Lang vs. Yoder Loaded Wichita

[Brisketandbutts]

Hello everyone,
I am currently in the market to buy a new pit. I think I have narrowed it down to the Lang 48 or the Yoder Loaded Wichita. After shipping the Wichita is roughly $250 cheaper. I was hoping to receive others input on what they would do. My usual smokes are briskets and pork butts and I typically keep my pit around 275. I am looking to expand the items I smoke, just pork butt and brisket is my comfort zone currently. I do like that the Loaded Wichita I can use as a grill if I want to, but I have seen some people concerned about potential design flaws on the Wichita and some say there is quite a bit of variance in temperatures even with the heat management plate on the Wichita. I have seen the Wichita in person and it does seem to be well made, I'm concerned about how high the fire chamber and the grate in the chamber is. What have others seen as Pros and Cons for the Wichita and Lang?

 

[Dantij]

I've been smoking on a Lang 48 patio since October and it is awesome. I have read complaints about poor welds but this one was built perfectly . I've cooked in outdoor temps ranging from 30° to 50° and some very windy days. The Lang holds its temps. Mine seems to like the 250° range for cooks and I have had it above 375° for fast wing cooks. There has been variations in temperature across the grate. I'll see how much it changes when it is less windy and we move closer to summer weather. Keeping it clean is so easy. Check out You Tube for keeping the pit and grates clean. Not familiar with the Yoder but I was considering them when I first started looking at smokers. Their web site is good, much better than Lang's but who cares about that?! Good luck with the decision. Keep us posted.

 

[Nole4L]

I bought a Lang 36 Hybrid Deluxe about 6 months ago. I picked it up used from a guy who bought a really nice smoker but seemed to want to ease of a pellet smoker, not a stick burner. I got a great deal on it and it was only used 3 or 4 times. :-) Before that I was using a box store stick burner which made good BBQ but was constant work keeping it at temp. I can't say enough about the difference. The heavy gauge steel makes temperature control MUCH easier. The reverse flow keeps the cook chamber relatively even and has the added bonus of making it simple to clean.

Like Dantij, I read posts from some people who thought there were welding issues with their Lang. I haven't seen any issues at all with mine. While I don't know a lot about Yoder I can say you'll be happy with the Lang.

 

[flatbroke]

the lang 48 is a 24 inch tube and the yoder is 20. the top rack on the lang will allow you to lay ribs front to back and not angle them like you would have to on the yoder. I think the lang is the better buy between the two. plus it has 4 wheels instead of 2.

 

[flatbroke]

shipping on the lang is going to be 500-600 I suspect

 

[Brisketandbutts]

The Lang shipping was $600 which is the difference in price between the Yoder and Lang. The smokers themselves are the same price but Yoder shipping is only $350 or so and I think that is because there is a Yoder dealer near me.

 

[flatbroke]

the lang is reverse flow and the other an trad offset. guess it comes down to what you prefer. never used a yoder, I do have a Lang. good luck with your choice, looks like you were like me and thinking on it for some time now. I went with Lang and am glad I did.

 

[Dantij]

I upgraded the grates to stainless steel and upgraded the tires . That brought the price of the smoker to $2600. Shipping was
@ $600. Worth every penny. Cooking good and looking good.

 

[Dantij]

More pics

 

[hardcookin]

I'm partial to Lang only because I own one. Thing puts out some good Q.