Thoughts on stow chow pellets ?

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Stove Chows are sold at the Home Depots.
they are bagged and distributed by Energex of Mifflintown,Pa.
that said, there are differences from Energex hardwood premiums. American Flag on bag.
When burned they have a sweeter smell as also when a bag is opened and tend to look darker.
They are not concistant in size... Also they do make lot of ash but not the hard clinkers type.
These are all minor differences as Chows burn just as Hot as Energex and for the price, you cannot go wrong.
I burned both Brands last winter..[ 2tons of each] and the Chows we're 229.00.. Energex was 250.00 ton.
Since I clean my Stove every 10 days, Ash is not a problem...
Some call these "Shoulder pellets" to be used when not very cold but in truth they keep people plenty warm thruout the winter. Used the Chows thru the Polar Vortex last winter..
If you use a Harman the Auger pushes them right thru to the burnpot regardless of size.
 
Stove Chows are sold at the Home Depots.
they are bagged and distributed by Energex of Mifflintown,Pa.
that said, there are differences from Energex hardwood premiums. American Flag on bag.
When burned they have a sweeter smell as also when a bag is opened and tend to look darker.
They are not concistant in size... Also they do make lot of ash but not the hard clinkers type.
These are all minor differences as Chows burn just as Hot as Energex and for the price, you cannot go wrong.
I burned both Brands last winter..[ 2tons of each] and the Chows we're 229.00.. Energex was 250.00 ton.
Since I clean my Stove every 10 days, Ash is not a problem...
Some call these "Shoulder pellets" to be used when not very cold but in truth they keep people plenty warm thruout the winter. Used the Chows thru the Polar Vortex last winter..
If you use a Harman the Auger pushes them right thru to the burnpot regardless of size.
Thanks I have a harman p35i
 
I've burned a couple of tons of Stove Chow over the past two years. I liked it enough to buy three tons for this winter.
 
Best pellet I have ever burned. Of course it is the only pellet I have ever burned. Bought three tons in the Spring of 2011 and use the pellet stove just to heat the basement if I happen to need to work down there. So I have only burned close to half of them so far.

I do know that the smoke from them stinks. I burn some every year in the pellet basket in the 30-NC upstairs and the smell when I open the stove door would knock a buzzard off of a garbage truck.
 
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Best pellet I have ever burned. Of course it is the only pellet I have ever burned. Bought three tons in the Spring of 2011 and use the pellet stove just to heat the basement if I happen to need to work down there. So I have only burned close to half of them so far.

I do know that the smoke from them stinks. I burn some every year in the pellet basket in the 30-NC upstairs and the smell when I open the stove door would knock a buzzard off of a garbage truck.
Interesting about the smell..
Chows have a sweet smell here...
Maybe I just have an Adorable Harman...==c
Gotta stop letting HD know it's the're best pellets cause maybe why price went up 10.00 this year.
Last winter a Truckload [22 pallets] delivered in the morning was gone at end of day and it wasn't all due to cold weather because Fireside Ultra's we're there also and no one was buying them. Funny how word get's around a town..
 
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Interesting about the smell..
Chows have a sweet smell here...
Maybe I just have an Adorable Harman...==c
Gotta stop letting HD know it's the're best pellets cause maybe why price went up 10.00 this year.
Last winter a Truckload [22 pallets] delivered in the morning was gone at end of day and it wasn't all due to cold weather because Fireside Ultra's we're there also and no one was buying them. Funny how word get's around a town..
So you think the chows are better then firesides ?
 
So you think the chows are better then firesides ?
I never burned them but 1st time I went to home depot for pellets last year, a fellow was loading Chows on long cart[about 20 bags].
I asked him about them and he said he has burned them for past 5 yrs and loves them. Comes and get's enough to fill his car each time till he has few ton. FU pellets we're right next to the Chows and I asked about them.
He said they we're horrible and would never use again. Gunked up his stove[ but he used a stronger word] .....that plus the fact that I have seen them passed over for chows at HD is about all I know aside from never using them which I have no reason to with Chows available..
 
I never burned them but 1st time I went to home depot for pellets last year, a fellow was loading Chows on long cart[about 20 bags].
I asked him about them and he said he has burned them for past 5 yrs and loves them. Comes and get's enough to fill his car each time till he has few ton. FU pellets we're right next to the Chows and I asked about them.
He said they we're horrible and would never use again. Gunked up his stove[ but he used a stronger word] .....that plus the fact that I have seen them passed over for chows at HD is about all I know aside from never using them which I have no reason to with Chows available..
I like the firesides but thinking of. Buying a few tons I have a 10 percent coupon that would bring them down to 215 ton
 
I like the firesides but thinking of. Buying a few tons I have a 10 percent coupon that would bring them down to 215 ton
Would be good if u could buy a few loose bags and try them out 1st.
That's what I did with the chows Even though I got a good 1st hand recomendation.
 
FSU last season were AWESOME!!, the most heat i've ever saw from my stove in 15 year's!, they were softwod but.......................first time i've ever had clinker's in my pot....
 
FSU last season were AWESOME!!, the most heat i've ever saw from my stove in 15 year's!, they were softwod but.......................first time i've ever had clinker's in my pot....
there ya go....
Posters have rated FSU from Crap to Awsome..
best always to try a few of a brand 1st.
 
I burned 3 tons of FSU's last year that came on the same delivery. The first two were as good as anything I have used. The last ton was not so great. Lots of heat and lots of scraping and vacuuming too.
 
I burned about 3 tons of Stove Chow, last year, in my Ecoteck Elena. Good heat, moderate ash, no clinkers, very little fines. I like them. I bought a few bags this year, burned only about a few pounds, but seems the same as last year....maybe too early to tell...but I just ordered three tons from Flemington NJ Home Depot.
 
I burned about 3 tons of Stove Chow, last year, in my Ecoteck Elena. Good heat, moderate ash, no clinkers, very little fines. I like them. I bought a few bags this year, burned only about a few pounds, but seems the same as last year....maybe too early to tell...but I just ordered three tons from Flemington NJ Home Depot.
Our Home Depot is just over the bridge from Trenton..[Levittown area]
Plenty of Chows there for now.
 
there ya go....
Posters have rated FSU from Crap to Awsome..
best always to try a few of a brand 1st.
Ain't that that the truth. I bought and burned 6 tons of FSU last year in my p61a and they were the worst pellets I have ever burned by far. After one hour, the inside of my freshly-cleaned Harman was black. Every time. Lots of clinkers as well. Ash buildup wasn't that bad. Heat output was fine as well. They just burned extremely sooty. I burned them in past years without issue.
 
I burned 1/2 ton last winter, they burned really good.
 
Chows are definitely worth to pick up especially for a shoulder pellet. In my area you cannot beat stove chow or energex for shoulder pellets. In the heart of winter last year I burned barefoot which were an extremely clean and hot pellet. This year I bought a ton of turman to try for the heart of winter as I was able to pick up a ton for $257
 
Update : So I have now burned thru 4 bags of this years Stove Chows, and cleaned my stove for the first time. I think they burn better than last years batch, which was pretty good, but with less ash. Also, my heat exchanger scraper is not getting hung-up as much as last year. I think they are a winner at $215 a ton.
 
I wasn't impressed with last year's Chows. The only other (affordable) choices I have in my area are either Lignetics at $270/ton or North American Pellets (80/20 blend, supposedly) at $265/ton. Anyone have experience with the latter?
 
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