Are Doug fir pellets worth the additional cost?

[Former Farmer]

Krooser,

The Uncle Jed's that you used and left a clinker, were they ESES "New Blend" softwoods? They had some ponderosa pine mixed in with the "original blend" and had more ash than their original blend. .33% ash compared to .25% ash. I see this year that they are only supplying their original blend.

I had burned some ponderosa pine, the "Red Western Elite" from ESES and was not impressed by them. Good heat, but a little more ash and they left sticky fines behind in the hopper.

 

[krooser]

Krooser,

The Uncle Jed's that you used and left a clinker, were they ESES "New Blend" softwoods? They had some ponderosa pine mixed in with the "original blend" and had more ash than their original blend. .33% ash compared to .25% ash. I see this year that they are only supplying their original blend.

I had burned some ponderosa pine, the "Red Western Elite" from ESES and was not impressed by them. Good heat, but a little more ash and they left sticky fines behind in the hopper.

It was this years product… didn't bother me a whole lot but i didn't expect them in the pot.

Never used the Red Elites…

I always used doug fir's when I was on the road. I could have the wife fill that hopper everyday and I wouldn't have to have her empty the ash pan or open the door for two weeks. With any other pellet i could go a week or so on the ash pan and three - four days on the burn pot cleaning.

 

[mepellet]

300 + a bag here.

Dang!! That's like $15,000 a ton!

 

[TimfromMA]

Dang!! That's like $15,000 a ton!

Time to replace the pellet stove with an oil furnace at that price.

 

[jim2074]

Dang!! That's like $15,000 a ton!

Meant 300+ a ton

 

[mepellet]

Meant 300+ a ton

Hence my wink. I knew. Just had to. I think df go for $355 here at the local pellet house.

 

[jim2074]

Hence my wink. I knew. Just had to. I think df go for $355 here at the local pellet house.

Think I am going to stay with Uncle Jed's cold remedy at 215 a ton. Will probably order 4 ton this year. Seem to be hot and very low ash.

 

[jtakeman]

So your saying, that if you tell me, you'll have to kill me.

We'll, If they don't get me first!

 

[Snowy Rivers]

Doug fir is the most prominent here in Western Oregon.
We do see a scattering of Pine pellets at time coming from east of the mountains.

I like the Pine myself as they make the house smell soooooo good.

Depending on the brand, the Doug Fir are very good.
We have had some that make a a lot of clinker in the Quad.

What Brand are you dealing with ???

We see Golden Fire and Bear Mountain mostly.

The Fir heats good, but if you are paying a premium, I would stay with pine

We only use a small amount of the Pellets in the Quad and run nut shells in our Whitfields

 

[Lake Girl]

Wish ESES was closer so I could have access to that variety. The only pellet consistently available are all hardwoods and command the prices of the better softwoods

 

[Former Farmer]

What Brand are you dealing with ???

Douglas Fir that ESES carries are Eureka - bagged as "Green Western Elite" for $301 per ton, Pinnacle for $306 per ton, and Bear Mountain for $323 per ton. Prices are for 2014 early buy. 2013 prices were $253, $287, and $321 per ton respectively.

How do those prices compare to yours?

 

[TimfromMA]

I got Okanagan DFs for $345 per ton.

 

[ttdberg]

For comparison - the local pellet store is offering 3 kinds of Douglas Fir pellets this year - early buy pricing is as follows: Blazers $330, North Idaho Energy $330, and Purcell $305. As mentioned in another thread, would love to find some of the Blazers others occasionally mention finding at HD for ~$200/ton. What a steal those are. Thinking of trying some of the Purcell pellets. Not much info out there about them, other than than they are made by North Idaho Energy. What few reviews I was able to find seem to indicate people really like them.