Cheap pellets.

[Darren111]

So Walmart wants thier spring stuff out already and dumped off thier pellet inventory today for 2 bucks a bag. Not sure if thier any good or not. But from 5.99 a bag to 2 bucks I couldn't say no lol. Grabbed 85 bags (last they had) so hopefully they aren't too bad. Anyone know about these?

 

[bags]

No knowledge of that brand at all. First I've seen of them but for $2 bucks a bag how could you go wrong although some stoves don't like certain brands of pellets. For $100 a ton I would have bought them too.

Throw some in to burn and give us a review on them.

 

[Jp16]

The Lowes in South Nashua has a fairly good sale too. $199/ton was the cheapest. Buy 2 or more tons and get free delivery. I picked up 20 bags of Maine's for $3.99 a bag. With the end of the season in sight I don't want to get too much and take up the space...

 

[Darren111]

The bags are see through mostly and I can already tell they have quite a bit of fines. Couple more days of burning wood and I'll be firing up the pellet stove. I'll be sure to give a review after a week or so burning.

 

[bags]

The question is what type of mark ups these places are putting on pellets. If they can unload them at $100 to $200 per ton I am sure those might be break even prices on them. I doubt they are selling at a loss. For example I see the cull lumber or junk that needs to be burned or tossed into a dumpster banded up for sale at my local Lowe's.

Quickly going thru what is in these banded bundles they are at about 50% off which is probably what they have into that lumber. The junk is not worth that it is so messed up and/or twisted and broken. They have been sitting for weeks now.

 

[Darren111]

Well. Couple days in now and and I certainly wouldn't pay full price for these. The way I understand it these are a blended pellet, hardwood/softwood. Translate that into whatever is laying around. They burn lazy. My burn plate gums up quick. Heat output is way down from the premium softwoods I've been burning all winter. And most odd is the green flames close to the pellet pile on the burn plate. I'm assuming it's caused by by whatever binding agent they used making the pellets.
For 100 bucks a ton I'll get through it, just scrape the burn plate a little more often. I find it hard to believe that people would actually pay 5.99 plus tax/bag for these.

Edit-and I built a screening station just for the fines. Better than a cup of fines in each bag.

 

[Tonyray]

Well. Couple days in now and and I certainly wouldn't pay full price for these. The way I understand it these are a blended pellet, hardwood/softwood. Translate that into whatever is laying around. They burn lazy. My burn plate gums up quick. Heat output is way down from the premium softwoods I've been burning all winter. And most odd is the green flames close to the pellet pile on the burn plate. I'm assuming it's caused by by whatever binding agent they used making the pellets.
For 100 bucks a ton I'll get through it, just scrape the burn plate a little more often. I find it hard to believe that people would actually pay 5.99 plus tax/bag for these.

Edit-and I built a screening station just for the fines. Better than a cup of fines in each bag.

you did fine for 100.00 ton.... that is prob the all time low for 2015-16..
crappy pellets but won't kill ya to scrape a bit more till they are gone.... and of course you deff will not buy again at prob normal price whatever that was or will be..

 

[ShaneR34]

you did fine for 100.00 ton.... that is prob the all time low for 2015-16..
crappy pellets but won't kill ya to scrape a bit more till they are gone.... and of course you deff will not buy again at prob normal price whatever that was or will be..

Scraping more is fine, but my issue is the stove can't be left unattended for more than 8 hours before problems start. That's not possible in my case. If anyone does continue to burn these, I'd be cleaning the stove every few days and the exhaust piping every week...that ash is horrible..and dense.

Anyway...If anyone is interested, I posted in another thread that Walmart is willing to take them back with no issue (in my area at least) and that's what I'll be doing.

 

[Darren111]

Hmmmm....I wonder if they'd take them back without a reciept and refund at full price lmao
I could go get premium softwood I've been burning for 2 bucks a bag lol

 

[ShaneR34]

Hmmmm....I wonder if they'd take them back without a reciept and refund at full price lmao
I could go get premium softwood I've been burning for 2 bucks a bag lol

Heh. They are well known for taking anything back...with, or without, a receipt. Heck, even from another store. LOL

For $2.00/bag, I'd love to burn them. Not possible in my EF3. Only thing I could do is keep them around for the late spring/early fall months when I'm not running the stove much and usually have it off at nights....something to consider I guess. I don't REALLY want to load 90 bags and cart them back...ah well.

 

[Darren111]

These things are really garbage. I wouldn't recommend to anyone. Ashy as hell. I have to clean off burn plate every 6 to 8 hours and dump the ash pan every day. Almost scared to see what the inside of the stove looks like.

 

[bags]

Get what you pay for I guess. What chaps my azz is that many retailers probably bought them cheap and other junk brands counting on people would be desperate again and buy these sub-par turds for premium prices. That back fired and I am glad. My local TSC's were really pushing the pre-buys but wouldn't say what was coming in. They got in some horrible junk and now are stuck with it all. Last year they all had Sets and good brands. Same goes for HD, Lowe's, and the like. They are all stuck like Chuck and sitting on oodles of tons. Nobody wants them.

I venture to say the spring price cuts won't move many either. All of the suppliers I mentioned all jacked prices way up on junk brands. They definitely had dollar signs in their eyes and didn't care at all. Now they see clearly.......... I guess. If not they should.

 

[Darren111]

Shut the stove down for cleaning today. The burn chamber and baffle were a mess. Took a lot of scraping and brushing to get them clean.
Surprizingly enough the heat exchange tubes and exhaust blower were fairly clean. About what I would expect burning premium pellets. I guess the heavy ash doesn't make it that far and I'm ok with that.
The extra emptying the ash pan and scraping the burn plate I can live with as long as I don't have to worry about the rest of the stove plugging up. The burn plate and ash pan I can do with the stove running.

 

[bags]

Darren,
You still scored price wise. I have never seen nor heard of anyone getting a ton for $100 bucks. For that cheap price I'd put up with some ash without thinking twice. They still make heat so you are still staying warm but for chump change.

Cheap pellets like these might be a real good deal for people running Harmans because they are not very picky about burning of crappy pellets. I have had good brands and only burn tons of Sets, Pro Pellets, and Greenways. All three are good here but I have seen complaints on Greenways here from others running different stoves but for the most part they get good reviews. I am tempted to go buy a few bags of the junk TSC here is selling when they reduce them just to see how they burn in my stove. They have Fiber Wood Energy which I have yet to see anything positive said about them anywhere.

The Sets have been my favorites so far and have a more consistent size less fines and burn hot. All of the three brands I have burned are all hardwoods. Softies are non-existent around here. The Pro's had some longer pellets and the Greenways even longer pellets with more fines than the other two by far. Still not bad at all or not a lot in each bag.

My stove burned them all about the same. Only difference was with the Pro's and Greenways having consistently longer pellets (some 2 inches plus) the slide gate would chomp them and make popping sounds cutting them in half. Other than that everything was about the same.

As for the $100 per ton specials you got I would buy some and deal with the small negatives. How is the heat from them. IMHO the hardwoods will produce more dense ash no matter which brand. Just how the wood burns.

 

[BrotherBart]

85 Woody's for $170 can't be a bad thing.

 

[Peterfield]

Way less ash than a wood stove, which most of us probably used before using pellets.

 

[Darren111]

Don't get me wrong. For the price, I'd buy all I could (I got the last they had) The heat output is fairly close to the softwoods I regularly burn. The fines in the bags and the heavy ash(very frequent burn plate/ash pan cleaing) is a small price to pay in exchange for 100 bucks a ton. Especially since doing a full tear down/clean and the innards of the stove were not that bad.
I just wanted to give a heads up to anyone thinking about buying these at full price. I certainly wouldn't. There are too many other options.

 

[KellyS]

So Walmart wants thier spring stuff out already and dumped off thier pellet inventory today for 2 bucks a bag. Not sure if thier any good or not. But from 5.99 a bag to 2 bucks I couldn't say no lol. Grabbed 85 bags (last they had) so hopefully they aren't too bad. Anyone know about these?View attachment 174651

I am new to using pellets - what type do you recommend? What if I have lots left over will they keep until next year?

 

[Darren111]

Leftovers should keep just fine as long as they are kept in a dry place. Most bags I have seen have air holes in them to let the air out while being filled in the bagging process. Those same air holes will let moisture in if kept in a damp place.
As far as recommending, im my limited experience softwood pellets seem to burn the best for me. Your stove may be different. Hit up the pellet stores in your area snd write down the names of available pellets and search them on here. Figure out what doesn't have many negative comments and start there. Other than that trying different types and seeing how they perform for you is really the best way. I tried the 4 or 5 different types in my area and have 2 favorites. Both are premium softwoods that burn hot, fast and low ash. Eastern Embers and Crabbe. These Woody's and Canawick I wouldn't recommend.

 

[bags]

Hi Kelly and Welcome. Use the search bar and also read the pellet review section here. Pellets can be kept indefinitely even outside if you have them covered with a good tarp etc; As mentioned they need to be kept dry. There are many good brands that burn well. Some stoves are more finicky than others as to what they like. Being in PA softwoods might be hard to find.

I've burned Somersets, Pro Pellets, and Greenways which are all hardwood pellets and all good. There are very many brands and choices but most are limited to what's available around them locally.

Call agri-supply places, hardware stores, Tractor Supply Co., Menard's, Lowe's, Home Depot, etc; Sometimes you will find them for sale at places you do not expect. Call around some places like I mentioned and get per bag and per ton ( a skid load) and ask what brand they are. Then let us know what is available to you and many here will know about them or let you know which are good or the best deal.

 

[bags]

Hi Kelly and Welcome. Use the search bar and also read the pellet review section here. Pellets can be kept indefinitely even outside if you have them covered with a good tarp etc; As mentioned they need to be kept dry. There are many good brands that burn well. Some stoves are more finicky than others as to what they like. Being in PA softwoods might be hard to find.

I've burned Somersets, Pro Pellets, and Greenways which are all hardwood pellets and all good. There are very many brands and choices but most are limited to what's available around them locally.

Call agri-supply places, hardware stores, Tractor Supply Co., Menard's, Lowe's, Home Depot, etc; Sometimes you will find them for sale at places you do not expect. Call around some places like I mentioned and get per bag and per ton ( a skid load) and ask what brand they are. Then let us know what is available to you and many here will know about them or let you know which are good or the best deal.

 

[Darren111]

What bags said lol. Just realize that when asking for prices that some manufacturers go with 70 bags per skid which is almost a ton and a half. 50 bags to a ton. Either way some places will give a price break when buying bulk by the ton or by the skid. Or offer free/reduced delivery when buying bulk. Hit those up unless you have a good back and a good truck lol. 30 to 35 bags on a 1/4 ton Ranger or 75 bags on a Ford F-150 is quite a load and taxing on the trucks. I'm sure a chev might handle a few bags lol <----shot at the chev owners that may be around. Point being the dam things are heavy.

 

[ShaneR34]

I still haven't taken mine back yet. I have a few days left before that window closes.

Anyway, after not burning them for a few days, I decided to try burning them mixed with my Eastern Embers. It certainly helped, but I was forced to shut the stove off when I got up this morning...currently waiting for it to cool so I can dump the pot and clean up. Sheesh. I don't have the time to deal with that every morning.

I dunno...don't want to go through the hassle of taking them back, but I don't want to support this pellet company with ANY of money either...But, that's me.

 

[Pete Zahria]

I am new to using pellets - what type do you recommend?

Recommendation?
Don't burn junk.

Dan