Bad ton of Somersets

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notch

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May 2, 2012
57
7 miles north of Boston
This past fall I was pretty excited when I stumbled on Somersets at my local Lowes. I had read almost exclusively good reviews, and the bad reviews were still OK. Nobody ever seemed to hate them. I had never seen them, much less burned them, but I didn't want to miss out while testing them so I bought three ton on the spot. After the first bag, I knew they were good. Super low ash for a hardwood, with all the heat. I was happy. Until....I hit the second ton. Pretty much a 180 degree about-face from the first ton. With the first ton I could run 15 bags through my Accentra insert before needing to empty the ash bin, with the second ton I can run 4, maybe five and then it's over-flowing. It's like some pellet pig snuck in, stole my good stuff and replaced them with Maine's Choice pellets in Somerset bags. It's that bad.

So I'm wondering if anyone has had a similar experience with Somersets before. I have read where others have had similar changes from bag to bag of other pellets, but the first ton was so consistently good I never saw this coming. I really can't wait to get through the second ton so I can see if the third ton is good, bad or in between.

Thankfully they are still hot, and even in the current "polar vortex" I've not needed to supplement with oil.

Stay warm!
 
They may have been different batches. Do the bags have a date on them? The last 'Sets I used had a date on the barcode at the bottom-left corner of the bag.

It's also possible that the problem was weather-related, introduced during shipping/storage.
 
They may have been different batches. Do the bags have a date on them? The last 'Sets I used had a date on the barcode at the bottom-left corner of the bag.

It's also possible that the problem was weather-related, introduced during shipping/storage.
Somersets tend to run badly when the mill is making Hickory Flooring. We sell over 600 tons and we get about 5 or 6 tons that I am not happy about.
 
Somersets tend to run badly when the mill is making Hickory Flooring. We sell over 600 tons and we get about 5 or 6 tons that I am not happy about.

If hickory causes problems, the mill should just burn it in their dryers... use the other woods for pellets. Or maybe blend it in with the other woods. At your sample/failure rate it's only 1% of their product.
 
I returned 85 bags of somersets to menards last weekend. Compared to the pro pellets that I usually burn, the somersets gave off low heat and would plug the holes in the burn pot after a 24hr burn. I believe they had an august or July production date on them
 
Good intel on the hickory! Bad news about your ton of Somersets.
 
Good intel on the hickory! Bad news about your ton of Somersets.
I bought 4 tons at lowes,very disappointed with heat output.I was at HD and bought 15 bags of Lignetics and thought they blew them away.The wife couldn't get over the difference in the heat!
 
Have only had the Somersets around here once, in Eastern CT back in 2011...I grabbed 2.5 tons and use them only below 10 degree temps. If I have room, I just might grab a ton of the Ligs next month for late fall... that is, if there are any left! ;) You have a Castille too, and that is a good review and intel for me... thanks for your post!
 
Mine have been great, 2 tons still wrapped in the shed.
 
I bought 4 tons at lowes,very disappointed with heat output.I was at HD and bought 15 bags of Lignetics and thought they blew them away.The wife couldn't get over the difference in the heat!

I just started burning Somersets (Pennwood last year and early this) and was happy with performance - maybe I should check out Ligs next year....
 
I really believe it has to do with the way the pellets are handled after they are manufactured. All the bags have holes in them to assist in bagging. I see the flatbed trailers hauling them down the road in the rain and snow. They sit in yards unprotected for how long??? The pellets will pick up some moisture for sure. How much? Are the pellets being stacked and re-stacked? Pounding them into dust. I have been to the big box store and they were sitting outside under no cover being sold off the skids. I mentioned it to the store manager that it isn't a good idea and he just looked at me like I was nuts. I just purchased some Somersets from the box store. From all the great reviews I was all excited about the score. After burning them, I wasn't that impressed. I have been burning O'Malleys and have been quite surprised with there performance. So far so good. I think my Harman will burn anything well that has not been mishandled .
 
I had good luck with them and too bad you got an off batch but it does happen.
 
I was in my local Lowes store last week. I saw shrinked wrapped pallets of pellets on the showroom floor with ice water pooled up on top. Must have just brought them in from outside. Not really a big deal, but makes you think that shrink wrap quality should be a very important issue as well as storage methods. My guess is who the retailer is can have a significant impact on consistency in pellets.
 
I picked up all Sommerts a local Menards had, wish I didn't. The Michigan Wood Fibers they also have were much, much better. I've never had to empty/clean the burn pot so often.
 
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I have been impressed with Somerset all year every year. If we weren't we would not sell them. My customers are pretty loyal and if Somersets were not white hot and clean they would be asking for other choices. I switched about 5 to 10 people to either North Country or LaCrete this year.
 
I think like others have mentioned, the Sommersets I got were probably only bad from mishandling or bad storage conditions. They were probably returns to Menards since every Menards around only has MWF pellets besides the 30 or so bags of Sommersets I grabbed.

Oh well, only about 3 bags left.
 
I believe you. the 25 bags I purchased came from the local box store and Its the first time I saw them there. Thats why I was shocked. My opinion is ,The stove shops get the #1s . The Home Depots and Lowes gets the , whats left. They don't have to cater to stove owners that they are trying to impress. If you were selling sub par pellets to the people you sold stoves to, you would never be home for dinner.
 
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