Help me pick new smoker/grill

[mattsmith379]

Sorry. I’m reposting this in this forum as I think I posted this in the wrong one earlier today.

Hi all,

I need some help choosing a smoker/grill. I would still consider myself a newbie, but wanted to expand. I currently have a ten year old Blue Ember gas grill (that is close to needing to be replaced) and a weber kettle that I use for grilling and smoking via the snake method. I do not smoke as much as I would like do to weekend commitments with my kids and I am about to buy a fireboard thermometer to help me monitor when I am at their events. I would really like to get something that is solidly built and the ability to do multiple things and I've narrowed down to three choices. Traeger Pro Series 34, Yoder 640, and the biggest Kamado I can find orafford. The one thing I will do on this more than anything are weekend smokes with foods that wouldn't necessarily be your traditional bbq flavors, but with seasonings for other cooks with the smoke flavor. Also could you tell me if you would feel comfortable with any of these on a wood deck. Also I’m usually cooking for four but on weekends it can be around 10-20.

 

[radio]

Yoder hands down if you have the coin! I would place a fire mat under the smoker on a wood deck.

 

[Beanhall]

I have a Yoder YS640 and absolutely love it. I have owned Traegers in the past and they do not compare to my Yoder. I have mine on a wood deck without worries.

 

[mattsmith379]

Do you both feel like the yoder produces enough smoke to the meat? Also, when I smoke or cook on my kettle I feel like I am left smelling like a campfire or the grill. Do you feel that way with the yoder?

 

[Beanhall]

I feel like any pellet smoker it does
a lighter smoke flavor (which is perfect for my wife). I have been adding a AMNTS for additional smoke flavor. The Yoder does a wonderful job at maintaining temperatures. I also love that it can reach high enough temperatures to sear.

 

[mattsmith379]

I feel like any pellet smoker it does
a lighter smoke flavor (which is perfect for my wife). I have been adding a AMNTS for additional smoke flavor. The Yoder does a wonderful job at maintaining temperatures. I also love that it can reach high enough temperatures to sear.

That sounds like my wife. She’s ok with me buying this and wants me to smoke a lot of different meat on the weekend so we have a variety already cooked for the work week. But she really doesn’t like bbq that much.

 

[radio]

I do not have a Yoder, but know a few folks who do and love them! Matter of fact, I was in the ER Christmas eve with a heart issue and the head nurse heard me tell the Dr. it might have been all the good BBQ I cook, so we got into a great conversation. She and her husband have a Yoder YS640 and she was ecstatic about it! She uses it as much as he does and they grill steaks, pork chops and burgers on it often. She gushed about the ribs and pulled pork done on it!
I just bought a Green Mountain Daniel Boone and will soon know if it makes enough smoke to suit me, or if I will need an AMNPS. The last month or so I have done a ton of research on pellet grills and if I had the coin to spare, it would be the Yoder.

 

[michtexan]

I own the Timberline 850 and I could not be happier with the quality, consistency and ease of cooking that comes with this grill. Temps are spot on. I have produced better smoke rings on this grill then ANY other method I have used hands down. I have plenty of smoke flavor and have never needed to add more. I smoked some butts on New Years Eve overnight this year and outside temps were Negative 10 below zero out. I called the Traeger Timberline number to customer service because I was worried about using the grill in that brutal of temperatures. The Rep informed me that the Timberline is rated to function properly to as low as Negative 20 degrees. I never had so much as 1 hiccup with the electronics and did not use any blankets or covers for it and it cooked perfectly and on time. I monitor the pit from the house most of the time from the smartphone app while the grill just works it's magic. I too considered the Yoder among many other brands and it's possible that had I been able to see one in person I may have bought it. I hear great things regarding Yoder and Rec Tec and Green Mountain for that matter. After all of the research I did, the moment I saw the Timberline in person the fat lady started singing. I bought it on the spot. My only advice is to try and touch and feel these in person. It really helped me to understand more about the products available and what to look out for. Good luck in your quest!

 

[mattsmith379]

I own the Timberline 850 and I could not be happier with the quality, consistency and ease of cooking that comes with this grill. Temps are spot on. I have produced better smoke rings on this grill then ANY other method I have used hands down. I have plenty of smoke flavor and have never needed to add more. I smoked some butts on New Years Eve overnight this year and outside temps were Negative 10 below zero out. I called the Traeger Timberline number to customer service because I was worried about using the grill in that brutal of temperatures. The Rep informed me that the Timberline is rated to function properly to as low as Negative 20 degrees. I never had so much as 1 hiccup with the electronics and did not use any blankets or covers for it and it cooked perfectly and on time. I monitor the pit from the house most of the time from the smartphone app while the grill just works it's magic. I too considered the Yoder among many other brands and it's possible that had I been able to see one in person I may have bought it. I hear great things regarding Yoder and Rec Tec and Green Mountain for that matter. After all of the research I did, the moment I saw the Timberline in person the fat lady started singing. I bought it on the spot. My only advice is to try and touch and feel these in person. It really helped me to understand more about the products available and what to look out for. Good luck in your quest!

Thank you. I’ve seen all but the yoder, they are made about 3 hours where I live. I’m very intrigued with it and haven’t heard too much bad about it and I really like the timberline too, but just not sure. Probably going to wait and see what the tax man says and that will tell me which way to go.

 

[troutman]

I'm a pellet head too and would also look at the Yoder, WAY over any Traeger made. However, you also mentioned a Kamado. Don't know what kind of research you've done but the Kamado and a pellet grill are two completely different animals. They use different fuel, cook somewhat differently and produce different results. As mentioned above, you get a low smoke profile in a pellet whereas you get a fairly heavy one in a Kamado. You tend the fire less in a pellet but don't have as good a grilling option as with a Kamado (although they do grill it's not very well imho). I would think about the end result to your cooking, that will steer you in the right direction. A lot of guys get pellets and are disappointed in the low smoke thresholds. There's probably a post a week from some unhappy camper. Just be informed!!

 

[mattsmith379]

I'm a pellet head too and would also look at the Yoder, WAY over any Traeger made. However, you also mentioned a Kamado. Don't know what kind of research you've done but the Kamado and a pellet grill are two completely different animals. They use different fuel, cook somewhat differently and produce different results. As mentioned above, you get a low smoke profile in a pellet whereas you get a fairly heavy one in a Kamado. You tend the fire less in a pellet but don't have as good a grilling option as with a Kamado (although they do grill it's not very well imho). I would think about the end result to your cooking, that will steer you in the right direction. A lot of guys get pellets and are disappointed in the low smoke thresholds. There's probably a post a week from some unhappy camper. Just be informed!!

Thanks. I purposely through the kamado in there as alternative. My overall goal with this would be something that I could grill/sear with occasionally but most often use for smoking but know I don’t have monitor a fire. A pellet smoker probably fits that bill the best. But was wanting to see if I could be swayed.

 

[Mree449]

I had a gas grill for years, but didn't get into anything more complicated than steaks and veggies till a few years ago. I got an Akorn kamado grill on sale. I enjoyed cooking on it, but I definitely had to manage the fire. That is in part, I think, because it is not a ceramic kamado and it leads to some temp swings.

A little later I also got a (well loved/used) hand me down Traeger to as well. I think it is the junior elite - but not entirely sure.

At first I loved the Traeger - set it and forget it kind of mentality. For pork butts it's great - very forgiving piece of meat. However, I do get large temp swings that you just don't get with the kamado. This could absolutely just be MY Traeger.

What I wound up with as my go to grill for most all occasions was the kamado with a DigiQ from BBQ Guru that I use for longer cooks. I can cook steaks at high temp for good sears and I have also left my grill going at 225 with one full basket of lump, for an entire weekend just to play around with it.

You can get a stronger smoke flavor from kamado, which can be good or bad depending on tastes. Personally, I think a kamado style grill with some kind of temp controller gives you the most flexibility. I am actually thinking of upgrading to a ceramic version kamado this spring.

Hope this helps!

 

[Ed Crain]

I’ve had a bge for years and love it but wanted a bigger grill/smoker looked at all the brands but Yoder and rec-tec was leaning towards the rec-tec till I seen the Yoder in person and was sold it does everything that I wanted and is built like a tank no regrets here it only hurt for a little bit lol

 

[mattsmith379]

I had a gas grill for years, but didn't get into anything more complicated than steaks and veggies till a few years ago. I got an Akorn kamado grill on sale. I enjoyed cooking on it, but I definitely had to manage the fire. That is in part, I think, because it is not a ceramic kamado and it leads to some temp swings.

A little later I also got a (well loved/used) hand me down Traeger to as well. I think it is the junior elite - but not entirely sure.

At first I loved the Traeger - set it and forget it kind of mentality. For pork butts it's great - very forgiving piece of meat. However, I do get large temp swings that you just don't get with the kamado. This could absolutely just be MY Traeger.

What I wound up with as my go to grill for most all occasions was the kamado with a DigiQ from BBQ Guru that I use for longer cooks. I can cook steaks at high temp for good sears and I have also left my grill going at 225 with one full basket of lump, for an entire weekend just to play around with it.

You can get a stronger smoke flavor from kamado, which can be good or bad depending on tastes. Personally, I think a kamado style grill with some kind of temp controller gives you the most flexibility. I am actually thinking of upgrading to a ceramic version kamado this spring.

Hope this helps!

Thanks - Looking more today I almost lean towards the larger Primo ceramic, if I go the ceramic route. I initially started looking at these because my propane grill was dying a slow death, but I was able to fix the issue. So i have a few more years of it until I need to replace. I really do not like grilling on my weber charcoal and a lot of that is I just don't feel like I am all that good at cooking with charcoal, although improving, but that I also don't like the size of it. We usually have our 3 burner full when grilling and when I am smoking on the weber it is usually ribs, pork, and/or small brisket. Also I really want something that I can feel comfortable with on a wood deck, because I won't use it as much if it won't. From what I see with traeger issues, that they may be out now. To think of the entire scope of what I want, safe on a deck, large enough to fit our needs, and can be used for grilling and for smoking.

 

[lantern]

I just went through this decision process and went with the newly updated Mak 1 star general with extra rack. HOWEVER, since it hasn't got here yet I would feel foolish talking like it was amazing without having used it for a while.

HOWEVER, I will comment on your kamado choices. I think you're on the right path looking at primo. Awesome grills/smokers with ultra low fuel consumption. As long as you don't make large adjustments in your air intakes and exhaust you should rarely be surprised. On the kamado style grills, you may want to look at the Weber Summit charcoal grill. It operates similarly but has gas assist.

 

[mattsmith379]

For those of you that have a yoder do you think it can make my propane grill obsolete? We usually grill at least 4 nights a week spring to fall and most of the meals are a meat and sides.

 

[Beanhall]

It did for me. I can grill everything on it, it works very well as a grill. That's one of the reasons I like it so much. Besides the fact it is built like a tank.

 

[Ed Crain]

Didn’t have propane but I’ve neglected the bge since getting the Yoder

 

[mattsmith379]

Is the competition cart necessary if it is just going to sit on a deck or patio?

 

[Ed Crain]

The comp cart looks cool but sitting on the patio the standard works fine