Why BBQ Pros Swear By The Yoder Pellet Smoker
When a publication with more than a century of outdoor expertise puts a piece of equipment through its paces, people take notice. That’s exactly what happened when Field & Stream spent weeks cooking on the Yoder Smokers YS640S, evaluating its performance across a variety of real-world cooks—from low-and-slow barbecue to weeknight grilling.
The YS640S has long been recognized as one of outdoor cooking’s premier American-made pellet grills, earning the trust of backyard enthusiasts, competition pitmasters, and culinary professionals alike. Built in Kansas with uncompromising craftsmanship and engineered for exceptional versatility, it has developed a reputation that’s difficult to match. But reputation alone isn’t what makes a great cooker. Seeing how it performs in the hands of independent reviewers—outside the walls of our factory—is what gives prospective owners the confidence to invest in a grill built for decades of wood-fired cooking.
Rather than relying on first impressions, the Field & Stream dives into what it’s actually like to live with the YS640S, exploring its build quality, consistency, versatility, and why BBQ pros trust the YS640S pellet grill time and again. If you’ve been considering a Yoder—or simply want an unbiased look at one of the industry’s most respected pellet grills—you won’t want to miss this independent review.
We’re proud that Field & Stream recognized what Yoder owners have known for years: the S-Series pellet cookers are built to do it all. Whether you’re grilling, searing, baking, smoking, using the optional rotisserie or pizza oven, the YS640S is designed to deliver exceptional performance. Combined with American-made engineering and heavy-gauge steel construction, it’s built to provide decades of reliable service. As one reviewer noted, “this is the last cooker you’ll ever buy.”
