Looking for premium Softwoods in Central Ontario

They're based in West Virginia. I too would like to test them out but they are not available in my area. If you're interested, you can visit their web site and email them as to their availability.

But their pellets are also hardwood so I'm not sure they're exactly what you would be looking for.

www.hamerpellet.com

kah68 said:

I've been looking around and all I've been able to find are Ambience or Haliburton's and they are both hardwood and my mfg recommends softwoods. I would like to try Hamer's as I see good write ups on them but don't know where to find them, or another good quality premium. My stove runs auto so I don't need a 'Shoulder' pellet so I would prefer to burn high grade only for more BTU and less ash.

Thanks.

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How about LaCrete Pellets nice softwood,and high heat output.

kah68 said:

LaCrete looks good, just can't find anyone in my area who sells them.

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How about North Counrty or Heartland Pellets.

Why not try Satisfaction or Trebio? They are both a softwood premium pellet with Satisfaction found at Home Depot or Trebio out of Walmart. Both are smokin' hot in our stove. Depending on the weather, I've been mixing Trebio and Satisfaction together with a small filler of Curran. This is an attempt to stretch it out over the cold weather as I had previously purchased 75 bags of Curran only but do not seem to be getting the heat out of them like I did in the Spring. All product in Huntsville is $5 a bag so for my stove it is what I get the most heat from, I do not worry too much about clinkers or ash buildup. Has anybody else tried Satisfaction? They have a distinct turpentine smell and runs well in my stove.

yep all I run now is Satisfaction and Trebio

will not use curran or ambience ever again!!

Have you tried local hardware stores? North American Lumber here sells Spruce Pointes (I think they are a blend/ $5 per bag for the pallet or $5.50 individually). Home Hardware here carries Heartland pellets ($6.50 each or $6 per bag for the pallet). I'm not sure if these are owner's choices or recommended by corporate. Home Hardware has the Drolet stoves in their catalog so presumably they would carry pellets as well. A better idea of where you live would be helpful...

Who sold you the stove and how much are they charging for their pellets and what brands? Ivanhoe (from North Bay?) tried the Haliburton ones but I don't think he was impressed - white hardwood IIRC so likely poplar feed stock. Canadian Tire carries FireMaster (I think) from BC that are softwoods but around $6 a bag (tend to break into small pieces). They also carry Trebio for $5.50. Canadian Tire is subject to availability though.

A note on the Trebio - I found they were bridging in my Ecoteck. It was not noticeable from the top of the hopper until you probed into the pellets (I used dowelling) and you could see them settle farther in down in the hopper. Stove went out on me twice before I realized that was the reason.

Haliburton's are a big disappointment. No heat and a weird mustard color flame!?!? I gotta admit the Lacwood's softwood are much hotter but have an issue with long pellets. I tried the Ambiance(hwd) and not bad. Cubex(hwd) and no great results. My Trebio's were pretty decent. The cold spell was a wrench thrown in a fire, not too many pellets came out on top..... I need to refurbish my Harman Accentra to get better heat out of it. It's too small for my house, period. I gotta install my Fahrenheit ASAP.

What kind of price tag and where did you get them (big box, stove dealer, hardware store)?

From their website - made of spruce

Good price - No fun hand bombing but better than being cold! If they are a reputable, if you find any bad bags they will likely exchange. When I got some bags of the Spruce Pointes at North American Lumber, I mentioned that storing outside was not ideal. He was chuckling when he said they were picked up from an open field at the plant.

We have been burning trebio in the Kozi, works great. On the cold nights 50/50 mix of trebio and ambiance. Now just burning a hardwood pellet clinkers appear. The other day walking through Walmart I noticed trebio in an all white 40 lbs bag, $4.96 has the 100 % hardwood marking on it, something new??.

I'm not sure if they've changed their forumula, have more than one, or have always been a blend. They are selling to the European market ... here's the SGS test results. (BC lab)
http://www.trebio.ca/sgs-test-report-on-trebio-pellets-april-2012/

Website states mix of soft and hard woods for feed stock...

I found out why the Haliburton's had a funny color and no heat. The manufacturer had issues with the first run of the season out of their new this summer plant. Moisture problems along with bags not properly sealed. I was credited back for my ton of pellets. Thumbs up for standing behind their product. I will give it another whirl next year.. The McFeeters softwood from TSC was a dirty the glass pellet along with the inside of the stove(black soot) but then again my Harman stove is not performing like it use too.

ivanhoe said:

I found out why the Haliburton's had a funny color and no heat. The manufacturer had issues with the first run of the season out of their new this summer plant. Moisture problems along with bags not properly sealed. I was credited back for my ton of pellets. Thumbs up for standing behind their product. I will give it another whirl next year.. The McFeeters softwood from TSC was a dirty the glass pellet along with the inside of the stove(black soot) but then again my Harman stove is not performing like it use too.

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It seems they lost two retailers also, only one left is in Gravenhurst ,Ont.

kah68 said:

I've been looking around and all I've been able to find are Ambience or Haliburton's and they are both hardwood and my mfg recommends softwoods. I would like to try Hamer's as I see good write ups on them but don't know where to find them, or another good quality premium. My stove runs auto so I don't need a 'Shoulder' pellet so I would prefer to burn high grade only for more BTU and less ash.

Thanks.

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While the rest of North America has discovered softwood pellets, Ontario dealesr and consumers have a bias toward Hardwood pellets. It is true that hardwood burn better and longer than softwood in log form. But once compressed to the same density the softwood burn hotter and with a lot less ash. remember the old trick question, What's heavier a pound of lead or a pound of feathers? Both are a pound! same with pellets, same density, but the softwoods have properties that make it superior when pelletized. Lacrete and North country are coming out of Alberta, and are competitive in the Northeast U.S. They are going right thru Ontario. They should be competitive there. When looking for softwood pellets it would be helpful if you gave an approximate town location so others on the site may help direct you to a dealer

Well said bcpellet. I know in this area, most people have burned wood for heat so have that mind-set that hardwood is better. Consumers who don't have the option to try different pellets never get the opportunity to feel the difference in heat It is a problem when the people who are ordering pellets don't understand the difference in burn quality and heat output. I lucked out in that our local hardware brings in Heartlands. While I cringed at the cost initially, the Trebios and Spruce Pointes are no where in the same quality range.