When is the best time to buy pellets?

[cristiansmom]

Just wondering when we get the best price for pellets? I never really worried about it too much because we only use the pellet stove during the day but now that we have a new Harmon pellet stove we want to use it all the time instead of oil .. want to get the best price...

 

[zrock]

in my area their is no deals on end of season purchases.

 

[Tonyray]

Just wondering when we get the best price for pellets? I never really worried about it too much because we only use the pellet stove during the day but now that we have a new Harmon pellet stove we want to use it all the time instead of oil .. want to get the best price...

I use a private dealer. Pre- pay in spring for coming winter. Box stores usually never have early sales let alone store the pellets for you when u need them like many private pellets places do. In other words, no pre- pay to secure your stash for winter season. More choices also. Best bet to find private org. Box store pretty much go with middle grade stuff but if price is main concern then buy from box stores but like Home depot u wont see any pellets in stock till sept or later. I pay bit more for good softwoods but i pre pay in the spring so no waiting till season starts to find what i need. Cheapest price is not always the best move in the long run.

 

[johneh]

Got a flyer for prebuy from my pellet dealer
Prices have gone up (no surprise) I think now I am
priced out of pellets and will reinstall a wood stove
3 tons this year will be close to 1500 dollars as compared
to my wood at about 150 off my wood lot processed by my sons
just an extra 3 cords on top of the 4 cords the furnace takes
Prefer the heat from the pellet stove but the costs to this old retired farmer
on a fixed income is just too much.

 

[tlc1976]

No end of season sales here either. Spring has the highest prices because supplies are limited. Depending on the severity of the cold season and how long it drags on, sometimes supplies have to be rationed. Last I checked they were $285/ton which is in line with previous springs.

I get mine in the summer after they get their fresh supply and prices go back down. Last 2 summers I’ve paid $235/ton. Wishful thinking this summer will be similar.

The first few years of burning pellets (2016,), they used to have really good sales in both August and on Black Friday. Rarely anymore, they’re pretty much the same price until winter.

 

[ABMax24]

Got a flyer for prebuy from my pellet dealer
Prices have gone up (no surprise) I think now I am
priced out of pellets and will reinstall a wood stove
3 tons this year will be close to 1500 dollars as compared
to my wood at about 150 off my wood lot processed by my sons
just an extra 3 cords on top of the 4 cords the furnace takes
Prefer the heat from the pellet stove but the costs to this old retired farmer
on a fixed income is just too much.

Really?? That's crazy.

My local Rona is selling Spruce Point pellets for $6.39/bag, that works out to $319.50/ton.

 

[johneh]

My local Rona is selling Spruce Point pellets for $6.39/bag, that works out to $319.50/ton.

My bad, not 3 tons should have read 3 skids (4.5 ton)

 

[ABMax24]

My bad, not 3 tons should have read 3 skids (4.5 ton)

That makes much more sense.

 

[mtnbiker727]

The pellet manufacturer of the brand of pellets I buy gives a price break to their retailers in the summer months. I could have gotten them for $220 per ton in June.

My only problem is I don't have a good place to store them out of the weather for that long. I've debated buying a tarp made for covering pallets and just let them sit out, but I don't know if that would work well.

 

[bogieb]

If you buy middling pellets (like I do), The BBS had their sales in mid February to March. And, it depended on region as some stores had a lot extra they needed to move for spring stuff to come in (mild winter), while others didn't. TSC usually has a pre-order in June or July. Order your tonnage, pay 20-25% down, then pick up and pay for the rest later (I think it was by August 31, but I could be misremembering). And of course it depends by year. A couple of winters ago they had a winter heating sale and had 25% off coupons that could be used on top of their ton discounts.

If you actaully have pellet houses around (I don't) around this time might be good. I've seen flyers for at least 1 place for a sale going until end of April for pre-buy/order and take delivery later.

 

[scajjr2]

Usually by this time we've gotten a notice from where we buy our pellets of their spring sale. This year they don't appear to be having one. In fact they currently aren't even doing deliveries.
Production costs (energy costs to run a mill, labor), transportation costs (truck driver shortages, high diesel prices) have increased pellet prices and dealers may be reluctant to contract to buy large orders not knowing when they'd get them and if the higher prices decrease customer sales.

sam

 

[kchace]

To answer the original question directly, the best time to buy pellets in the northeast is late winter or very early spring. depending on what pellets and/or when you buy, you can get some pretty good deals. Many of the deals are not really advertised, you just have to check around. Also, the best deals may not include “holding” your pellets till fall.

Ken

 

[The Grintch]

I got 5 tons delivered in early April. With Diesel & Home Heating Oil north of $6/gallon I assume everything is going to go up.

 

[DneprDave]

I buy pellets when I'm running low on them. A local lumber yard carries Clean Burn Pellets year round for $225/ton. I stopped burning pellets in March and will start again in October.

 

[Tonyray]

I buy pellets when I'm running low on them. A local lumber yard carries Clean Burn Pellets year round for $225/ton. I stopped burning pellets in March and will start again in October.

Dont know the pellets but good deal to have access all yr when needed.

 

[johneh]

I stopped burning pellets in March and will start again in October.

Dam I start in September and burn till May
Last fire 3 days ago. Tomorrow will most likely turn on AC
Pellets already bought and paid for delivery in the first week of September
2 Skids. They were not cheap (Cubix).

 

[jackhammer]

I find that quality pellets are cheaper in the spring in my area. The selection is also better now. My dealer offers half price delivery charge for April orders. I ordered a extra ton this year because oil is so outrageous. My pellets will be delivered tomorrow.

 

[bogieb]

Interestingly Agway put out a flyer the end of last week for pre-season at $295/ton. They usually sell NEWPS, and that is right at or maybe $5/ton more than what they have gotten the last couple of years. And, free delivery for 3 tons or more.

 

[exsubsailor]

$279/ton for O'Malleys premium hardwood early buy in the Allentown, PA area. I picked up an extra ton in anticipation of the high electric prices coming next winter.

 

[Tonyray]

$279/ton for O'Malleys premium hardwood early buy in the Allentown, PA area. I picked up an extra ton in anticipation of the high electric prices coming next winter.

 

[Tonyray]

they left the hardest carbon deposits i ever had to scrape when i burned them..
talkin chisel time...couldn't wait to finish them.. but,
that was around 6 yrs ago and the way pellet formulas change like the weather they are prob different for better or for worse by now.
hopefully better....

 

[tlc1976]

I got my 4 tons of Pro Pellets today from TSC. I like to stock extra because never know if it’s gonna be a hard winter. They just got their summer stock in. $240 a ton, only $5 more a ton than what I paid the previous 2 years. Took less than 1/4 tank of gas at $5/gal for the 4 trips to haul them home. So nice having the TSC in Boyne now, don’t have to deal with Charlevoix now.

I haven’t checked propane prices since March but last I checked I can’t even get one tank of propane for what I paid for pellets. So definitely worth it to use pellets. Historically propane has always been cheapest in August so I’ll just get it then and hope for the best. Not using it for heat I can get 2 years out of a tank.

 

[JoeR]

If you are in the Edmonton Alberta area I have a line on some discounted wood pellets 60 bags a skid at $3.70 per bag (must take 60 bags at a time). PM me if you are interested.

 

[ekalynchuk]

Are pellets still available?

 

[johneh]

Depends on where you are I guess
My dealer has lots but he is also the biggest dealer in Eastern Ontario