Somerset wood pellets or Okanagan

[Abfitch1212]

Hello I am new to this forum. I think this site is awesome. I have a ton of somerset pellets from lowes that I got for 247 a ton and then had a 10% coupond so it came out to 222 a ton. I was just wondering if anybody has ever tried this pellet. So far I think they are supper hot. I put a temp guage up to the front of stove and it read about 250F degrees from heat from blower. I have been reading all over this site that Okanagan are the pellets to buy. I went out today and bought 3 bags of them. Just put temp guage in same spot in front of stove and it was around 225-230F. I was just wondering what people thought about both of these pellets. The somersets seem to be burning hot and at a good rate. Like I said i am new here and this is my first year with a pellet stove. I have a harman P68 in a finshed basement with a 4 season sunroom off of finshed basement. Sunroom temp is 68-70 and first floor is around 67-70. I have a cape with 2 car garage. Any imput would be great
Tyler

 

[curtthegreat]

Tyler, I am on my 2nd ton of Somersets, but have never seen the okies here. I love the heat I get from the Somersets and I don't find them to be a dirty pellet. I burnt a ton last year. Bottom line is I look for Somersets for the cold months for a warm house/happy wife... 1 out 2 aint bad.

 

[WoodPorn]

Welcome to the forum tyler!

I can't speak for the Okie's but the somersets are good, I bought 2 tons of NEWP's to burn for 09/10 and have been experimenting with other brands for comparison and the somersets have been my favorite so far.

Look in the search for "Box store pellet review" Jay has done a ton of work comparing brands for heat output,ash,general overview.

-Hope this helps

Good luck and welcome!

 

[Abfitch1212]

Ok thank u for your replys. i will check that search. so far i am not impressed with the okies. i just think the somersets throw out way more heat
tyler

 

[pelletdude]

That just doesn't seem right. The Okies are one of the best pellets on the market - your temp seems low. Jay tested them next to others and Okies were right with Barefoot.

 

[Abfitch1212]

Well thats the test i did today. Have u ever tried the somersets. I had my harman p68 set on stove temp on 5 and feed rate at 4. The stove was pushing out tons of heat. When I put the okies in and there wasn't close to as much heat. Thats what I got today
tyler

 

[Abfitch1212]

I am not bashing your product at all. I was just not that impressed with them thats all. Like i said before first year useing pellet stove too. I was just seeing if people out there were running somersets thats all. They do seem like the sleeper out there. Just lookign for output about the somersets.
Tyler

 

[Gweeper64]

Every stove and every install is different. That is why the common advice around here is to try a few bags of something before you commit to large quantities. BTU is right thought that you might get better heat by tweaking some settings on your stove. The Okis are soft wood. Don't know about the Somersets. Some of us Mt Vernon AE owners have found we get a much better/stronger flame with the Okis if we set out stoves on the "sunflower" fuel setting. I don't know anything about the Harman and it's controls, so I can't really advise you there. Something to try though.

 

[tinkabranc]

Welcome to the forum.

As gweeper mentioned, "every stove and every install is different"...just too many variables.
I have never tried the Somersets myself to comment on them, but have tried some Okies out and
feel they are a very good pellet. Burn hot and clean.

If you find a brand you like and can get them at a decent price, run with it.
It is nice to have choices.

 

[jtakeman]

Hello I am new to this forum. I think this site is awesome. I have a ton of somerset pellets from lowes that I got for 247 a ton and then had a 10% coupond so it came out to 222 a ton. I was just wondering if anybody has ever tried this pellet. So far I think they are supper hot. I put a temp guage up to the front of stove and it read about 250F degrees from heat from blower. I have been reading all over this site that Okanagan are the pellets to buy. I went out today and bought 3 bags of them. Just put temp guage in same spot in front of stove and it was around 225-230F. I was just wondering what people thought about both of these pellets. The somersets seem to be burning hot and at a good rate. Like I said i am new here and this is my first year with a pellet stove. I have a harman P68 in a finshed basement with a 4 season sunroom off of finshed basement. Sunroom temp is 68-70 and first floor is around 67-70. I have a cape with 2 car garage. Any imput would be great
Tyler

abfitch1212,

Welcome to the forums.

You may be new but your testing like a pro(I love the people that take temps). Every stove is different and you have to run with your results. $222/ton for CT is a great deal for the Somersets. Even though the Okies burned hotter in my stove. I would have done the same deal. Dollar factor has to come in there to. Best deal on the Okies near us is $255 unless you want to travel close to 70 miles.

The other sleepers I saw were Marth and AWF from lowes. Like to hear how your stove likes them? Green teams did good too, But they do have some really long pellets in the bags. Some stove don't like that and jam or clunk while burning them

Stay warm
jay

 

[Abfitch1212]

thanks jay for writing. I was not trying to bash any type of pellets. i was just reporting on what i am using thats all. i see a lot of people don't use somersets. I went to Bt enterprise today and the guy there never even heard of somersets. So thats why i was asking people on here to see if they use them. I def think they are a great sleeper and I hope lowes is still carring them. I also bought 2 bags of hammers to. I have not tried them yet. Any word on those. Thanks for all the replys
tyler

 

[jtakeman]

thanks jay for writing. I was not trying to bash any type of pellets. i was just reporting on what i am using thats all. i see a lot of people don't use somersets. I went to Bt enterprise today and the guy there never even heard of somersets. So thats why i was asking people on here to see if they use them. I def think they are a great sleeper and I hope lowes is still carring them. I also bought 2 bags of hammers to. I have not tried them yet. Any word on those. Thanks for all the replys
tyler

tyler

Best not to take what anyone says here personal. You are doing just fine! I did not think it was a bash! You are just posting your results. I personally let my stove tell what to buy not the "brand" and then use the wallet as the final decider. I always got a kick out of trying the different brands. But I really over did it this year! Love to see what heat numbers you get from the other brands. Doesn't matter if they compare with mine or not. Its just good data maybe we can use someday. Along with stove difference's there is also the batch factor with the pellets.

I was at BT today too around 4:30 PM. I got some Hammer's to test. I also got some Wood Pellet Co. There are so many brands to choose from its way harder to decide on what to buy.

Keep doing what your doing! I really think it's great!
jay

 

[stillersnut]

Somersets are made from hardwood scrap from their Kentucky flooring co. Burnt a few bags last year. They were the best pellet of the many I have tried. You gotta go with what burns best in your stove. I would LOVE to get my hands on some okies though, softwood pellets are tuff to find in south central Pa.

 

[rickwa]

Somerset

 

[Abfitch1212]

It is just funny the guys at Bt enterprise had no idea about somersets. I find that hard to believe. Well guys thanks for all the input. i just hope lowes will still be caring the somersets come feb when i need another ton. The okies seem to be working great too. Burning them right now. Not sure if they are burning faster or any hotter then the somersets. The house is nice and toasty though
Tyler

 

[HopeItBurns]

Somerset, bought 3 tons just before christmas for 199.00 a ton, also burned them last year and they do put out the heat, no fines, little ash..

 

[pelletdude]

I have finished testing the Somerset pellets and I have to say just shy of the Heat output of the Okies and just as clean. These pellets have exceeded my expectations. One of the best pellets we have tried at the shop.

 

[tonyd]

This is my take with the Okies. The pellets I have and have been burning are very small 1/4 ". When the auger fills up and turns, It is very packed by volume. With the same auger setting on some pellets !/2" and longer, The auger is less filled with pellets thus less heat but also less pellets burned per hr. Hths

 

[dobie daddy]

This is my take with the Okies. The pellets I have and have been burning are very small 1/4 ". When the auger fills up and turns, It is very packed by volume. With the same auger setting on some pellets !/2" and longer, The auger is less filled with pellets thus less heat but also less pellets burned per hr. Hths

It's refreshing to see someone that understands the simple dynamics of heating.

more fuel=more heat
less fuel=less heat

 

[jtakeman]

There is a bit more to it than that. Lots a variables within the pellet and also within the stoves themselves.

Pellets there is also density of the fiber, quality of the fiber, and BTU value of the fiber.

Within the stoves there is auger pitch and auger RPM's. Not every stove is built the same or even burnes them the same!

I personally want less fuel and More overall heat out of my pellets. More BTU's per pound equals Less pounds of fuel needed to achive the same heat output of the stove.

Just my 2.

 

[Ladderlieu]

I agree jtakeman... Sure I can get more heat if set my stove to its highest settings and burn thru 3 bags a day. But what we've all been striving for is a pellet that can be burned on the lowest settings possible and still produce the required amount of heat to keep us comfortable. Some pellets are much better at doing that than others.

Many of us burned wood long, long ago. We know that a stove full of Poplar will NEVER produce the same heat as a stove full of Oak.

Just as wood is not equal, pellets aren't equal either.

 

[dobie daddy]

This is my take with the Okies. The pellets I have and have been burning are very small 1/4 ". When the auger fills up and turns, It is very packed by volume. With the same auger setting on some pellets !/2" and longer, The auger is less filled with pellets thus less heat but also less pellets burned per hr. Hths

very well put without all the BS.

 

[GIPPER]

My brother inlaw runs a Harmon P68 and says the somersets are the best he's burned. I'm just getting to the end of my Okie pallet and think they are a great pellet. Tried to get more,but couldn't find them. Just bought a ton of Barefoots @ $250 a ton.They burn great too! Spread the wealth.

 

[Tom Pencil]

It is just funny the guys at Bt enterprise had no idea about somersets. I find that hard to believe. Well guys thanks for all the input. i just hope lowes will still be caring the somersets come feb when i need another ton. The okies seem to be working great too. Burning them right now. Not sure if they are burning faster or any hotter then the somersets. The house is nice and toasty though
Tyler

Hey, don't worry, Lowes, HD and Wal-Mart have no idea who Okanagan, Barefoot, Cubex, Turman's, Dragon Mtn. are either...so it all evens out........... ;-)

Sometimes I have gone into those stores and asked if they have any wood pellets and they ask "what's a wood pellet?".

I have never burned the Okanagan's (I do not think that they are in my area), but the Sommerset's I can say without a doubt have been the best pellet that I have burned. High heat and low ash.

 

[ken3698]

You don't know how lucky you are....

I have tried at least 20 different pellet brands and the Somerset's are my favorite... I also have to say that the Okanagan are a close second. You have a win-win situation here.