New Set & Forget? Yoder, Pitts & Spitts or Cook Shack

[triumph65]

Looking for a set & forget electric smoker.

Trying to decide between Yoder, Pitts & Spitts & Cook Shack. The smoker will be kept outside.

All I normally cook is a full packet brisket and a couple tracks of ribs.

I know the Yoder and Pitts & Spitts use pellets and the Cook shack uses chips.

Anyone had experience with these that can suggest one over the other?

Thanks!!

 

[lwestby]

Cook shack makes pellet grills or a cheaper cabinet model with an electric element that you use to smoke chips. I'd personally opt for a pellet grill. I would also consider that whatever you buy is well protected from the elements. You are looking at 1500 - 2000 units that I personally would want to protect as much as possible. Maybe a shed outside that you can wheel it out of? I keep my Rec Tec in my garage and wheel it out when I cook.

 

[Ed Crain]

After 14 years using a bge the family has gotten too big. So I just purchased a Yoder ys640 it is amazing so much room and does everything I want low and slow to high and fast

 

[Lolley]

I don't have any experience with the units that you looking at but I will say that I'm now a big fan of pellet grills. After owning many big pits, smokers, electric smokers etc., I decided to try one out. I didn't want to spend a ton of money to try it so I bought a Pit Boss 820 at academy for under $500. I used to burn up half of a small forest (and 12-16 hours) to do a few butts on a big pit but now I just load the hopper, turn it to "smoke" setting for 3 hours, then set it to 225 and go to bed, get up next morning, wrap it and wait for 195deg. It's the easiest butts I've ever done, and what's amazing to me is that it leaves very little ashes, I mean barely enough to fill a 12oz. coffee cup.

 

[mrad]

After 5 years with a masterbuilt electric smoker, I move to a pellet grill two years ago. I did a lot of research (way too much). After the research, I decided I needed a grill in the $1,000-1,500 range to get the quality and features I wanted. I'm not saying you wouldn't be happy with one of the less expensive models, but I did notice quite a few more complaints and issues arising with those grills on various pellet grill forums. My dad purchased on of the more popular less expensive models (The one you see on infomercials) against my judgement. He complained from day one that it had 50+ degree temp swings. The maker told him that was to be expected. He returned it two weeks later.

With that said, I looked at Yoder, Rec Tec and Blazn Grill Works. All looked to be of great quality and heavier gauge steel than the grills under $1000. It came down to what features I preferred. I chose the Blazin Grill works Grid Iron. It had one of the lowest smoke setting (160) while still being able to get up to 500 (at the time I thought I would also use this to replace my gas grill, since then I have found it easier to use the weber for hot and fast). I also preferred the the digital PID controller over the other two (they may have switched over since) and the removable ash tray.

I would suggest going to each manufacturers website and find the features and add-ons that are most important to you. Call the company before you buy and talk to the owner and ask them what makes their grill stand out over the others. This should also give you a good idea of how well they will treat you should issues arise. I probably would have been happy with any of the three I looked at as all are high quality and seem to have excellent customer service. It really comes down to which grill fits your needs.

 

[triumph65]

Cook shack makes pellet grills or a cheaper cabinet model with an electric element that you use to smoke chips. I'd personally opt for a pellet grill. I would also consider that whatever you buy is well protected from the elements. You are looking at 1500 - 2000 units that I personally would want to protect as much as possible. Maybe a shed outside that you can wheel it out of? I keep my Rec Tec in my garage and wheel it out when I cook.

L lwestby - Would one of the small cabinet models suffice? I think they have one that will do a full packer brisket and two racks of ribs. I don’t really care that they look like a dormitory fridge. I don’t need to do any grilling, as I have separate gas & charcoal grills.
My brother, on the other hand, would want the more traditional looking pellet grill.

 

[triumph65]

Ed Crain - I had a BGE for a few years. Problem in Houston was it would mold inside, in between cooks. It’s very humid here and the humidity inside the egg would cause mold. I now suggest to my friends to keep a coffee can fill of rice in their’s to act as a desiccant.
Thanks for the Yoder suggestion.

 

[lwestby]

L lwestby - Would one of the small cabinet models suffice? I think they have one that will do a full packer brisket and two racks of ribs. I don’t really care that they look like a dormitory fridge. I don’t need to do any grilling, as I have separate gas & charcoal grills.
My brother, on the other hand, would want the more traditional looking pellet grill.

I'm not sure if you could get a full packer in one. The SM 009 cabinet was 14 x 14 and the SM025 was 14 x 18. They are priced $700 and $900 respectively. They honestly just look to be very well built Masterbuilt Electric style cabinet smokers. You could get yourself into a good pellet grill for that price and not have to worry about adding chips. If you are set on this style, the SM025 is probably the way to go from a size standpoint for what you want.

 

[old sarge]

The Cookshack Amerique/066 will take a whole packer. 6 ounce chunk of hickory, lock it down and wait. No fuss. For a whole lot less, Smokin-it Model 3D. For the same price as the Cookshack, look at the Smokin-it 4D, which is much larger. I used the Cookshack for several years and passed it on to my son when I acquired the Smokin-it 3D. Great smokers from these companies.

 

[daricksta]

Looking for a set & forget electric smoker.

Trying to decide between Yoder, Pitts & Spitts & Cook Shack. The smoker will be kept outside.

All I normally cook is a full packet brisket and a couple tracks of ribs.

I know the Yoder and Pitts & Spitts use pellets and the Cook shack uses chips.

Anyone had experience with these that can suggest one over the other?

Thanks!!

Really depends on what your budget is. You're looking at upscale smokers and if you're willing to spend that much would you be willing to smoke that much to make the expense worth it? And how well would they hold up to the elements if kept outside, even in Texas? I don't personally know anything about those brands; Old Sarge used to tell me how much he loved that Cookshack but the Smokin-It does have a really good rep and is built like a tank. Store that outside under a cover and it should last years. With all that being said, my own budget dictated a much more modest smoker. I'd love a smoker larger than my Masterbuilt 30" electric digital smoker Gen 1 but we've been together over five years and it's still going strong. I keep it stored in my garage when not in use. The only repair I've had to make was a new controller from MB. But if I had the money I think I'd be looking at a Smokin-It.