Yoder Smokers Pellet Grill Cart Guide: Which Base Is Right for You?

If you've started shopping for a Yoder Smokers pellet grill, here's the first thing to know: it's one grill. The cart it comes on, however, has four main options to choose from — Standard, Competition, Competition with Storage Drawer, and the Outlander all-terrain cart — and which one you pick depends on how you cook, how you live, and your aesthetic preference. The YS640s and YS480s are both available on all four. The YS1500s skips the open-frame Standard Cart and comes on the Competition Cart, the Competition Cart with Storage Drawer, or the Outlander.

Here's the good news: you're not choosing between four different grills. You're choosing between four different ways to live with the same one. Once you've picked your grill — YS480s, YS640s, or YS1500s — the cart doesn't change how it cooks. So instead of "which grill is better," the real question is simpler: how do you cook, and where does your grill need to go?

We put together a four-part video series walking through each cart in detail. Below, we've expanded on that breakdown with a few extra details worth knowing before you decide — including a couple of things that are easy to miss if you're only comparing spec sheets.

The Part That Doesn't Change: The Grill Itself

Before getting into what's different, it's worth being clear about what's identical no matter which cart you choose: the grill. Same grill body, same cooking chamber, same functionality — the cart is simply the base it sits on.

Across the Yoder Smokers pellet grill line, that means every cart configuration of a given model shares:

• The same 10-gauge steel cooking chamber and consistent, expandable cooking space
• The same Adaptive Control System (ACS), with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity through the FireBoard app
• The same two integrated food probes
• The same ceramic igniter and direct-flame grilling capability
• The same warranty: 10 years on the grill body, 3 years on the electronics

In practical terms, this means the decision you're making isn't about performance, temperature control, or build quality — those are locked in the moment you pick your grill. What you're really deciding is how the cart fits into your routine: where it lives, how often it moves, and what you need it to hold.

"No matter which cart you choose, you're always getting the same legendary Yoder Smokers pellet grill performance." — Jerry, ATBBQ Product Specialist

(Still weighing the YS480s against the YS640s? This comparison breaks down the differences.)

The Standard Cart: Classic and Clean

Best for: Patio life.

There's a reason this is the standard. The Standard Cart is the open-frame base the other configurations are built around — no shelves to fold, no drawers to load, nothing extra to think about. It rolls smoothly across flat, smooth surfaces like a patio or deck, and its lower footprint suits tighter spaces. It's available on both the YS640s and YS480s.

"It's a very open, clean, classic design." — Jerry, ATBBQ Product Specialist

If your grill is staying in one spot and getting used often, there's no performance trade-off here — you're getting the full Yoder experience at the most accessible entry point in the lineup.

The Competition Cart: Customizable Style & Occasional Travel

Best for: Customizable style & occasional travel.

Swap the open frame for a closed-cart design and you get the Competition Cart, trading a bit of minimalist look for real mobility upgrades. It rolls on 8" flat-free pneumatic casters (a 10" upgrade is available) — a noticeable step up in maneuverability on uneven pavement or when loading it onto a trailer. Integrated tie-down rings make securing it for transport straightforward, and shelving gives you a place to stage food and tools while you cook. This configuration is available on the YS640s, YS480s, and YS1500s.

It's also the most personalized option in the lineup. On the YS640s and YS480s, it's available in six standard colors — Orange, Silver, Black, Red, Yellow, and Blue — with custom colors available by request. If aesthetics matter to you as much as function (and for a piece of equipment that's likely the centerpiece of your patio, why wouldn't they?), this is the cart where that choice exists.

"This is a great way to make your grill specific to you." — Jerry, ATBBQ Product Specialist

The Competition Cart with Storage Drawer: Built for Organization

Best for: The organized, serious cook who's tired of digging through a bin — or running back inside — mid-cook.

This one takes everything from the Competition Cart and adds a full-width pull-out storage drawer with more than 4,900 cubic inches of capacity and a 150-lb. weight rating. It's weather- and dust-resistant, positioned at the end of the cart to keep the front profile compact, and large enough to hold your GrillGrates, a cast iron griddle, a Wood-Fired Oven insert, gloves, and tongs — essentially the full accessory kit you'd otherwise be storing somewhere else. It's available on the YS640s, YS480s, and YS1500s.

The drawer isn't a bolted-on afterthought — it's built into the cart using the same heavy-duty 10-gauge steel as the rest of the setup, and it's available in all standard powder-coat colors.

"With all of those tools and accessories in the drawer and the ability to go anywhere, I'm ready for anything." — Jerry, ATBBQ Product Specialist

For the cook who already owns a full accessory lineup and is tired of it living in a plastic tote by the back door, this is the version that solves that problem.

The Outlander All-Terrain Cart: Built to Go Anywhere

Best for: The cook heading off the patio entirely — or the one who just wants the boldest rig in the yard.

The Outlander is the cart for people who don't think of "backyard" as a hard boundary. It rides on oversized pneumatic tires, paired with a reinforced chassis and precision steering that gives it one of the tightest turning radiuses in the category. Higher ground clearance means gravel, grass, and uneven ground stop being obstacles, and an integrated pull handle keeps the whole rig manageable to steer on your own. It's available for the YS640s, YS480s, and YS1500s, so whichever grill size fits your cooking style, you can still take it off the patio.

"This cart has invented its own category for grilling. I call it adventure grilling." — Jerry, ATBBQ Product Specialist

It also includes built-in storage for accessories, so you're not sacrificing organization for off-road capability. And while the practical case is real (tailgates, campouts, properties without a flat patio), plenty of owners choose it simply because it looks like nothing else on the market. That's a legitimate reason to buy a grill you're going to be proud to own.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Bottom Line

There's no wrong answer here, because every option starts with the exact same legendary Yoder grill on top. The decision really comes down to how you cook and where you take it:

• Choose the Standard Cart if your grill is staying on the patio for good.
• Choose the Competition Cart if you want customizable style and the flexibility for occasional travel.
• Choose the Competition Cart with Storage Drawer if you want everything within arm's reach and hate hunting for tools.
• Choose the Outlander if the cookout might happen anywhere, or if you simply want the most head-turning grill at the party.

One more thing worth knowing: if you already own a Yoder pellet grill on a Standard Cart and want to upgrade later, the carts are sold separately — you don't need a whole new grill to change how it moves.

The full lineup is available now at atbbq.com/collections/yoder-smokers. Still deciding? Our team is happy to help you find the right fit — give us a call or drop a comment on any of the videos above.

What to Read Next

• Is There a Difference Between the YS480s and YS640s? — Not sure which grill size is right for you? Start here.
• Your Questions About Yoder Smokers Pellet Grills, Answered — Real answers to the questions we hear most before someone buys.
• Product Roundup: Yoder Smokers YS1500s Pellet Grill — Considering the big one? Here's a closer look at what it can do.