# 60 used pellet stoves  on Craigslist............



## MCPO (Jul 26, 2017)

...............in the western mass area.  No doubt due to the high costs / greediness (?) of the pellet market.  I`d hate to be in the business of selling new pellet stoves.


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## jackhammer (Jul 27, 2017)

I noticed the same thing.  'Tis' the season I guess?


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## vinny11950 (Jul 27, 2017)

My guess is low oil prices are putting the hurt on pellet stoves and pellets.  When I joined, oil prices were high and the pellet mill had way more activity.  If oil prices go up, pellets will become more popular.  But I don't see that happening anytime soon, with fracking oil in the market and EV becoming more prevalent.


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## Don2222 (Jul 27, 2017)

Yes but there still are quite a few hardened users still  smoking those pellet stoves. Some stoves are in areas where there are no other forms of heat.


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## Sootmaster1990 (Jul 28, 2017)

I've sold quite a few refurbished stoves this summer no problem granted the stuff I sell is usually under 1000$ so it goes quickly


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## Lake Girl (Jul 29, 2017)

Still relying on our pellet stove as the fuel situation in Ontario is stupid (road taxes and carbon taxes plus captive audiences on refineries and they rotate shut down in the summer so prices are higher).  Not sure on heating fuel so using gas for the comparator:  International Falls = $2.97/gallon Cdn vs Fort Frances $4.12 Cdn.  Comparing Manitoba costs to Ontario per liter:  $ 0.85 vs. $1.09


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## vinny11950 (Jul 29, 2017)

Lake Girl said:


> Still relying on our pellet stove as the fuel situation in Ontario is stupid (road taxes and carbon taxes plus captive audiences on refineries and they rotate shut down in the summer so prices are higher).  Not sure on heating fuel so using gas for the comparator:  International Falls = $2.97/gallon Cdn vs Fort Frances $4.12 Cdn.  Comparing Manitoba costs to Ontario per liter:  $ 0.85 vs. $1.09



That's true.  It really depends on your options, what fuel you use.  But I imagine some people in the Northeast US with oil boilers and pellets stoves are ditching the pellets.  Or people moving into homes with both, don't see the need for the pellet stove.


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## Lake Girl (Jul 29, 2017)

As always, it is YMMV.  Pricing factors are usually the first consideration.  How is NG or propane lining up pricewise in the US?

Even when costs are roughly equal ... the conventional appliance will win out due to ease of use.


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## P51mustang (Jul 29, 2017)

I live in upstate, NY where fuel oil has been relatively cheap for a couple years now.  Despite having a fuel oil boiler and hot water baseboard heat,  I still burn wood pellets as my primary heat source as it's a more consistent heat and my house is far more comfortable with wood heat.  Given we have very cold temps, receive copious amounts of lake effect snow, and have a pretty long heat season in a typical winter, you just can't beat wood heat. 

I know there are many other members on this site that have the same experience.


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## Harman Lover 007 (Jul 30, 2017)

I've always had the luxury of being a NG consumer and yet I've burned for 20 years now. I just upgraded my heating system in my home to a triangle tube condensating boiler with FHW baseboards. NG is so reasonable I think I'll be cutting my pellet usage by more than 50%.


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## bogieb (Jul 31, 2017)

Will once again use pellets as my primary heat. Propane is at $3.00. The MMBTU charts say I still pay about 1/2 using pellets than I would with propane (assuming the pellets cost $254/ton, which mine do). Plus, I only have heat in the basement if I use pellets AND STILL pay a lot less to heat the entire house with pellets as opposed to just the main floor with propane boiler.







Oh, and I just like the heat much better anyway


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## MCPO (Aug 2, 2017)

I groan about the high cost of pellets often enough but I continue to burn them in my finished basement install. (approx 4 tons) I spend my evenings down there and it`s rather comfy plus the excess heat is vented upstairs . Last year I burned only 300 gals of oil , mostly for hot water.  Total heated area is about 2400 sq ft.


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## jackhammer (Aug 3, 2017)

I have a friend that just bought a new pellet stove (his first) to heat his recently purchased house.  I was surprised, considering the cost of other fuels in this area. After I ripped him a new one for not consulting me first, he told me why he bought one.  He got a wicked good deal by trading in a old wood stove, and his new house had only electric heat.  I told him ok, but that doesn't excuse you for not asking my opinion first!


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## Lake Girl (Aug 3, 2017)

jackhammer said:


> I have a friend that just bought a new pellet stove (his first) to heat his recently purchased house.


What type of stove did he buy?


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## Lake Girl (Aug 3, 2017)

Sootmaster1990 said:


> I've sold quite a few refurbished stoves this summer no problem granted the stuff I sell is usually under 1000$ so it goes quickly


There doesn't appear to be many used stoves in my area ... a superior option to electric heat and a whole lot easier than a woodstove!

Talking to a neighbour last fall ... the whole family had heated with wood previously.  Now all their households have pellet heat


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## Don2222 (Aug 3, 2017)

MCPO said:


> I groan about the high cost of pellets often enough but I continue to burn them in my finished basement install. (approx 4 tons) I spend my evenings down there and it`s rather comfy plus the excess heat is vented upstairs . Last year I burned only 300 gals of oil , mostly for hot water.  Total heated area is about 2400 sq ft.


X2
I have a basement pellet stove in my split. It heats the whole house nice and comfy. Much better than oil ever did. I also use a tank of oil for hot water. Last year I installed a 125 amp sub panel right near the boiler. That gives me plenty of juice to install an ECOsmart instant electric hot water panel that I can hook up to our indirect hot water tank. This way I can get off oil completely! Right now oil is cheap so now is the best time to install an alternative so when the price starts to climb, I can switch over! In fact since my electric is National Grid it may still be cheaper to switch right over now!! Anyway I will be going to electric soon and at the very least have a choice which fuel to use. 
Here are pics of my neighbors ECOsmart instant hot water setup for her whole house!
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...tion-pics-good-efficient.143673/#post-1939059


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## jackhammer (Aug 7, 2017)

Lake Girl said:


> What type of stove did he buy?


Enviro Meridan-1.  I told him I'd check it out for him, cleaning, operation etc.  I'm pretty limited as far as other stoves go, but I know more then him I guess!


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## vinny11950 (Aug 7, 2017)

jackhammer said:


> Enviro Meridan-1.  I told him I'd check it out for him, cleaning, operation etc.  I'm pretty limited as far as other stoves go, but I know more then him I guess!



Enviros are good.  Their dealer support can be exasperating if you bought from a bad dealer, but parts and know-how are plenty.  

Good luck, you are your friend's go to guy for stove issues.


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## UpStateNY (Aug 10, 2017)

Here upstate NY Hudson Valley Area #2 fuel oil is currently $1.90 a gallon .  I converted from oil boiler to high efficiency propane with locked in price of $1.65 a gallon of propane until April next year.  I have 3 tons of pellets stored away.    Will have to see how this new boiler with on demand domestic hot water works out.  I may use only half my pellet stash this winter.


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## Lake Girl (Aug 10, 2017)

jackhammer said:


> Enviro Meridan-1.  I told him I'd check it out for him, cleaning, operation etc.  I'm pretty limited as far as other stoves go, but I know more then him I guess!


Did you download a copy of the Enviro Tech Service Manual for him?  
http://enviro.com/custom_content/docs/manuals/C-12145 Instruction PELLET Service Manual.pdf


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## maple1 (Aug 10, 2017)

MCPO said:


> ...............in the western mass area.  No doubt due to the high costs / greediness (?) of the pellet market.  I`d hate to be in the business of selling new pellet stoves.



I don't think the pellet market or pellet greed has anything to do with it. Pellet prices have been fairly stable around here for years. Likely more like the cycle of big stove sales when oil was up, is now reversing itself now that oil has been down (relatively) for a season or two now.


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## Lake Girl (Aug 10, 2017)

maple1 said:


> I don't think the pellet market or pellet greed has anything to do with it. Pellet prices have been fairly stable around here for years. Likely more like the cycle of big stove sales when oil was up, is now reversing itself now that oil has been down (relatively) for a season or two now.


Seems to be a revolving cycle of which is the favoured energy source.  Once upon a time electric was the cheaper option for hot water/heat in Ontario ... really sad when they sell it cheaper to the border states than in Ontario.


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## Elaisse2 (Aug 18, 2017)

The price I pay for pellets here in maine has been pretty stable for the last few years. This will be my third year paying 235 a ton.


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## Manly (Aug 21, 2017)

Elaisse2 said:


> The price I pay for pellets here in maine has been pretty stable for the last few years. This will be my third year paying 235 a ton.



I am just going into my second full season with a pellet stove. Have been firing logs for over 30 years. The wife and I love solid fuel for heat. Wood has always been mostly free with a lot of work. I'm kind of on the fence about pellets for the long haul. If oil prices stay low here in New England for the long term, I suspect pellet sales will continually fall off, which I believe will limit their availability and keep prices higher in the long term. Less manufactures and they will become more of a boutique commodity versus a mainstream fuel. Just a theory I hope does not come to fruition. I hope oil flows and stays low for the sake of our economy, but I hope pellets can stay reasonable and available to make the a reasonable option. Never get tired of watching the flames.


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## Bioburner (Aug 24, 2017)

World use of pellets has been going up not so much for heating but for power generation.


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## bschrager (Sep 5, 2017)

Nothing like a pellet stove that has constant hot air blowing out!!

Had oil, converted to natural gas 6 years ago but still burn 3 ton of pellets for the season.

My NG bill averages about $100 bucks a month for the winter season using pellets.


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## Bioburner (Sep 5, 2017)

My Harman gets used to heat the basement slab and only when things get ugly cold does it cycle the fan or when first burning to get the room up to temp. Love the constant heat that the hot bodied stove provides. Just touched it off as the weather channel is flashing frost warnings and the daytime high was 61 with passing showers this afternoon. Maybe will shut it down before going to bed and the slab will keep the house warm.


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