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Understanding the Different Types of Wood Pellets Used in Wood Pellet Stoves
Tips on Wood Pellet Storage
December 17, 2013
Only burning the Best of the Best this year
September 13, 2014Understanding the Different Types of Wood Pellets Used in Wood Pellet Stoves
Wood pellets have been used in the heating industry for years. Different types of wood pellets allow for different experiences and wood pellet stove operation, affecting both the efficiency and running costs of this heating system.
The three main types of wood pellets include:
• Premium wood pellets – These wood pellets contain less than 0.5 percent organic ash content, and generally do not contain bark. They are often made from oak or maple wood species and cost more than lower grades.
• Standard wood pellets – This type of wood pellet is most often manufactured from forestry industry waste and contains organic ash content at rates higher than 0.5 percent.
• Food-grade wood pellets – Either premium or standard wood pellets can be labeled as food-grade, as long as no additives or binding agents are used in the manufacturing process.
Choosing the Best Product for Your Wood Pellet Stove
Your wood pellet stove will operate at optimum levels with higher quality wood pellets. Shop for products with less than 1 percent organic ash content. Oak pellets naturally have a lower ash content than maple pellets, making them a better choice on average.
Moisture content also makes a difference to wood pellet stove performance. Remember that dry pellets create more heat in the same amount of time. Opt for lower moisture levels to obtain peak levels of efficiency and the most comfortable levels of heat.
High quality wood pellets, including some standard grade and most premium grade pellets, contain less than 5 percent moisture. Opt for a product with no more than 8 percent moisture levels, and pay more if necessary. Your wood pellet stove will crank out more heat from each pellet, saving you significant amounts of money over the long term.
The best quality wood pellets have low levels of organic ash content and moisture, but come with a higher price tag. Good quality maple and oak wood pellets produce respectable levels of performance from your wood pellet stove, allowing to maintain a comfortable home all season long.
- Heat Output
- Ash Level
- Bag Quality
- Overall Quality
User Review
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2 Comments
Just to confirm similar findings as @Michael: I’ve found that the Golden Fire pellets, which are Douglas Fir, leave a dense sticky creosote on the exposed surfaces. Acetone (nail polish) will eventually remove the ever thickening black gum, but it’s a pain. I placed some cookware over a fire fueled by Golden Fire pellets, they creosoted up, and because the pot was small enough, I put it in the freezer and let it get very cold, then the creosote just flaked and chipped off easily, no messy acetone required.
I have a Harman Advance (highest BTU rating I could find). I shop for pellets in mid summer for the best value. I have been buying Clean Burn (Washington State) which have been awesome, however I purchased some Golden Fire (on Sale) and that is a mistake. The Pellets burn alright but the hard deposits left in the Burn Pot are terrible. I do clean my stove (complete) once every ton, and clean and inspect my Burn Pot every week. I would not recommend Golden Fire if you want to keep from scraping the hard deposits from your Burn Pot every week. Golden Fire need to improve their game.