Huh, I had more ash with the Platinums and they burned cooler - that is in both stoves. Hamers had hardly any ash and burned nice and hot. I thought maybe it was a Harman thing, but see you have them too. My stoves aren't in love with pure softies for some reason although the P61 did love the Vermont's I got a couple of years ago - they don't hate softies, they just don't seem to be "all that" as other people seem to experience with their stoves. I've burned DF's and was surprised at the amount of ash and how fast the stoves burned thru them compared to other pellets. My stoves really prefer something with some hardwood in them and loved the Cubix hardwood I got my hands on last year.
I have been to 4 different BBS (HD and L*wes) in my area in the last two weeks and the only pellets I saw was a cart of FSU's that had a "Returned" tag on them.
That just goes to show how different set ups and how you run your stove can give different results . Bottom line is do what works best for you and keeps you nice and warm
And here lies the bottom line for burning pellets.... Stoves can have a preference, different than others... I am amazed at how little ash, and the amount of heat, with DF's... And I really do not like hardwoods...... (with Harman, and Englander.) This is why it is such a good idea, to try different types/brands, in your own stove, to see what makes it, and you, happy... Dan
Agreed Will and Dan. I realize this topic has been covered thoroughly, but going to mention it anyway: Batch variance plays a huge role in the differences people experience as well.
Good thing there's no peer pressure with pellets stove. Got to say though since I dumped my Breakwell bigE. Its so much easier to shop pellets with the beast.
That has to be the toughest one to work around. Specially if you bought 6 bags and they were great, Now you fetch the ton and bluh!! Kind of stuck with it. And about the only options are returning or a long seasons of blending..... Reading reviews and paying close attention to what others see helps(slightly) with variance. If ya see 10 good and 5 bad. Likely you'll see some batch variance. But even that isn't totally fool proof!! Hence the purchase of a stove that ain't so freakin pellet snoobbish...... Dangit I want to pick them, Not the flipping stoves job IMHP!! Maybe if the stove caried the wallet?
No peer pressure from me after I did my research , I knew that I wanted a stove that wasn't pellet picky hence the Hormone purchase liked the 1st one so much got a 2nd one money well spent .
Yeah, love that the Harman's aren't picky (the late St. Croix was). Although they may not "love" a pellet, even with the crappiest I've burned, the house has been warm and the stoves just chuck away.May get dirty faster, but I can live with that.
That's why these discussion are good . My stove had no problem either with any type or length of pellet and just maybe a really high end hardwood might burn longer , just as clean and hot as the softies . Case in point Somerset but unfortunately I haven't found a good source of high end hardwood pellets in my area yet .
My local Lowes still has an acre of pellets in their lot. I'd expect them to start moving them to the other area store shortly. Heck I see Octoberfest brews out already. Ripped my swim trunks, Had to go to Job lots to find any. Kohl's-Target-Wallywort had nothing. Fall clothes out already!! Leaf blowers replacing the lawn furniture. Expect the snowblowers any day now!! Skeeter, Thats the first I have seen of North Americans softwood blend. I only see the hardwood blend in my area.
