When you’re shopping for wood pellets in Maine, there are many brands to choose from. The one brand that seems like it’s available everywhere is Maine Woods pellets. You might not always recognize them when you see them. The company that manufactures them uses different bags with different names and illustrations on them depending on the intended retail outlet. For instance, the same Maine Woods pellets are available at Walmart and independent retailers right across the street, but the Walmart pellets have a logo that features a wood pellets stove instead of a log cabin. Both bags contain the same pellets.
Maine Woods pellets are made in Athens, Maine from locally-sourced materials. The company will sell their wood pellets directly to the consumer, as long as they purchase a full ton. Retailers are required to purchase from 22 to 26 tons of bagged pellets at a time to qualify for wholesale pricing. Maine Woods pellets can also be purchased in bulk instead of bagged. Let’s take a look at how Maine Woods pellets stack up against the competition:
Maine Woods Pellets: The Wood Pellet Facts
Hardwood or Softwood?
There are substantial differences between hardwood and softwood pellets, but neither is necessarily better than the other. You can find very high quality brands of both types. Homeowners find that particular brands perform better in their pellet stoves or boilers, or particular types no matter what brand they use. For the most part, it’s the quality of the wood feedstock that determines the quality and the price of the pellets you buy.
Maine Woods Pellets are a blend of 65 percent hardwood and 35 percent softwood. That ratio delivers good performance at a reasonable price.
Heat Produced
Maine Woods pellets aren’t outstanding in any category, but they’re a solid performer. They perform better than average at heat output. The company’s website features testing results from a laboratory at the University of Maine School of Forest Resources, which testifies that the pellets can produce a respectable 8256 BTUs per pound. The test samples also performed well at accuracy of weight, amount of fines, and the uniformity of the pellet size.
Ash Produced
Maine Woods Pellets are rated as a premium product by the Pellet Fuels Institute. That simply tells the consumer that the product produces less than 1 percent ash by volume. One percent might not sound like much, but that would add up to 20 pounds of ash from every ton. Manufacturers strive to get their products well below the 1 percent mark. In their laboratory analysis, Maine Woods Pellets produce 0.43 percent ash. That cuts 12 pounds of ash per ton compared to the lowest rated premium pellet. In our experience, these pellets produce slightly less than that.
Price
Prices for Maine Woods Pellets vary a lot by distributor. You’ll find the lowest prices at big box stores like Walmart. Maine Woods can compete on price with almost any discount brand of pellets, even though they outperform their competition in almost every key category.
As you’ll find with other brands like Pennington wood pellets, it can be difficult to find pricing for full tons on big box store websites. If you’re planning on purchasing a ton or more of pellets from a big retailer, it’s worth your while to visit the store and ask to see how they’re stored, and how much they cost when bought in bulk. Many big box retailers do a poor job in keeping the pellet bags dry and free of tears.
Final Word on Maine Woods Pellets
Many mid-sized pellet retailers in New England feature Maine Woods Pellets as the lowest-priced pellet they carry. You can often find them for sale for less than $250 per ton, and many retailers offer free delivery as well. Maine Woods can’t compete on heat produced or low ash content with brands like Okanagan, but they cost about 25 percent less.
If you’re in the market for a reliable wood pellet that won’t strain your heating budget or fill up your hopper with fines and your stove with ash, Maine Woods Pellets are a great choice.
Let’s Hear From You
If you have used Maine Woods Pellets in your pellet stove, furnace, or boiler, we’d love to hear your opinion of their performance in our comments!
Have never used Maine Wood Pellets. A local pellet stove retailer is offering specials 239.00 per ton until 6/25 there after the prices go next to 254 and then 269. I hope I’m satisfied with your product. To date I’ve been using Green Team Platinum. And I’ve been very satisfied. They are close to 300.00 per ton from Lowe’s.
Hello Peter- Thanks for reading Wood Pellet Facts, and for commenting. It’s important for consumers to compare notes on price and quality in order to get unbiased information. That’s why it’s so useful when readers like you put prices in your comments.
We have burned over 10 tons of Maine Wood Pellets in the last few years. They’re as close to a “middle of the road” brand as I could identify. They’re good quality, predictable, and affordable. Your price of $239 per ton seems quite reasonable. We’ve paid as much as $260 per ton this last season, although this did include delivery. The lowest price we’ve ever paid was $219 at Walmart, but you have to pick them up, and many bags are punctured and must be exchanged.
I got my last ton of pellets from Menards in December 2016 and total cost with tax was $197. Not sure of the name brand and I believe they vary from region to region but they are labeled as premium hard wood pellets. I have paid as much as $225 for them from Menards but generally have always gotten them with in that price range. They seem to burn well and I have nothing to compare the ash content to as I have I never really used any other pellets in my stove.
Hello Shawn- Thanks for reading Wood Pellet Facts, and for leaving a comment.
A price of $197 for a ton of usable pellets is a great deal. Here in Maine, we’re currently paying $249 per ton for Maine Wood Pellets, which are a hardwood/softwood blend. That price includes delivery.
In general, prices for pellets are the opposite of prices for firewood when taking hardwood and softwood species into account. The most expensive pellet brands are usually 100-percent softwood. These generally burn the hottest, with the least ash. However, we’ve used many brands of 100-percent hardwood pellets that performed well at a much lower price point. You’re especially lucky to find an inexpensive brand that works well in your particular pellet stove.
we have used maine wood pellets for the last 3 years very happy with heat output as well as ash content
Hello Arthur- Thanks for reading Wood Pellet Facts, and for offering our readers the benefit of your experience with Maine Woods pellets. We have also found that Maine Woods performs well, and is always available at reasonable prices here in the northeast. We have also found that the pellets are very uniform from bag to bag.
Hi
How do these compare to Green Supreme?
I ordered Green Supreme fromLowes at $235/ton, but they brought Maine Woods. Delivery guy said Lowes puts same sku nimber on these and delivers randomly !
thanks
I am having ignition problems with the maine wood pellets in my pelpro pp-130.
after replacing the igniter 2 times, completely cleaning out the unit, the vent pipe was cleaned.
I used these pellets during the last heating season and had no ignition problems.
After talking with a person at pelpro I was advised to change the fuel, Ie: the wood pellets to a different type as I was told it had to either be the fuel or air flow.
Does anybody have any ideas ?
Hello John- Welcome to Wood Pellet Facts. Your problem sounds like it’s very frustrating. Unfortunately, pellet stove manufacturers seem to have a set of stock answers to every problem, and love to advise consumers to change pellet brands. It’s unlikely that your Maine Woods Pellets are the problem, unless they were stored improperly and got very damp. Even then, they usually ignite, but burn poorly with a lot of soot. I’ve personally burned over 1 ton of Maine Woods Pellets this season so far, and haven’t noticed any problem or loss of quality since last season.
The advice about air flow might be more likely to help. It’s useful to remember that pellets aren’t really the fuel. When pellets (biomass) is heated, it emits gases which can be ignited to produce flames. The smoke is the fuel. If your pellet stove has the fresh air intake too far open, the smoke is exhausted from the burn chamber too quickly, and the fuel/air mixture is too low to ignite. I’d try closing the air damper to see if it lights easier.
Good luck!
Maine woods pellets are the best i have used burn hot low ash
Hello Dan- Thanks for visiting Wood Pellet Facts, and for leaving a comment about your experience with Maine Woods pellets.
We’ve burned a lot of this brand over the years, and always found it to be an affordable, steady performer.
TOOOOOOO MUCH DUST!!!! So much dust that I need to throw away about a softball size of dust/pellets per bag! While they may be inexpensive, in this case you get what you pay for. BE prepared to clean the fines out of your auger early and often (I am now on a 2 week schedule where with Hamers I can wait 6-8 weeks before the stove needs a deep clean.
Other than the dust, they do burn relatively clean.
I’ll spend the extra dollar a bag for a more reliable pellet. I try one new brand a year along with my usual LaCrete or Hamers. This year’s experiment crosses Maine Woods from future purchase.
Hello Keith- Welcome to Wood Pellet Facts. Thanks for sharing your experience with Maine Woods Pellets with our readers.
We haven’t noticed a lot of fines in the bags of Maine Woods Pelllets this year. I think it may be related to how much handling the bags received before they’re delivered to you. Some of our pallets have still been warm from the factory when we got them, but we’re in western Maine, close to the factory that makes this brand of pellets. If you’re farther away, I’m sure they get handled more before you use them.
I have a problem with your brand of pellets … the pellets have a strong foul odor. I would like to know what species of wood you are using in the make-up of the pellets. I know that red oak has a nasty odor.
Hello Larry- Thanks for visiting Wood Pellet Facts. We are an independent website, not affiliated with any pellet manufacturer.
Since Maine Wood pellets are a blend of several different hardwood and softwood species, it can be difficult to say exactly what species of tree end up in your bag of pellets. However, we’ve never noticed a strong odor from this brand of pellets.
If pellets become damp in storage, they can begin to have a musty smell. Is it possible your bags of pellets got wet before you used them? Not all retailers take the proper care with pellet storage. That could possibly be an explanation for your problem.
The first year we had our stove we paid 450/Metric ton for lecrete and had horrible ash problems, reset the stove 3 times, the next year we went to Okanagan for just over 300/ton and it was ok, the last two years we have burned Maine wood pellets at 210/ton and no issues. Our stove is a Regency Green Fire 55. For the price you can’t beat Maine pellet company, I’m just lucky enough to live within driving distance and have a truck
Hello Douglas- Thanks for sharing your experience with those three brands of pellets. That’s a very attractive price for a ton of Maine Wood Pellets. We’ve found them to be a good, all-around, affordable brand. It’s interesting how different brands of stoves seem to perform better with different brands of pellets.
Hi. I’ve just purchased a ton of Maine Woods pellets and I too notice a strong foul smell; it’s not musty, but it’s like an astringent/ chemically smell. I got the skid straight from the manufacturer, and I did notice that there was some condensation on the outsides of the individual bags when I brought them in. The delivery guy says this is normal; the entire skid was wrapped in a giant plastic bag that had not been breached at all.
I wonder if what I am smelling is the terpenes in the wood, or perhaps they are using a binding agent and not disclosing it?
Hello Jaye- Thanks for visiting Wood Pellet Facts, and for leaving a comment.
We’ve recently received several tons of Maine Woods pellets, and also noticed a sort of pine smell. In our case, the smell was from the pallets that the bags came on, not the pellets themselves. It went away after a short time. We haven’t noticed any difference in the makeup, performance, or smell of the pellets when they’re loaded into the pellet stove hopper.
We bought a ton of maine pellets. And I never seen so much ash in any other pellets. These pellets kept on clogging out stove. I will never buy these pellets again.
Hello John- Welcome to Wood Pellet Facts.
Thanks for reporting your experience with Maine Woods pellets to our readers.
I’m having the same experience as John Ford. Every few hours I have to clean out a lump of ash clogging my burn pot. Good thing I only bought 12 bags. Switching back to Blackstone.
Hello Mark- Welcome to Wood Pellet Facts. Thanks for telling our readers about your experience using Maine Woods pellets. Clinkers that block the air holes in the bottom of the burn pot are very frustrating, because they cause the pellets to smolder, which makes more soot. We’d be interested to hear if the problem goes away after you switch to Blackstone. Let us know!
Alex, thanks for your feedback. I’d already been using Blackstone for a month with no problems. It just started when I bought Maine brand.
love your pellets, works well in our deerfield stove from lopi, iam always looking for the best price. just paid 300 for a ton. i would like to see a picture of the bag that wall mart sells that you talked about in your pellets facts piece. thank you
Hi everyone,we have been using main woods pellets for a few years now,with no problems,they seem to burn clean,dont clog our stove,have low ash,and throw out good heat.
I found a deal at lowes, for Maine wood pellets. They are on clearance for 3.58 a bag or 179 a pallet as of today 3-23-2023. I’m thinking of but 5-10 pallets but don’t wanna regret the purchase. Pella prices are so expensive today my wife and I were buying blazer Douglas fir pellets but they’re so close to 500 a pallet I’m finding difficulty continuing to rationalize the cost. I have a Harmon XXV that I purchased 10 years ago almost 11 it seems to eat everything that I throw at it so I’m not worried about it handling the pallets I’m just worried about going and clogging up my stove with a really crappy pallet which I do not know if these are again I read the article I know the middle of the road but for 179 I’m wondering if it’s worth spending $500 on 2 1/2 tons of these main wood pellets or 500 for one blazer Douglas fir.
Hello Juan- Welcome to Wood Pellet Facts.
That’s an amazingly low price for these pellets. They’re usually around $5 per bag here in Maine. Since the deal was being offered at the end of the season, it’s likely that Lowe’s was just trying to clear out their inventory to make room for spring and summer inventory. Maine Woods Pellets can’t compete on quality or the amount of BTUs per bag with 100% douglas fir pellets, but they’re usually solid, low price performers in many pellets stoves. You’ll have more soot with Maine Woods than with Blazers, in our experience. When buying end of season pellets, we suggest you inspect the pellet bags to look to see if there are a lot of rips that would let in moisture, and spoil the pellets.
I bought a ton of pellets from Maine Woods and it’s the worst quality pellets I have seen in a long time. There is so much ash that I have to clean the stove every day, which I have never had to do before with other brands. Every bag is filled with dusty pellet dust and it is making my pellet a mess. I will never buy Maine Woods again!
Hello Andrea- Welcome to Wood Pellet Facts. Thanks for sharing your experience with Maine Woods pellets with our readers. We’ve burned a lot of Maine Woods pellets over the years and we’ve also noticed a drop in their performance lately.
First time I purchased pellets from your company [ ordered 2 tons] and will NEVER buy again as so far almost each bag has tons of clumps of moist pellets and lots of sawdust. !!! Ive already thrown away almost 2 bags out of four and afraid my auger will get clogged.. NOT happy nor worth money and it wasnt due to leaving outside as brought in as soon as delivered and in dry area !!!
Hello Diane- Welcome to Wood Pellet Facts.
We’re an informational website that’s not affiliated with any pellet manufacturer. Thanks for updating our readers on your experience with Maine Woods Pellets. It sounds like the bags you have were stored incorrectly before they were delivered to you. If your pellets are wet, that usually means the bags were either punctured, or stored in very wet conditions. I would think that you would be entitled to a refund from whoever sold and delivered the pellets to you. Two tons of pellets cost a lot of money.
Thanks again for reading, and for offering our readers the benefit of your experience with this brand of pellets.