Wood pellets are biofuels made from compressed wood fibre. In British Columbia (BC), wood pellets are made primarily from the residuals left over from the sawmilling process when logs are converted into lumber and other high-value wood products.

  • Pellets can be made from any one of five general categories of biomass: industrial waste and co-products, food waste, agricultural residues, energy crops, and untreated lumber.[

  • Wood pellets are the most common type of pellet fuel and are generally made from compacted sawdust[3] and related industrial wastes from the milling of lumber, manufacture of wood products and furniture, and construction

  • Other industrial waste sources include empty fruit bunches, palm kernel shells, coconut shells, and tree tops and branches discarded during logging operations.

Pellets 101

 

  • Pellets are produced by compressing the wood material which has first passed through a hammer mill to provide a uniform dough-like mass.[15] This mass is fed to a press, where it is squeezed through a die having holes of the size required (normally 6 mm diameter, sometimes 8 mm or larger). The high pressure of the press causes the temperature of the wood to increase greatly, and the lignin plasticizes slightly, forming a natural "glue" that holds the pellet together as it cools.[9]

  • Pellets conforming to the norms commonly used in Europe (DIN 51731 or Ö-Norm M-7135) have less than 10% water content, are uniform in density (higher than 1 ton per cubic meter, thus it sinks in water)(bulk density about 0.6-0.7 ton per cubic meter), have good structural strength, and low dust and ash content.[8] Because the wood fibres are broken down by the hammer mill, there is virtually no difference in the finished pellets between different wood types.[citation needed] Pellets can be made from nearly any wood variety, provided the pellet press is equipped with good instrumentation, the differences in feed material can be compensated for in the press regulation

  • There are three general types of pellet heating appliances: free standing pellet stoves, pellet stove inserts and pellet boilers.

    Pellet stoves work like modern furnaces, where fuel, wood, or other biomass pellets, is stored in a storage bin called a hopper. The hopper can be located on the top of the appliance, the side of it or remotely. A mechanical auger automatically feeds pellets into a burn pot. From there, they burn at high temperatures with minimal emissions. Heat-exchange tubes send air heated by fire into room. Convection fans circulate air through heat-exchange tubes and into room. Pellet stoves have circuit boards inside that act like a thermostat and to regulate temperature.[41]

    A pellet stove insert is a stove that is inserted into an existing masonry or prefabricated wood fireplace, similar to a fireplace insert.

    Pellet boilers are standalone central heating and hot water systems designed to replace traditional fossil fuel systems in residential, commercial and institutional applications. Automatic or auto-pellet boilers include silos for bulk storage of pellets, a fuel delivery system that moves the fuel from the silo to the hopper, a logic controller to regulate temperature across multiple heating zones and an automated ash removal system for long-term automated operations.

 

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Current Pellet Market

  • A-MAZE-N

    A supplier of pellet smoking tubes/baskets for gas grills A-MAZE-N also offer their own range of smoking pellets in 2lb boxes and 5lb bags. Hence, A-MAZE-N does not currently offer 20lb bags for dedicated pellet grills/smokers.

    A-MAZE-N pellets are stated to be made in the USA and they offer 100% single hardwood species products such as Oak, Mesquite, Maple and Cherry. They also provide mixtures such as Oak with Italian or Chilli Pepper spices.

    Pellet Flavours: 100% Oak, Mesquite, Maple, Cherry and Oak/Spice blends

    Bag Size: 2lb boxes or 5lb bags

    Typical Price: $8 per box to $15 per bag

  • ASMOKE

    100% Appelwood pellets from FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) orchard trees. Applewood makes good all-around hardwood grill/smoker pellets suitable for cooking a wide range of meat, fish and vegetables.

    Pellet Flavours: 100% Applewood

    Bag Size: 20lbs

    Typical Price: $26 to $40 per bag

  • Bear Mountain

    Based in Colorado, Bear Mountain BBQ have been producing a range of hardwood pellets for grills/smokers since 1990. Unlike some other brands, Bear Mountain BBQ confirm that the source of their hardwood raw materials is sustainably and locally sourced from within the United States. Bear Mountain BBQ produce a wide range of hardwood blends and flavours. However, it should be noted only their Oak and Alder pellets are 100% single-species products.

    Bear Mountain BBQ also produce a range of blended flavour options such as their Bourbon blend for a mellow smoke flavour and their Gourmet blend for smokey/sweet flavour. They also have three other blends branded as Bold, Sweet and Savoury containing different hardwood species blends.

    Pellet Flavours: Hickory, Apple, Mesquite, Cherry, Maple, Pecan, Alder, Oak and various blends

    Bag Size: 20lbs

    Typical Price: $17 to $25 per bag

  • BBQ’rs Delight

    Along with the common flavours of Oak, Pecan, Apple, Cherry and Mesquite BBQ’rs Delight offer some more niche blends. These include Jack Daniels pellets made from the mellowing charcoal from Jack Daniel’s distillery. They also offer Orange, Peach, Sugar Mapel and Sassafras. Their blend is a mixture of 80% Oak to 20% of the specific hardwood species flavour.

    Pellet Flavours: Hickory, Apple, Mesquite, Cherry, Maple, Pecan, Alder, Oak and various blends

    Bag Size: 1, 10 and 20lbs

    Typical Price: $9 to $30 per bag

  • Broil King

    The Broil King Apple Blend is a mixture of Applewood and Oak, the same is true for their Mesquite Blend. Their two other offerings are Griller’s Select Blend which is a mixture of Oak, Maple and Cherry and Smoke Master’s Blend which is a mixture of Maple, Hickory and Cherry.

    Pellet Flavours: Apple Blend, Mesquite Blend, 100% Hickory and Griller’s Select and Smoke Master’s Blend

    Bag Size: 20lbs

    Typical Price: $18 to $20

  • Camp Chef

    Their premium hardwood pellets are produced in the USA from a selection of hardwood species includes Mesquite, Alder, Hickory, Appel, Cherry and Oak. Camp Chef pellets are a ‘proprietary blend‘, therefore all flavours will have a base of Oak or maybe Alder.

    Camp Chef pellets are also available as a Competiton blend which will be a mixture of several hardwood species. Their latest offerings of Cherry Charwood and Hickory Charwood are a mixture of hardwood and charcoal. While not a 100% charcoal offering, they will offer a stronger smokey flavour over standard hardwood pellets with likely a slight bump up in temperature output too.

    Pellet Flavours: Hickory, Apple, Mesquite, Cherry, Maple, Pecan, Alder, Oak and various blends

    Bag Size: 20lbs

    Typical Price: $14 to $18 per bag

  • CookingPellets.com

    Since 2006, CookingPellets.com has been producing 100% single hardwood species pellets from American raw materials. As they like to state on their packaging ‘No Fillers! No Oak or Alder’. As such, you should expect to pay a premium for these pellets over hardwood blended pellets.

    Alongside their 100% Hickory or Black Cherry pellets, they offer two blends, Perfect Mix and Longhorn Blend. Perfect Mix contains Hickory, Cherry, Hard Maple & Apple pellets whereas the Longhorn Blend is Mesquite, Cherry and Hard Maple. Note, neither of the CookingPellets blends contains any Oak or Alder. Their AppleMash pellets are rather unique, produced from a mix of apple fruit mash mixed with Hard Maple. Though they recommend the AppleMash pellets are only used for smoking (180 to 350 degrees) and not high-temperature grilling.

    Pellet Flavours: 100% Hickory, 100% Black Cherry, AppleMash, Perfect Mix and Longhorn Blend

    Bag Size: 40lbs

    Typical Price: $35 to $38 per bag

  • Cuisinart BBQ

    The Cuisinart literature states ‘These pellets are made from reclaimed liquor barrels and natural wood’. Therefore, the pellets are a mixture of reclaimed Oak liquor barrels with additional hardwood (likely Oak) added. Cuisinart does not currently provide details on the reclaimed liquor barrel to virgin oak blend mixture percentages.

    Pellet Flavours: Mapel Bourbon, California Red Wine, Cherry Rum and Master Blend

    Bag Size: 20lbs

    Typical Price: $15 to $25 per bag

  • Green Mountain

    None of the GMG pellet range offers a 100% single wood species, they are all blended hardwood pellets. For instance, the GMG Apple blend is a mixture of Applewood, Hickory and Oak.

    However, the GMG Fruitwood blend does not contain any Oak, its purely a blend of Cherry, Beech and Pecan. The other two blends are Gold which is a mixture of Oak, Hickory and Maple along with their Texas blend which is a mixture of Black Oak, Hickory and a small amount of Texas Mesquite. While GMG pellets may seem expensive per bag for blended pellets, note the larger than average bag size of 28lbs.

    Pellet Flavours: Apple Blend, Fruitwood Blend, Gold and Texas Blends

    Bag Size: 28lbs

    Typical Price: $30 to $40 per bag

  • Grilla Grills

    Grilla Grills offer a range of hardwood blended pellet flavours including Hickory, Apple, Mesquite, Cherry, Pecan and their Competition blend.

    Pellet Flavours: Hickory, Apple, Mequite, Cherry, Pecan & Competition blend

    Bag Size: 20lbs

    Typical Price: $20 per bag

  • Kingsford

    Their 100% single wood species pellets include Hickory, Cherrywood and Maple. The Kingsford blends include Classic which is a mixture of Hickory, Oak and Cherrywood and Signature which is a mixture of Oak, Cherry and Mesquite. Due to the scale of Kingsford, the price per lb of their pellets is currently one of the lowest on the market.

    Pellet Flavours: 100% Hickory, 100% Cherrywood, 100% Maple along with Classic/Signature Blends

    Bag Size: 20lbs

    Typical Price: $15 to $20 per bag

    Click Here

  • Knotty Wood

    A relative newcomer to the market as they were founded in 2019, Knotty Wood is offering two unique pellet flavours in Almond and Plum that I’ve not previously seen from any other brand. Their pellets are 100% single wood species in each bag.

    Based in California, the founders behind Knotty Wood have Almond orchards right on their doorstep. Through developing their own pellet plant they worked on developing the first Almond pellets to hit the market. Both Almond and Plum pellets will produce a sweet smoke profile.

    Pellet Flavours: 100% Almond & 100% Plum

    Bag Size: 20lbs

    Typical Price: $18 to $20 per bag

  • Louisiana Grills

    Louisiana Grills pellets are some of the most widely available, though they are oddly not sold at Walmart. Their New England Applewood pellets are a 40% Applewood to 60% Maple blend and its a similar mixture for their Pennsylvania Cherry pellets. While their pellets may seem a high price for blended pellets, note they are large 40lb bags.

    Pellet Flavours: Applewood, Cherry, Hickory, Mesquite, Tennessee Whiskey, Competition Blend

    Bag Size: 40lbs

    Typical Price: $30 to $46 per bag

  • Lumberjack

    What Lumber Jack do provide which many other pellet blend brands don’t offer is the breakdown of wood species in their blends. For instance, their Apple Blend is 60% Red Oak to 40% Applewood whereas their Fruitwood Blend is 80% Cherry to 20% Applewood. As well as large 20 and 40lb bags for dedicated pellet grills/smokers Lumber Jack also offer smaller 1 and 10lb bags for smoking on a gas grill.

    Pellet Flavours: 100% Oak, 100% Cherry, 100% Hickory, Char Hickory, Apple, Fruitwood, Mesquite and Pecan Blends

    Bag Size: 1, 10, 20 and 40lbs

    Typical Price: $20 to $48 per bag

  • Memphis Grill

    Their flavours include Apple, Cherry, Hickory, Pecan, Mesquite and Oak.

    Pellet Flavours: Apple, Cherry, Hickory, Pecan, Mesquite & Oak

    Bag Size: 20 lbs

    Typical Price: $20 to $48 per bag

  • Pit Boss

    One of the best value blended hardwood pellets, as you can often find Walmart selling a 20lb bag for under $10. Pit Boss does not currently state their wood species blend percentages, for the price I would predict a 20% fruitwood to 80% Oak mix. They will not produce the most intense smoke flavour, but they are a good budget option.

    Pellet Flavours: Apple, Hickory, Cherry, Mesquite, Fruitwood, Whiskey, Classic, Competiton, Charcoal

    Bag Size: 20, 30 and 40lbs

    Typical Price: $10 to $30 per bag

  • Rec Tec

    Hardwood blend of pellets called Ultimate Blend which is a mixture of Red Oak, White Oak and Hickory.

    Pellet Flavours: Ultimate Blend (Red Oak, White Oak and Hickory)

    Bag Size: 40lbs

    Typical Price: $33 to $35 bag

  • Royal Oak

    Founded in 1953 Royal Oak is the largest producer in the US of natural lump charcoal. Therefore, it makes sense that Royal Oak has been the first to produce 100% charcoal pellets. These 100% charcoal pellets have special attributes that set them apart from standard hardwood BBQ pellets.

    Not only will these 100% charcoal pellets produce more smoke flavour, they will produce more heat for grilling/searing and they are also water-resistant! The higher heat output of these 100% charcoal pellets may also be well suited to cooking pizza with pellets where you want the pizza stone to be getting up to very high temperatures for a nice crust. 100% charcoal pellets in any pellet grill will provide more functionality and eliminate the chance of an auger block due to swelling pellets.

    Pellet Flavours: 100% Oak Charcoal

    Bag Size: 20lbs

    Typical Price: $19

    Click Here

  • Traeger

    The Traeger range of blended hardwood pellets currently includes Apple, Cherry, Hickory, Mesquite, Pecan and their Signature blend which is a mixture of Hickory, Cherry and Maple. Traeger pellets are widely available but can be a pricey option since they are 20lb hardwood blended pellets.

    Pellet Flavours: Apple, Hickory, Cherry, Mesquite, Pecan and Signature blend

    Bag Size: 20lbs

    Typical Price: $18 to $20 per bag

  • Weber

    Weber does provide the mix details on their pellets. For instance, their Hickory pellets are 40% Hickory and 60% Oak and their Apple pellets are 40% Apple and 60% Maple. Weber pellets are not currently as widely available as other major brands such as Traeger & Pit Boss, and they are priced between those brands.

    Pellet Flavours: Hickory, Mequite, Apple, Cherry & Grill Master blend

    Bag Size: 20lbs

    Typical Price: $17 to $25 per bag

  • Z

    Outside of the Z Grills Oak pellets, it would indeed appear their other pellet flavours are comprised of a hardwood blend. If that is the case at $24 to $30 for 20lb bags Z Grills pellets work out at a pretty expensive option, which is rather odd for a budget pellet grill/smoker brand.

    Pellet Flavours: Oak, Hickory, Apple, Cherry, Fruitwood & Competition blend

    Bag Size: 20lbs

    Typical Price: $21 to $30 per bag

Pellet Types

 

  • Great for cooking poultry and salmon.

  • Works well with Pork, Seafood and Lamb.

  • A good allrounder.

  • For a strong, smokey flavor.

  • Works well with Pork and BBQ Ribs.

  • Nice for cooking vegetables and cheese.

  • Particularly suited for red meats.

  • The foundation of BBQ Wood Pellets.

  • Best Suited for cooking poultry.

  • Especially nice for game and red meats.

  • Red Meat & Fish.