Maine Wood Pellets? are they worth it?

[strangemainer]

I know they have had complaints, but I burned Penningtons last season with no problems.
If they heat good but just have a high ash content, it might be a deal.
I can get them right now for $235 a ton.
What do you guys think? is the 200 bucks or so I'll save worth it?

 

[Jack Morrissey]

What are your other choices.... can you get maines choice around there?? Not sure if id put up with the xtra ash for 200.

 

[strangemainer]

Ive got a wide range of choices right now, but I was thinking about it to save a buck.
Is the ash the only thing to consider?

 

[Sawduster]

I just sent away five tons of Maine Wood Pellets that showed up at my door, because of what I had read on this forum about how awful they are or were at one point. I had a choice of LG's at $275 ton or Maine Woods at 235, so I opted for the LG's. The dealer made a mistake and sent me the wrong pellet, and had already stacked one ton in the garage, before I discovered the mistake. I decided to send them all back. It was a hassel, but I don't want to be stuck with five tons of crap. The LG's were also bagged in clear plastic, and they appear very nice with almost no fines. The Maine Woods were in White Plastic, and one bag had opened up; there appeared to be a lot of fines.

 

[SnowZilla]

@ Dysarts

Maine wood pellets (Athens) $249 ton
Energex, Corinth & Northeast (Ashland) wood pellets $289 ton

 

[strangemainer]

I may ask him to let me test burn a couple bags.....

I dont want 4 tons of CRAP!!

 

[sparkydog00]

I may ask him to let me test burn a couple bags.....

I dont want 4 tons of CRAP!!

While I am probably the loudest critic of these pellets...
If you are seriously considering them...get at least 10 bags and burn them....preferably on cold nights.
Check out the ash content....and the heat output...
If you can live with the ash and soot...and don't mind being cold...then go ahead and get them...
I will never again...
Burn me once...I don't touch again!

 

[strangemainer]

it may be a few months untill it is cold..I think there must be a good reason why these pellets are
50 bones cheaper per ton. They know they suck....

 

[flowercat]

I have heard that the pellets are much better now and the company might be trying to repair the image of a bad pellet company and offer a cheaper price so that they can be bought. The dealer I buy form sells them and wouldn't sell a bad pellet. The company was new last year and from what has been said they have resolved many of the orignal issues.

 

[Lousyweather]

I concur with Wood pellet User. Last season, when Maine started, they did have excessive fines, etc.....many of the things which can be associated with the startup of a new mill....heard many of the same start-up woes with the Schuyler plant of New England Wood Pellets.....FWIW, my installer seems to say they are fine (the Maines), and we've only sold them for 6 or 7 months, so I prefer to withhold my opinion until we can get through a complete heating season. I can say they are cheaper than nearly every other pellet in my area, and as we all know, to some folks, cost is king, everything else is secondary. Im often amazed at the stories I read here about people who have to screen their pellets.....each and every bag....which to them doesnt seem burdensome, but I cant imagine doing it myself! As for more ash.....ok, well, then, I'll empty my bin every two weeks instead of 3-4 weeks......

 

[[email protected]]

In my Mt Vernon they burnt "ok" but I had to cleaning everything 2x as much, ash pan 3 days usually 7 and major plate cleaning every 1/2 ton or so usually ton, and the chimey after the ton...

 

[pelletdude]

The Maine Woods Pellets are definitely better than the early fall of 08. There are very good comments coming out of Maine about this pellet. I know quite a few people that burn them and there is a little more ash, but wood makes ash. The pellets burn well and they are priced right. Sometimes on this forum the comments about ash and fines is overwhelming.

 

[mnkywrnch]

The Maine Woods Pellets are definitely better than the early fall of 08. There are very good comments coming out of Maine about this pellet. I know quite a few people that burn them and there is a little more ash, but wood makes ash. The pellets burn well and they are priced right. Sometimes on this forum the comments about ash and fines is overwhelming.

Pellet dude I couldnt agree more, Ive burnt atleast 10 diffrent brands of pellets and they all produce a decent amount of ash, the problem I find is people are sold the idea that pellet stoves are (VERY LITTLE TO LITTLE MAINTANACE) and that is just not true.

 

[maineheat]

When most other pellets around me are 270 - 280 per ton I couldn't pass up 215 per ton picked up at Maine Wood Pellet in Athens. I've been able to test burn them for the last 5-6 weeks and have noticed more ash than the Lignetics I burned last year, but my Mt. Vernon AE handles it rather well. I'd say if you have the right stove to handle the ash at $215 per ton these are hard to pass up. I picked up two tons and will probably pickup another two before fall.

 

[strangemainer]

so what do you guys think?

have they corrected the problem and are just trying to "win back" customers?
or
are they junk?

I would really like to keep my money in Maine.

 

[pelletdude]

They are not junk! Remember premium pellets are between .5 and 1% ash. The Maine's are around .7%, they burn hot with no clinkers. A 40 # bag yields 4 1/2 oz of ash. For the price keep your money in Maine and vacuum your stove an extra day.

I talked to a guy the other day that burns pellets of questionable quality - he said "I buy what I can afford, and I clean my stove when it needs it. If that means every other day than that's OK. I burned wood for years - talk about ash. Pellets have no ash compared to wood."

If you want to spend more money, I'd go with the Okanagans.

 

[maineheat]

I burned 10 bags of the Okanagans last winter and they were by far the best pellet I saw (the Lignetics had slightly more ash and heat with non scientific tests). But I'm coming from burning cord wood in an inefficient Memco wood boiler in my basement so I don't mind shutting down once a week to clean out the stove. I *think* my plan is to burn Maine Wood Pellets during the fall and spring and pickup a ton of Okanagans or something else during January. I was hopping that the Maines Choice pellets would have been priced cheaper considering they're so close but my local dealer has them for 275 per ton. When I bought my pellet stove I liked the idea of keeping my money in Maine and if that means cleaning the stove every weekend then I'm okay with that.

 

[strangemainer]

see the thing is..I clean my stove at least 3 times a week anyway!

and the vent after every ton.

since I'm kind of obsessive about cleaning, the ash content doesnt really bother me to much.

 

[malibuman00]

Here is my two cents worth! I suffered through 1 ton of the Maine Woods Pellets last season, they were horrible, I had to clean out my burn pot every eight hours. I eventually mixed the pellets with another brand. Everyone here keeps talking about the low price of Maine Woods at around $235.00 per ton and what a buy. I burned about 3 tons of pellets last year. I can get LG's for $260.00, Maine Choice(which I tried and burned great) $275.00, Okanagan's (awesome pellets) $285.00. So, even if I purchase the Okanagan's, it will cost me $150.00 more to know that I have a great product and will have better heat and less ash. If I go with the Lg's it will cost me $75.00 more to also have a proven pellet. Once again just my two cents worth.

 

[summit]

we sell maine woods, and actually stopped dealing with them for a time due to complaints. however, the company bought back the bad batches, and sent us some of their new mix to try. the new stuff if 100% better than the old... is it as good as the okanagans and the cubex pellets we also sell? No. are they as good as the corinth and northeast pellets? Yes. so many people are so soured on the old product, they will not even accept a free bag to try out at home of the new stuff... I reccommend anyone who can take some home and give them a shot. They were one of the only plants that kept up with all the high demand last year, plus they are an American company. (not to knock the canadian companies; they do make a great product, but they don't employ many americans at their plants!)

 

[pelletdude]

Summitt,

Thanks for your comments about the Maines, I have bee trying to say the same thing this spring. I have been hearing good things about the new pellet for a while. I do agree they are not Okanagans - but they do match up with the other Maine Pellet brands.

 

[summit]

Thanks for the compliment about our product Summit, but let me add that yes we are a Canadian company, but we do employ (myself included) Americans as sales people and the mill(s) buy just about all their equipment, trucks etc from either American suppliers or American companies that are doing business within Canada. Having now lived and worked in the States for 24 years (came to the States LEGALLY in 1985 and became a citizen in 1997) I am proud to offer fellow Americans a great product that anyone will enjoy using.

This economy is hurting both countries and everyone wants to see their neighbours working and not hurting and that goes if you are in BC or VT.... I don't like to see the housing industry on it's butt, cause that mean thousands of people in Canada get laid off, just like thousands do in the States who build houses.. so being able to offer a better than average product that represents true value to a customer in either country is something we are proud of..

okanagans are great, hands down, and when it comes to fuel, i would rather burn stuff from our continent than the mid-east. keep up the good work, guy, cause the okanagans rock, and the price and shipping reliablity and schedule of delivery is awesome as well.. no offense intended by the american comment, but i am from maine, and i like to see maine people employed in a business venture that so obviously benefits our state... however, after our experiences with your products, i am very satsified, and you can count on us to be a buyer for your quality product for a long time. actually, i reccomend the canadian pellts to many of our customers, and will continue to do so because of the consistent quality product.

 

[sparkydog00]

The Maine Woods Pellets are definitely better than the early fall of 08. There are very good comments coming out of Maine about this pellet. I know quite a few people that burn them and there is a little more ash, but wood makes ash. The pellets burn well and they are priced right. Sometimes on this forum the comments about ash and fines is overwhelming.

Pellet dude I couldnt agree more, Ive burnt atleast 10 diffrent brands of pellets and they all produce a decent amount of ash, the problem I find is people are sold the idea that pellet stoves are (VERY LITTLE TO LITTLE MAINTANACE) and that is just not true.

Oaky

You might be on to something about the Newbie factor...
but I have been burning pellets for 10 years...this seasons maine Woods bith runs were the worst pellet I have ever burned.
They produced 2 to 3 times the ash of any other premium pellet out there.
The best use I found for them was traction on icy sidewalks.
My humble opinion of course!

 

[summit]

BTU; no i don't think we get them from you, but from another marketer from another state, but either way, the pellets are awesome... just recently go an email that we may be seeing an increase in $ for them? any idea how much?

 

[summit]

you are correct sir, and thanks!