Rutland VT / Lebanon NH Area... hypothetical question re pellet purchases

[chken]

Thanks for the info on your research. I'm a bit surprised by the reaction as well, given how popular Blazers were this year. Perhaps, you should post this info in the pellet pricing thread? Or put a survey in asking if people would be interested in going in with you on a group buy, in your area?

 

[Fadelight]

It doesn't seem to have any interest. It looks like people care more about price than quality... Which surprises me. It doesn't seem worth pursuing.

 

[wil lanfear]

$289/ton and then the store marks them up?

What's so special about them? What did HD charge for them? Rutland did not, to my knowledge, carry Blazers. I got FSU's and was happy to get those.

Rutland HD did have Blazers last fall, I ended up getting 4 tons to fill my pellet shed which I still have. I would like to get another 8-10 ton to replace the pellets I've burned this year.

 

[bcarton]

Well here's my update on my North American pellets experiment: even my totally manual old stove that is not pellet fussy hated those things. I had to clean that mess after only 1.5 days run time, and it was worse those rare days when I've let the stove go 3 days between cleanings. The rest of the bags are going back where I bought 'em from.

 

[Fadelight]

Yup. Same conclusion I drew.

 

[Bigjim13]

Rutland HD did have Blazers last fall, I ended up getting 4 tons to fill my pellet shed which I still have. I would like to get another 8-10 ton to replace the pellets I've burned this year.

I guess I missed them. When I was there in August they had North Americans on the floor and when they delivered it was Fireside Ultras.

 

[Bigjim13]

Well here's my update on my North American pellets experiment: even my totally manual old stove that is not pellet fussy hated those things. I had to clean that mess after only 1.5 days run time, and it was worse those rare days when I've let the stove go 3 days between cleanings. The rest of the bags are going back where I bought 'em from.

I've burned a ton or two & a few bags last year. Ashy, yes but my experience wasn't as bad as yours.

 

[Pete Zahria]

Yup. Same conclusion I drew.

Yup.
I thought the heat was decent, clean fluffy ash, no clinks, but just a LOT of it.... A LOT..

 

[Bigjim13]

It doesn't seem to have any interest. It looks like people care more about price than quality... Which surprises me. It doesn't seem worth pursuing.

It's not that I don't like quality. It's that I can get quality pellets that burn well in my stove (Northerns, Cubex, Ambiance) for much less.

 

[VTrider]

The difference between North Americans (Curran) and Blazers are night and day. I'm well experienced burning North Americans and they are an ashy pellet - even more so this year for some reason according to most people. My local HD started carrying Blazers for $239 / ton last fall - I grabbed a few tons and all I can say at this point is - If I ever see them again, even for $300.00 ton, I would take out a loan, rent a truck and by 20 tons of them!!

Heat whole house now w/pellets, been burning pellets for 12 years and I've never seen a pellet so HOT, efficient and so little ASH as those Blazers - worth their weight in gold IMHO.

 

[Bigjim13]

The difference between North Americans (Curran) and Blazers are night and day. I'm well experienced burning North Americans and they are an ashy pellet - even more so this year for some reason according to most people. My local HD started carrying Blazers for $239 / ton last fall - I grabbed a few tons and all I can say at this point is - If I ever see them again, even for $300.00 ton, I would take out a loan, rent a truck and by 20 tons of them!!

Heat whole house now w/pellets, been burning pellets for 12 years and I've never seen a pellet so HOT, efficient and so little ASH as those Blazers - worth their weight in gold IMHO.

I don't disagree that NA's are ashy. Just saying that I am skeptical of any pellet being worth $300+ a ton.

I really like Northerns, has good experience with VT's and the few bags of LaCretes I burned were good too. Just not $80 more per ton good than my FSU's. But each stove is a little different and we all find what works best for us!

 

[MadMax31]

I dont have a dog in this fight, but from my prospective, $300 a ton is cutoff. Above that Ill let the propain boiler crank. Also heard positives about Blazers. Stove Depot in Bennington had La Cretes, Energex and Turmans for pre-paid customers. All for cheaper than Albany HD Green Supremes.

 

[Tonyray]

It was the blend of Energex. They were out of Northerns-that's what I wanted. They had Energex, fusions (never heard of but also a blend) and Lacretes that were 100% softwood. I bought 10 bags of those @ $6 per. Not bad, low ash I'd say and decent beat over this last cold week.

these are out of the Energex Pa Plant... have 2 tons.
very hot..0.5 ash....never seem to find anyone here that also burns them.
Only sold to certain hearth dealers and only produced 1 time per year then no more till next year.