Can you be picky with your pellets?

[jslinger]

I have noticed a lot of talk on this forum about having trouble finding pellets, and having to settle for a lower end brand from Lowe's or Home Depot. (Not to imply that they don't also carry good pellets)

I have more choices than I would ever think to try. I know of around 15-20 different brands available to me, and I there are several places I haven't even tried yet, including HD.
I don't mean to offend anyone in the former situation, I just assumed that everyone had many sources for pellets.
Is this common throughout the country? Are most people limited in their choices, and occasionally run out all together?

 

[will711]

Down here in PA don't really have pellet house's like you do in New England states. I do have a nice stove shop that carries Turman's , Hammers & Gap's and this year the big box had Set's , GT's & Timber heat not as big of selection all worked fine for me

 

[Hoot23]

I'm on a mission to try everything. I've got about 15-20 different brands to choose from also. It's nice to pick and choose.

 

[Defiant]

I do have a nice stove shop that carries Truman's

Are they Harry Trumans?

 

[boo boo]

I have only been burning for a little over three months and the cheep ones from home depot fireside ultras have burned the best so far at 209 a ton On my third ton
Others were
Agway MWP 259 ton Burned 12 bag NE wood pellets 239 a ton Burned 5 bags
Tractor supply 239 a ton burned 3 bags
Wal-mart Pennington (Who Cares ) burned 2 bags

Don't know where else to look around here but I will research this summer or early fall. From reading of others I would love to try More to see what my stove likes

 

[Enviro Mini Owner]

Long Island NY is a pellet outpost. Only two distributors and one only sells New England Wood Pellets and I won't be using them again. Want to start a business here?

 

[gbreda]

I have only been burning for a little over three months and the cheep ones from home depot fireside ultras have burned the best so far at 209 a ton On my third ton
Others were
Agway MWP 259 ton Burned 12 bag NE wood pellets 239 a ton Burned 5 bags
Tractor supply 239 a ton burned 3 bags
Wal-mart Pennington (Who Cares ) burned 2 bags

Don't know where else to look around here but I will research this summer or early fall. From reading of others I would love to try More to see what my stove likes

The Firesides were a good pellet this year, not a bad choice at all.
Where in So Nh are you?

 

[mithesaint]

No pellet houses for miles around. My only options are big box stores. Fortunately, those carry some decent pellets at decent prices most of the time. For example, Menards usually has Somersets or Magic Spark for 179-199 or so. Unfortunately, the occasional truckload of Pennywise seems to show up once in awhile, not to mention it's 35 miles from here. My other options are Lowes, TSC, and now Rural king is opening a store nearby. At one point this year, Lowes had North American's for $298! Then they cleared out their overstock of Eco Flame and Nature's Heat. All gone now and a nice lawnmower display now.

And my wife wonders why I have pellets stockpiled in the shed...It's getting into the teens tonight and it's breezy. Gonna have to put the Greenways aside tonight and break out the Sets.

 

[Xena]

When one is new to burning you really do want to try everything.
Over the past 8 years I've tried probably two dozen brands.
The stove isn't picky. Never had a clinker and gobbles up whatever I throw in it.
Despite that I discovered which ones I prefer and stick to the cleanest, hottest pellets available to me
from the pellet house down the street so no I never run out.
I don't like to make a career out of the stove thing. It's my heat and that's it.
High grade pellets cost, but still spending less than half what I would
to use my oil furnace so can't complain.

 

[movemaine]

I live in Maine, and there aren't great choices up this way - or the good choices aren't nearby.

I live in a logging state, and the pellets produced here tend to be middle of the road.

So I buy pellets that are trucked in, which drives up the cost.

 

[jimmieguns]

Long Island NY is a pellet outpost. Only two distributors and one only sells New England Wood Pellets and I won't be using them again. Want to start a business here?

Hey There Enviro--

Suffolk cty here as well...near Holbrook--- same thots here on need for pellets-- looking to get involved in the biz aspect of the need as well---let me know your thoughts! seriously.

 

[hossthehermit]

Are they Harry Trumans?

Probably Truman Kaputties.......

 

[briansol]

No one wants to drive a rig through new York city.... plus the toll fees. It's hard to do it and not sell them for $325 a ton for cheap stuff after that.
maine, there's just soo much cheap wood around that the demand isn't there I would imagine. While pellet is still taking off I think, it may show up as more and more people get sick of wood... but its not there yet.

here in central ct, it's pretty crazy how popular they got in the past few years.

There's 5 hearth stores I know of with a 15 circle minuets. most sell by the ton as well.
2 pellet houses, 4 a little further out
tons of big box stores 5 home depots, 4 lowes, 2 tractor supply all within reasonable driving ditances
and even a few grocery stores (price chopper) and gas stations (a citgo) in town have a pallet out front through the winter.
even my oil company sells pellets, corinths. for super inflated prices. but will deliver them as part of an oil/auto delivery contract too.

 

[boo boo]

The Firesides were a good pellet this year, not a bad choice at all.
Where in So Nh are you?

Yes Hooksett

 

[imacman]

Are they Harry Trumans?

No, Truman Capote's

 

[jtakeman]

My stove isn't picky, But I certainly am for my cold weather pellets. I want decent heat without over working the stove to get it. I try not to run the stove higher than medium heat setting. If a pellet needs to be jacked up to get the heat. I don't bother with them. At least in the cold season. I'll save them for when its a bit warmer out. Not as picky with ash content as my stove handles it no problem, Also has a large ash pan that holds a tons worth of even the ashiest pellets.

Burning nice clean hot pellets will probably spoil ya! This ton of Turmans I have now certainly has spoiled me. Might be hard to go back to some of the others. I had to tell the stove not to get used to it as I can't always afford them. I'm gonna toss in some shoulders soon, Just so she(wife calls her the other women!) doesn't get too spoiled too!

 

[m159267]

Here in the mid-west all I have ever seen are Ozark Hardwood Pellets , Tidy Timber's , Greenway's , and Somerset's.... A new start-up, Hearth Wood Pellets, have pellets that are too long for my liking - 1" to 1.75".
Most dealers here don't differentiate between brands. When they advertise, the ads only mention "wood pellets". Calling to inquire as to what brand entails a lot of running around by the store employee to get an answer. Prices usually range from 199 to 209 a ton (no delivery).