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Pellet Stove vs Wood Stove

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I love cutting wood with the family. Good time out in the woods. Lot of hard work. 

If the power goes out, nice to have a wood stove. 

If you can physically get out and cut, I’d take a wood stove all day. My opinion though. 

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When I lived off the grid, the wood stove went 24/7. I'd wake up in the middle of the night freezing, needing to put another log on (7,000' in UT).

When I hauled in Eucalyptus to burn, I was finally able to get 6 hours between logs and some much needed sleep.

Some friends had automatic pellet stoves with blowers but those weren't much use without power.

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I’ve had both. Pellet stove was great as long as I used the more expensive pellets. Cheap pellets would clog the auger with sawdust.  Would also run into occasional problem with over feeding or under feeding of Pellets if left unattended for a long time. Maybe they are better today since this was 20yrs ago. Wood stove takes longer to warm up and is dirty. Biggest factor I ran into though is no power = no heat if using pellet stove as main source of heat. 

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it is a mistake for me to post here-i know that going in-but i am an idiot.

after 20 years on the mountain at 6600ft i have used one, the other or both for over 8 months a year.  i now believe a pellet stove is the most efficient, inexpensive and easiest to operate of all heating options.  a 40lb bag of pellets makes about a double handful of fine ash that can be vacuumed within a half hour of operation, cost about $5.  runs on the energy of 2 60watt lightbulbs even on deep cycle battery/inverter or the smallest generator at harbor freight. i'm on aps in show low and the only power outage of consequence was 5hours after the dec 7 2009 blizzard.  you don't even have to leave the house to get pellets-order over the phone from lowes/hd and have a ton delivered to your driveway next day.  did i mention i only have to vacuum ash 'bout once every two weeks?  downside?  well electronic component failure(igniter/fans/modules) can be pricey and field service exorbitant so you will want to buy them online and be your own service tech.  i did it YOU CAN TOO!

woodstoves...well a cord of oak/alligator goes for $250 on the deuce in show low in january so you will prob need to make your 5 cords during the summer.  that will take a month out of fishing and scouting along with about $500 for fuel, permits, sawchains, oil, clothes and tire repair.  and don't forget the $$$ keeping yur buds in beer and lunch when they 'help' you out.  but you will lose 20lbs and can cancel your gym membership for a summer.  you will find out who your real friends are.  ash cleanup is filthy and time consuming and dangerous and don't forget having to sweep you chimney 2-3 times a year(a pellet stove you just tap the exhaust lightly with a broom handle every couple of months).  a highlight of living on the mountain is seeing a garbage truck going down the hiway with a full load of garbage on fire.

got meself in enough trouble,

lee  

ps the forest energy pellet mill in show low that supplys hd and lowes are some of the best pellets in the milky way.  going to stay that way-the gm is a good friend of mine.   

  

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I totally agree with lee!! Except I’m young enough and still enjoy cutting wood. I grew up with a wood stove. About the time I left high school my folks got natural gas (wasn’t available before then) it is really nice letting a thermostat take care of heat!! My self, I’ll cut wood til I can’t and hope I get natural gas at my property. If not.... I’m buying a pellet stove! Or whatever the government lets me buy at that time.

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I have and use both from Nov-March. Pellet is a nice simple way to keep warm but I love having a fire. When I get too old to cut or split my wood I'll go to a pellet stove exclusively..

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I'll take a peice of hard earned gator bark in the stove over a piece of kitty litter wood pulp any day. 

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