Opinions on these Pellets?? (Geneva and Maine Wood Pellets)

[StormPanic]

New stove owner here (Regency GF55). Trying a few different pellets. Can I get some opinions on the Geneva and Maine Wood Pellets? (available at Dodge Grain here locally). Thanks!!

(broken link removed to http://www.dodgegrain.biz/content.aspx?cid=41)

 

[BradH70]

I am burning MWP blend right now and they are putting out plenty of heat. I will say that they do leave a lot of ash behind though.

 

[pell it]

MWP burned well with decent heat, NO CLINKERS, and moderate ash levels. Can't speak for Geneva. Personally, I would spend the extra and get the PWI/Logik e pellets. Great heat, low ash, win win in my book. Try before you buy (if you can).

 

[sandpipe]

I'm liking my 2 tons of MWP mixed wood this year: no clinkers, clean glass, minimal dust in bottom of bag, and decent heat. More ash than the Lignetics I burned last year and maybe not quite as much heat as the lignetics. I also like the price of $209 at my local TSC. So I concur with the other opinions on these particular pellets. I appears that they are producing a consistent product.

 

[mepellet]

I'm liking my 2 tons of MWP mixed wood this year: no clinkers, clean glass, minimal dust in bottom of bag, and decent heat. More ash than the Lignetics I burned last year and maybe not quite as much heat as the lignetics. I also like the price of $209 at my local TSC. So I concur with the other opinions on these particular pellets. I appears that they are producing a consistent product.

What pellets have given you clinkers in the past?

 

[BradH70]

NEWP and Cheshire Pellets produced the worst clinkers in my stove.

Okanagans were the best by far, but I could not get myself to fork over $300 / ton this year. Glad I didn't The MWP's are proving to be worthy pellet.

Have yet to burn any of the Granules. (I can hear it now "And you bought two tons of them without trying them first!?!?!).

 

[bugize]

I havnt used the MWP blend this year,just the softies which are awsome.
But in the past i found them ashy and dirtier than others.
Geneva's are the same except they cost more up here...about 25-30$ per ton more....so that being said, i would buy the MWP's

 

[Boobo0]

Burning 6 test bags of MWP blend right now. As others have said, a bit ashy (price appropriate I think), although I've noticed more fines then I'm used to for this level of pellet. Overall burning well.

One drawback (this was mentioned on another thread), the pellets do not fall through the hopper on their own well, requiring extra trips to keep the pellets flowing. To me it seems the excessive fines and the outer coating of the pellets (doesn't seem to have that shinny slippery coat on it) causes this condition.

 

[slls]

Not compressed very well.

 

[sinnian]

MWP Blend suck! Mark my words

(the Softies are great though)

 

[St_Earl]

mwp blend ( in my and many other's opinion) do not suck.
we all have our opinions. and sinnian really really really hates the MWP blend.

ok fine. but many many more people here like them or are at least very very far from sinnians opinion about them.
what i can gather from everyone's opinions expressed here in the forum is that they are a good pellet for the money.

the have a lot of fly-ash (light weight ash)
but by weight, they are far from the ashiest pellet out there. my firebox gets a lot of fly ash rather quickly. but the ash pan where the heavy stuff collects (with my stoves design) takes forever to fill.
you may well have to do a bit more cleaning when you use these.
i do vacuum a couple times a week with them.

i wouldn't even be so earnest about replying here. except that sinnian makes it seem like they are the worst pellet ever made even though a large percentage of people can be found here who use and continue to use them.

he says "mark my words. " well do some searching on the other threads about pellets and mark a few other peoples words before taking his opinion as gospel.

now i'm not saying that you may not end up agreeing with him.
you may want to spend a lot more money and get the lowest volume of ash possible.

many of us are not prepared to spend mad amounts extra for that.

the best advice is if you are considering a particular pellet after sampling opinions and reviews, buy a small number of bags and try them out.

if you strongly dislike *any* pellet, you'll be glad you didn't just take someone else's opinion and buy one or more tons of them before testing them yourself.
there is a case this year of one of the best super premium pellets out there (by most accounts) having a really bad batch ridiculously full of fines and not worth the $300 per ton price they command.

i have some of the mwp softwoods that i haven't burned yet.

sinnian has said they are (one of) the best he's burned (iirc)
but there are some here who weren't as impressed.
i hope they are as good as he says and they remain as cheap as i got them.
i may switch to getting more of them next season if that is the case.

not trying to pick a fight with sinnian. just trying to balance things out a bit.
i completely believe him that these suck for him.
another thing you might learn here is that everyone's stove can be different. some pellets work great for one person and not so great for another.

 

[P38X2]

I agree on the positive reviews of MWP. Mine are from last years run. Less than moderate ash but not low. They can be had in the low $200's early in the season, sometimes cheaper. Excellent pellet/value.

 

[jtakeman]

Both did pretty well for me. Not the hottest(slls is right= either not dense enough) or cleanest, But also not the most expensive either. Geneva was a tick hotter and cleaner than the MWP. I'd try both if you can, If you can't the Geneva might worth the few extra bucks. I do also like the PWI/Logic e pellets too. A bit pricey, But some "wow" heat from those.

How many tons you need to get?

 

[sinnian]

mwp blend ( in my and many other's opinion) do not suck.
we all have our opinions. and sinnian really really really hates the MWP blend.

Just "stirring the pot" (pun intended) St Earl ~ I knew you would comment after

I agree, to each their own, and a pellet may burn better for others. I have burned Geneva (Maine's Choice), and found them superior to the MWP Blend, but others have not.

I will say, I bet MWP has a repeat issue they had a few years ago if they keep supplying the box stores. I HOPE I am wrong, but I just can't see them sustaining the demand with the quality of supply.

 

[hossthehermit]

I've noticed this year more fly ash and less bottom ash from the blend, not a big difference but some. Glass seems to be staying cleaner, too. Heat seems as good or a tad better. Not into the softies yet, waitin' for cold weather. Just noticed that my dear wifey is runnin' the 'stat a bit higher this year, may have an effect on the ash, and glass, running on idle less. Who knows? House is warm, wife is happy, life is maaaaahhhhhhhvelous.

 

[Bank]

Arrived in Houlton, ME today and was in local Wal-Mart and bought 10 bags of MWP blend version. Heck, for $4.10 a bag and no tax, nothing to lose. Have used them before and they weren't that bad.

 

[subsailor]

I will say, I bet MWP has a repeat issue they had a few years ago if they keep supplying the box stores. I HOPE I am wrong, but I just can't see them sustaining the demand with the quality of supply.

I may be wrong on this but I think they are the largest mill in Maine and I believe capable of 100,000 tons per year. I also believe they learned a lesson when the pellets were garbage back then and can't afford to go through that again.

 

[sinnian]

I may be wrong on this but I think they are the largest mill in Maine and I believe capable of 100,000 tons per year. I also believe they learned a lesson when the pellets were garbage back then and can't afford to go through that again.

They are, and we'll see. When you have 100,000 tons to fill orders for.........

 

[LMPS]

Have burned the MWP blend for shoulder pellets for the last two years and for a shoulder pellet they are great, yes as others have said a little more fly ash but ash pan stays very clean. I would not burn these year around when it gets really cold as I do not think the heat output is high enough. Also, have burned about 1/2 ton of the MWP Softies this year so far and I am impressed by them, much less fly ash than the blend and seem to heat a little better. I have two tone of them and will use the first tone from now to mid-Dec. Then switch to the PWI burn the three tone of those- hopefully that will get me to mid-March and I will then burn the other ton of the MWP softies and finish the season off with the balance of the MWP Blend I have left.
With all that, as many other have said the best thing to do is try before you buy a large amount.