All pellets are the same, aren't they?

I found a place that sells pellets for $109/ton, and the bag says premium pellets. Will those burn as good as the Somersets I pay $219 a ton for? I am a bit concerned because I waved a metal detector over the bag and it started beeping at me. The stack of pellets smelled like a cat litter box too.

This room looked lonely with no posts, so I figured I'd put something here to fill in the hole. I was inspired by the used motor oil post in the chainsaw forum.

And no, as most of us know, not all pellets are the same.

 

Here's a pic of my stash .

 

Here's a pic of my hastily stacked stash. It was hot out that day and I was getting worn out after the 3rd ton.

 

That's why I only bring home 15 -20 bags at a time I don't want to get worn out, I need to save some energy for 12oz. curls

 

I hauled them back 25 at a time. Loaded them at the store, drove home 3 miles, unloaded, wash, rinse, repeat. Six round trips. The old S-10 can't handle more than a half ton at a shot, assuming that stopping and steering are still important anyways.

 

I hear ya bud, I get mine on the way home from work . That's 60 bags in the pic I only got room for 15 - 20 more,so during the season when I burn down every 2 weeks I just reload.

 

In the 16 years I burned pellets, I had always looked for the holy grail of pellets. Once, I got 5 or so bags of Hamer's that looked like nothing I'd ever seen. They were dark in color and burned with no clinkers in the pot after a full night's burn, and very little ash. Never got that close to the prize again. The most expensive I had tried were Okanagan, and they did not burn well for me. Some swear by them, but my old Whitfield did not like em. And my stove was when everything was softwood. I did better with hardwood pellets and I never went back. Never liked the cheese smell of the softwood ones.

You have gotta try as many as you can and then stick to that brand that burns the best. Unfortunately, that doesn't guarantee fluctuation in the type of wood they make them out of. Hamer's has two plants and the pellets are different out of both. Have to read the labels.

 

I admit that a couple years back I knew nothing. A pellet was a pellet, or so I was told at the box stores. I quickly learned that isn't the case. Yes, they are all cylindrical and made of wood, but that's where the similarities end.

Learning that all pellets are not equal and studying Jay's reviews made the winter season much more enjoyable.

 

If I found metal in more than one bag, that brand would be banned from my selection. But I am also so cheap that at 109 a ton I would be tempted to sift them all and go over them with a magnet. That is if they burned fairly good in your stove.

 

I usually have to put up with young workers at HD on weekends. During the week, they seem to be staffed with a lot of retired folks and those experienced in their field. I am betting this is when the contractors are shopping.

 

I bought a half ton of Woof Fibers Inc pellets at Home Depot three years ago. I did find some small screws in the burn pot after burning those.

I stay away from those now.

 

wood fibers is Wisconsin's version of Infernos. they wouldn't even burn in the pdvc is used to have...

 

If you were to replace those 30 packs with pellets you'd have a bigger stash.

Now Scotty WTH are you doing to your smilies? All kinds of busted image links.

 

What bike do you have in that picture?

 

It's a 1976 Suzuki TS-185. Still runs good, but has taken more than its share of beatings over the years.