Hammers from best to worst?

[stillersnut]

Just threw a bag of my all time fav pellet into hopper. Pellets didn't want to start, at first. These Hammers looked different than any I've seen in the 5 years I've been using them, longer, darker in color and a bit larger in diameter. After burning for an hour on medium setting, I am shocked Low heat, glass getting hazy. I know it's not my stove, just did a cleaning. My settings are set for Hammers, which I have been burning my leftovers from last season. I had to wait awhile for these Hammers, because of a fire at plant in elkins. Guess they had to use external source?? I am glad I split a ton of this crap! Going to save my last season Hammers for the real cold. Anyone else get a bad batch of Hammers this year??

 

[Tony K]

I must agree with you on Hamer's this year. The 5 tons I bought this year are from the Mt Hope plant and are no where close to the Hamer's I have used in past years, specifically the ash buildup in the burnpot. The ash use to be like flour, light and fluffy and this year it's like sand. If I don't shut down and clean every 4 days the stove will shut down as the burnpot clogs, previous years using Hamer's I would shut down every 10 days or so. I'm not sure what plant the Hamer's were from in previous years I bought them. I've also found strange things in the bags as I posted awhile back. I sent pics of what I found in the bags to Hamer as was told they would check into it and get back to me, it's been awhile now and I have heard nothing. Appears you can't go by how pellets burned the previous year as I'm seeing manufacturers are not consistant in the product they sell. There is a lot of good information on this board concerning pellets, ash content, btu's etc people who spend a lot of their free time testing pellets (Thanks Jay for all your hard work) but now I have to wonder, how long is this information good for? What is it that makes pellets good one year and bad the next, specifically from the same manufacturer? I'm sure some of these manufacturers read this board and often wonder if they cut back quality knowing they got a good review the previous year knowing they'll sell their product the following year! Just a thought, is this possible? Hamer's have been my first choice for years but now I have to wonder! Been told in past years the Hamers we get up here in the Northeast were from the Elkins plant, this year from Mt hope! What is the different between the two plants where one makes a great pellet and the other makes a so so pellet? but we get charged the same!

 

[JoeS]

I purchaased 3 tons of Hamers manufactured by the Mt. Hope plant this year and they very well maybe the best pellets I have ever burned.

Ash is very low and the heat is great.

Strange how they can vary so much in quality.

 

[Tony K]

Whats the date on the bag? located on upper right hand corner. Date on mine is 4/11.

 

[bcb1]

This is exactly why I can never get too worked up about pellets. One year a particular brand will burn really great, and the next batch I get from them won't be nearly as good. That's happened to me with both Southern States and Tractor Supply pellets - both Hardwood Heat, which are made by Hamer as far as I know.

My current supply of Hamer's Hot Ones are from Mt. Hope and they are okay but they do leave a heck of a lot of ash and clinkers.

The only pellet that I would go out of my way to buy are Blazers (softwood pellets). Unfortunately I'm in the mid-Atlantic and no one sells them around here, the 1/2 ton that I got at Walmart a few years ago was a complete fluke.

 

[JoeS]

Whats the date on the bag? located on upper right hand corner. Date on mine is 4/11.

Have some are 4/11 but most are 7/11

 

[Tony K]

Must be a difference in material fines from 4/11 to 7/11? Like I've said Hamer's have been my first choice! Happy with the heat! just this years batch the ash content is terrible.

 

[richkorn]

My current supply of Hamer's Hot Ones are from Mt. Hope and they are okay but they do leave a heck of a lot of ash...

X2

Plus a lot of fines/grit in the bag - but still put out lots of heat.

Date on mine are 4/11.

 

[PA_Clinker]

LOTS of fines, good heat, and more ash than I'd expect from an "Ultra Premium" pellet (Elkins plant). Date code 4/27/11.

 

[richkorn]

The Mt. Hope are labeled as ''Premium Grade''. I have some leftover Elkins ''Ultra Premium Grade'' from last year and those were the best I've burned in 4 years. Hardly any ash or fines and Real hot. Just reinforces the fact that a pellet that's good today isn't necessarily good next year or even next quarter. If Hamer's prices are based on being a great top of the line pellet, then they should make sure they consistently put out a top of the line product. The Mt. Hope stuff I have from 4/11 is not any better/worse than the $197/ton Stove Chow I got from HD this past fall.