5 tons to be delivered... 5 brands to choose from...

[ineclipse]

Just sort of thinking aloud here, more or less decided what I'm gonna do, but have to put it out there to see how it feels!
I've got a delivery of 5 tons scheduled from Lowes this weekend, and unfortunately they've not gotten in any Greene Team in over a month, which is the pellet I'd hoped to spend most of the winter burning... and they have been told not to expect any anytime soon. :-((
So they are offering me a choice to mix and match among these...

~ CLEAN ENERGY (Lowes house brand)
~ NATURE'S HEAT (Pennington)
~ PRES-TO-LOGS (Lignetics)
~ GREENWAY
~ AMERICAN FREEDOM

I've burned a couple of bags of Clean Energy so far and they are more than acceptable on ash and fines.
I'm having a hard time gauging the heat output though, being that it really hasn't been all that cold to begin with.

Like quite a few others here, I'm a second-year pellethead, and I don't think I've got enough experience with different pellets yet to instantly recognize a "good pellet". Used three brands last year, but last year is nothing for me to go on because the house was a construction zone the entire winter for a two-story addition... at one point about a third of the south-facing wall of the house was nothing but plywood between us and the elements! For 2+ weeks!! D'oh!

At the time we were trying to heat 1650sf on single level with an upstairs dormer (though it really felt like we were trying to heat the entire Hudson Valley!) Happily, the stove we chose - a Bosca Soul 700, is a real beast, a serious workhorse, and it handled it. Now, the entire house w/addition is two-story 2400sf and we're planning/hoping for nothing but pellets the whole season. (We selected the Bosca in anticipation of our needs with the addition completed.)

So at this moment, with the stove burning Clean Energy and set at at mid-heat, the house is ranging from 68* in the furthest upstairs bedroom to 73* in the rooms adjacent to the stove. It is 46* outside (was down to 37* at a point last week) and the old part of the house is not yet 'winterized'. So how we'll do when it's 6* outside, but fully winterized and the Bosca crankin' on high-heat... we'll see!!

Anyway, besides this brief experience, I have read some good things about the Clean Energy pellets here as well, so I think I may go for a couple of skids of them. But they are hardwood and I'd like to burn some softwood as well.

So the other choices...
~ Nature's Heat... have seen all the really poor reviews of Peningtons from seasons past, but a number of you this season are saying that Penington has solved their problems and that this pellet is quite good. Thinking of going with 2 tons of these, though don't know if they are soft or hard wood. Anyone?
~ Lignetics are highly praised here, though the Pres-to-Logs have garnered some doubters. Anyone started burning these this season yet? I'm thinking 1 ton of these.
~ American Freedom & Greenway... have read some rather unflattering things about them here, though not much all that recently.

So that's 2 tons Clean Energy, 2 tons Nature's Heat, 1 ton Pres-to-Logs. (Will pick up a couple of sample bags of the NH and PTL tomorrow to test, but have to commit w/Lowes by Saturday, so not much sample time there.)

Sorry for rambling. Any feedback will be more than welcomed.

 

[imacman]

......So that's 2 tons Clean Energy, 2 tons Nature's Heat, 1 ton Pres-to-Logs. (Will pick up a couple of sample bags of the NH and PTL tomorrow to test, but have to commit w/Lowes by Saturday, so not much sample time there.)........

I think your choices and amounts are good. I'd do the same if I were buying from Lowes.

 

[SXIPro]

Whatever the 'mix' you choose, have Lowe's call you to verify before they deliver. There have been MANY incidents where the box stores just throw whatever is easiest to get at with the fork truck onto the flatbed and you don't end up with what you wanted.

 

[jtakeman]

I haven't heard anything to good about the Presto-log pellets. I would try some before you bought a whole ton

jay

 

[ineclipse]

Thanks guys.
mac - I was actually surprised they even entertained my request to get a mixed load! Figured I'd be given the "you'll get what we give you" line.
And SXI, yes, for sure I am going to be on top of them on Saturday (delivery is on Sunday) - may even go down to the store to MAKE SURE I get what I want! The delivery manager was almost laughing at me this morning on the phone because I've called so much... guess I'm being 'one of those' customers... but so be it! I will NOT be happy if they show up with 5 tons of Greenways!
And jay, unfortunately all they have out on the floor today for me to sample are the Nature's Heat, which I'm pretty well sold on already just from the comments here. They seem willing to deliver me a mixed load, but there is no way I'm going to get them to rip open a wrapped pallet of the Pres-to-Logs just to sell me one bag! Oh well, may be I'll just go with the Clean Energy and Nature's Heat and that's it. The wife is down near Lowes now so she'll grab a couple bags of NH and which ever wins between that and the CE will get the 3 tons worth and the other gets 2. I think I'll be just fine with either or.
Thanks again.

 

[craigsward]

Whatever the 'mix' you choose, have Lowe's call you to verify before they deliver. There have been MANY incidents where the box stores just throw whatever is easiest to get at with the fork truck onto the flatbed and you don't end up with what you wanted.

Yup i just orderd two tons of Greene Team. They were in stock, but Lowes delivered Pres to Logs. Not happy. Hopefully Pres to Logs is a quality pellet.

 

[imacman]

......Yup i just orderd two tons of Greene Team. They were in stock, but Lowes delivered Pres to Logs. Not happy. Hopefully Pres to Logs is a quality pellet.

Does it say "Greene Team" on the receipt or delivery ticket? If so, I'd call and have them replaced with what you asked for. (If you ordered a Kohler sink, and they sent an "Acme", would you accept it?)

If the receipt/delivery ticket just says "wood pellets", then you may be stuck. I'd call the manager, and explain....maybe he will make it right

 

[craigsward]

When i ordered at the store i specified Green team and they put it in the notes of the order. When the guy delivered he had no notes. I was the last guy on his delivery run, so i was happy not to get Penningtons or another of their 6 brands. I haven't decided if i'm going to make them take it back. The pres to logs may be decent pellets. It seems like there isn't much feedback on them yet seeing they are new.

 

[imacman]

.......The pres to logs may be decent pellets. It seems like there isn't much feedback on them yet seeing they are new.

They are made by lignetics, but their not new. Lignetics has been making them for at least a year, that I know of, and maybe longer. Not sure why they aren't reviewed more on the forum.

 

[jtakeman]

.......The pres to logs may be decent pellets. It seems like there isn't much feedback on them yet seeing they are new.

They are made by lignetics, but their not new. Lignetics has been making them for at least a year, that I know of, and maybe longer. Not sure why they aren't reviewed more on the forum.

I plan on picking some up soon(maybe this week). But I am not sure if my testing will help most. I am only interested in the overall heat they will produce. Tested at the heat exchanger and compared to brandX. I want to compare what the local bigbox(HD-LOWES-TSC-Wallymart). Due to they have the better deals. But I don't expect them to be anything more than should season pellets.

I will start a new thread and ask what you want me to look for. Prestologs is on that list!
jay