How has everyone's pellets been burning this year?

[Andy2016]

Hi All,

This has been my second year with my pellet stove, and i'm curious how everyone has been doing with different brands this year? Last year I started with power pellets from lowes, and they were okay (I didn't know what to expect) and then switched to green supreme which seemed to burn really well in comparison.

This year I decided to go with more premium pellets, and bought 2 tons of hamers hot ones and 2 tons of barefoot pellets. After starting off with what I had left of the green supremes, I went with the first ton of Hamers and they were good, but I wouldn't say any better than the green supreme. I switched over the barefoots and now being 2/3rds of the way through this first ton, I have been dissapointed with them. They have burned the quickest and have been the dirtiest ash and clinker wise of any of the 4 types I have used, and they were the most expensive.

I am curious if anyone else has seen any difference in pellets this year. I expected the more premium brands to be hotter and/or cleaner than the 'bargain' pellets I get, but honestly I haven't seen much if any difference, but wondering if maybe it's a bad season or something. I clean my stove often, do a big cleanout every ton, and maintenance is all up to date with nothing changing in that aspect.

 

[johneh]

I have been at this for 23 years now. When I first started
I bought what was cheapest every year until I got Cubix
in my 3rd year never looked back supper hot and low ash
now they may cost a little more but well worth the extra
also free delivery from my dealer.
Just my nickel's worth.

 

[Northwoodneil]

I've been burning for over 10 years and my bottom feeding Harman will burn any pellet without complaint. This year I'm running Stagg's pellets and they are better than most others I've tried. They are supposed to be pure white oak (let over whiskey barrels). Less ash and more heat. I am quickly going through my second ton of the year heating my whole house with highs around zero and lows at -10.

 

[BigJohnfromCT]

I'm an admitted Hamers bigot. In 12 years of burning pellets I've only tried three other brands and I always come back to Hamers. This years Hamers "seem" to be better than previous years. Good luck.

 

[tbear853]

I've been burning Hamer's Hot Ones pellets in my stove since winter 1992, and I've only ever been dissapointed with Hamer's once and that wasn't the pellet's fault, it was my cracked burn pot ... since replaced.

A time or two I tried a few bags something else, but never yet saw another as good in my stove.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

I've been burning for over 10 years and my bottom feeding Harman will burn any pellet without complaint. This year I'm running Stagg's pellets and they are better than most others I've tried. They are supposed to be pure white oak (let over whiskey barrels). Less ash and more heat. I am quickly going through my second ton of the year heating my whole house with highs around zero and lows at -10.

I wish I could get Stagg's pellets. A Theissen's store had some a year or two ago, and I picked up a dozen bags. Easily as good a hardwood pellet as Somersets. I called the store manager, told her that Staggs are much better than the Easyheats they usually sell.
For some reason she forwarded my name and number to some buyer in the home office, and he swore up and down that he would line up some Staggs and let me know when they'd be available.
That was the last I heard from him. I stopped in at the store while passing by last fall, and out of curiosity I checked their stock of pellets ... Easyheats.

 

[shtrdave]

I started with a local pellet, then found Hamers for a decent price and they would deliver them from about 40 miles away for 60 bucks, catch was I had to have a way to off load the truck like a forklift. The neighbor would come down with his old hi-lift with forks on and do that for me. Worked well for about 3 years then the hi-lift broke and he said it wasn't worth fixing. I found someone else to unload them that year and soon found this person unreliable. So for the last 6 years or so I have been getting AWP from the local feed mill, they are close and bring them and unload and stack them right inside the garage door, for $35 a ton I believe. They have been working well and are not bad as far as ash and burn well.
I will say I believe one of the reasons Hamers are so good is because they are small/short pellets. it was rare to find one longer than maybe an inch. Their bags have less volume than any other bag, I dump in buckets in the garage and carry them in. The buckets I use Hamers would fill 2 buckets and maybe 1/4 of a third bucket, everything else I have burned has filled 2.5 to 2.75 buckets per bag.

I would say find something you like and is easy to obtain and try to stick with them. Go and find 3 or 4 kinds and get 5-10 bags of each and burn them and pay attentionto the heat output and the ash made.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

Like NorthwoodNeil, I look for the best deal I can find, which is usually Tractor Supply. I always have to return some moisture-blown bags, but their off-season deals are unbeatable in my area. They generally have decent product, and I have learned that they sell softwoods and hardwoods for the same price. I paid about $255 per ton of Peak softies this summer.

 

[Vinelife]

Been using Pro Pellets on and off for over 10 years. No complaints..

 

[mellow]

With it being my first year burning I am going through several brands to see what I like best. I started out with Green Supreme from Lowes and they burned well with little ash (I liked them but Lowes sold out). I then went to Lignetics and they burn hotter than the Green Supreme but leave more ash and cost $7.50/bag.

I am currently burning the American Wood Fiber's to see how the heat compares with a softwood and then will try the Wood Pellet co. next as both of them are cheaper than the Lignetics.

 

[mayhem]

First year burning pellets and so far its been great. Bought a used Englander 25PVDC with 22 bags of pellets, added 2 tons to that. I'm down a little over a ton at this point so I ought to be ok through the end of the season. Stove has been running at the lowest heat and fan setting during all but the coldest days. I let it go out almost every night, do a quick clean of the burn pot in the morning, load and relight while my coffee brews. When running around the clock it uses a bit more than a bag per day.

I had to replace the combustion/exhaust blower early on due to bad bearing noise (it was used after all) and just the other day my upper auger started making squeaking noises which I resolved with a few pumps of grease into the zerk fittings.

 

[mellow]

I have been burning the American Wood fibers for the past few days and they do give off more heat but leave a considerable amount of ash behind, one of the ashiest I have burned so far.

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

I have been burning the American Wood fibers for the past few days and they do give off more heat but leave a considerable amount of ash behind, one of the ashiest I have burned so far.

I’ve been burning Somersets the last several years. They provide good heat but produce a decent amount of ash.

 

[mayhem]

Heh, heh. I didn't bother to read the first post and completely didn't answer the question being asked.

My stove came with 22 bags of Dry Creek premium hardwood pellets and I bought 2 tons of the Green Supreme pellets from Home Depot. I find no discernable difference between the two, they both burn bright and hot and have similar ash buildup.

 

[Andy2016]

Thanks for all the responses everyone, definitely seems like everyone has been doing pretty well. I have liked my hammers and green supremes, I think I will stick with them. The barefoot pellets again haven't been absolutely awful, but much dirtier, and I don't think I would pay the premium price for them again and instead stick with other brands.

 

[md2002]

I've been trying a bunch of pellets this year, I normally burn LaCrete's or Vermounts and they are both great pellets. Of all the pellets that I tried this year the Somersets have been the best. That being said, funny that I ran across this post. I was just thinking last night that my pellet burning days may come to a pause. Pellet prices around here have gotten insane, you can't get a decent pellet for under $410 a ton, oil is just over $3.10 a gallon. I installed heat pumps and a high efficiency oil burner last year and I have solar. By my calculations pellet burning is no longer saving me money I love the stove but we'll see how prices are next year. When I started burning, a ton was about $250 - $300 max, and oil was $6.00 a gallon. Things are starting to even out.

 

[Andy2016]

When I put my stove in last year I thought it was going to save me money versus oil going off historic oil prices in the middle of winter. This year its probably pretty even. Will see what the next year brings, but I plan on buying my pellets next year very early and looking for some sales hopefully with preseason pricing.

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

I've been trying a bunch of pellets this year, I normally burn LaCrete's or Vermounts and they are both great pellets. Of all the pellets that I tried this year the Somersets have been the best. That being said, funny that I ran across this post. I was just thinking last night that my pellet burning days may come to a pause. Pellet prices around here have gotten insane, you can't get a decent pellet for under $410 a ton, oil is just over $3.10 a gallon. I installed heat pumps and a high efficiency oil burner last year and I have solar. By my calculations pellet burning is no longer saving me money I love the stove but we'll see how prices are next year. When I started burning, a ton was about $250 - $300 max, and oil was $6.00 a gallon. Things are starting to even out.

I’m not saving any money burning pellets but am sure a lot warmer then when I’m using my heat pump.

 

[md2002]

I’m not saving any money burning pellets but am sure a lot warmer then when I’m using my heat pump.

You're not lying. I haven't tried heat pump alone but the pump sure helps. That's the rub, for other heat sources I run at about 68 degrees. If I run the pellet stove my living room stays at about 72 degrees.

 

[mellow]

I knew going into it that pellet was more expensive than using the heat pump. After having a woodstove for years you really miss that heat and if it costs a bit more to run than so be it. My pellet stove is secondary to my heat pump so at the moment the pellet stove is not even on, will turn it on again once temps get back down into the 40's. That is the nice thing with these stoves is the ease of use, that comes at a cost. I miss my blaze king but sure do love the ability to turn on the stove from my phone and set schedules.

 

[johneh]

When I started using a pellet stove ( removed an old 0 Clearance fireplace)
Pellets cost 150$ a ton my 4 ton cost 600$ No Federal Tax back then
Now (this year I paid) 1720 with tax for 4 ton
Think I will retire the pellet stove and put in a wood stove
The main part of the house is heated by wood from my 220-acre bush lot
and it costs a whole lot less for 5 cords of sugar Maple than pellets

 

[mellow]

You could always make your own pellets if you have the wood.

 

[johneh]

You could always make your own pellets if you have the wood.

Then I would have to buy a chipper, hammermill, pelletizer, dryer and a bagger
or a storage bin.
empty my bank account and I don't think my banker is that generous with the loan I would need

 

[Vinelife]

Pellets around here are still around 250 a ton, so still viable choice here...

 

[Tonyray]

I wish I could get Stagg's pellets. A Theissen's store had some a year or two ago, and I picked up a dozen bags. Easily as good a hardwood pellet as Somersets. I called the store manager, told her that Staggs are much better than the Easyheats they usually sell.
For some reason she forwarded my name and number to some buyer in the home office, and he swore up and down that he would line up some Staggs and let me know when they'd be available.
That was the last I heard from him. I stopped in at the store while passing by last fall, and out of curiosity I checked their stock of pellets ... Easyheats.

don't know how they re now but EASY HEATS we're just about the worst pellet on the market. claims that they used old skids in the mix.. nickname was "OLE ROY'S" after the walmart dog food... most would give them away if they had them...