Are hardwood pellets better than softwood pellets?
Top quality pellets can be made from either hardwood or softwood. Hardwood logs are drier than softwood logs and the low moisture contents result in a cleaner, hotter burn. However, in the manufacturing process the moisture content for all types of wood is reduced to 3-4% leaving only cellulose (the wood fiber itself), lignin (a component of wood cell walls), and resins. Cellulose has the same heating value, whether originating in hardwood or softwood form. Resin has a higher heating value than cellulose and the resin content in softwood is higher than is found in hardwood. As a result, softwood pellets tend to burn hotter, and faster. The main factor that impacts the quality of a wood pellet is the ash content. Low ash is a result of using clean wood (no bark, dirt etc.) and a quality manufacturing process, not the type of wood used.
