Any softwood pellets in Southern Michigan that are any good?

[Jonkman]

Howdy Everybody,

I know there are not many Michiganders on here, but just curious if any of you know of a good softwood pellet available around here? I live near Grand Rapids and there isn't much of a selection of softwoods. Only one I know of is Isabellas and they aren't very good in my opinion. I use Pro Pellets (hardwood) because there are a few places that carry them and the price isn't bad. Been running $169 a ton at TSC I hear this fall already. There is a hard and soft blend called Kirklands but they are a bit more in price and not as available.

Anyways, just curious if I'm missing a good pellet, I'd like to try a softwood like Douglas Fir or something. Thanks for your time!

 

[ABusWrench]

Hey Jonkman, I hear ya. I can't find a softwood pellet near me either, which is eastern Ohio. I can get Somersets, Lignetics, Pro Pellets and Hamers. Menards will special order softwood for $300 a ton. To much $$ for me. Not when I can get the Somersets @ Menards for $165 after rebate. My brother scored TCS/rebagged Pro Pellets for $169. That was a 2 day sale. I missed that!

 

[Jonkman]

It seems there is slim pickings where we live...

Guess I'll just have to stick with my Pro Pellets.

 

[cunnibra]

It seems there is slim pickings where we live...

Guess I'll just have to stick with my Pro Pellets.

If you're willing to drive a bit, this place has the best selection in our area.

http://www.visitsmartenergy.com/pelletswood.html

They have Uncle Jed's Softwood, which some swear by. I have burned them and ended up have the best luck with pro pellet with my particular stove.

H2Oasis up on 14 mile usually has some kind of softwood by the ton each year. Not sure if you've checked them out.

 

[Jonkman]

Thanks cunnibra, I have been to H2Oasis and tried Isabella from there, bought my stove from there and the first year of pellets (isabellas). Found Pro Pellets the next year and have stuck with those. I have been to Smart Energy to browse, and I remember seeing Uncle Jeds, but I think they were like $300 a ton or something like that so I ran away. Guess I'm used to about $100 less, but still wish we had a better selection around here.

 

[Wooden Head]

Howdy Everybody,

I know there are not many Michiganders on here, but just curious if any of you know of a good softwood pellet available around here? I live near Grand Rapids and there isn't much of a selection of softwoods. Only one I know of is Isabellas and they aren't very good in my opinion. I use Pro Pellets (hardwood) because there are a few places that carry them and the price isn't bad. Been running $169 a ton at TSC I hear this fall already. There is a hard and soft blend called Kirklands but they are a bit more in price and not as available.

Anyways, just curious if I'm missing a good pellet, I'd like to try a softwood like Douglas Fir or something. I tried Kirklands a few years ago. They were a very low heat producer.

 

[Jonkman]

I agree about the Kirklands, not bad, but not great. Low ash if I remember, but not very hot....So far the hottest I have tried has been Pro Pellets...and they are readily available. I just keep hearing from folks on this forum about softwoods and the heat they produce, etc. But they are in Canada, the Northwest, Northeast, anywhere but here. I know of a place in Zeeland that has Somersets, I bought a few bags and they weren't that great IMHO. Not worth the price that is for sure.

 

[biketony]

Hi Michiganders,

I am in the Detroit area (Western Wayne County, not far from Ann Arbor) and finding pellets has become my obsession....lol
Not a whole lot of options here. Somerset's have been my favorite pellet to burn. Tried pro pellets last year and ended up returning 20 bags. Just could not get them to burn well in my quadrafire Santa Fe stove. Michigan wood pellets are my second choice. Have not seen any softwood at all. If any one has some softwood options, please let me know.

 

[tlc1976]

I agree about the Kirklands, not bad, but not great. Low ash if I remember, but not very hot....So far the hottest I have tried has been Pro Pellets...and they are readily available. I just keep hearing from folks on this forum about softwoods and the heat they produce, etc. But they are in Canada, the Northwest, Northeast, anywhere but here. I know of a place in Zeeland that has Somersets, I bought a few bags and they weren't that great IMHO. Not worth the price that is for sure.

I started on Kirtlands and I still have a ton left and I wish they were gone already. They're not junk IMO but not very hot. They got me through the season and a half I've been burning, But I didn't know what I was missing until I tried Pro Pellets through the coldest part of last season. The Kirtlands didn't burn hot enough to where I could leave my stove on 1 without it hot enough to maintain the fire sometimes, and couldn't use thermostat mode. With the Pro Pellets I can do that, they burn considerably hotter. Also have considerably less ash than the Kirtlands. Burn time is about the same, I clocked 27 hours per bag on 1. Others said the Kirtlands were pretty inconsistent and I agree. Also the Pro Pellets are slipperier and shorter, for a more even feed. The Kirtlands sometimes are over 2" long and have sheared several auger pins when they catch just right. Though sometimes it's relaxing to stand next to the stove and dig in the hopper and break the long pellets.

After the Kirtlands are gone I've got a stock of Pro Pellets.

$169 a ton down there? Heck I'm in GR every 2 weeks anyway. Pro Pellets are $235 a ton at the Family Farm and Home, but they had an August sale at $185 a ton so I stocked up.

 

[Jonkman]

I started on Kirtlands and I still have a ton left and I wish they were gone already. They're not junk IMO but not very hot. They got me through the season and a half I've been burning, But I didn't know what I was missing until I tried Pro Pellets through the coldest part of last season. The Kirtlands didn't burn hot enough to where I could leave my stove on 1 without it hot enough to maintain the fire sometimes, and couldn't use thermostat mode. With the Pro Pellets I can do that, they burn considerably hotter. Also have considerably less ash than the Kirtlands. Burn time is about the same, I clocked 27 hours per bag on 1. Others said the Kirtlands were pretty inconsistent and I agree. Also the Pro Pellets are slipperier and shorter, for a more even feed. The Kirtlands sometimes are over 2" long and have sheared several auger pins when they catch just right. Though sometimes it's relaxing to stand next to the stove and dig in the hopper and break the long pellets.

After the Kirtlands are gone I've got a stock of Pro Pellets.

$169 a ton down there? Heck I'm in GR every 2 weeks anyway. Pro Pellets are $235 a ton at the Family Farm and Home, but they had an August sale at $185 a ton so I stocked up.

Hi tlc1976

I am actually near Byron Center, so not really far from you. A guy I worked with saw them for $169 at a place by me, but not sure if that was everywhere (TSC). Anyways, I've bought from a place in Newaygo before and he is consistently $180 a ton for pro pellets. He's on craigslist:

https://grandrapids.craigslist.org/fod/d/wood-pellets-pro-pellets/6318414034.html

Also, this guy is in Hudsonville, and I bought some from him this spring and will again here this fall (he is holding a few tons for me). He buys direct from Pro Pellet and uses them to heat his greenhouses and sells what he does not use. He's $175 a ton.

https://grandrapids.craigslist.org/for/d/wood-pellet-heat-sale-wood/6321477828.html

Don't know if you need more, but thought I would share...

Steve

 

[jzm2cc]

Give the MWP pellets from Grayling mill a try. Very soft compared to Pro Pellets, they burn hot in my stoves but do create a lot of white fluffy ash. I burn whatever is cheapest, but do like Pro Pellets a lot.

 

[Jonkman]

Give the MWP pellets from Grayling mill a try. Very soft compared to Pro Pellets, they burn hot in my stoves but do create a lot of white fluffy ash. I burn whatever is cheapest, but do like Pro Pellets a lot.

I would like to try those...can't seem to find them near Grand Rapids. I know there is confusion between them and a mill in Holland Michigan that has a similarly named pellet. I hear to stay away from the Holland ones, but the ones you recommend have a good reputation.

 

[jzm2cc]

Not sure how far their distribution is within Michigan but 99% of what I burn is from Grayling Mill which is less than 30 minutes away Just feels good supporting local businesses when ever possible and their prices are good.

 

[tlc1976]

Not sure how far their distribution is within Michigan but 99% of what I burn is from Grayling Mill which is less than 30 minutes away Just feels good supporting local businesses when ever possible and their prices are good.

I like to support the locals too which is why I started with Kirtland. The factory is less than 10 miles from my house and I know how they bent over backwards to try to comply with the town who seemed to not really want them in their industrial park. If they burned hot enough to keep my stove on 1 then I'd still buy them.

 

[jzm2cc]

I've heard about grumbling up there in Boyne over Kirtland, hopefully resolved now. It's not common place finding new companies forming in upper Mi.

I've burned them in my St Croix's and Harman, but maybe there were bad batches causing poor burn in the Quad, or just too long of pellets as suggested earlier.

 

[tlc1976]

Hi tlc1976

I am actually near Byron Center, so not really far from you. A guy I worked with saw them for $169 at a place by me, but not sure if that was everywhere (TSC). Anyways, I've bought from a place in Newaygo before and he is consistently $180 a ton for pro pellets. He's on craigslist:

https://grandrapids.craigslist.org/fod/d/wood-pellets-pro-pellets/6318414034.html

Also, this guy is in Hudsonville, and I bought some from him this spring and will again here this fall (he is holding a few tons for me). He buys direct from Pro Pellet and uses them to heat his greenhouses and sells what he does not use. He's $175 a ton.

https://grandrapids.craigslist.org/for/d/wood-pellet-heat-sale-wood/6321477828.html

Don't know if you need more, but thought I would share...

Steve

Thanks. I'll keep that in mind. I'll be good for this winter. Last February I was bringing up Pro Pellets from TSC in Cadillac during my trips. Think I burned about 16 bags. Price per bag was the same as the per ton price up north, but individual bags up north were a lot more.