Cubex Pellets vs Ambiance Pellets

[colinb93rs]

So I got my stove installed this year (Oct 12) Heatilator PS50 and I started out with a ton of Ambiance Pellets and they were great, very low ash content, burned nice and hot but it seemed they burned quickly. So after checking around I found a supplier of Cubex pellets that will deliever to my house for the same price as I was paying to go pickup the Ambiance. Having gone through about half a ton of the Cubex I have had multiple startup issues where it seems there is a solid mass sitting right in front of the igniter. I do the regular maintenance where I clean the burn pot and use the shop vac to clean out the rest of the stove. I would say 3 times a week I am going over the stove to keep it clean...and with the ambiance this was fine....no startup issue. Now with the cubex at least 3 times a week I am finding myself having to chip away at this mass and sit and watch until the stove fires up. And last night as it was -22C outside the house went down to 12C inside...it was chilly! Has anybody had similar issues to this? Should I switch back to the ambiance or does anybody in the Kingston area know of another good brand of pellet to try?

Thanks!

 

[New Hampshire Jim]

Kingston New Hampshire,Road Island,Jamaica?
Need to know your location

 

[colinb93rs]

Kingston, Ontario

 

[P38X2]

Kingston Jamaica mon! Rite neer da beech, boyeeee!

Sorry

 

[P38X2]

My local Agway had Ambience hardwood and Orford softies (both by Valfei) a while back. I opted for the softies but the owner said the Ambience were quite good. After your quick review, his recommendation, and a lack of options around here, I may check em out.

You sure they burned quickly? Sometimes a clean burning pellet will give the illusion of burning fast due to a lack of "evidence" in the burn pot. If they worked for you, and you have limited options, it might be worth giving them a second go round.

 

[colinb93rs]

I just found another supplier of pellets that came recommended from the company who installed my stove. Mcfedders for $4.99 a bag, no discount for bulk purchase but that seems like a pretty good price by itself!. And yes I agree with your statement about the illusion of pellets burning fast, I was quite surprised how clean the Ambiance pellets burned, but they are $5.49 a bag and thats the discounted price per ton.

 

[P38X2]

Pretty sure McFeeters are very good.

 

[WoodPorn]

Kingston Jamaica mon! Rite neer da beech, boyeeee!

Sorry

Down biy de beeeech....ooo waayy ooo

Like the Mcfeeters...

 

[Ricks]

i have burned both Cubex and Ambiance. You are right I could not find much about Ambiance pellets. Either here or on the net. Given a choice between these two pellets I prefer Ambiance. They seem to burn cleaner than Cubex. Without taking a temperature I think they also burn hotter too. I got them from a local supplier for $249.00 per ton. Yes I had to pick them up, but they are only 30 minutes away.

Rick.........

 

[johneh]

Try this Company
Close to you and they deliver
http://www.fergusonsenergysystems.com/

 

[Birdie Golf]

Ambiance was in my area couple years ago, was the lowest priced at 239.....tried them didnt like em at all, cubex IMO is the best pellet out there

 

[rparker]

Burned a ton of McFeeters early winter. Good heat but MAJOR clinkers. If I cleaned the burn pot daily they were good but doubt I'll burn them again unless things change.

 

[colinb93rs]

Try this Company
Close to you and they deliver
http://www.fergusonsenergysystems.com/

So I got my ton of Cubex from these guys and really can't be the price...especially since it was delievered! I assume the production of pellets is the same with just about everything else...sometimes you get a good batch and sometimes you don't. The cubex have definately left a bad taste in my mouth and currently the Ambiance is cheeper, I guess I know where im going next. They also have an LG brand which the local home hardware has for $5.49/bag...anybody ever use these ones?

 

[midfielder]

I'm in the middle of a ton of Ambiance. I like them. Very low ash and moderately hot. They are well beyond typical cheapies I've burned but not up to the heat of VTs, for example. For me, they're a good average winter weather pellet - around here that's highs in the upper 20s and lows around 10. When it gets colder than that I go for the VTs. Warmer than that, like Oct. - mid Dec. and mid Mar. to the end of the season I go to the cooler pellets like FUs, Chow, etc. IMHO the Ambiance is a really good, clean pellet.

 

[New Hampshire Jim]

Check out this link for a review of pellets.
http://www.woodpelletreviews.com/

 

[Harmanizer]

I bought 3 tons of Cubex based on reviews I had read on the forum.I thought I would save them for the cold weather and burn some cheap stuff during the shoulders.I was disapointed when I discoverd that the cheap pellets burned hotter and cleaner than the cubes. There not a bad pellet but for the price there are better options in my humble opinion.

 

[midfielder]

So,,, what was the cheap stuff?

 

[Harmanizer]

So,,, what was the cheap stuff?

Stove Chow and Fireside.Both $209. a ton.They burn great.

 

[jtakeman]

Don't write off them Cubies until you try some. I just dumped in 2 bags from the ton I bought in April 2010 and they are hot as heck. Hotter than the Turmans I was burning.......

 

[imacman]

Stove Chow and Fireside.Both $209. a ton.They burn great.

Since you like the SC & FU so much, I'll be right over to get those nasty Cubies off your hands.

 

[PoolGuyinCT]

I bought 3 tons of Cubex based on reviews I had read on the forum.I thought I would save them for the cold weather and burn some cheap stuff during the shoulders.I was disapointed when I discoverd that the cheap pellets burned hotter and cleaner than the cubes. There not a bad pellet but for the price there are better options in my humble opinion.

2011 cubes were trash, got nowhere with cubex

 

[Harmanizer]

Since you like the SC & FU so much, I'll be right over to get those nasty Cubies off your hands.

HA.I'll trade them for some of Jay's 2010 Cubes.

 

[Branson4720]

I would say that the Cubies are on par with the Ambiance. But , the Ambiance have less ash. Just MY observations from my experience.

 

[KodiakII]

Just put the multi-fuel pot in my stove. Before that the Cubies were burning the best, now it seems to like the Ambiance a little better. Anyone try the so called "premium" pellets from Hd or Wally?