3 months ago
WASHINGTON, DC (WUSA) -- Pellet stoves put out a warm fire, burning pellets made of compressed sawdust or other renewable resources.
"They burn more cleanly and are easier to handle than the logs you'd use in a wood stove," says Bob Markovich.
Consumer Reports tested six pellet stoves ranging in price from $1,300 to nearly $4,000.
Tester Emilio Gonzalez says, "Pellet stoves produce a lot less ash, meaning they may not need to be cleaned as frequently as a wood stove. So, for example, a 40 pound bag like this in a stove produces only this much ash."
It may be convenient, but refilling the stove with heavy bags of pellets definitely is not.
And, there was a problem with the Lopi Leyden pellet stove. Two units jammed when burning longer pellets. The fire not only went out, but it also made for a tedious job to un-jam the stove chute.
Shorter pellets like those on the right worked fine, but the problem is pellet size is not usually marked by the bag.
Bob says, "We also found that pellet stoves aren't a surefire money saver. If you use natural gas, burning pellets will actually cost you over 20 percent more at current energy prices."
On the other hand, if you heat with oil, you could cut your costs by roughly 15 percent. But even still, it'll take years to break even.
"No matter what you normally heat with a pellet stove could take years to pay for itself, even after the tax credits, when you factor in purchase and installation costs," says Bob Markovich.
But despite all of this, if you still want a pellet stove, then the Harman Stove P68 for $3,900 is an "A" plus. It has a big hooper which means you don't have to fill it as often.
If you install a pellet stove by the end of 2010, you'll qualify for a federal tax credit up to $1,500.
As far as the cost of the pellets, you can expect to burn about 150 bags a year or around the three tons. And, that'll cost you around $750.
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