lowes new pellets

I had some maine choice with these same holes. looked as if they were made feeding through a machine. I wonder if they picked up moisture and that caused them to produce more ash? Or maybe these pellets just make more ash. Heat was still strong.

Hello

Our Lowe's just got some of those Curran also. They are made in NY and our Salem NH Lowe's sells them for $3.74 per bag.

So here is some older info, it does not mean the ones this year are like that but it is something.
J-Takeman did some testing on a batch back on Oct 3,2009

What is interesting here is that our Home Depot just got some Fireside Ultras for the same $3.74 per bag and they compare very similarly in the testing!

Link to thread
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/42511/

Nice spread sheet comparison
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php?ACT=24&fid=22&aid=30075_Stokmj1AsShUGnQ35WNa&board_id=1

Also see this new thread
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/69083/

The Curran pellets that our Lowe's stocks is a blend of softwoods and hardwoods see pics below and pics in thread above !!

anyone know how these burn? I need to buy
More pellets soon, and this is all lowe's has.
They are supose to be gettin Greene Team in 4 days but who knows.
The last time they were out it was only going to be 2 days. But they were out
For 2 weeks.

The ash was a lot fluffier than Fireside Ultras and burned hotter. Maybe pick up a few bags and put a "hold" on some Greene Teams?

Gonna go down to lowe's and look for some
Open bags to try as they sell them for 1/2 price. Just waiting for my M.I.L. to get
here, and stay with the wife and new born in the hospital. Then I can get pellets,
And go home to fire up the stove and shut off the oil heat to get it ready for the
new baby.

I burned 5 bags of these when it was -15 out. They burned very hot. They produced quite a bit of ash. The ash was fine though. I would buy more if I needed more pellets.

I was excited to try these as Curran's rate reasonably well but for me they are the poorest pellet of the season. 14 out of 14. My bags also had the small holes and I assume the pellets were high in moisture because my stove actually went out with them, and after soaking pellets in gel and adding a little WD-40 out of frustration, the pellets still wouldn't burn hot enough in the pot to engage the auger or exchanger fan. I'll either leave the other bag next to the stove and try later or give to my dad to use for horse bedding.

So I went to Lowe's and picked up 23 bags of pellets the other day. Scored a good deal as well, I found 16 damaged bags of pellets, all mostly, if not entirely full.
Several of them were Greene Team, 8 bags of Curran Renewable Energy, a couple Fireside Ultra, and 1 bag of Maine's Choice.
The Currans throw a lot of heat, but they seem to have more ash. The ash is lighter, and less dense than most of the other's though.
I've already used the other brands and like them.
I'd buy the Curran's again, but the Greene Team is still my favorite for the most heat with the least ash.
I give the second place to the Fireside Ultra (Darker Pellets).
I'd place the Curran's in 3rd, because of the Ash, and the Maine's Choice at 4th place due to middle of the pack heat, and more dense ash (I get the birds nest in the burn pot in the morning)

anyone else have any thoughts on the Curran pellets ?

justinc25 said:

anyone else have any thoughts on the Curran pellets ?

Click to expand...

Here are some specs:http://www.pelletsnh.com/products.aspx
The BTU/lb seems pretty good. Must be a fair amount of softwood in the blend bag.

Lowes has them now in Augusta. Don't understand why they would truck them in from N.Y. when they can get Maine pellets right here at real good price. Those shipping rates must eat away any profit.