“Have owned my YS640 for over a year now and have zero issues or complaints. The fact that it is made in USA, the quality is superior and the operation is simple makes it a winner. It produces the best food I have ever cooked and I have been around for a while. And the topper on this pit is the options. I can smoke, sear, grill and I just purchased the pizza attachment, and it is an awesome extra. Pizza is comparable or better than any other brick oven pizza I have purchased in the past. I use this thing at least 3-4 days a week and it is a pleasure to use. Clean up is simple and I just love it. Also the online docs, recipes and use of the machine are top notch. Thanks team in Kansas, mine rocks.”

6 Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“I've had the YS640 for almost 10 years (born on date 10/24/2013)...there is nothing that compares to this pellet smoker. I've cooked on other (Traegers, Pit Boss, some other unidentifiable things) and the only reason I did is because I didn't want to haul my Yoder long distances! The only things that I have done to my Yoder in 10 years is: 1. replaced a fan that the spiders had built a nest in (it was covered under warranty). The old fan still worked once I discovered and removed the nest - they still sent me a new one. 2. I replaced the thermocouple and the igniter after 9 years of service from them both. One tip or word of advice is to keep a thermocouple and igniter on hand...nothing like either being in the middle of a cook or the day of a cook and discover that one or the other has gone kaput! The Yoder YS640 is great, I can't say enough good things about it. I've smoked turkeys, briskets, pork shoulders, chicken wings, etc. in zero degree weather and it cooks just as well as it does in the summer temps. Use good pellets (hardwood pellets) and you won't be disappointed ( I use Pit Boss Competition Blend from WalMart almost exclusively). They are easy to come by and only 34 miles to get vs. 180 miles for other good pellets. If you're concerned about the price, don't be. You'll spend more in pellets, repairs and frustration with those other flimsy brands (my relatives sure have)...and you'll have to buy several new ones before the Yoder will need to be replaced. As I tell everyone who is looking at those others...spend the money and get a good one (a Yoder) ! BUY ONCE, CRY ONCE! You'll thank me later!”

8 Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“Have had the 640YS going on three years. Had the Green Mountain and went to a stick burner before this purchase. Over all very pleased with the Yoder. The only complaint is the 20 degree temperature change. Don’t think there should be more than a 10 degree difference in the cooking temperature. I feel that this is one reason I do not have much of a smoke taste to the foods. I use only 10% wood pellets and clean the fire box and temperature probe before each use. I purchased the insulated cover and this has not changed the 20 degree temperature swing. I have spoken to the folks where I purchased the unit and they advise me to contact Yoder and there may be a fox. The problem is that my job and location does not allow me to work with the folks at Yoder due to the time difference. I have talked with two other owners of the 640, that I recommend this unit, they have the same issues.”

9 Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“I posted a review a couple of years ago when I first got my YS640. After spending months figuring out which smoker to buy I was sold with Yoder's versatility between being a BBQ and a grill. (not the same thing.) This grill can get up to 600 degrees without a problem. Traeger can't. I can go from making the most amazing ribeye's that the kids can't get enough of to a complicated brisket that will come out melt in your mouth delicious. I can't say enough about how great this smoker is. I got rid of all my other outdoor cooking equipment. I can't wait to add the pizza oven accessory to making pizza's on the smoker even better. We have been cooking pizza's in this smoker since we set it up and they are hands down the best pizzas we ever ate. (Check out All Things BBQ, the Soup.) Customer service is also amazing. We live in a pretty harsh climate where the weather is 90+ in the summer to an average of 0 or below in the winter. When the fan went out, they were quick to send out new ones with very easy to follow replacement instructions. They even followed up to make sure everything was working good. Needless to say, even though this smoker is amazing, their customer support will keep you cooking when that rare issue happens.”

3 Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

Michael G Williams

Verified Reviewer

“Browsed and studied the smoker grill market until I was blue in the face. Finally chose the Yoder YS640 and bit the bullet and bought one. A 350 lb box hit my driveway in about a day. Put it together with ease! Ordered a Wildfork Prime Brisket and went to school with the Meat Church guy on Youtube. Two days later I had conquered the illusive Brisket with flying colors. The Fireboard app made monitoring my cook a breeze. Can’t say enough about how well this thing is built and how well it cooks! 2 thumbs up could not be happier.”

11 Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“I absolutely love this grill. I owned a Traeger for 2.5 years and after many ruined cooks due to it not being able to maintain temperature i decided to upgrade to a YS640. I was skeptical if a pellet smoker could really hold a temperature within 5-10 degrees but the YS640 can do it easily if you give it time to even out. The added benefit of the removable heat shield so you can have access to direct flame is a game changer for pellet grills. I can smoke burgers / chicken / steaks at 180 and then take off the heat shield and grill over open flame to get those amazing grill marks and fire flavor.”

13 Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“Have had my YS640 for about a year now. Zero complaints. Customer service is excellent. So happy I went with this grill. I never leave reviews but I had to for this. If your thinking about purchasing, do it.”

9 Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“I owned one of the first generation Traeger Texas pellet smokers for years. It was time to get something new. After doing a lot of research I decided to get the YS640. I bought one from my local dealer, they happened to have one in stock that someone ordered but never picked up. Assembly was very straightforward just follow the instructions. Note: As everyone says this thing is heavy. I have a tractor so unloading and getting it set up was no problem but if you don't you'll need help. The construction of the 640S is at a completely different level than any of the other brands I looked at. Fit and finish is excellent for the most part. Setup of the Fireboard App was simple and it connected right away with no issues. Programming cook times, pit and food temps is easy and works perfectly. I've waiting a few months to write this review so I can tell you how it cooks. The bottom line is it's incredible. This thing smokes extremely well. The food has turn out exceptional. I've done tri tip, ribs, pork sirloin roast, pork butt and steak. The steak was done using the grill grates which I highly recommend. The food has much more of a smoke taste than my previous smoker. I did call customer service for a couple of small issues. First the smoke stack had a bad weld spot which caused it to drip, they sent me a new one right away which was fine. Second on my third cook the wifi wouldn't connect, bluetooth wouldn't either. Customer service was exceptional. They sent me a reset procedure and assured me that they would take care of the problem no matter what it is. Turned out the next time I turned it on it was fine no reset needed and it's been working fine ever since. Customer service also followed up with me to make sure I received the new smoke stack and that I wasn't having anymore issues with the wifi! You don't that kind of response much these days. Overall this is a 5 star review. I am very picky and rarely give a 5 star review on anything however this smoker and the customer service from Yoder deserves it. Pick one up you won't be disappointed.”

15 Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

YS640s Pellet Grill Reviews