# Huge mistake this season. :(



## PPLcangotoh... (Jan 7, 2014)

We bought our second pellet stove for the house.... a new Accentra insert AND four tons of "PREMIUM" pellets on our 18month 0% interest CC. 

The monthly payment is not a problem at all... but I'm really pissed off at the "Quality" of my "PREMIUM" pellets.  

They showed up with "Easy Heat" pellets.... Probably 100-150 pounds of ash and fines in those four tons.... maybe more. 

I'm down to 1.25 tons at this point in the season with two stoves burning through 2.5 to 3.5 bags a day between them now that it's really cold. 

I know I need more pellets.... just not sure if I should pony up for some softwoods & try for more BTUs per bag.... or just go to Home Depot , Lowes or Tractor Supply and try a few bags of everything OR just buy another ton of whatever's cheapest. 

The only thing I really dislike about heating with pellets is the huge variance in pellet quality. 

Rant\


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## earl764 (Jan 7, 2014)

I would try going to a local pellet house and buying 5 bags each of a few brands and see what works.


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## PPLcangotoh... (Jan 7, 2014)

earl764 said:


> I would try going to a local pellet house and buying 5 bags each of a few brands and see what works.


No such thing anywhere near me. 

A few big box stores... smaller hardware stores... Walmart... & the place we bought our insert.


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## Mark_ms (Jan 7, 2014)

I would talk to your dealer who sold you tose pellets and maybe they would be willing to trade them out for others.
Like Earl said look around for other brands and buy a few at a time to try.
Nothing in Allentown or Bethelham Quakertown??


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## bas157 (Jan 8, 2014)

I know there is a place in quakertown that advertises a few brands on Craigslist, may not be to close though?


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## slvrblkk (Jan 8, 2014)

There are plenty of good pellets around here. I reviewed those Easy Heats and while they had a low ash content, the pellets were very long and left a big clinker in my pot. Their sister company manufactures wood pallets which is probably where they get some, if not all, their fiber from.  I would stay away from those.  I reviewed some of these with excellent results:

R&S Flooring (Walnutport on Rt. 248) - Pellheat Wood Pellets (super low ash and hot)

Cozy Barn (Windgap) - Turman Wood Pellets (super low ash and hot)

Lowe's (Whitehall and Bethlehem) - Somersets and now Hamer Hot Ones too....(super low ash and hot)

Wood Heat (Nazareth) - Pennwood and Wood Pellet Co.

As with anything else....YMMV...always better to try a few bags before committing to a bunch


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## bas157 (Jan 8, 2014)

How much is Lowes selling Hamers for?


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## Madcodger (Jan 8, 2014)

Hamer's at Lowes???  That's like a Mercedes for Kia prices IF they sell for the standard big box price.  Stock up time!!


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## PPLcangotoh... (Jan 8, 2014)

slvrblkk said:


> There are plenty of good pellets around here. I reviewed those Easy Heats and while they had a low ash content, the pellets were very long and left a big clinker in my pot. Their sister company manufactures wood pallets which is probably where they get some, if not all, their fiber from.  I would stay away from those.  I reviewed some of these with excellent results:
> 
> R&S Flooring (Walnutport on Rt. 248) - Pellheat Wood Pellets (super low ash and hot)
> 
> ...


Thanks  I had no idea that Lowes has Hamers. 
Price isn't as much of an issue to me if I know the brand I'm getting is high quality. 
I tried a ton of those pellets from wood heat last season.... was t too impressed with those either. lol


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## Pelleting In NJ (Jan 8, 2014)

This years Stove Chow (Home Depot) and Natures Own (Lowes), all made by Premier Pellet PA, are pretty good, and cheap.


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## PoolGuyinCT (Jan 8, 2014)

Lowes hamers?

Pic of bag? UPC code?


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## moey (Jan 8, 2014)

Try some different bags and just mix them in.


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## Tonyray (Jan 8, 2014)

Pelleting In NJ said:


> This years Stove Chow (Home Depot) and Natures Own (Lowes), all made by Premier Pellet PA, are pretty good, and cheap.


If you like Stove Chows, Energex  re-bags or distributes the Chows....Energex are Premo Hardwoods..


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## slvrblkk (Jan 8, 2014)

This is pic from the other day that I posted in another forum...these aren't the "Clean Energy" Hamer pellets, these are genuine "Hot Ones". You can call the Bethlehem Lowe's (8th Ave.) for verification.

Oh, they are $230 by the ton


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## Lake Girl (Jan 8, 2014)

How much do you figure you paid per ton for the Easy Heat?

You can always buy a known good pellet and mix with the remaining Easy Heat.  I know more handling but may cut down on the frustration factor of more ash.


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## slvrblkk (Jan 9, 2014)




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## ZBrooks (Jan 9, 2014)

I kinda feel sorry for the East Coast pellet burners on here.  I apparently live in pellet Heaven.


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## PPLcangotoh... (Jan 9, 2014)

Found Energex by accident at a mom n pop hardware store. 

230/ton.... Decent pellets?


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## joescho (Jan 9, 2014)

PPLcangotoh... said:


> Found Energex by accident at a mom n pop hardware store.
> 
> 230/ton.... Decent pellets?


 
They're ok but I found them to have a bit more fines.


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## PPLcangotoh... (Jan 9, 2014)

joescho said:


> They're ok but I found them to have a bit more fines.


Scary.... There are next to no fines at all compared to the easy heat garbage I was sold


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## PPLcangotoh... (Jan 9, 2014)

I'll be buying Hamers


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## slvrblkk (Jan 9, 2014)

PPLcangotoh... said:


> Found Energex by accident at a mom n pop hardware store.
> 
> 230/ton.... Decent pellets?



What's the bag look like? Eagle on it?


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## PPLcangotoh... (Jan 9, 2014)




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## briansol (Jan 9, 2014)

IMO, those kinda suck...   not a lot of heat.   i'd buy 'em for the fall or spring, but not winter.


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## PPLcangotoh... (Jan 9, 2014)

Hamers it is then


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## slvrblkk (Jan 9, 2014)

ohhhh...new bags with the Energex logo. I think those are basically Stove Chows....


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## Tonyray (Jan 9, 2014)

PPLcangotoh... said:


>


Energex is a Good harwood pellet.
put's out lot of heat/// A bit Ashy but not bad....
Just picked up a ton here in Levittown ... 259.00
230.00  ton is good price..
Energex are NOT Stove Chows///
Company just distributes them.....
Chows are pretty hot but the Ash is a bit more clumpy.....prob fiber in the mix..
worth burning if a good price and Have a Harman which will devour anything..


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## slvrblkk (Jan 9, 2014)

Energex owns the Premier Pellet name (Stove Chow,FSU,Appalachian,Natures Own,etc.) Energex Canadian are basically FSU's....


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## SXIPro (Jan 14, 2014)

FSUs>Stove Chow all day. The Premium Pellets (by AWF) surprised me in a good way and are $209 a ton at HD.


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## jertola (Jan 14, 2014)

You should have sent those easy heats back.  Lowe's did that crap to me. The truck dropped off three tons of North American pellets on my driveway.  I called them and they were there the next day to pick them up. I didn't get the delivery  fee back but it was better than burning the tons off those turds.


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## jackbean53 (Jan 15, 2014)

cozy barn had hamers also in wind gap. forest inn masonry has barefoots both a little over 5 a bag


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## gengle (Jan 15, 2014)

PPLcangotoh... said:


> Hamers it is then


 
You've made the right decision.


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## Nick of PA (Jan 15, 2014)

Don't feel bad I made the mistake of buying 2 tons of O'Malley's right away from the dealer when I should have tried different brands.  I did just that after getting that recommendation from this forum and went with barefoot for my 3rd ton.  Best decision ever


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## PPLcangotoh... (Jan 16, 2014)

Nick of PA said:


> Don't feel bad I made the mistake of buying 2 tons of O'Malley's right away from the dealer when I should have tried different brands.  I did just that after getting that recommendation from this forum and went with barefoot for my 3rd ton.  Best decision ever



Where'd you get barefoots / feet ? lol


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## Big E (Jan 16, 2014)

*Northeast PA? and you can't get Barefoot Pellets?*


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## PPLcangotoh... (Jan 16, 2014)

Big E said:


> *Northeast PA? and you can't get Barefoot Pellets?*



I'm near Allentown. 
Never even saw a bag of Barefoot pellets in person. lol


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## slvrblkk (Jan 16, 2014)

PPLcangotoh... said:


> I'm near Allentown.
> Never even saw a bag of Barefoot pellets in person. lol



lol....that's funny cuz I know they are around but I've never seen them in person either!


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## PassionForFire&Water (Jan 17, 2014)

PPLcangotoh... said:


> They showed up with "Easy Heat" pellets.... Probably 100-150 pounds of ash and fines in those four tons.... maybe more.



4 tons = 8000Lbs

100/8000 = 0.0125 or 1.25% ash
150/8000 = 0.01875 or 1.9% ash

You probably received a "standard" quality pellet


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## Big E (Jan 17, 2014)

PPLcangotoh... said:


> I'm near Allentown. Never even saw a bag of Barefoot pellets in person. lol


*My mistake. Just  checked distances...90 miles from Troy PA to my dealer in NY. 147 miles from Troy PA to Allentown PA. Must be why you can't get them?*


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## PPLcangotoh... (Jan 17, 2014)

Big E said:


> *My mistake. Just  checked distances...90 miles from Troy PA to my dealer in NY. 147 miles from Troy PA to Allentown PA. Must be why you can't get them?*



Yeah. 

I'm not going that far for pellets. lol


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## slvrblkk (Jan 17, 2014)

Kaiser's in Bangor has Barefoot's.....$275 a ton....that's a BIG PASS for me......


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## PPLcangotoh... (Jan 17, 2014)

slvrblkk said:


> Kaiser's in Bangor has Barefoot's.....$275 a ton....that's a BIG PASS for me......


Agreed


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