Yoder 480s info

[FritzHlzr]

I've decided to purchase a Yoder Pellet Grill soon as I sell my offset. I'm leaning toward the 480 for my immediate family needs, probably use 2-4 times a week along with my BGE. I've been looking for a pic of a whole brisket on the 480 to reference for those instances when I want to make one, any info or experience filling up a 480 for larger cooks, no matter what is being cooked.

 

[Randy1]

I do not have a Yoder but do have a pellet grilll. I suggest you do a shorter cook like a chuck roast to get your feet wet. Air flow is lower than a wood burner. Temperature profile is different.
Stay with good quality pellets. Smokey Woods, Lumberjack, and Smokey Moutain to name a few. Avoid light color pellets that give you the impression of compressed sawdust..
Use a drip pan to catch meat dripping to help with cleanup since pellet grills are a bit more complicated on the inside than an offset.
Most pellet grill users have shop-vac dedicated to ash clean out.
Yoder video brisket

 

[texomakid]

Hey man I'm a fellow Yoder owner. I've had a YS640 since 2017 and I've used the dog snot out of mine. I believe that 480 is 20" long, plenty big enough to hold a good size brisket and with an upper rack it would hold a couple racks of ribs or numerous other tasty treats as well. Not sure what comes with it but the upper rack, door in the defuser, and stainless steel shelve & a cover is what I would recommend as extras if not included (I didn't get the stainless steel shelves and I regret.) You can also throw down and get that competition cart but that really drives the price up. Older models like mine are known for rust but the newer models might be better. Mines covered in rust and it doesn't affect anything, I consider it patina

The pellet burn box has to be dumped and primed with a small amount of pellets for each use (hence the need for the door defuser) I think that's different than other brands on the market but not sure. other than that I love my Yoder and would be surprise if I ever get rid of this one. I've been able to buy spare parts easy enough.

Hey, they're a little pricey. built like a tank and very heavy. There may be other brands that are better or worse but I'm more than happy with my purchase. It's a cooking machine!!!

If you need more info AllThingsBBQ.com is the place to check it out or the Yoder website as well but I think they're both run by Yoder.

 

[Flatrate]

Here is a video from a while ago. Mr. Reed is cooking 4 racks of baby backs on the bottom shelf of a 480, might give you an idea of the size. I have a 640.



Take a look at what he did with the foil on the front, do that or buy the upgrade as seen in my pic below. Don't know how many Yoders I've seen where the fronts are roached. Stuff gets dripped on the front and eats the paint away.

I got the full expanded metal racks as well as the half top rack and the proper cover. For me the front protector is a must, also you may want to consider the half top rack, it still supplies plenty of space but gives easier access the the bottom rack.

They are great cookers, I have zero complaints. I will say there has been a couple times when I maxed out the capacity, still made great grub, but kinda wished I had got the 1500, but thats me!

The pellet burn box has to be dumped and primed with a small amount of pellets for each use (hence the need for the door defuser)

Thats interesting, yes you have to dump the pellet burn box, I have never had to prime it after the first time I had to prime the auger. I just power it up and hit preheat. What controller is on your rig?

Dave

 

[texomakid]

Thats interesting, yes you have to dump the pellet burn box, I have never had to prime it after the first time I had to prime the auger. I just power it up and hit preheat. What controller is on your rig?

Dave

Bought in 2017 and the same software (V29) & controller it came with. No wifi or temp probs. You know, I purchased this from a David's Stove Shop in Weatherford, Texas. At that time, they had about 30 different makes & models on their showroom floor so that was great to be able to look at the different types of pellet cookers all in the same place. The guy who sold it to me stressed this be done every time. He even advised me to dump & clean the burn plate, how to fix the warp in the plate (old models had this issue but they modified them where they don't warp anymore) and then he said to throw in a small amount of pellets. Since then, I've read where that's only necessary on a non primed auger but I've never stopped putting a few pellets into the burn box as I always have - old habit I guess. So that's why I do that. I apologies if I misstated this as "required".

I have upgraded the burn box baffle, igniter, and replaced the outside fan and door seals. My best estimate would be about 2 tons of pellets have been burned in my 640 so far. It's used weekly at a minimum and I cooked on it about 3 or 4 nights a week in the early days. These cookers are a bit different and apparently not for everyone. I've read some guys who got rid of them and hated them but that hasn't been my experience at all.

I too have had mine full several times but I was cooking for 25/30 people and it did exactly what it was designed to do.

Your rig looks awesome, I love that set up with the comp cart & you're absolutely correct on the front stainless cause mine doesn't have that. Mine looks like hammered hell but it hasn't affected the way it cooks.

 

[Flatrate]

Bought in 2017 and the same software (V29) & controller it came with. No wifi or temp probs. You know, I purchased this from a David's Stove Shop in Weatherford, Texas. At that time, they had about 30 different makes & models on their showroom floor so that was great to be able to look at the different types of pellet cookers all in the same place. The guy who sold it to me stressed this be done every time. He even advised me to dump & clean the burn plate, how to fix the warp in the plate (old models had this issue but they modified them where they don't warp anymore) and then he said to throw in a small amount of pellets. Since then, I've read where that's only necessary on a non primed auger but I've never stopped putting a few pellets into the burn box as I always have - old habit I guess. So that's why I do that. I apologies if I misstated this as "required".

I have upgraded the burn box baffle, igniter, and replaced the outside fan and door seals. My best estimate would be about 2 tons of pellets have been burned in my 640 so far. It's used weekly at a minimum and I cooked on it about 3 or 4 nights a week in the early days. These cookers are a bit different and apparently not for everyone. I've read some guys who got rid of them and hated them but that hasn't been my experience at all.

I too have had mine full several times but I was cooking for 25/30 people and it did exactly what it was designed to do.

Your rig looks awesome, I love that set up with the comp cart & you're absolutely correct on the front stainless cause mine doesn't have that. Mine looks like hammered hell but it hasn't affected the way it cooks.

Good deal Randy and thanks for the detailed response. I am guessing the prime thing has to do with the controller, mine is the Fireboard deal with the wifi and probes, never the less I feel you can not go wrong with either. Just looked it up, got mine early 2021.

Dave