If the bag doesn't SAY "hardwood"....

[RALPH125]

is it safe to assume you're buying softwood pellets?

I'm a new stove owner. I bought 3 tons of pellets in June---"COMFORT" brand from Quebec Canada.

The bag is labeled "premium" but there is absolutely nothing on the label stating whether they're hardwood or softwood.

The stoves been working fine with them.....despite temps near zero here in SE Mass I haven't had to set my Englander 25 past 5/5
to keep the room toasty warm.

I was at Lowes the other day and they had a pallet of "Green Tree" brand pellets out so I bought a few bags. They're clearly labeled
"premium HARDWOOD".

They seem to be burning far cleaner than the other ones did........much less ash--fewer clinkers--and do seem to be putting out a little more heat.

I'm just wondering if all that extra ash is primarily because they're softwood rather than hardwood pellets and should I be sceptical of buying anything that isn't clearly labeled "hardwood".......(Englander recommends hardwood pellets AFAIK)...........thx-

 

[crausch]

I can't remember exactly, but I thought that the PFI required the pellet manufactures to state what the pellets are. No, you can't assume if they don't say "Hardwood" that they are "Softwood". I have burned a brand that was a mix of hard/softwood mixed together. I think they were the Appling County Pellets which I was not pleased with.

 

[RALPH125]

I can't remember exactly, but I thought that the PFI required the pellet manufactures to state what the pellets are. No, you can't assume if they don't say "Hardwood" that they are "Softwood". I have burned a brand that was a mix of hard/softwood mixed together. I think they were the Appling County Pellets which I was not pleased with.

If they did--it's in small print on the inside of the bag. I've looked carefully several times--I don't see it.

Just the word "premium" but nothing about species.

 

[Dr_Drum]

I'm starting to think "Premium" is just a catch phrase and is not regulated? Like "New and Improved" or "Super-Sized"? They can't all be "Premium" and produce such different results as described on this site, can they?

Mike -

 

[crausch]

Well, I don't think that labeling carries a whole lot of weight with the PFI standards at the moment. The standards were only approved back in July I think. It will take almost a year or more for the program to be fully implemented by the PFI. It takes time for the manufacturers to get their requirements package and then implement changes and procedures at their plants. Plus, they have to have testing done by independent labs. I think once this is all put in place, the PFI membership will mean much more. At that point if a pellet brand states that it is a member of the PFI and it states premium on their bag. The the variance between brands will not be as significant but don't expect 100 % equal performance.

 

[Pellet1]

I can't locate it right now, but as I recall, in Canada, PREMIUM means, pure wood dust with no bark or other fillers or binders. Can be either soft or hard wood.