Stylish indoor pellet storage?

[toastyintyngsboro]

OK, total newbie here, forgive me if this is already posted ...
I have had a pellet stove for a year now and love it. BUT - don't love the ugly plastic bags. Have seen ads for plastic storage pails which to my mind are almost as ugly as the bags. Any hints on practical and stylish storage options for my living room? Would really like something in copper with a lid -- are there any that will hold full 40# bag? Thanks!

 

[alexei27]

Ive been tossing something like this around...

(broken link removed to http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=110318524059)

but I do not think it would hold a whole bag...nor does it have a lid. I would like something wrought iron. There was also a storage container that had a metal piece in the bottom...so you drop in the bag and it slices open...then you simply lift out the bag and the pellets drop in! I think I saw it on this forum somewhere???

 

[jimcooncat]

Maybe some kind of dry storage bin designed for flour. This one looks nice to me.

(broken link removed to http://www.cyberattic.com/stores/hopeantiques/items/797160/item797160cyberattic.html)

 

[mjbrown]

how about a black plastic tote from walmart...mine is big enough to hold 2 40 pound bags , has the cover , and i got it for around $10

mike

i use a laundry detergent bottle with the bottom cut out for a scoop...works very well and is very cheap

 

[BadDad320]

I use an antique copper boiler with lid.... Under $70 on ebay .... Holds very close to 2 bags....

 

[tundraSQ]

IMO in the the time it would take to hand scoop a bag of pellets from a container into the stove , i could walk out to my garage and grab a bag, pour it into the stove, and have time to grab a beer before sitting back down to watch the game.

 

[crausch]

It is pretty much going to depend on how much you want to spend. I think I have seen a user on this forum that has a chest (like a treasure chest or mideaval chest) for pellets in their living room. It looks very nice and stylish, but I am sure it is not cheap.

 

[Doocrew]

IMO in the the time it would take to hand scoop a bag of pellets from a container into the stove , i could walk out to my garage and grab a bag, pour it into the stove, and have time to grab a beer before sitting back down to watch the game.

I'm in complete agreement with Tundra, however the wife would disagree. I bought one of these at the Mill Store in Nashua:

http://www.millstores.com/photoshow.php?n=TOY+BOX-+PINE&p=photosql/13-218.jpg

It stores about 2.5 bags of pellets. If she needs to fill the stove, she scoops them out of the box. When I am around, I just carry a bag up the stairs and dump em' in.

 

[Doocrew]

I should have known that the pic would not post in that format. Use this link instead.

http://www.millstores.com/display.ccml?106,0,233206,cc233206,,,Index,cat7A.html

I bought the 0-524 one for $35.99.

 

[crausch]

Nice link doocrew, the prices seem reasonable too.

 

[muss]

I took a medium size garbage pail and spray painted it flat black.It holds the whole bag and has a handle for easy loading into the stove.I also took a smaller garbage pail and spray painted it a flat barn red for the ashes. works for us! Thanks,Mrs.Muss

 

[nsbadge]

I searched all the Stove Shops in my area looking for a pellet storage box.
None could be found, so I decided to make my own.
My daughter gave me an old blanket chest which was the perfect size.
The chest was not made to hold the weight of 5+ bags of pellets, so I reinforced the bottom and added hidden legs to strengthen it.
One of my wife’s requirements was that people could sit on the box. I used
Plywood and reinforced the top. Which was a wise decision on her part because on Christmas we had as many as three people sitting on the box at one time.
Once the box was reinforced, we painted it and I carved the 3-d loons to go on the front.
The Box had a tray that went all the way across it and I cut it down and mounted it in the front left hand corner. It hold all the tools I need for cleaning.
On Christmas people did not even realize the box held pellets until I opened it to refill the stove.

 

[ResOps]

I keep the bags in the laundry room and feed one in the morning and dump another in at night. Couldn't imagine a scoop at a time here.

 

[MCPO]

Storing pellets in a container and then scooping out IMO only makes more fines. and duplicates work.
The easiest way I`ve seen is to place the two pails 6" apart and lay a bag across the top with one corner of an end in the center of a pail. Make a slit 6-8" long on that corner and empty contents and proceed to load the stove as necessary.
Personally I don`t see a need to store any pellets near the stove. Sure, nicer looking pails might be appreciated too.
http://www.pbase.com/johnd1/image/100230640.jpg

 

[Xena]

IMO in the the time it would take to hand
scoop a bag of pellets from a container into the stove , i could walk out to my garage and
grab a bag, pour it into the stove, and have time to grab a beer before sitting back down
to watch the game.

Nope. I timed it. Well I filled 40lbs in the stove via the scoop while my brother
went out to the garage. I was done before he got back in. The scoop I have
is huge. It holds about 4lbs. Not only that, but having a container makes it possible
for folks who can't lift the bags, to fill the stove. The copper bin in this pic holds 80lbs
of pellets.

In addition, it makes it that much easier to top off before going to bed.
My Mom got this washbin at a yard sale back in the 70's for cheap,
so my answer is yard sales or maybe craigslist this time of year. G'luck!

 

[JimmyD]

I like the plastic bags in the Living Room. Have a 120#'s in here right now. Looks OK to me.

Jim

 

[tinkabranc]

space is a premium in my little house so I only keep a coal hod
near the stove and store the bags in the back of the basement.

 

[www_godzilla]

I'm in the same boat as Tinka. My home is small. Space is valuable.If I had a bigger home,which means more to heat,pay taxes on and clean,I would do the hope chest. It looks nice.

 

[ebengel]

space is a premium in my little house so I only keep a coal hod
near the stove and store the bags in the back of the basement.

I do the same, and the coal hod is easy for my wife and daughter to use to fill the stove.

 

[wb2bhc]

This is what we decided on. Available from Home Goods and not very expensive

 

[orangecrushcj7]

How about this?
http://trashcansunlimited.com/pro1296611.html

If you are artistic, The mill stores place that was linked above also sells unfinished versions for less.
http://www.millstores.com/display.ccml?137,0,233206,cc233206,,,Index,cat11C.html

 

[krooser]

I'm not very fashionable so I store 20 bags next to the stove and my wife empties a couple bags into a Tupperware container, too.

I usually dump in one bag at a time but my wife can't do the same so she scoops pellets as needed.

Both of us have some physical limitaions so we usually have to have some help getting the bags into the house... that's why we store so many next to the stove.

 

[ORiley]

If ya like the country/cowboy look, try this:

(broken link removed to http://www.kentuckybarrels.com/barrelhalves.html)

 

[Burn1]

There was also a storage container that had a metal piece in the bottom...so you drop in the bag and it slices open...then you simply lift out the bag and the pellets drop in!

I think this is what you are referring to---??----->

http://www.pelletpail.com

 

[MCPO]

There was also a storage container that had a metal piece in the bottom...so you drop in the bag and it slices open...then you simply lift out the bag and the pellets drop in!

I think this is what you are referring to---??----->

http://www.pelletpail.com

Probably good thing for some but,
Personally, I would feel like I`d been had if I paid $89 for a pail . And for some (women , kids, old folks) lifting a 40 lb pail and pouring it into a hopper can be a bit strenuous and actually not even necessary at all.
I simply lay a bag across 2 plastic pails (free) 6" apart and slit the corner of a bag and when it`s full I move the (now 20 lbs) to the other pail.
When you get old , you learn how to work smarter. It becomes a must.