NW US Pellets--what to buy?

[mystro]

Most of the pellets where I live in the NW seems to be a combo Douglas Fir and other woods and I'm trying to find a good source of a Hardwood pellets, I don't think Fir constitutes a hardwood so does anyone have suggestions for ore,wa mt,id area hardwood pellets?

 

[sinnian]

IMO the Douglas fur or spruce seem to be the best. Hardwood is best for chunk burning. With pellets there are pros and cons with both, but I prefer softwood ~ with fur and spruce being top compared to pine.

 

[tjnamtiw]

IMO the Douglas fur or spruce seem to be the best. Hardwood is best for chunk burning. With pellets there are pros and cons with both, but I prefer softwood ~ with fur and spruce being top compared to pine.

I think from reading the posts here and looking at btu values that softwood pellets have higher btu ratings and lower ash content, believe it or not. Just the opposite of burning cord wood.

 

[mystro]

Thanks all, looks like I need to do alittle more homework even though I've been using a pellet stove for about 10 yrs. Somewhere somehow I'd read that a higher mix of hardwood was the best mix. Lignetics Pellets have always been highly rated in the NW (and usually more expensive) I know they are also in the NE US. Their homepage says: the pellets are made only from the finest premium quality western conifer sawdust (West Coast Plant) and premium quality hardwood sawdust (East Coast Plant) so I'm still researching and still somewhat convinced that a higher mix of hardwood is a good thing. A few years ago I contacted one of the PFI institute testing labs (broken link removed to http://www.pelletheat.org/3/industry/index.html) no specific recommendations but I recall they did mention hardwood based pellets usually received the highest ratings. So the search goes on and everyone here has re inspired me to do more searching, this forum has always been the first place I check..thanks.