Head-to-head · Best Pellet Smokers

Camp Chef Woodwind Pro 24 vs Yoder YS640S

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Camp Chef Woodwind Pro 24 comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.8 vs 4.4). The gap is mostly about Serious BBQ enthusiast who wants real wood-fired smoke flavor with pellet-grill convenience and a $1,500 budget cap — read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #2 in Best Pellet Smokers

Camp Chef Woodwind Pro 24

4.8

4 sourcesall derived$1,400as of Jul 1

Offset-smoker flavor without a 14-hour fire-tending babysit is a rare combination, and the Woodwind Pro 24 pulls it off. A dedicated smoke box, a perfect-score AmazingRibs review and the 900°F sidekick add up to the most capable all-round cooker under $1,500 on the market.

Strengths

— Industry-first smoke box burns wood chunks or charcoal alongside pellets for real stick-burner flavor
— AmazingRibs Platinum Medal with a perfect 5-star rating
— PID controller with Smoke Number setting lets you dial in smoke intensity independent of grate temperature

Watch-outs

— WiFi probe accuracy drifts in cold weather (some users reported 60°F swings)
— Smoke box advantage shrinks at low-and-slow temps — wood chunks burn through in roughly 30 minutes
— No rain guard on the chamber door — water can pool inside in heavy weather

$1,400 · Buy at campchef.com Full review →

Ranked #3 in Best Pellet Smokers

Yoder YS640S

4.4

2 sourcesall derived$1,799as of Oct 1

Built in Kansas to outlast its buyer, the YS640S is competition-grade equipment. AmazingRibs gave it a Gold Medal, and Smoked BBQ Source called the build quality 'higher than the top of the range Traeger Timberline.' Between the 10-gauge steel and 700°F searing, no pellet grill comes closer to a real offset smoker.

Strengths

— 10-gauge American steel construction with 1/4-inch firebox — built like an offset smoker, weighs 335 lbs
— Made in Kansas with 10-year burn-through warranty on the cooking chamber
— Direct flame grilling capability with 2-piece heat diffuser — reaches 700°F for steakhouse-grade searing

Watch-outs

— 335 lbs makes this effectively immobile — moving it requires two people and the heavy-duty casters need flat ground
— $2,699 base price (plus shipping) puts it in the heirloom-grade tier — buyers should expect this as a 15+ year purchase
— ACS controller is newer than legacy Yoder controllers — some reviewers note longer learning curve than Traeger's polished UX

$1,799 · Buy at yodersmokers.com Full review →

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

Camp Chef Woodwind Pro 24

The Yoder YS640S and MAK 2 Star General both win on raw steel thickness, but neither comes near the Woodwind Pro's $1,399 price.

Yoder YS640S

The MAK 2 Star General matches on hand-built-in-USA quality but costs $800 more and uses 304 stainless instead of carbon steel.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Camp Chef Woodwind Pro 24	Yoder YS640S
Cooking Area	811 sq in (429 primary + 382 secondary)	1,070 sq in (four 8"x19.75" main grates + 15.5"x28" upper shelf)
Hopper Capacity	22 lbs	20 lbs
Temperature Range	160-560°F	150-600°F (up to 700°F with direct flame grilling)
Max Temp	560°F (900°F with Sidekick burner)	700°F
Wi-Fi/App	Yes (Camp Chef Connect)	Yes (ACS controller with Bluetooth + Wi-Fi, FireBoard app)
PID Controller	Yes, with adjustable Smoke Number	Yes (Adaptive Control System)
Material	430/304 stainless steel, powder-coated exterior	10-gauge American steel, 1/8" cooking chamber, ceramic ignition
Weight	152 lbs	335 lbs
Warranty	3 years	10 years burn-through, 3 years ACS controller, 3 years igniter

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