Big box store Pellet comparing! List and mini review!

[jtakeman]

Awe thanks(sniff sniff) macman. Coming from you that means an aweful lot to me. My first reply to you by pm was the great macman. And that still stands with me for all you do in the forums and how you treat everyone with respect. You da man bro! And I am pleased to call you friend too(as I tip my sammy octoberfest)!

Now cut it out you guys(sniff sniff), Lets get back to the fun. My testing isn't over I am just taking a brake. They will resume after the holidays. I can't quite on all my bud's. You all make it sound like I am leaving for good here. Sorry you are stuck with this "picky pellet pig"! I might sneak off and burn some corn or some cherry pits :lol: . But the pellets are in me blood. Been burning them for far to long, And with members like macman(and many others-too many to mention!) I was taught to share. So that is what I will do. But I will try to curb some of the comments a little.

You are all like a BIG family to me
jay

 

[dsnedegar3]

Just bought two tons of Barefoots for $279/ton based on your tests. Thanks for all your work. I wonder if there is a way to pin your test results to site so they don't get lost due to other threads.

 

[HEMI]

I raise my sammy winter to ya Jay.......can't find the october anymore. Thanks for the work!

 

[jtakeman]

I raise my sammy winter to ya Jay.......can't find the october anymore. Thanks for the work!

Well Hemi, I haven't had much beer drinking time. These are leftovers. I do have some winters and I'll have me a few next(I'm catching up or trying to anyway)

Thanks bud.

 

[Sinbad]

To: Jay, I just watched the movie ICE AGE 3 and I thougth of is GEEK's Little guy as you chasing the ultimate pellet to burn. Your tests are great, keep up the good work.

 

[poconoman]

Jay, KEEP GOING! You've come this far, why stop? I'll bet there's a brand out there that'll surprise you.

Great tests, none the less. :coolsmile:

 

[jtakeman]

To: Jay, I just watched the movie ICE AGE 3 and I thougth of is GEEK's Little guy as you chasing the ultimate pellet to burn. Your tests are great, keep up the good work.

I'll find it someday, But I bet I can't afford them! Thanks bud.

Jay, KEEP GOING! You've come this far, why stop? I'll bet there's a brand out there that'll surprise you.

Great tests, none the less. :coolsmile:

No quit, Just a break! tis all. Thanks

 

[Sinbad]

I heard Blazer's are good?

 

[nailed_nailer]

Jay,

You know my feelings on what you have accomplished.

I say it again, THANK YOU

Enjoy a frosty adult beverage and a little time off.

I raise my Crystal Light (I quit drinkin' in June) to you.

Job well done.

---Nailer---

 

[jtakeman]

I heard Blazer's are good?

Tempting, Yes. Maybe later!

Jay,

You know my feelings on what you have accomplished.

I say it again, THANK YOU

Enjoy a frosty adult beverage and a little time off.

I raise my Crystal Light (I quit drinkin' in June) to you.

Job well done.

---Nailer---

Thanks nailer I am sure we will compare notes one day. If you ever need some thing. I am here for you. PM me anytime bud!

 

[Sinbad]

So Jay do feel LIke Seinfeld?

 

[jtakeman]

So Jay do feel LIke Seinfeld?

Nah, He's got way more money and I'm still just a poor old pellet burner! Trying to find my Ultimate pellet! hehe :lol:

Arnold maybe, You know. "I'll be back"! :cheese:

 

[Sinbad]

WE'll be waiting. Did any one realize it is SNOWING out side BURN AWAY!!

 

[imacman]

.....Did any one realize it is SNOWING out side BURN AWAY!!

Uh, YEAH..... 3 3/4" so far here, 33 °F outside, and the 10-cpm has the inside at 70 on heat setting of 5 on so-so Premier pellets. Supposed to keep snowing until about midnight. I'm guessing I'll have about 4 1/2" by then. >:-(

 

[jtakeman]

.....Did any one realize it is SNOWING out side BURN AWAY!!

Uh, YEAH..... 3 3/4" so far here, 33 °F outside, and the 10-cpm has the inside at 70 on heat setting of 5 on so-so Premier pellets. Supposed to keep snowing until about midnight. I'm guessing I'll have about 4 1/2" by then. >:-(

I hope you got a shovel handy?
jay

 

[imacman]

I hope you got a shovel handy?
jay

yes......BUT I'M NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT! This is the wet, heavy, PIA snow I hate. I don't mind a few inches of the light fluffy stuff (I dispose of that with the leaf blower).

It's only the freakin 5th of Dec. :shut: Maybe i'm still asleep and will wake up and no snow and 50 degrees.......

 

[jtakeman]

I hope you got a shovel handy?
jay

yes......BUT I'M NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT! This is the wet, heavy, PIA snow I hate. I don't mind a few inches of the light fluffy stuff (I dispose of that with the leaf blower).

It's only the freakin 5th of Dec. :shut: Maybe i'm still asleep and will wake up and no snow and 50 degrees.......

I got an inch on the deck. Looks like I need the shovel too! So the premiers softwoods are just so so? I could never find them here. I see a review is in order here! :lol: Just kidding.

Think warm and it will all go away, I hope!

 

[imacman]

So the premiers softwoods are just so so? I could never find them here. I see a review is in order here! :lol: Just kidding......

I got them from TSC. Wanted the AWF, but they were "buried" and the forklift guy was being a baby & crying about moving 5 tons of the premiers out of the way to get to them....I finally caved and took the Premiers. I should have got the manager & insisted on the AWF....much better pellet, IMO.

 

[Sinbad]

OK GUYS Put the plows on and lets GO!

 

[imacman]

OK GUYS Put the plows on and lets GO!

Don't forget the WOMEN.....I bet Xena is ready & rarin to go in her Jeep!

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Be good little oinkers or there will be no pellets for you.

 

[Benski]

Jay,

Thank you so much for this review. It's only today I found about this thread.

To us running Multi-Fuel stoves, I'd love to see a second sheet in your Excel file to record corn and switchgrass values.

I should be getting switchgrass pellets after the Holydays. When I do, I'll repeat your protocol with what I have on hand.

But in the meantime, I have to agree with all the others, that you have done a great job.

Thanks,

Ben

 

[jtakeman]

Jay,

Thank you so much for this review. It's only today I found about this thread.

To us running Multi-Fuel stoves, I'd love to see a second sheet in your Excel file to record corn and switchgrass values.

I should be getting switchgrass pellets after the Holydays. When I do, I'll repeat your protocol with what I have on hand.

But in the meantime, I have to agree with all the others, that you have done a great job.

Thanks,

Ben

Hey Ben,

How the M55 doing? I can do that and would love to compare what you get for results. What are you planning to measure? Heat output only or more?

The switch grass pellets are the same price as wood pellets near me. I can swing a few bags. They are Phoenix Switch Grass Pellets by Energex. That's all I can find and are $6.00/bag or $255/ton. I have 2 bags of stove corn and 2 bags of Cherry pits.

I may actually burn the 2 bags of AWF soon. I think I can swing a 2 bag test each week. To tell you the truth, I kind of miss it. Except for the stove cleanings!

I can do what ever you want to the excel sheet and send you a copy. If you need it.

Let me know.
jay

 

[Benski]

How the M55 doing?

Still doing very well, but the heat load needed from stove has been limited so far (warm weather). The real winter is coming tomorrow, expecting -10°C with high winds and 12in of snow! YESSSS!

I have only burn LG's and corn, but no extensive trials on 100% corn. That I will do when I stay home during the Holidays and thereafter.

I can do that and would love to compare what you get for results. What are you planning to measure? Heat output only or more?

I'll try to repeat your protocol. I can measure heat output by measuring temperature (I have both a Raytek IR thermomether and some thermocouple wiring that I use with a Kimo 200). I could even measure airflow through the air tubes at every speed settings on the stove. With the wet bulb and dry bulb temperature inside, I could go as far as doing the psychometric calculations to know my true heat output.

Other than that, I will surely do the ash sampling and weighing. My wife is also quite interested in this mini-science experiment, so I don't have much convincing to do

The switch grass pellets are the same price as wood pellets near me. I can swing a few bags. They are Phoenix Switch Grass Pellets by Energex. That's all I can find and are $6.00/bag or $255/ton. I have 2 bags of stove corn and 2 bags of Cherry pits.

I am in touch with a farmer who bought his own pellet rig earlier this fall. He should have things started in January (still waiting for the big bale tub grinder to come in). I am going to bring my own empty LG bags and fill them up myself. Exciting. No idea of price (and don't really care, I'm growing my own!), but I am dawn sure it will be 100% swithgrass, I walked the fields many times

You guys in the States seem to have a lot more brand names than we have around here (or else I did not shop around enough), but I seem to only see LG's, Cubex and Lauzon (from St.Paulin, Qc). Not even Energex, which has a plant in Lac Megantic, also in Qc???

I can do what ever you want to the excel sheet and send you a copy. If you need it.

Yes I'd like to add my data in your File, so I'll PM you with my e-mail address.

Bye,

Ben

 

[jtakeman]

I can do that and would love to compare what you get for results. What are you planning to measure? Heat output only or more?

I'll try to repeat your protocol. I can measure heat output by measuring temperature (I have both a Raytek IR thermomether and some thermocouple wiring that I use with a Kimo 200). I could even measure airflow through the air tubes at every speed settings on the stove. With the wet bulb and dry bulb temperature inside, I could go as far as doing the psychometric calculations to know my true heat output.

Other than that, I will surely do the ash sampling and weighing. My wife is also quite interested in this mini-science experiment, so I don't have much convincing to do

Very interested in your results! Can't wait to compare them. You certainly have the equipment to get the data. More than enough.

The switch grass pellets are the same price as wood pellets near me. I can swing a few bags. They are Phoenix Switch Grass Pellets by Energex. That's all I can find and are $6.00/bag or $255/ton. I have 2 bags of stove corn and 2 bags of Cherry pits.

I am in touch with a farmer who bought his own pellet rig earlier this fall. He should have things started in January (still waiting for the big bale tub grinder to come in). I am going to bring my own empty LG bags and fill them up myself. Exciting. No idea of price (and don't really care, I'm growing my own!), but I am dawn sure it will be 100% swithgrass, I walked the fields many times

You guys in the States seem to have a lot more brand names than we have around here (or else I did not shop around enough), but I seem to only see LG's, Cubex and Lauzon (from St.Paulin, Qc). Not even Energex, which has a plant in Lac Megantic, also in Qc???

Yes, We got spoiled this year. More brands than ever and Many places are carring pellets. Finding the better brands at a reasonable price seems tougher than ever.

I can do what ever you want to the excel sheet and send you a copy. If you need it.

Yes I'd like to add my data in your File, so I'll PM you with my e-mail address.

Bye,

Ben

I will send you the pellet sheet ASAP and I will send the Multifuel sheet when I finish it.(We don't need pellet dia and lenght on this one) I will also send a Hardwood/Softwood sheet too! We will need it in the future, For the more expensive well known brands. I will try to get this out to you today.

Take care
jay