Unscientific - Fireside Ultra vs Maine's Choice vs MWP with stove bag

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ghandy131

ghandy131

Member
Oct 14, 2011
140
Central MA
Newbie trying to figure this thing out. Purchased 3 tons of Fireside when I ordered the 10-CPM back in late October. Just finished the first ton and was driving by TSC and noticed they had pellets. Stopped in and bought a couple bags of Maine's Choice and MWP with the stove on the bag. Using an unscientific method I stucl the meat thermometer in the third slit on the left and took a reading and then stuck it in the center slit. What I found: Fireside consistantly ran 150 - 160 on the side and 185 - 195 in the center. Maine's choice, 160 - 175 and center 200 - 215 (noticebly hotter): MWP - 140 - 150, center 175 - 180. The MWP puts on quite the fireworks display when the pellets drop, the Firesides less so and the Choice the least. I'll be trying some Thurmans and Barefoots from a local over the next week. I like these Choice thus far.
 
I like burning firesides and grab them when I can.
I burned a half dozen bags of
maines choice this year and thought they were a lot better than what I burned from them last year. Very consistent.
You testing is what I do. On many stoves the size of the pellets will make a difference. On my pvd25 the smaller the pellet the higher the volume of pellets the auger will push into the burn pot, the hotter the burn...
Also, like many pellet mills, the batch is made up of whatever is going into the grinder at the time. So one ton can be a bit different from another. Just the luck of the draw.
If you find a batch you like, then go back and get more while you can.
Good luck
 
j-takeman said:
Sounds scientific to me, Unscientific would be back of hand or butt cheek for the temp checks! ;-)
Click to expand...

Tried that - singed hairs Ouch! Resorted to meat thermometer :)
 
Here is MY totally unscientific method. It's been fun and interesting seeing the temps rise and fall according to the heat level setting. Tested Premium Eureka pellets over several days with pretty consistent results overall. Want to compare to Bear Mtn pellets so I picked up a bag yesteray...but waiting for colder temps outside because I don't want to waste the $6.00 I spent on the one bag. If anything interesting happens I will post results.

Merry Christmas!
 

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I use back of hand, also distance away. Further away with discomfort, hotter the burn.
 
I'd like to add to this comparison. I was going to Tractor Supply to get another ton of Green Supreme. Unfortunately(or so I thought) all the Green Supremes were spoken for. They did have Maine's choice though. I read a couple decent reviews on this forum, so I figured what the heck. They burn very noticably hotter than the Green Supremes. My hopes are for the rest of the season that people keep grabbing up all the Green Supremes and leave the Maine's Choice for me.
$214 a ton, not bad for Massachusetts especially in December.
 
Up until last week I was burning the last of the CleanFire pellets from a few years ago, they burned hot and pretty clean, ash was ok too. I then began on the 1.5 tons if Maine's Choice (two moose on bag from fall; 2010). I've burned about 8 bags so far and the heat was excellent. However, I should report after the first cleaning this AM. Lots of ash in the pan and the glass was pretty dirty, looks like a little creo to on the glass as it had the light brown gunk as opposed to just the black on the bottom.

I will finish these off for the rest of the winter and then begin on the CleanFire Pacifics!! Can't wait to get to those from what I've heard and seen from others.
 
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