Pellet Stoves Pros And Cons
As people search for ways to cut their heating bills, pellet stoves are growing in popularity. Sales nearly doubled last year, and with this year's federal tax credit they could go even higher. Consumer Reports just tested six pellet stoves, ranging in price from $1,300 to almost $4,000, and found there are pluses and minuses. Pellet stoves put out a warm fire, burning pellets made of compressed sawdust or other renewable resources. They burn cleaner and are easier to handle than the logs you'd use in a wood stove. And pellet stoves produce a lot less ash, meaning they may not need to be cleaned as frequently as a wood stove. That may be convenient. But refilling the stove with heavy bags of pellets definitely is not. And Consumer Reports found a problem with the Lopi Leyden Pellet stove. Two units jammed when burning longer pellets. That not only put out the fire, but also made for a tedious job unjamming the stove chute. Shorter pellets worked fine, but pellet size is not usually marked on the bag. The manufacturer, Travis Industries, claims it has solved the problem. While the fix appeared to work in Consumer Reports' limited testing, Consumer Reports cannot be certain it will be effective with every type of pellet. If you own a Lopi Leyden and have a problem, call the manufacturer at: (425) 609-2500. Consumer Reports 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. Still, it'll take years to break even once you factor in the purchase and installation costs. That's true even if you get a federal tax credit. Many pellet stoves do qualify for a tax credit of up to $1,500, if installed by the end of 2010. When all of the testing was done, Consumer Reports recommends the Harman Stove P68 for $3,900. A plus—it has a big hopper, which means you don't have to fill it as often. As far as the cost of the pellets, you can expect to burn about 150 bags a year, or around three tons. That'll cost you around $750. Consumer Reports has no commercial relationship with any advertiser or sponsor appearing on this Web site. Copyright © 2005-2009 Consumers Union of U.S., Inc.
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