# Rectec vs Grilla vs Yoder



## sammartin

New member here! Thanks for the add! So im in the market for a pellet smoker, which im fairly new to pellet smoking. But the 2 brands i have found myself looking at are the Rec Tec 680 and the Grilla Silverbac. Now i dont wanna start a huge debate about PID controllers and what not, but im kind of leaning the way was of rectec. I like that is has a bigger hopper, a longer warranty and looks alot better and the PID does seem too make sense, or i could be falling for a good sales pitch. On the flip side the Grilla is cheaper by about $300 give or take and i have meet some people who swear up and down by the Grilla. Do i need to worry about the hopper size between the two? I like not having to worry about reloading the hopper but how do the pellets react to being in the elements for to long? I was also looking at a Yoder YS640 but was also curious how they are? i have a Yoder wood burning smoker that i love and would like to add one to the family!  Any input would be great or even some other brands yall could point me too would be awesome! thanks for the help! Cheers!


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## bregent

> Do i need to worry about the hopper size between the two?

IMO a 40lb hopper add little if any value. The main thing you need is a hopper that's big enough to get through a long cook unattended. A 20lb hopper is more than enough. I've got a 24lb hopper and I don't think I've ever filled it more that 1/2.

>Any input would be great or even some other brands

Here's a partial list of pellet grills. 

MFGNo. of ModelsBlack Earth (Hybrid)1Blaz'n2Brinkman2Cabelas (made by Camp Chef)2Camp Chef6Chargriller1Cook Shack5Danson( LG and CS )12Englander1Firecraft1GMG3Grizzly1HomeComfort1Kuma1Landmann?Mak3Memphis (Hearthland)4Pellet Pro2Pit Boss8Pitts and Spitts2Rec Tec2Royall8Sawtooth2Smoke Hollow1Smokin Brothers8Smoke-N-Hot5Teton?Traeger23WoodMaster2Yoder3


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## runway1

Sam, I'm relatively new myself and haven't owned either of those three.  But, seems like those are like comparing a Mazda Roadster to a BMW Roadster to Ferrari Roadster. ......Grilla to Rec-Tec to Yoder. 

Yoder hands down (like the Ferrari), but It's $1449 + like $200 for shipping.  A bit different than the $699 (shipping included) Grilla or even the $1,000 Rec-Tec.


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## sammartin

True. the only reason i did the rectec and grilla is because grilla compares the 2 side by side. I do understand your point about the yoder it is in a league of its own, i should know i have a cheyenne offset smoker. But it was just the 3 i was looking at at the time. I am really starting to lean the way of rectec i keep reading nothing but good things


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## Rings Я Us

I would get the one Aaron Franklin would get.


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## Rings Я Us

Haha.. trick answer.. good luck [emoji]128526[/emoji] how bout one that can cook steak or something directly over flames?


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## bryan06107

I love my ys640 and do not regret the purchase.  I have never run out of pellets in the hopper even on the longest of smokes in the cold temps.


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## dtesterunc

I was in the same boat about 2 months ago.  I had decided the Rec Tec 680 or the Yoder YS640.  The Yoder is a great pellet grill and I knew I would not be disappointed.  But I am on the east coast and it would have to be shipped, no one around me had one for me to look at and the price was higher.  The Rec Tec factory was a couple of hours away so I went to visit and was blown away.  The guys took all the time I needed to answer questions and show me both models - RT680 and RT300.   But while I was there they sold 6 grills.  This was on a Saturday from 9am to noon.  

That told me something.  After much going back and forth I bought the RT300 and have loved it.   It is not perfect but I love the customer service Rec Tec delivers and the grill is producing food that we all love.   

I know the yoder would have done me great.  But I like the fact that I support someone local to me, price was reduced especially since I went with the RT300 and they give great customer service.

Just my story.


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## cookingjnj

Hey sammartin...did you ever settle on a pit?  I have the RT680 and love it.


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## miniedmo

I have the RT680 also and what a great grill.


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## sammartin

cookingjnj said:


> Hey sammartin...did you ever settle on a pit?  I have the RT680 and love it.


i still havent bought either one yet, just havent gotten around too it. just love my stick burner too much lol


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## Madmaniowa

sammartin said:


> New member here! Thanks for the add! So im in the market for a pellet smoker, which im fairly new to pellet smoking. But the 2 brands i have found myself looking at are the Rec Tec 680 and the Grilla Silverbac. Now i dont wanna start a huge debate about PID controllers and what not, but im kind of leaning the way was of rectec. I like that is has a bigger hopper, a longer warranty and looks alot better and the PID does seem too make sense, or i could be falling for a good sales pitch. On the flip side the Grilla is cheaper by about $300 give or take and i have meet some people who swear up and down by the Grilla. Do i need to worry about the hopper size between the two? I like not having to worry about reloading the hopper but how do the pellets react to being in the elements for to long? I was also looking at a Yoder YS640 but was also curious how they are? i have a Yoder wood burning smoker that i love and would like to add one to the family!  Any input would be great or even some other brands yall could point me too would be awesome! thanks for the help! Cheers!


I am looking at either a Yoder or RecTec...I just returned a Grilla that I had for 1 year and 7 months or so...I wanted to love it, when it worked it did a great job but it broke down 3 times and the brackets that hold up the cooking surface broke (the rivets) apparently they use screws now, but I had to fix this so many times and decided to send it back for a refund and go with something else. I am a little trigger shy. I love the RecTec RT-700 and the 6 year warranty...not sure I need something that big though.


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## dtesterunc

Madmaniowa said:


> I am looking at either a Yoder or RecTec...I just returned a Grilla that I had for 1 year and 7 months or so...I wanted to love it, when it worked it did a great job but it broke down 3 times and the brackets that hold up the cooking surface broke (the rivets) apparently they use screws now, but I had to fix this so many times and decided to send it back for a refund and go with something else. I am a little trigger shy. I love the RecTec RT-700 and the 6 year warranty...not sure I need something that big though.




Both Yoder and Rectec have smaller models.  The Rec Tec has the mini and the trailblazer now which are both smaller than the 700.   Yoder is great and I cannot say anything bad against it.   But I own a rec tec mini and it has done everything I have thrown at it and more.  Customer service is awesome as they even have an after hours cell phone to call if so inclined.   All smokers will break and have some issues - but Rec Tec proves over and over again - when it does happen they will be there to help.


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## electricity

dtesterunc said:


> ..........All smokers will break and have some issues - but Rec Tec proves over and over again - when it does happen they will be there to help.



I loved my RecTec mini but planned to upgrade to a Yoder 640. Instead I went with the RT-700 due to the quality of support I received from RecTec as well as the six year warranty. Based on my experience with the mini I'm confident I will go six years with no repair expenses. The RT-700 warranty is probably worth on average a couple of hundred dollars. I also prefer the wifi and app setup on the 700.  On pellet machines I like to start for an hour or two at a low temp for max smoke and then move the temp up after an hour or too. Now I can make that change remotely. I can also start the smoker early morning from bed before I stumble down stairs to put the meat on. I like the smoker to be through the startup/ignition stage before returning to bed.

I've also ordered a rec tec Bulleyes eye for quick hot cooks. That unit unfortunately only has a one year warranty.


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## Ed Crain

Last fall was looking at rec-tec and Yoder couldn’t look at the rec in person but found the Yoder and loved it still do


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## ross77

The RecTec Stampede is a medium size smoker.  Seems like a good size for most people.  2 year warranty.  Doesn't ship until May though.

I've really enjoyed my RT680.  Only had an ignitor fail but it came with a spare and they shipped me a new one right away.  Now all their smokers have ceramic ignitors that are supposedly good for many years.


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## CountyCop911

I had nothing but problems with the RT-700.


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## ross77

There are only two things that will make the drip pan not work. It’s installed backwards or the grill isn’t level. I had to raise the left side of mine to account for my patio slope.


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## txgunlover

I've had two rec tecs, and both are absolutely flawless.  LOVE the wifi connections on my new one, which means I don't need my fireboard any more.  Temp never varies more than 10 degrees EVER even over long Brisket cooks...  Drip pan can't drain backwards if installed correctly (and you really can't install it incorrectly unless your grill is sitting at a 25 degree angle LOL).


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## metsfan2152

CountyCop911 said:


> I had nothing but problems with the RT-700.


If you having problems call rec tec. They will be able to help you out. They have really good customer service. Have you done that yet?


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## ross77

CountyCop911 said:


> I had nothing but problems with the RT-700.



What are the problems?  You listed them out but now you’ve edited out all the details?


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## SlowmotionQue

CountyCop911 said:


> I just bought one and had similar temp problems.





ross77 said:


> What are the problems?  You listed them out but now you’ve edited out all the details?



In his 3 posts, he listed or alluded to 4 different issues.

1. Grease flowing in the wrong direction from the drip pan.
2. Customer service issues. "They keep saying they will take care of it but all rhetoric until I see my money..."
3. Temperature swings of plus or minus 100*. (since edited out of one post)
4. WiFi issues.



CountyCop911 said:


> As of now, would not purchase.  Nothing but problems.  Trying to get them to take it back.  Wireless would not connect, controller was all over the place with temps and shut down on me in the middle of a grill.  Threw $100 worth of ribs into the garbage with 35 people waiting for their dinner.  Drip tray even though installed correctly dripped the entire meal into the left side.  Had to scrape an inch of grease out of the bottom.   Never again.  I want my money back.  They keep saying they will take care of it but all rhetoric until I see my money.


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## SlowmotionQue

txgunlover said:


> I've had two rec tecs, and both are absolutely flawless.  LOVE the wifi connections on my new one, which means I don't need my fireboard any more.  Temp never varies more than 10 degrees EVER even over long Brisket cooks...  Drip pan can't drain backwards if installed correctly (and you really can't install it incorrectly unless your grill is sitting at a 25 degree angle LOL).



You've got a point. I have never heard tell of melted animal fat flowing uphill either.


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## sandyut

txgunlover said:


> I've had two rec tecs, and both are absolutely flawless.  LOVE the wifi connections on my new one, which means I don't need my fireboard any more.  Temp never varies more than 10 degrees EVER even over long Brisket cooks...  Drip pan can't drain backwards if installed correctly (and you really can't install it incorrectly unless your grill is sitting at a 25 degree angle LOL).



I have only had one rec tec - but agree with all your assessments.  one of my best purchases.  rock solid - love the bull and the company.


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