Newbie Comparing Brands, Logik-Softwood vs. Cleanfire Softwood.

[stvigi1960]

1st. Year with a stove, Harmon Absolute 43, heating a 1800sqft cape.

Problems with all the listing I have seen are that they are opinions and no actual data (vendor included), after searching on the web I came up with a gentleman who actually tried to perform an analysis (posted below) and I performed simular. Fully cleaned out the stove, size range of pellets, time to burn 40lbs of pellets, photographed burn pot before and after run, took an average of door glass temperature using a Pyrometer, description and weight of ash after single run (40 lbs).

Stove run at 70 F in automatic mode, turned off during bedtime, and restarted to hopper empty.

Here are my findings:

Logik-e softwood Pellets purchased through Pellets Dirrect.com
Purchased August with September delivery
Color lite brown, semi buff exterior
Pellet size between 7.08mm to 29.4mm
Time to burn = 18hr, 14min
Average Glass Temperature (measured at center) = 498.0 F
Ash weight (fully brushed out stove and burrn pot) = 4.9oz
Ash description = granular to powder.
Glass cleanliness = relatively clean only 20% lite brown discoloration

Clearfire Softwood purchased through Wood Pelets.com
Purchased November with December delivery
Color medium brown, glossy exterior
Time to burn = 21hr, 44min
Average Glass Temperature (measured at center) = 545.0 F
Ash Weight = 3.2oz
Ash description = powder
Glas cleanliness = 40% lite brown to black deposits.
Much more fine black ash on all interior sides of stove during cleaning.

I should add I have 4 fused vertebrae and 8 screws in my back, home delivery into the gararge was a must.

Anyone near Milleville, Ma (within 10 miles) who wants to trade me a bag of what they are running to perform simular testing drop me a message on this site

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[bogieb]

Thank you for your analysis. That looks like quite the difference between the two. I have about 10 bags of the Logik-e pellets that I bought last year and haven't worked down to yet.

I usually buy cheaper pellets, but when I have coupons/store rewards to use I like to try a few bags of different brands.

 

[stvigi1960]

Update as of 1/08/2023
I have now reviewed the following brands, Cleanfire Superior Softwood, Cubex Northern Hardwood, Green Supreme, Tractor Supply Hardwood, and Logik-e Softwood.

I will say of all the brands tested so far, my Harmon does not like any of the Lignetics Group products, all leave large amounts of ash along with black soot that covers the whole inside of the stove. They also happen to be the only brand that list using <1% Vegable Based Oil in the ingredients.

Here are the updated findings (logic-e and Cleanfire listed in the original post).

Cubex Hardwood Pellets purchased through Leeway Ace Hardware
Purchased 1/6/23
Color lite brown, semi buff exterior
Pellet size between 5.95 - 24.93
Time to burn = 16hr, 30min
Average Glass Temperature (measured at center) = 414.1 °F
Ash weight (fully brushed out stove and burn pot) = 2.1oz
Ash description = granular to powder.
Glass cleanliness = relatively clean only 30% lite brown discoloration
Smell = Pine scent

Green Supreme - Allegheny Mountain Hardwood Pellets purchased through Leeway Ace Hardware
Purchased 1/6/23
Color Med brown, semi buff exterior
Pellet size between 5.84 - 7.25mm
Time to burn = 18hr, 07min
Average Glass Temperature (measured at center) = 463.54 °F
Ash weight (fully brushed out stove and burn pot) = 3.8oz
Ash description = granular to powder.
Glass cleanliness = 40% lite brown to black deposits.
Much more fine black ash on all interior sides of stove during cleaning.
Smell = Used Oil

Tractor Supply Hardwood Pellets purchased through Tractor Supply
Purchased 12/25/22
Color Lite Brown Semi Buff Exterior (Dusty)
Pellet size between 4.72 - 21.02mm
Time to burn = 23hr, 27min
Average Glass Temperature (measured at center) = 417.66 °F
Ash weight (fully brushed out stove and burn pot) = 2.6 oz
Ash description = granular to powder.
Glass cleanliness = Relatively Clean Only 10% Lite Brown Deposit
Smell = Pine Scent

Still looking to see what else is available locally, will luck will have an update by the end of the month.
All but the Lignetics Group have a nice clean pine wood smell, all of the Lignetics Groups smell like used cooking oil.