If it cost more for the mills. We can bet it will add to the cost of our fuel!
Thanks for posting the guide lines for us, ScotL!
"PREMIUM" pellet rating
- Thread starter P38X2
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
- Status
If it cost more for the mills. We can bet it will add to the cost of our fuel!
Thanks for posting the guide lines for us, ScotL!
Yes, good info. Thanks ScotL.
Well if the EPA is gonna get involved will that mean that all pellet producers will have to comply and send samples in for testing? If so, that's not good from a consumer cost standpoint. I never actually put much thought into that until now. It seems the best scenario for us as consumers is to hope that doesn't happen and just let the pellet manufacturers do their thing and leave us consumers to police the product through word of mouth, internet, etc. While most pellet burners aren't as enthusiastic as us forum members are about the ins and outs of the subject, it's likely the word of inferior pellets still gets around quickly. Hopefully that's all that's needed. Forget all the pictures, claims and seals of approval printed on the bags. Buy a test bag and make your decision, like so many others have been doing. Keep it simple.
Well if the EPA is gonna get involved will that mean that all pellet producers will have to comply and send samples in for testing? If so, that's not good from a consumer cost standpoint. I never actually put much thought into that until now. It seems the best scenario for us as consumers is to hope that doesn't happen and just let the pellet manufacturers do their thing and leave us consumers to police the product through word of mouth, internet, etc. While most pellet burners aren't as enthusiastic as us forum members are about the ins and outs of the subject, it's likely the word of inferior pellets still gets around quickly. Hopefully that's all that's needed. Forget all the pictures, claims and seals of approval printed on the bags. Buy a test bag and make your decision, like so many others have been doing. Keep it simple.
Hoot23
Minister of Fire
SIB does deliver 2 hours away at no extra cost. can't believe it. they also have a good price on okies at 298 a ton. a ton at SMRF is 319, not delivered. thanks again for the info.
BradH70
Feeling the Heat
Were are you getting your MWP's from? I'm in Rindge and looking for a possible alternative to the Okanagans.
Belletetes has MWP, as you probably already know, but they are the same blend you carry and they ain't cheap. That particular batch burns well for me. I'm hoping they'll have a clearance sale on them as there are quite a few tons left in their inventory. I stopped into your store Sunday and was told you didn't have many pellets left and weren't expecting any more deliveries. Hamshaw seems to be the only place. Frustrating huh? It seems quite a few members from N.E. are having a fairly easy time finding Okie alternatives, even through the big box stores. I thought I read elsewhere on the forum that other TSC'S occasionally carry softwoods, may have been you that posted that.
I'd have to assume the reason for the scarcity or pellet selection in general, particularly on the small guy/stove shop level, is due to the proximity of NEWP (I've had bad and great experiences with those, but they're not softwoods). Going back to the other New Englanders with easy access to softwoods, I wouldn't think they live in any less rural an area as we do but it seems they have a much greater brand selection.
Judging by the posts on here, softwoods seem to be in demand more than in the past so maybe we'll see more softies in the near future. Unfortunately, most of the trees I see in N.E. have acorns or sap buckets hanging off em.
BradH70
Feeling the Heat
Thanks P38X2. I will give Belletetes a call and see what they have in stock and pricing. I do like the soft wood pellets more than the hard wood. My M55 seems to stay cleaner and produces a bit more heat. But.... if the price on softies keeps going up, it may be worth while to switch back over to hard woods.
Not sure what you meant by "I stopped into your store Sunday.....". I'm just a guy looking for pellets for the next heating season.
Thanks again for the info.
For some reason, Softwoods seem to have a better track record in how clean they burn. But there are hardwoods out there that rival the softies. To me the fiber isn't the main issue with how clean a pellet burns but more how clean the raw fiber is to start with. I have burned hardwoods that ran neck and neck with the softies. But just like the softies a quality hardwood fetches a larger price tag. There are some reasonablely price pellets that I have seen run clean.
One of the cleanest hardwoods is an all Oak hardwood(Somerset and Turmans brand names). And Douglas fir rules the softies.
Lol, sorry about that. Just before I checked this thread I did a search for "NH". You had posted about TSC in Rindge a while back and you said you saw some pellets there. The next sentence had the word "work" in it. I read these forums using my phone and mis-read it. I thought you said you work there. Lol, nevermind. My coffee hadn't kicked in yet. Sorry for the confusion.
.......As far as Belletetes pricing goes on MWP, they're currently $249(1-3tons) $239(4+ tons). TSC in Rindge was $234 or $239...somewhere in there. I heard if you go to the Peterborough Belletetes and ask for Cliff, the store manager, you could prob do better than $250, but im not sure how much better. I got mine from the Jaffrey store and tried beating em down using the TSC, HD, WM prices as leverage but only got a sob story in return. I bought em anyway as I only burned 1/2 gallon of gas getting them home.
Hoot23
Minister of Fire
If you guys like the softies, you should give the mcfeeters a shot. 259 a ton at great works bio-fuels And SMRF.
I'd try em if I could find em. Maybe I'm not looking in the right places at the right time. The closest "top shelf" pellet to me are Barefoots and Oakies ($269 and $279) at about an hour round trip. You guys finding the Vermont or Maine softies in the $230's are killing me.
Hoot23
Minister of Fire
Barefoots(309$) and Okies(319$) are pricey around here. I wish I could get the vermonts at 235$, but it's not worth the 3 hour trip. They are 285$. I'm trying to stay at 260$ and under to heat the house. But it's all cheaper than the 2500$ I was paying a season for oil
Very true. Makes the higher prices of softies a little easier to chew if you look at it that way.
The MWP Softwoods use the same process as the Vermonts. I personally loved the MWP Softwoods, best pellet I have burned, even over Oakies. By contrast, MWP Hardwoord Blend are the WORST pellet I have ever used, and wouldn't use them again if they were free. Anyway, assuming that MWP and Vermont use similar raw material, primarily pine and some spruce, I would think they are a similar product. I wouldn't hesitate about ordering from SIB's ~ I have 5 more tons on the way
Berniers (the Vacuum place) on Route 4 in Sanford (across from D & J) carried the Softwoods in the fall, might see if he'll spare a few bags. Though I wouldn't wait to order from SIB's, as MWP are not going to produce that many tons, and they are not all going to SIB's.
~Jeff
Hoot23
Minister of Fire
I called Bernier's on Monday and he doesn't have any MWP, soft or blend. I really want try before I buy. Gonna check aubuchon in Sanford, I think they carry MWP.
In your boiler can you see your burn pot and how much ash they produce after 40lbs?
In your boiler can you see your burn pot and how much ash they produce after 40lbs?
Only a suggestion, but IMHO, any man who goes out of his way as much as SIB does deserves some reward for his efforts. Perhaps some little exta or whatever as a thank you that maybe will facilitate his ability to continue providing the fine service he does. When you add gas and his time, I'm clueless how he turns any profit.
BradH70
Feeling the Heat
Sounds like at that price the MWP at Belletetes and TCS must be the blend. I would have to try a few bags before taking the plunge on 6 tons. I would also need them delivered, it would be a lot of trips in the Volvo to get 6 tons from TSC.
Yes, they are the blend. I think they charge $22 or $25 for delivery. I think Hamshaw charges $16 for delivery but I think the current sale prices only apply if you pick them up. $225 for NEWP (Hamshaw) is a pretty good price but definitely try em first. I've heard far fewer negative reviews on them lately, particularly the big box label (GS?).
This is probably obvious to most but as I sit here wondering why this area has slim pickins on softwoods, or top shelf stuff in general, I realized transportation costs/time must be the factor. I know, duuuuh! I see people in Maine and far eastern MA, eastern CT having a decent selection due to their proximity to rt 95. VT, western MA, western CT, rt 91. Connecting those routes is rt 90. Even the Oakie bagging plant in Upton, MA is right next to 495 and 90. We have 93 in NH but there's no big pellet plants along that route, not directly anyway. There are probably 100 pellet dealers along 95, 91 and 90 to take what's shipped. Again, I'm probably stating the painfully obvious.
This is probably obvious to most but as I sit here wondering why this area has slim pickins on softwoods, or top shelf stuff in general, I realized transportation costs/time must be the factor. I know, duuuuh! I see people in Maine and far eastern MA, eastern CT having a decent selection due to their proximity to rt 95. VT, western MA, western CT, rt 91. Connecting those routes is rt 90. Even the Oakie bagging plant in Upton, MA is right next to 495 and 90. We have 93 in NH but there's no big pellet plants along that route, not directly anyway. There are probably 100 pellet dealers along 95, 91 and 90 to take what's shipped. Again, I'm probably stating the painfully obvious.
Unfortunately it doesn't pay to travel to get them. Gotta go with whats in your area. You could try asking a local dealer to look into some other brands. I'm not sure how it goes up there, But pellet dealers "usually" get them from an area wholesaler and the wholesaler usually has several brands at his disposal. Might be worth askin what else they can get?
Down here, We see pellets everywhere. Well all except the drug stores.
Yes I have a window I can see.
PM me if you get desperate, I work in Sanford and still have a ton of the Softwood.
Hoot23
Minister of Fire
Unfortunately it doesn't pay to travel to get them. Gotta go with whats in your area. You could try asking a local dealer to look into some other brands. I'm not sure how it goes up there, But pellet dealers "usually" get them from an area wholesaler and the wholesaler usually has several brands at his disposal. Might be worth askin what else they can get?
Down here, We see pellets everywhere. Well all except the drug stores.
Unfortunately, there aren't many stove shops around here. Belletetes is a chain of 5 large hardware/lumber stores and it's unlikely they'll listen to 1 customer. That's currently where I'm buying MWP's. Heartline is the only other stove shop within a reasonable driving distance. They used to carry Energex products years ago but have been selling NEWP exclusively for quite a while now. With NEWP just down the road it might be a case of one hand washes the other. There could be some politics involved. I'm not positive but I've heard by a few people that Larry, the owner of Heartline, had something to do with the beginnings of NEWP's facility. Could just be a small town rumor and amount to BS. I'm not knocking them in any way as I've always had positive experiences with them. Personally, I think whatever the reason is, it's a good thing to have it that way, but it doesn't put Oakies in my hopper. I talked to the owner of Achille Agway, a chain of 6 or so stores but was told all he currently sold was NEWP. He did say he's sold other brands in the past and was going to see what he could do but he's flat out all the time so I'm not holding my breath. One of his stores is in VT right off 91 so there could be a chance at scoring some VT's.
While I have a good supply of a pellet that works for me right down the street, not having other options takes a lot of fun out of the game. My girlfriend thinks I'm an idiot for obsessing about pellets but she's the one with 50 different brands of black mascara in the drawer.
- Status
Similar threads
