We got the word too.... nobody is telling "stories" here... it's real.. Prices are going up... and not only that... Delivery is going to be extremely touch and go. (which it has been already... so the future is even more scary) New regs, and everyone wanting more money for their part of the process is the reason. So right now... and this is not to promote business, as no one here buys from us, if you see a fair price now that you can live with.... take it.. Dan
I'm sticking with MWP and the price I get from Wood Pellet Warehouse - Maine This guy is very honest. I don't consider MWP as a "shoulder pellet". In my P68, I get lots of heat and about the same ash as other higher priced pellets. They are available in the softwood variety but I have to say I can notice a measurable difference. Might be because I run on the stat room temperature.
Yeah. I dont copy that portion as it has his cell # on it and dont feel I should be putting that out without consent.
Agreed, MWP can be used all year but for me heating from a basement up I want every bit of heat I can get during the cold months. Those months are also high sn*w periods and if I am cleaning that on a regular basis, I want the stove to need as little cleaning as possible. Now regarding ash output and heat, if I find that the current MWP as ash free and as hot as the upper brands, then I may change my mind there.
shoulder pellets for me end up being lot more ash in the stove that i want to deal with. i pretty much burn the same stuff from fall to spring, keeping my feed rate and fan speed a bit lower 1st couple months.. same results heatwise.
Ugly any way you look at it. Think it might be a shocker this fall when the casual burners get shell shocked.
I can't speak for the mwp blend, but the softwood runs slightly more ash than ezblaze softi or lacrete. That being said the mwp softwood at 20 less a ton is a decent deal. As dan said, the mills and the truckers are pressing prices upward. Mwp has been good to hold steady at last year's pricing. I'd like to move a lot more of their product. It nea little more brand recognition
There will be more and heavier ash with the blend than Lacrete. I'm burning them right now. Heat wise they're acceptable, but I know B thought they were quite hot.
Havnt burned them in a while but pretty much how I remember MWP. Nothing wrong with that if they keep us warm for less $$
Along the lines of what artc and I was talking about... (perhaps applies more to us... the price increases, because all of our stuff comes from Canada.. so the freight is the major killer...) Dan Current prices
Might I say the " Golden Days" of pellet brands and availability, as well as price, might be behind us ????
How many of you here remember the pellet situation in 2008? Then and the next few years we were all scrambling for pellets. that year it was ANY pellet. Now we can be more selective. Mostly we can buy them any time of the year, and buy any amount we want. Remember when HD was rationing them? Gone, no where near that now. Take off those tight underwear and relax. Just deal with it as it comes along. There is no oil shortage so there won't be a pellet shortage. If the price of oil goes up, so will pellets. It oil goes down, don't look for pellet pricing to climb much at all. The single most important factor in any pricing is whatever the market will bear. Wholesale and retail depend on this for their profitability. During times when sales are flat, they can either cut the price or create jitters about supply. We have seen both. It was close to Christmas before I finished burning those $100/ton pellets that Lowes dumped on the market a few springs back. They are now much more caution about what they keep on hand.
I understand that is how a lot of consumers think it works.. But you are incorrect on a couple of things. We are not talking about a pellet shortage, with regard to how many pellets are produced. We are not talking about an oil shortage. One big problem we have is GETTING them.. Sure... there are tons and tons in the distribution center. But no way to get them here in a predictable manner! New transportation regs, are forcing a lot of independent truckers to give it up. And... there is no apparent glut of new truckers anxious to enter the field. If the truckers can return back to Canada with a load of drywall.. sure.. they will deliver. If there is nothing to bring back... Well.... you don't get any. Everything we get is from Canada. We tried looking at product here in the east. Same issue... not getting anything unless they get a return load.. The days of calling and getting a estimated delivery (for us anyway) are long gone. Used to be a few days, no problem... now it's ???? So the "shortage" here, can be.. that we get two truckloads in and take orders for four.. As for pricing... each stage of the process, and there are so many, from land owner to logger to retailer etc. wants a little more. Train freight has gone up over 8% for instance. Sure it's obvious that any pricing is based on market. We get that. That is the center of the business. We are dealing with stuff that at all levels, has such a low profit margin that small increases here and there make "slashing prices" impossible.. When your heat options are so close, you can only cut your margin to stay competitive by so much before it isn't worth it to sell product. As for 'creating' jitters... that's a little insulting, to all the dealers that are selling product for about the same price.. It is what it is... Nobody is trying to scare people to buy pellets. People trying to sell junk for 300 is a different beast altogether. But if you see a bunch of dealers selling the same product for say $250-$259, there is no collusion there... that is what it takes for them to stay liquid. Dan
Remember it well. Was on another pellet forum at time. I too hoarded the big box deals a few years back. When I refer to " Golden Years", my first pellets cost $135 a ton early 2000's. Not a lot of variety then. But id say the sweat spot has always been the LOW $200's a ton. Lets say $225. With initial stove investment, and fuel, and labor to move and stack, most were in it for long haul to save money. With prices increasing, and by fall could be close to $300 average for better pellets, I don't get the same feeling I did years ago.
Me too.... I put 2 tons in the basement this afternoon after it stopped raining! Good start to next season... Dan
I read an article the other day about freight price increases. Due to new regulations, truck drivers are working fewer hours so loads are taking longer to deliver. Coupled with a very large driver shortage, every business using trucks for delivery are seeing increased freight prices. Which, of course get passed on to the consumer.
Our problem at work is getting freight in that isnt damaged. Just refused another shipment today. More $$ and less QC
