Local Dealer's "Early Buy" Program… Delivery's Start April 1st...

Not sure what I'm going to buy… I had a good and bad batch of the "Southern Hardwoods"… the Northern Hardwoods" were real good for a hardwood pellet this season.

The "Uncle Jed's Softwoods" surprised me with their low ash…. but the Doug Fir's still outshine 'em all. Enough heat to melt your face…

I just have to stay within my "Gubment Handout" budget…

UJ Southern Hardwoods (oak)… $199

Northern Elite (maple)… $208

UJ Softwoods (pine/spruce blend)… $215 (available in bulk @ $195)

Red Western Elites (Doug Fir)… $269

Green Western Elite (Doug Fir)… $301

Pinnacle (Doug Fir)… $306 (available in bulk only and only for early buy)

UJ Doug Fir (Bear Mountain)… $323

Discounts of $3/ton if your bring in a 40X48 pallet for exchange and $7/ton for cash.

 

How do those prices look compared to last year?

 

If it were me, I think I'd be getting a split order of the Northern Elite & UJ Softies. Unless you really think you can turn the feed down that much to offset the higher price of the Doug Fir, I don't think the extra $$ is worth it.....IMO.

 

Dealers up my way are being offered 2 bucks off per ton by their distributor. That's sad.

 

I think they are pretty close. The Northern Hardwoods are up a bit.. I think they were $189 or so on early buy last year.

I had used nothing buy Doug Fir's for several years… never had to open the stove to clean the under burn pot for two weeks. But I have to be just a little more frugal now. I picked up 12 bags of UJ Softwoods today and I think the ton price was about $239 IIRC.

I had some of the oak hardwoods this year that were very dusty, lots of fines and clinkers. The second batch were a lot better. It's unusual to find any fines or dust in any of their pellets… they triple screen them before they bag 'em. But the Southern Hardwoods are bagged at the mill in TN and either trucked in or shipped by rail.

I'm leaning toward 4 tons of UJ softwoods… I can always pick up another ton early in the season at a slightly higher price. Don't want to get caught short again.

 

wwert....that would be $2 more than I have offered any of my dealers in NE and I'm sold out thru Aug...we don't have to have any incentives this year to sell product. Personally, I think most dealers are more than happy to just get enough product and the price isn't going to be the driving force this year like it has been in years past...just MHO..

 

Yup, burned a bag last night. Awesome. If I could buy them for $215 I'd have 6 tons in my basement.

 

http://origin.library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1102165350493-332/2014 EB NewsletterEFormat.pdf

Just noticed a mistake in my first post… Red Western Elites are pine not fir...

 

Just got the spring Woodpellets.com coupon in the mail. It says "Softwood Stock-up Blowout! Save $15/ton if ordered by April 30th.
Hardwood pellets also on sale....$5.00 off/ton".

Order has to be delivered by May 15th to receive discount.

 

Here are my local spring deals....nothing worth buying. Going full box stores this year.
Energex American Premium Hardwood 8500 BTU less than 1% Ash $271.00 1 Ton

New England Hardwood Hardwood Blend 8200 BTU .40% Ash $272.00 1 Ton

LG Granules** Softwood 8700 BTU .35% Ash $295.00 1 Ton

1.5 Ton $442.50

EnergexGold Hardwood Super Premium

8650 BTU less than .50% Ash $291.00 1 Ton

P W I/Logik Hardwood Super Premium

8300 BTU .31% Ash $287.00 1.1 Ton $315.70

Turman Hardwood 8300 BTU .28% Ash Pricing coming soon

Vermont Wood Softwood 86OO BTU .23% Ash $295.00 1 Ton

Corinth Hardwood Hard/Softwood Blend 8600 BTU .60% Ash $274.00 1 Ton 1.5 Ton $151.50

North Idaho Energy Pellets Douglas Fir 8760 BTU .32% Ash $330.00

1 Ton 1.4 Ton $462.00

1.5 Ton $495.00

Maine Woods Hardwood Blend 8400 BTU .50% Ash Pricing coming soon

Blazers Douglas fir 8900 BTU .16% Ash $330.00

1 Ton

1.4 Ton $462.00

1.5 Ton $495.00

Energex Premium Soft/Hardwood Blend 8700 BTU less than 1% Ash $271.00 1 Ton

Comfort/Cubex Hardwood 8900 BTU .49% Ash $307.00 1 Ton

Maine Softwood Softwood Mix 8750 BTU .31% Ash As quantities become available

Purcell Pellets Douglas Fir Mix 8700 BTU .30% Ash $305.00 1 Ton

 

anyone who can even buy close to last years' numbers should buy....and now.....like Mr Middleton said above, all of our prices are up considerably, and trucking is a nightmare, at the moment.....we are seeing considerable issues, price-wise with freight, which adds to the cost of an already elevated pellet, price-wise

 

The way I see it is there is a good chance I will save around 300 buying from the box stores. My worst case scenario is I spend maybe 40 more than I would if I have to buy from the Pellet House later on rather than now.

That is a very good risk reward for waiting IMHO.

 

yea, in truth, time will tell....I just hate it when the season is upon us and folks are squaking about price and supply issues.......its a risk to wait, but sometimes risks pay off! Its a choice we all eventually have to make. I send pre-season flyers to all my customers....whether they choose to avail themselves of it is completely up to them......but there's a good reason we send them out....sometimes its just not good enough, sometimes it is!

 

In same boat trying to decide what to do....just looked at preseason pricing and its only a $5 or $10 discount depending what you purchase. Not sure that is worth it for me. So do I roll the dice and go big box in fall which I have never done or suck it up and buy now. Typically I only buy two tons of Cubex to use during the real cold time so not a huge deal but it is a bit of a sticker shock when compared to the spring buy last year.

 

Yes, it's a crapshoot buying now or HOPING the big boxes will have good stuff at a decent price. IMO, I'd buy the good stuff now while there is SOME discount, and then finish your stash in the fall with big box stuff that will be good for shoulder seasons. You may pay more now but come fall, that extra $$ will be forgotten when you have the nice feeling of having heat for the cold weather already taken care of.

 

*DISCLAIMER* I sell pellets!*

even though I sell them, and maybe have a little bit more insight into pricing that some of the users do, we never REALLY know what fall pricing will be, since we never know what deals the Big Boxes have inked with the suppliers....their prices, brands, etc. I am pretty certain the prices you are seeing now for the folks who actually have, and are selling, pellets, most likely WILL NOT go down for the fall, and in all likelihood, will go up.
I agree above with Imacman in that its probably a good idea to get at least some of the "cold weather" pellets now, and maybe shop later for extras......we also don't know about shortages, etc.....that's the only real worry about not getting your pellets till the season is upon us...that, and increased price.
As for what we are selling now, sales are BRISK....most likely because folks don't want to get caught short if there is another cold winter, another shortage, etc.....

 

I agree with this and probably the way I am going. Locally I can get LaCrete at 289 and Spruce Pointe at 280 (that is IF they bag pellets this year?). Most likley plan is 2-3 pallets of LaCrete and see what Big Box has for decent pellets to supplement. My usual is at least 4 pallets for spring purchase.

 

I've never regretted buying good pellets when they were available. I have pretty much all of next years stacked in the shed already. Even if I pay an extra $10 per ton, that $50 is cheap peace of mind. I'll be warm next winter.