New Smoker Advice

desertguy76 · Mar 17, 2014

I currently have a UDS that I have been using for about a year. It makes great food but I really want something with more space and something I can do overnight cooks with to have around as well. I have been looking at the Yoder YS 640 and probably would have pulled the trigger by now but the local dealer did not have in stock. But the longer I wait the more I second guess myself. It is going to cost be about 1700.00 and I want to make sure it is the right grill.. I have never had a pellet smoker but I really like the idea of being able to set it and forget it and to also be able to grill on it. Another option I was considering was going 22" WSM with a temp control system which I know is cheaper. I know they are two totally different cookers but I was hoping I could get a little bit of wisdom from the brethren before pulling the trigger. Thanks

firewolf · Mar 17, 2014

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=184037

I just picked up my cabinet because I do not have enough time to BBQ as much as I would like on my stick burner. This will do over night cooks with no issues.

But if you already have a UDS, why not just build another? Then you can cook twice as much, but at different temps.

Ron_L · Mar 17, 2014

Are you looking for a grill or a smoker?

The WSM is about the same space as your UDS, so if you want more smoker capacity that would double your capacity. But, you could double your capacity with another UDS for a lot less money.

The Yoder will give you both a very good smoker and a very good grill. Yeah, it costs a lot more, but they are built like tanks.

Another consideration is the use of pellets vs. charcoal. Pellets are very convenient and produce excellent food, but the smoke flavor will be lighter than you are getting from the UDS or would get from the WSM. That's personal preference. Maybe there is a Brother near you with a pellet smoker/grill who would be willing to let you taste the food so you can decide.

SmittyJonz · Mar 17, 2014

I'm voting insulated cabinet smoker - like a Humphreys Battle Box or Pint or go Gravity fed like Assasian or Superior or Rebel.

desertguy76 · Mar 17, 2014

I have actually never seen a yoder in person but have read very good reviews on this site. I was liking the the idea of a single pit with large capacity vs. running two at the same time. I started thinking about the WSM vs another UDS because I recently took Harry Soo's class and got to see how stable they ran with a stoker system and I still struggle with temp control once in a while on my UDS. I want to be able to start a cook and not be scared to run to my daughters soccer game for an hour.

firewolf · Mar 17, 2014

Your climate is a lot different than mine. The cold temps were the big reason I wanted an insulated smoker. In your area I might have gone with a WSM. You could control multiple pits with one stoker.... You could run it off DC and not have to worry about power like you would with a pellet smoker.

SmittyJonz · Mar 17, 2014

I've left for 6 hrs during Brisket cooks with my UDS and when I got back it had dropped 12*. But as long as I can stay in a temp range of +/- 20* of my target temp I'm good. So target temp of. 275* I'm good anywheres from 255*-295*......Windy Days are hardest Temp Control days so use a wind block of some sort- I've ran it in sleet in 17* but no wind and it held pretty steady.

But this right here will cure what ails ya!

https://humphreysbbq.squarespace.com/smokers/testing

jcog44 · Mar 17, 2014

I looked really hard at pellet grills, but was turned off by all the problems people seem to have (auger jams, uneven heat, large temp swings, bad igniters or electronics, etc). Sampled meat from those I know that cook with pellets, but always under-whelmed by the smoke. Most competition teams use supplimental smoke (smoke tubes, or smoke guns, etc.).Finally decided it was too much trouble. Bought an Open Range by The Good One. Load and light the charcoal, reachs 250 in about 20 minutes, damper down, and good for about 6 or 7 hours generally without touching it. No real hotspots, temp differences are about 3 or 4 degrees across the grate. The firebox has a cooking grate. Made in the USA. $1100 shipped.

darkoozy · Mar 17, 2014

I agree with the cabinet smoker if you have the budget for it...I have been using a WSM for sometime and making some awesome bbq, but felt an upgrade was in order, and went for an insulated cabinet smoker as well.

Ordered one 2 weeks ago (still waiting, like torture) from Lone Star Grillz. Check out the engineering, its awesome...

http://www.lonestargrillz.com/Insulated-Smokers.html

Good luck on your quest to enjoy more bbq

Blanton · Mar 17, 2014

darkoozy said:
I agree with the cabinet smoker if you have the budget for it...I have been using a WSM for sometime and making some awesome bbq, but felt an upgrade was in order, and went for an insulated cabinet smoker as well.

Ordered one 2 weeks ago (still waiting, like torture) from Lone Star Grillz. Check out the engineering, its awesome...

http://www.lonestargrillz.com/Insulated-Smokers.html

Good luck on your quest to enjoy more bbq

I just checked out there website. That is a good looking smoker

smoke ninja · Mar 17, 2014

Big cookers are good for alot of one thing. But for me, in the backyard, separate cookers makes it easier. If you only need the extra space 4 or 5 cooks a year another small cooker makes sense. You can even get 2 different specialized grills.

jcog44 · Mar 17, 2014

It's not real large, but it's bigger than it looks. Talked to a guy who got six racks of ribs on one. Saw a picture with 2 small turkeys. I think that one was on their Facebook group, Friends of the good one.

DJnKY · Mar 17, 2014

Try a temp controller on the uds.

darkoozy · Mar 17, 2014

DJnKY said:
Try a temp controller on the uds.

+1 Ya

I use bbq guru on my WSM and dont even look at my Maverick anymore until 14 hours have passed on a 20lb load of charcoal. The best money I ever spent...

desertguy76 · Mar 18, 2014

You guys are definitely giving me more to consider. I hadn't even considered a cabinet smoker. I really don't know anything about them but will read up. Still thinking about a temp control system. I've been looking at stoker and guru.

desertguy76 · Mar 18, 2014

If I was to go with a temp control system is one recommended over another? I searched out some old threads but they seem to be a couple years old.

grillinguy247 · Mar 18, 2014

There's also a pellet grill called rec tec you could check out. They have a Web site and there's some reviews of the product on YouTube.

TailGateJoecom · Mar 18, 2014

desertguy76 said:
I currently have a UDS that I have been using for about a year. It makes great food but I really want something with more space and something I can do overnight cooks with to have around as well. I have been looking at the Yoder YS 640 and probably would have pulled the trigger by now but the local dealer did not have in stock. But the longer I wait the more I second guess myself. It is going to cost be about 1700.00 and I want to make sure it is the right grill.. I have never had a pellet smoker but I really like the idea of being able to set it and forget it and to also be able to grill on it. Another option I was considering was going 22" WSM with a temp control system which I know is cheaper. I know they are two totally different cookers but I was hoping I could get a little bit of wisdom from the brethren before pulling the trigger. Thanks

I have a 22 WSM and a pellet smoker, FEC120. Both put out great food, but I find that since I got the pellet smoker I am smoking a LOT more, at least 3 times as frequently. And I use the smoker for a lot of things I wouldn't bother lighting the wsm for, like different side dishes, sausages, chicken, etc. I also am more eager to do big meats as well.

Offthehook · Mar 18, 2014

desertguy76 said:
If I was to go with a temp control system is one recommended over another? I searched out some old threads but they seem to be a couple years old.

It seems like preference, the stoker has wifi connection option, they both do the same thing but the stoker will have more features. The gurus are cheaper also.

BB-Kuhn · Mar 18, 2014

I know I may be in the minority, but I actually am not a fan of pellet smokers.

I think the food that they produce lacks smoke flavor (I DO tend to like a lot though), and I don't think they're all as rock-solid steady as they pretend to be. I cooked a contest with a FEC100 and a larger version and had a few probes inside each in addition to the built in. Both yo-yo'd constantly as much as 70 degrees over the course of a contest.

SO, high price? Yo-Yoing temperature? Weak flavor? No thanks. I'd rather buy a half dozen WSM's with fan systems.

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