pellet recommendations and facts for upstate NY.

[Evi Morrison]

I have a enviro fire EF2 freestanding. i just purchased it used tore the thing apart cleaned it to as close as knew as i think it could be. i bought a ton of pellets from home depot and i think that was a big mistake. the ash build up fills my burn pot less then 24 hours and they dont seem to burn to hot. i would greatly appreciate facts tips and what pellets are good this year for my area.(Watertown NY). thanks.

 

[will711]

Welcome to the show . You should call around to different stove shops to see what brands they carry, list them here and we can guide you.

 

[Cliff]

Welcome to the show . You should call around to different stove shops to see what brands they carry, list them here and we can guide you.

Evi,
i am south of you down in Central Square, i burnt Green Team out of massena last season and they were pretty good. If you can find the Somerset's are the best up here. I was at the Lowes in Oneida last week and they had just got a load of them in. Check you lowes and see what they have, they will get different ones during the season.

Thx Cliff

 

[Shaw520]

I have a enviro fire EF2 freestanding. i just purchased it used tore the thing apart cleaned it to as close as knew as i think it could be. i bought a ton of pellets from home depot and i think that was a big mistake. the ash build up fills my burn pot less then 24 hours and they dont seem to burn to hot. i would greatly appreciate facts tips and what pellets are good this year for my area.(Watertown NY). thanks.

You didnt mention what brand pellets you bought,.. adjusting your 'low burn air' for a cleaner and more complete burn.

 

[Evi Morrison]

ok i will check lowes for them. HD just got stove chow back. those are supposed to be pretty good i grabbed a back to try also i went to a place and got empire pellets to try. i currently am using north american pellets i will not use those again and i have a bunch i have to get rid of. im a little confused what you mean by adjusting the low burn air. are you talking about the air damper slide on the left side of the stove as your facing it?

 

[imacman]

.....i currently am using north american pellets i will not use those again and i have a bunch i have to get rid of......

This is probably part of your burning problem....they are just re-bagged hardwood Currans. I burned some and thought they were poor, at best.

You should have better luck with the Chow. Can't comment on the Empire....never heard of them.

If Lowes or HD get Greene Team, Somersets, or Timber heat's in, try those....I've had good luck with them all. My rating of them from best to worst:
Somersets
Greene Team and Timber heat, tie.

 

[will711]

When you get some better pellets try mixing them in with the north american's it may make your stove preform a little better.

 

[hooter04]

Yes I believe shaw is talking about the slide damper on the side of the stove.I have burned currans pellets before,and they don't make a lot of heat,and produce a lot of ash.

 

[chrisasst]

ok i will check lowes for them. HD just got stove chow back. those are supposed to be pretty good i grabbed a back to try also i went to a place and got empire pellets to try. i currently am using north american pellets i will not use those again and i have a bunch i have to get rid of. im a little confused what you mean by adjusting the low burn air. are you talking about the air damper slide on the left side of the stove as your facing it?

I burned empire a few years back when I had a kozi stove.. They were no good IMO. Lots of ash, low heat, dirty...

 

[farmboy57]

funny i'm also burning north american from tsc and puts out plenty of heat but the vista flame 170,is not to fussy

 

[imacman]

funny i'm also burning north american from tsc and puts out plenty of heat ......

Compared to what other pellets?

 

[VTrider]

funny i'm also burning north american from tsc and puts out plenty of heat but the vista flame 170,is not to fussy

Compared to what other pellets?

Wow, I can come out of hiding and rejoice in knowing that there 'is' another member who actually doesn't seem to have a problem burning north americans (rebadged Currans) Interestingly, I have the same stove (Enviro Maxx / Vistaflame 170) and also agree that they put out plenty of heat - I live in Northern Vermont, it's not exactly tropical around here and I heat my whole house solely with Currans / N.americans.

I've been heating w/pellets since 2003 and like many of you, enjoy trying out new pellets, reading reviews,etc. and honestly, the best pellet is the one which works for you. Yeah, they throw more ash than others, but hey - I have a big azz ash pan and that's no problem - I don't even open the door except once a week for an hour or so cleaning.

I've spent countless hours searching for 'the best pellet and testing pellet heat with a digital thermometer until I was blue in the face (and still do!), so much that Jay T would be proud Yeah, there are pellets out there which throw a bit more heat and produce a little less ash, but you will pay premium $$ up front for them. I get the bulk of my pellets from my dealer and the the Currans are made regionally right across the lake - makes me feel nice and fuzzy inside.

Each pellet can be different in every stove, what is very important is that you learn how to use the options/settings on your stove for adjustments before 'writing off' any pellet, such as damper settings, feed trim, combustion trim, etc. - once you've mastered those settings and are still cold with a burnpot of pellets, then okay the pellets suck and you need to get something else.

 

[Chain]

I've burned Empire pellets for years now and have had good luck with them. By the way, Evi, Empire brand pellets are made in Lafargeville, NY just outside of Watertown so you're supporting a local manufacturer if you purchase them. They do produce a lot of ash but I've found they throw a lot of heat as well. My biggest issue with them is that they tend to have a great deal of broken, small sized pellets in each bag. But my Harman seems to eat them right up.

I would like to try Somersets but I can never find them anywhere near me (Lowville, NY).

 

[acder]

Syracuse area here. We have been using dry creek pellets exclusively for a few years- for those of you that have compared- how do the big box store brands you've mentioned compare with the dry creek? thanks!

 

[Augmister]

Evi,
i am south of you down in Central Square, i burnt Green Team out of massena last season and they were pretty good. If you can find the Somerset's are the best up here. I was at the Lowes in Oneida last week and they had just got a load of them in. Check you lowes and see what they have, they will get different ones during the season.

Thx Cliff

You guys with the supply of Somersets are killing me!

 

[Shaw520]

You guys with the supply of Somersets are killing me!

Dont Hate! ;-)

 

[Chain]

I think I like that picture almost as well as that of any new stove install we see in this forum from time to time. So those are what Somersets look like? Black bag with white lettering?

 

[Augmister]

Dont Hate! ;-)View attachment 86706

LOLOLOLOLOLOL.....Who could "hate" a stash like THAT! I love the step, stepstool out the milk crates.... You need to call your "sanctuary" Somerset Towers!
(BTW..I'm sitting on two tons from 2011... I burned just FSU and GT last year, which was a "shoulder year" in southern NE.) I am a pellet PIG! I want more Somersets....

 

[SmokeEater]

Since last March first, I've burned only the locally made pellets that are 20% softwood and 80 hard by Curran's. These guys don't only make the pellets, they have a huge wood operation and they harvest and sell a great deal of raw wood products in both the US and in Canada. I have burned 7 tons of the Curran's mixed pellets in my Harman PB105. I weigh the ash for each pallet, ton, of pellets and the average is 8.0 pounds or 0.4%. One ash pan dumped about once a month. True, the PB has a large pan, but it isn't hurting my back to take out the 8 lbs of ash. They go on mother's flower garden anyway and work a second time for us. I can't comment on the hardwood only or the softwood only pellets that Curran's also sells.

 

[Augmister]

Since last March first, I've burned only the locally made pellets that are 20% softwood and 80 hard by Curran's. These guys don't only make the pellets, they have a huge wood operation and they harvest and sell a great deal of raw wood products in both the US and in Canada.

I wish I could try the Currans here as well. Pellets are just like those nice crafted beers and I want to drink from all the tankards!
The Somersets are also the by product of a larger raw wood products company, I recall. And if I'm not mistaken, the leftovers from Bruce Harwood Floors goes into one of our popular pellets on this website.....[/quote]

 

[Shaw520]

BTW..I'm sitting on two tons from 2011...

Where did you obtain those two ton?,... our Lowes still has Sets,(bout 40 mins south of Albany),... AND.. my local HD just got Stove Chow in! (more heat that the GS's but wont touch the Sets).. I def feel lucky to have found some really good pellets this yr.!

 

[chrisasst]

funny i'm also burning north american from tsc and puts out plenty of heat but the vista flame 170,is not to fussy

I bought some North American from Lowes tonight ( guess they are not getting sommersets again), So far they are burning great in my PDVC. Glass is nice and clean, no burn pot build up, and good heat..

 

[Evi Morrison]

I've burned Empire pellets for years now and have had good luck with them. By the way, Evi, Empire brand pellets are made in Theresa, NY just outside of Watertown so you're supporting a local manufacturer if you purchase them. They do produce a lot of ash but I've found they throw a lot of heat as well. My biggest issue with them is that they tend to have a great deal of broken, small sized pellets in each bag. But my Harman seems to eat them right up.

I would like to try Somersets but I can never find them anywhere near me (Lowville, NY).

im burning empire now and wont go to anything else. a little harder to start being pure hardwood. but a good pellet stove has a small small burn box and would fill quickly with other pellets. the owners of empire aalso own woldroff equipment here in watertown. very good people.

 

[Evi Morrison]

north american do put out heat but the ash content is horrible and when your using a small non self cleaning stove like i am its not worth it i could not even get 12 hours of burn before by burn pot was full. and as for HD they suck. ive had bags of pellets wet. the customer service in my area is horrible. its all about supporting the small place and the local shops. what ever empire pellets is doing they have it right.

 

[Chain]

im burning empire now and wont go to anything else. a little harder to start being pure hardwood. but a good pellet stove has a small small burn box and would fill quickly with other pellets. the owners of empire aalso own woldroff equipment here in watertown. very good people.

I didn't realize they owned Woldroff too. Cool. Woldroff is also a Harman stove dealer, correct?
My only issue with Empire is that I often find a good deal of broken pellets/fines/etc. in some bags. Not that big a deal as my Harman doesn't seem to mind them as long as I clean my fine box every couple of weeks.