Kentucky Kernel hardwood pellets, anyone else use them?

[Jakethepup]

I justed purchased a ton of these pellets and I was wondering if any of you guys have burned them. I am not having much luck with these pellets, in just a few hours the burn pot is completely full of a sandy hard materical, and the flame just burns on the top layer of this sandy substain. Matter of fact if you don't clean it out about every three hours it will finally just put the fire out. I have used one bag and a half of these pellets and going to call the dealer tomorrow and see if he would take these back, as I am not welling to clean the burn pot out every 3 hours and that is what it would take to keep these pellets burning. I would say it was the insert however I have used a ton of Lignetics without a problem and about 1/2 a ton of Country boy pellets and they burn just fine, I have also used about 8 bags of Summerset pellet from Lowes and they burn good also, so it has to be the pellets.

I took the Kentucky Kernel pellets out of the hopper cleaned the stove and put Country Boy pellets in and it's burning just fine with the Country boy pellets, no build up of that sandy unburnt stuff like Kentucky Kernel. I hope the dealer will take these pellets back.

Also these pellets are dark in color a lot darker than the other brands I have tryed.

So has anyone here used Kentucky Kernel pellets and if so what are your results?

 

[crausch]

Let us know how you make out with your dealer?

The pellets are made by Anderson Wood Products. They use their own byproduct materials as does many hardwood flooring manufacturers.

Have you visited their site yet? (broken link removed)

They have a contact page where you can call, email, or use their web form to contact them.

BTW...they state that they use vegitable oil in their pellet processing.

 

[Jakethepup]

I have not been able to contact the dealer over the phone, so after lunch I am driving over to his place and see if he is in. I am thinking I am going to put the pellets on the trailer and take them with me, unless it starts raining.

 

[crausch]

If the dealer does not satisfy you, I would contact "Anderson Hardwood Pellet Co." and remind them of their goal posted on their website...

Anderson Wood Products takes pride in providing high quality products and value for their customers. Anderson Hardwood Pellets is focused on these same goals. We are proud to be members of the Pellet Fuels Institute. Ongoing testing and process monitoring assures our customers a product that meets or exceeds PFI standards.

If your seeing that much ash, the pellets do not meet the PFI standard of <1% ash. Of coarse that assumes that your bag states that they are "Premium" Hardwood pellets.

 

[Jakethepup]

After contacting the dealer, on Wednesday, he said he would take the pellets back, he said he would come by and pick them up on Thursday night, of course he was a no show.

This is two dealers I had dealing with, the one that sold me the insert, which is horable, and now a dealer that sell pellets that does not show up or keep his word. There surely are good dealers out but these two are the pits.

For anyone who wants a pellet stove I hate say this but I would buy one at a box stove, at least you will know going in you will have zero service and support other than from what ever company made the stove. I will have to say Sirrea the maker of my insert has been great and the dealer will not even call me back when I've had a problem. I just don't understand why these people cannot at least give you a call back. I would think since everything is gotten so bad with money these days, that these people would be doing anything to make a buck and to make things right so they could keep your business. But these sellers of stoves and pellets at least around these parts, have the I don't give a s*** and I will make my money on another sucker.

One question I do have, when a deal makes a service call does not the dealer also make something for repairing the stove.

 

[krooser]

When I bought Fireside Ultras last year at my local Fleet Farm store the store display indicated the manufacturer was "kentucky kernel". I had some clinkers in the firepot, too. But the St. Croix stove has a moving "versa-grate" that handled the clinkers pretty well for a few days anyway.

I did like the heat output of those Firesides... but they produced a lot of ash.

 

[Jakethepup]

I was asked if they are Premium Pellet and yes that is what it says on the bag. Here is a pic of the empty bag. Matter of fact when you look at the bag it has several places wrote on the bag as Premium.

(broken image removed)

 

[Keys]

Hey Jake, I noticed you are from Central KY. I'm from the same neck of the woods. I have been using Somerset Premium Pellets. I get mine from a dealer in Elizabethtown, Churchman Stone. The pellets from from a hardwood floor manufacture in Somerset, KY. I checked the price with the dealer and they are actually slightly higher than the annual summertime deal that Churchman has. I paid about 3.55 per bag last year by purchasing 3 tons. The Somerset Pellets burn hotter than any others I have tried, Including Kentucky Kernel, Lignetics, etc. So far this winter I have only gone through about 1 ton and I started burning in November.
Good Luck!

 

[Jakethepup]

Hey Keys, Yes we live pretty close together I live in Frankfort the captial. I have used a few bags of Sommerset pellets in the past I pickup at lowes and they do burn in my stove. I think I paid 5.99 a bag, however Lowes has been out of those for some time. I have also burned one ton of the lignotics. pellets and I like those a lot, but I think I like the Barefoot pellets the best. If I can get the dealer to come and get these Kentuck Kerneral pellets, I am going over to your Lawuersburg store and pick up a ton of the lignotics.

 

[Jakethepup]

Hey Jake, I noticed you are from Central KY. I'm from the same neck of the woods. I have been using Somerset Premium Pellets. I get mine from a dealer in Elizabethtown, Churchman Stone. The pellets from from a hardwood floor manufacture in Somerset, KY. I checked the price with the dealer and they are actually slightly higher than the annual summertime deal that Churchman has. I paid about 3.55 per bag last year by purchasing 3 tons. The Somerset Pellets burn hotter than any others I have tried, Including Kentucky Kernel, Lignetics, etc. So far this winter I have only gone through about 1 ton and I started burning in November.
Good Luck!

Hey Keys, Yes we live pretty close together I live in Frankfort the captial. I have used a few bags of Somerset pellets in the past I pickup at lowes and they do burn in my stove. I think I paid 5.99 a bag, however Lowes has been out of those for some time. I have also burned one ton of the lignetics pellets and I like those a lot, but I think I like the Barefoot pellets the best. If I can get the dealer to come and get these Kentucky Kerneral pellets, I am going over to your Lawuersburg store and pick up a ton of the lignotics.

LOL if I get stuck with these pellet I make you a hell of a deal, they might be good for maybe for multch.

 

[kyburnr]

Just picked up some Kentucky Kernel this past weekend. Same thoughts as Jake.

They produce a heavy sandy ash, the pellets are a GREEN color and have a distinctive ODOR to them. They will be my last from Anderson.


I will stick with Somerset and Country Boy White Lightening.

 

[Jakethepup]

I needed to update this thread, the dealer that I purchased these pellets from did come and pickup all the pellets, and brought me a few bags of pellets for free. This weekend he is going to bring me the ton of pellets I purchased. The new pellets he brought burn just fine with little ash and none of that build up like I posted at the beginning of the post. The dealer really did not know for sure what happened to the pellets however the factory was aware of the problem, and will take back any of the bad pellets. When he brings the ton of pellets I will try to find out what happened, but I swear it looked like to me that they had sand in the pellets, and they were kind of greenish in color. I will let you know of my finding if I can get the dealer to tell me.

 

[Keys]

That sounds like really good dealer support. Who is your dealer? I might have to give him a call.