literally built like a tank, I am a huge fan so far!

THEN, a couple weeks later, a friend of mine who is on one of Traegers Pro teams offered me a great deal through his rep, so I couldn't pass it up and grabbed a Traeger Pro 34! Pretty decent machine too. Actually seems to cook more evenly, but has a harder time holding temps especially when cold. I did pick up the insulated blanket for it, and that seems to help.

Well, happy smoking! Glad to be part of the Pellet head community!


Smoked up these beef short ribs and some local wine sausage to break in the Traeger this weekend.

 

[travisty]

I was 100% gonna grab the Rec Tec when I first started looking, but basically I got really annoyed working with the company and sales people, and on top of that they have a big freight cost on their site, and the other two I can pick up locally and not pay any shipping.
I even spoke to Rec Tec a few different times because I had heard they will "deal" when you say you are considering a competitor product, but even telling them I am a KCBS team, and that I cater, that wouldn't of anything except say that if I was a Veteran (I'm not) they could give me 10% off of accessories.
They really do look like a great product, and everyone I know who has one loves it, but after my experience and from what I have heard from several of my BBQ team buddies, it just isn't a good company, or at least the owner is a bit slimy.
Had they provided at least good service I might have done it, and had they offered me the free freight, I might even own 2 of them already instead of these 2.

 

[troutman]

You wont be sorry with the Yoder, as you say built like a 1/4” steel plated tank. Treagers just seem like too thin a metal smoker box for my liking.

I was going to get a Yoder but with freight and all it got kind of pricey. I opted instead for a local product made by Pitts & Spitts. It’s a Pellet Pro with a stianless box. I’ll take some pics when she arrives. Looking forward to being a pelllet head myself, set it and forget it.

Good luck with your catering!

 

[troutman]

Those shorties look awesome, as does the sausage. Nice looking presentation. That for a client or personal?

 

[travisty]

You wont be sorry with the Yoder, as you say built like a 1/4” steel plated tank. Treagers just seem like too thin a metal smoker box for my liking.

I was going to get a Yoder but with freight and all it got kind of pricey. I opted instead for a local product made by Pitts & Spitts. It’s a Pellet Pro with a stianless box. I’ll take some pics when she arrives. Looking forward to being a pelllet head myself, set it and forget it.

Good luck with your catering!

Oh man! I looked at that pitt too! When I was at my local BBQ supply place to grab the Yoder, I was just about lored away by the Spits and Pitts One they had, cause it looked and felt great and was much cheaper but the place didn’t really know anything about them, other than the fact that they don’t make their own electrical components, so that made me a bit uncomfortable. And, since I hadn’t heard of them before either, I decided not to make a $1000 chance on it being good or not.

Those shorties look awesome, as does the sausage. Nice looking presentation. That for a client or personal?

Those were just for a Sunday afternoon snack. Very tasty!

 

[travisty]

The more I think about that Pitts and Spitts One the more I wish I had the funds to just grab both of them, cause it was a great looking unit, and I live that roll-top door.
They were gonna sell it to me for $1,000 even, cause that’s what they paid for it with shipping, and they didn’t get any interest in it, so they just wanted it off their hands.
People here in Utah are really into the Traegers cause it’s based here in UT, and other than that it seems like Utahns just go for the other big names like Yoder and Mac.

 

[SmokinAl]

Those are a couple of great looking smokers you scored!
Al