Athens Wood Pellets intial review

[pellet0708]

Is there any recourse we could take like if we bought any bad product?

 

[wak1954]

Mine read Maine Woods Pellets Athens Maine with the phone #

 

[richkorn]

I have one ton of the Athens pellets and they do leave a lot of ash in the burn pot.

this sucks. I ended up with Athens because it seemed like the only thing I could get before winter. The guy at Dysarts claimed they were premium low ash pellets and that I wouldn't have any problems. I switched to taking the Athens because they couldn't get the kind of pellets I wanted (Corinth because I like to support Maine businesses).

I haven't burned any yet, but if they are as bad as they say I will definitely be getting something else for next winter. Dysarts also sells Energex, but they charge a lot more per ton... I guess you get what you pay for....

Same situation here, had 3 tons Corinth on order and they never came in. Dealer was kind of stuck and didn't know when he'd get them or even what the price would be. I didn't want to get stuck with nothing and he had these Maine Woods things in stock. Like a fool I bought three tons; They are total crap and I'm stuck with them. should have gone to Tractor Supply back in July.

I guess I can't blame him, he probably had no clue on how bad they were. I'll be smarter next Spring.

 

[Fire It Up]

Burning consistently all day. At this rate, I'll burn through these junkers and get into my stash of Cubex. These Athens pellets now that I have been buring them daily get my rating of an F. I can only get through about 14 hours of on and off buring before the ash completely fills my burn pot preventing a new fire from starting. The heat output is ok, but I have to put my feed rate on the highest setting because they burn so quick. If I was burning full time, like in January I do, I think I would be going through 2+ bags a day.

Buyer beware. These are hands down the worst pellets I have every burned in my stove over the years and I feel ripped off due to the fact that they claim to be permium. I'm getting like a coffee can full of ash for a half bag at this point

I switch over to Cubex and I can run my stove for 3 days straight without a cleaning or hiccup. I get 12-14 hours with these pellets before my stove stops working. Not impressed.

I am convinced that these are primarily cedar park from left over blanks due to the color. High bark content they are shoveling in the hoppers as quick as they can.

 

[richkorn]

Burning consistently all day. At this rate, I'll burn through these junkers and get into my stash of Cubex. These Athens pellets now that I have been buring them daily get my rating of an F. I can only get through about 14 hours of on and off buring before the ash completely fills my burn pot preventing a new fire from starting. The heat output is ok, but I have to put my feed rate on the highest setting because they burn so quick. If I was burning full time, like in January I do, I think I would be going through 2+ bags a day.

Buyer beware. These are hands down the worst pellets I have every burned in my stove over the years and I feel ripped off due to the fact that they claim to be permium. I'm getting like a coffee can full of ash for a half bag at this point

I switch over to Cubex and I can run my stove for 3 days straight without a cleaning or hiccup. I get 12-14 hours with these pellets before my stove stops working. Not impressed.

I am convinced that these are primarily cedar park from left over blanks due to the color. High bark content they are shoveling in the hoppers as quick as they can.

I agree 100%, I get a cup of ash after an hour and have to scrape the pot after just a few hours. Ripped off? YES

Maybe I'll send off an email to PFI to let them in on this.

 

[DAGME]

Second day burning --- to add to the conversation.

Nothing new here, we're disappointed with these pellets. Started last night's fire at 10:00pm. By 1:00am, the burnpot liner on our Enviro EF2i was more than half full with ash. By 5:00am (yes, I'm an insomniac), the burnpot liner was nearly filled with ash and clinkers. I am seriously afraid that if we leave it overnight or while we're at work, we're at risk of a fire!

I'm planning on calling the dealer we bought these from to tell them not to sell 'em to anyone else. I might even draft a letter to Maine Woods Pellet Co. The problem could be that Maine Woods seems to be the only company that is getting pellets to the non-chain hardware stores in short time frames. We really wanted to support a local Maine company, but it appears Athens doesn't quite have it together yet. I hope this is due to a "learning curve" at Athens and not a result of rushing poor quality pellet to the market to make a quick $$.

 

[DAGME]

By the way, here is the contact information for Maine Wood Pellet Company LLC (the makers of Athens).

http://www.mainewoodspelletco.com/contact.html

Check out the pellet in the picture - that looks nothing like the dark pellet I have.

 

[richkorn]

I just sent an email off to PFI complaining about the M and M Ltd. bags (Maine Woods) that I have that are labeled as PFI Certified Premium. Now, there is no PFI logo on the bag, but it does say PFI Certified. Someone putting out fraudulent product maybe? I'm almost afraid to burn these things. What a waste of money.

 

[lessoil]

I just sent an email off to PFI complaining about the M and M Ltd. bags (Maine Woods) that I have that are labeled as PFI Certified Premium. Now, there is no PFI logo on the bag, but it does say PFI Certified. Someone putting out fraudulent product maybe? I'm almost afraid to burn these things. What a waste of money.

Well I am very concerned as I have 4 tons sitting in my yard!
richkorn, can you post their email address???
I will contact them also.
The heat seems fine, but the ash seems to form a dam in the burn pot.

I have burned a couple of bags of LG out of Canada and they burned very very clean
compared to the Athens Pellets.

Thanks

 

[richkorn]

I just sent an email off to PFI complaining about the M and M Ltd. bags (Maine Woods) that I have that are labeled as PFI Certified Premium. Now, there is no PFI logo on the bag, but it does say PFI Certified. Someone putting out fraudulent product maybe? I'm almost afraid to burn these things. What a waste of money.

Well I am very concerned as I have 4 tons sitting in my yard!
richkorn, can you post their email address???
I will contact them also.
The heat seems fine, but the ash seems to form a dam in the burn pot.

I have burned a couple of bags of LG out of Canada and they burned very very clean
compared to the Athens Pellets.

Thanks

[email protected]

My supplier forwarded my complaint to M&M;and he said he'd get back to me. I can't burn these and want to return them asap.

 

[sparkydog00]

Seeing as I have only burned 3 bags of them...and the weather really isn't that cold...I can't rate the heat output of these pellets from Athens. But I can safely say they seem to burn just fine in my Harmen Accentra Insert. No problems with the feed. The pellets are darker than last years left over bag of Cubex. And the size is uni-formally small.
They seem to burn with the standard amount of ash and clinkers.
With the ash deposits I scraped from my burn pot ( I do it everyday when burning sometimes more) I would rate them about the same as last years New England Pellet (the standard bags) but definitely worse than Cubex (incidently the best pellet I have burned).
The amount of fines was low to average.
I hope I am as happy burning these pellets in February...since I own 3 tons of them.

Okay

I have burned several more bags...These pellets produce way too much ash to be considered premium quality. The ash is of a heavy nature too. The ash doesn't seem to evacute the burn pot as easily as any other pellet I have burned. Needs constant attention cleaning the burn pot. Will have to say ...am not very happy with them at this writing. And I have a little less than 3 tons of this crap to burn. Will definitely be writing the company to state my disappointment with their product.
Anybody have an idea what the feed rate should be for crappy pellets on my Harmen Accentra? It burns all the pellets I have had to date at betweeen 4 and 5. The Athens pellets might need a different setting. Should I increase or decrease the feed rate.

 

[pellet0708]

There are actually black specks and long streaks through these pellets. That can't be regular saw dust. Must be bark to be black.??

 

[j00fek]

after buring 6 bags of these pellets im am not satisfied.

lots of ash, window is almost black

looks like we can place these with the 2007 version of penningtons

JUNK

 

[richkorn]

Returning my 3 tons Sat. morning for refund.

 

[NEW2PS]

This is my first time burning pellets and I'm very glad I read this thread. I purchased the Athens pellets (because it was all I could find and I was told they were top shelf pellets). I after a week of steady burning I was ready to sell my pellet stove because I had to clean the burn pot atleast 2 times a day. Now it sounds like I am just burning crappy pellets. In the Waterville ME area I don't know anyone selling anything but the Athens pellets. Does anyone know where I can get another brand. Right now it is hard to get any pellets period.

 

[compressedwoodsupplier]

I have burned pellets for five years and these pellets dont seem any different. Put out a nice heat and im not getting the ash content you all are talking about.. Not sure whats wrong but not sure its the pellets.

 

[pellet0708]

I got my 4 ton very early on and they are just broken pieces. A friend purchased some just recently and they are much better shape. My guess is that the early batches had QC issues.
After burning penningtons to try, the Maine woods burn cleaner, in that there are no clinkers and they don't leave black soot everywhere but there is a ton of ash and I have to stir the burn pot 3 times a day or it goes out. This did not happen with the penningtons so has to be the ash. As I said in an earlier post, they have black all through them which has to be bark since I've never seen black saw dust.

 

[wak1954]

I'm still having aproblem with these pellets binding in my stove. The ash quantity is incredible, to the point where it puts out the fire if not tended to constantly. Last evening I came home to a cold stove with ashes surrounding a small pile of unburned pellets. The auger was bound up where as I had to take the drive motor off and work the auger back and forth with a pair of vise grips until it was free.
I have had some success mixing the Athens pellets with any other kind of pellets so that they won't bind the auger. I would be interested to hear from any other people who are having the same, or similar problems.

 

[sinnian]

I have burned pellets for five years and these pellets dont seem any different. Put out a nice heat and im not getting the ash content you all are talking about.. Not sure whats wrong but not sure its the pellets.

Sorry, would have meant more to me if you were not a dealer. ALL these other people can not be wrong, AND no one else has posted here about the great luck you have had.

 

[richkorn]

I'm still having aproblem with these pellets binding in my stove. The ash quantity is incredible, to the point where it puts out the fire if not tended to constantly. Last evening I came home to a cold stove with ashes surrounding a small pile of unburned pellets. The auger was bound up where as I had to take the drive motor off and work the auger back and forth with a pair of vise grips until it was free.
I have had some success mixing the Athens pellets with any other kind of pellets so that they won't bind the auger. I would be interested to hear from any other people who are having the same, or similar problems.

Oh man, I thought my problems with these pellets were bad; nothing compared to yours. I'm not putting 1 tiny pellet of these in my stove any more. 146 bags going back tomorrow. I have about 70 lbs. of these in garbage bags that I'm giving away for wood stove burning.

 

[ajwoodman]

I think you guys are really being tough on these pellets. I have three ton of them sitting in my basement and I will burn them. They haven't caused any problems with my stove except for alot of ash and I would probably say lower heat output but that's it. It is their first year and I say they just are having a problem with qc. They will get their act together. In other words, although they are not the best, I feel they are burnable

 

[Steveo]

I think you guys are really being tough on these pellets. I have three ton of them sitting in my basement and I will burn them. They haven't caused any problems with my stove except for alot of ash and I would probably say lower heat output but that's it. It is their first year and I say they just are having a problem with qc. They will get their act together. In other words, although they are not the best, I feel they are burnable

If you like them I have a ton of them that I will sell to you.

 

[malibuman00]

It is clear they are having qc problems, my father bought some of these early in the spring and is pellets look nothing like mine.
I waiting for a picture from him to post. Here is a picture of what my pellets look like. The flash actually made them look lighter.
His pellets actually look like what most wood pellets do, light in color and uniform in size. Are they now using different materials? I thought no way these are the same company, but they are. I purchased 1 ton of these, which I'm glad I do not have more. I called the dealer with my concerns and he said they would produce a lot of ash and to return any bags with sawdust. I was never informed of that at purchase, I was told they are good pellets. This company needs to own up on selling poor pellets and remove premium from the bags

 

[sparkydog00]

It is clear they are having qc problems, my father bought some of these early in the spring and is pellets look nothing like mine.
I waiting for a picture from him to post. Here is a picture of what my pellets look like. The flash actually made them look lighter.
His pellets actually look like what most wood pellets do, light in color and uniform in size. Are they now using different materials? I thought no way these are the same company, but they are. I purchased 1 ton of these, which I'm glad I do not have more. I called the dealer with my concerns and he said they would produce a lot of ash and to return any bags with sawdust. I was never informed of that at purchase, I was told they are good pellets. This company needs to own up on selling poor pellets and remove premium from the bags

Agreed...
They are selling standard grade pellets at premium grade prices. I have not yet decieded what i am going to do with these pellets. Since I own a little less than 3 tons of them. I can't fault the point of sale...they did what they were supposed to do..deliver 3 tons of premium pellets. And they did a great job at that. Granted I am at fault for not following pellets basic rule number 1...buy 10 bags of the brand if you have never used them before...see how they burn them go back...but in the pellet rush of 08 I didn't follow iit.
Feel like the general public has been hoodwinked. The mill has used inferior materials in the making of these pellets. Whats worse is according to your post...they had things together earlier in the year...when your dad got his pellets...then in the rush to fill the niche left by the pellet storage...they ground up anything the could find and pressed it into pellets....sounds like sheer greed to me.
I am not being too hard on this company. These pellets should be selling at standard grade pricing. They produce too much ash to be considered premium grade.
I will say that these pellets produce so much ash that they would be unusable in any top feeding pellets appliance.

 

[wak1954]

The pellets shown in the picture look far superior to the Athens that I have. My longest pellet is 3/8" long, with no gloss at all. I'm having a hard time finding other pellets to mix with them so that they will burn without binding up the auger.