Many seem to like Greene Team from Lowes, but...

[wtyamamoto]

I saw an open bag today and I noticed the color was really dark - like the ones everyone was complaining about last season from ACP and others.

Is the dark color the same as that from last year that everyone seems to have been satisfied with last season, or did something change in the formulation?

 

[hot-n-bothered]

My green teem pellets were not dark last year.

 

[mark d fellows]

Burn them and find out. I know of no color code in which to compare quality of pellets.

 

[jtakeman]

The darker color could come from the process. They may have just gotten too hot during the extrusion. But a darker color could also be from bark in the mix. Bark is something that is not wanted. It will produce more ash. With todays fiber issue's or lack of good fiber. I'd be nervous.

I tried them a few years back and only found there pellets to be about average middle of the road. Nothing "special". But the color was only a light brown. Some darker specks

To me, If there as dark as chocolate? There's a warnning.

jay

 

[mark d fellows]

I currently am burning some Penningtons I bought from Walmart. I have wanted to try them since all of the scuttlebut a year ago. People have had serious problems but, Pennington has consistently stood behind there product, and made right what was wrong by reimbursing people and have been great to answer questions.

The bags I have, burned just fine. They are a hardwood pellet, with a mix of colors. Some are dark brown some are light brown. They have a very mild smell, with no additive smell.

If I needed pellets, I would probably buy a ton of these. They are not PFI rated but have a guarantee of quality right on the bag.

My point is, the color is mixed, and they burn just fine. Very little smoke on the glass, and low ash.

Mark

 

[amick780]

I have used Green Team in the past....they were dark in color. They were just ok, but certianly would not be my first choice in pellet. They burnt ok, Heat ok, a bit more ash then I would like. I do think there are better choices in pellets available.

 

[ineclipse]

Hmmm... I have a bulk order in w/Lowes waiting for delivery and I've been given a choice of Clean Energy, Greene Team or Pres-To-Logs... I initially sided towards Pres-to-logs simply because they're a Lignetics product and everyone here raves about Lignetics... but then I thought twice after reading a few positive comments for Greene Team (though the comments on this thread are all sort of 'fair to middlin' re: Greene Team), and then I've seen multiple opinions that the Pres-To-Logs were "quite likely" an inferior line of Lignetic pellets! So I bought a couple of bags of the Clean Energy thinking I might go with them, but haven't had the chance to burn 'em yet.

Probably I will try to get a mixed order, a pallet or two of each and then can happily let you all know! But in the meantime, if anyone has burned any of these brands THIS SEASON, what did you think?

 

[ineclipse]

Funny thing about color... I used some Stove Chow last season and they were very dark, yet on the bag they were labeled as "100% White Wood" (heck, they were also labeled 'satisfaction guaranteed'... lol.)
Yet the Clean Energy pellets I just picked up are labeled 100% Hardwood, yet they are MUCH lighter than the "white wood" Stove Chow. Go figure. So I guess it's true... pellet color means nothing.

 

[LIpelletpig]

Hey Ineclipse I burned a few bags of the Pres-to Logs last year as a trial run and was very disappointed. I have not burned clean energy or pres-to logs this year. BUT I have burned the Greene Team from Lowes this year! The bad part I only burned 2 bags of them since the weather here on LI hasn't warranted a long burn. I literally picked these pellets up 2 weeks ago. In all the different types of pellets I've tried these pellets had literally NO fines in the bag. The only other pellet close to this was Rocky Mountain. Next, the heat was average to above average. Its hard to give a good determination since the weather is not freezing yet and the house is not overly cold but just a chill in the air. Ash was low in my opinion. The pellets smell like fresh wood and are lighter in color with darker specs. I burned Energex America (Hardwood) last year and these pellets are literally DARK brown to black in color. They burned clean and hot with little ash or clinkers. I am burning Energex again this year probalby mixing them with Country Boy left over pellets I also got last year. In my opinion, I would go with the Greene Team pellets. With the great deal Lowes is offering I wish I had the room to pick up an extra ton or two of Greene Team pellets. Hope I helped.

 

[ineclipse]

Hey Medreach, yeah, that helps immensely! Thanks for taking the time. I cranked up the Bosca once so far, one morning last week was down in the 30s and was ~60 inside. Used one last bag of the Stove Chow leftover from April (I believe Stove Chow was Energex's main pellet last season, though it said 'Premier Pellet Corp - Pennsylvania' on the bags, I read here and elsewhere that this was Energex). I had no problem at all with them last year, thought they performed quite well. When I did a full reaming of my pellet works this summer, everything was pretty clean after 4.5 tons burned (about half was Stove Chow). I could have gotten them again this season, from Home Depot, but wanted to try something different. Have just been hoping - while I wait for this delivery to arrive next week, that I wouldn't be playing a bad hand going w/Greene Team. Lowe's doesn't have them in stock - or at least out on the floor, right now for me to test, so your review was very helpful indeed.

UPDATE:
I've just cranked 'er up again this evening and am now burning the Clean Energy. Very few fines in the bag as well. Will see how they burn, and then I'll make the call between those or the Greene Team.
Think I'll definitely leave the Pres-to-Logs alone.
Cheers.

 

[wtyamamoto]

Good to hear that it's at least decent, even if not the best. I just got a ton because that's all we really needed to get to have enough for this season - the rest of our supply is made up of Maine's Choice and NEWP.

Firestarter - it will be good to hear your report though as we don't plan to start burning til at least the middle of Oct.

 

[geek]

I have 3 tons of the Greene Team Gold Premium, not from Lowes but a local dealer, tan bags.
Color is dark and smell is really good, actually smells like honey a little bit. I tried a couple bags in April and was VERY satisfied with the results.
I also turned on my stove yesterday morning for a test and emptied one bag in the hopper, there are literally no fines in the bag, very good product for me, thumbs up..

.

 

[ineclipse]

Thanks for the info, geek. Will certainly be interesting to see what Lowes comes up with for Greene Team. I'll be happy to see the tan bags, since someone else here on Hearth mentioned the 'tan bags' as well, but that was from last season.

I only burned about 2/3 bag of Clean Energy this weekend, the fines were very few and the ash looked quite acceptable, but of course that wasn't enough burned to provide a real assessment. With the forecast for the Northeast this week, though, guess I'll be able to do so soon enough!

 

[geek]

the bags from Lowes are white I heard from the guys here, not tan, but everyone seems to be happy with the results anyways.

What about if you pickup a bag a burn tonight/tomorrow to get a real good sense?

..

 

[ineclipse]

Ah ok, thanks, good to know. Well, I'll call them again this afternoon but they didn't have any of the Greene Team in stock yet by end of last week to try. That's why I picked up the Clean Energy, as I'd heard some decent (not great) reports of them as well, and the manager told me since my delivery is coming up soon, that he could hold a couple of pallets of those for my order if I wanted. We shall see.

 

[Doocrew]

I have now burned 10 bags of the Greene Team in the white bag from Lowes and they performed above expectation. Nice heat, little ash and no fines. Good thing seeing I have 4 ton of them. Try them-you won't be disappointed.

 

[Doocrew]

I have now burned 10 bags of the Greene Team in the white bag from Lowes and they performed above expectation. Nice heat, little ash and no fines. Good thing seeing I have 4 ton of them. Try them-you won't be disappointed.

 

[ChandlerR]

When I was building the addition on the house last wnter, I bought a dozen bags of Green Team from the local HD. Being new to pellet stoves I was happy with the heat they provided me. Now that I've joined this forum, I've learned so much! I have three tons of Lignetics sitting in the basement but I don't want to use them until the real heating season begins. I had three bags of the Green Team left from last year so I've been burning them. They are in the white bag and are light in color. I've been very happy with their performance. I do have quite a bit of ash but there were almost no fines in the bag. It will be interesting to see how the Lignetics stack up. I'm buring tonight but this may be it for a few days as the temps are expected to be near 70 tomorrow and Thursday.

Chandler