Firewood cost per tonne (2 to 3 cubic metres) ($): Pellet cost per 15kg bag ($): Electricity cost per kWh ($): Heater size (kW): Hours of heating per day: Calculate Daily Costs Explanation of Calculations The daily running cost is calculated using the following formula: Daily Cost = Heater Size (kW) * Hours per Day […]
Pellet heaters are an innovative and efficient home heating solution that are popular in Tasmania and gaining popularity in the rest of Australia. Pellet heaters burn compressed wood pellets to heat and are extremely efficient, easy to use and environmentally friendly. However, the story of pellet heaters spans several decades, and their journey from sawdust
Starting in 2024 there will be no new gas connected houses in Victoria. This may have left you wondering what’s the best gas heater alternative. I won’t comment on if banning gas in new Victorian homes is good or bad but instead what heating alternatives new homes in Victoria will have. All new houses will
BBQs Galore sold, well technically still “sells”, the Ziegler and Brown range of pellet heaters. BBQs Galore have essentially washed their hands of selling pellet heater with the only last model being available online (their website and Ebay). They still sell pellets but it’s clear their target market now is bbqs and smokers not heaters
Looking for hardwood pellets for your pellet heater? Then look no further than Mitre 10 hardwood pellets in 15kg easy to handle bags. While there are a range of hardwood and softwood pellets on the market for heating and bbqs (this is a pellet heater website, so I’ll just focus on pellet heaters), if you
Bunnings, at least in Tasmania, is one of the most convenient places to buy wood pellets from. If you checkout the Bunnings website and do a search for wood pellets, you’ll see a range of pellets, from pellets for heating to bbqs and smokers. While you can use pellets made for bbqing in a pellet
If you are buying your first pellet heater from Pellet Fires Tasmania, tell them the referral code #PelletHead and you’ll get a $100 credit if you are a new customer and buying a pellet heater. You can use this to buy some pellets or put it towards your yearly service. Pellet Fires Tasmania has a
You’ve probably seen YouTube videos on pellet mill machines and people making their own wood pellets. It sounds like a great idea, especially with inflation driving up the price on everything up, including wood pellets. Who wouldn’t want to make their own wood pellets and save a bunch of money, right? Sadly, making your own
If you’ve read other articles on my website, you’ll notice that I sometimes use the terms pellet heater and pellet fire. You may have also come across the term pellet stove, especially if you live outside of Tasmania and Australia. For someone new to these heating options, this can be quite confusing. Are there three
Pellet heaters might pump out real heat, but you need to make sure you pick the right sized pellet heater for your home. Picking the right sized heater is essential if you want to stay warm during winter and maximise efficiency of the heater. If you’ve looked at any other posts on my website you’ll
In the middle of winter no-one likes to be cold. In Tasmania it’s common to find people running wood heaters and sometimes even heat pumps non-stop at least for a few weeks or months of the year during winter. Pellet heaters are a great alternative to wood heaters and provide a much better heating experience
Pellet heaters are, and yes I run a pellet heater website so I am clearly biased, a great way to stay warm. Real heat, real fast, without the hassle. However, the quality of the wood pellets used can greatly impact on how well your pellet heater runs and heats your house. Poor quality pellets can
Softwood pellets do not burn any faster than hardwood pellets in a pellet heater. Likewise, hardwood pellets do not burn slower or longer than softwood pellets. I’ve mentioned this elsewhere on my website but this view of softwood vs hardwood does not apply to pellet heaters. This conception that hardwood pellets are better or softwood
Do Softwood Pellets Burn Faster Than Hardwood Pellets? Read More »
Pellet heaters are great. Real heat at the push of a button and none of the hassle you get from firewood and a wood heater. However, they are space heaters, which means they are good at heating a space like a lounge room. This doesn’t mean you can’t heat your whole home with a pellet
Looking for a little style in your pellet heater? Price of Piazzetta pellet heaters got you down? Then the Bianca Lux pellet heater made by Palazzetti could be just the thing for you. Palazzetti pellet heaters are excellent value European made pellet heaters. You get great style and design light years ahead of Chinese made
Have a large area or house to heat or just love to have heaps of heat when you want it? Say hello to the MacLeod Maxi pellet heater. The maxi is the big brother of the MacLeod range of pellet heaters, packing more heat and just more of everything than the MacLeod Matilda, Mini and
If you’re in the market for a new heating solution for your home, Piazzetta pellet heaters are an excellent option to consider. Made in Italy from a company that has been in business for decades, Piazzetta pellet heaters are possibly the most well designed and beautiful pellet heaters available on the market today. However, such
Piazzetta Pellet Heaters: What Makes Them Special Read More »
Piazzetta specializes in producing high-quality heating solutions of which their pellet heaters are world class. You may have seen in my other post about the SC Range of Piazzetta pellet heaters and how they are Piazzetta’s affordable eco-friendly and efficient home heating option. However, for those who value luxury , high-end design and don’t mind
Piazzetta is an Italian company that specializes in the production of high-quality pellet heaters and heating solutions, like wood heaters. Their SC range of pellet heaters is a popular choice among homeowners who are looking for an affordable European made pellet heater that is efficient and eco-friendly. The SC Range of pellet heaters from Piazzetta
We’re fortunate in Tasmania to have several businesses offering pellet heaters, and among them is Tas Energy & Heating, a business based in Somerset, North West Tas. Unlike some other retailers, Tas Energy & Heating specialize in high quality European pellet heaters rather than the more affordable or budget orientated Chinese brands. If you are
If you have a large area or house and want a big pellet heater to meet your heating needs, then say hello to the Bass 09 pellet heater. It’s also sold by Bass Pellets in Launceston and the Bass 09 is basically the big brother of the Bass 02. This means everything is pretty much
The Bass 02 pellet heater sold by Bass Pellet Heaters in Launceston is an interesting model. It’s not the smallest pellet heater they sell nor is it the largest. But is the Bass 02 right for you? Will it work for the area you want to heat or should you buy something better? Below I
Got a fireplace that you’ve pulled a wood heater from and want to replace with the best insert pellet heater you can find? The good news is there are some great insert heaters out there that will fit nicely into your old fireplace and keep you warm. The bad news is insert pellet heater models
We’re lucky in Tasmania, maybe too lucky, because there are at least six businesses that sell pellet heaters. A very well known one, Bass Pellet Heaters, is based out of Launceston, Tasmania and sells a range of Chinese and European pellet heaters along with hydronic pellet boilers. I think it’s safe to say that Bass
The Grace pellet heater is the number one selling pellet heater model at Pellet Fires Tasmania and possibly in all of Tasmania. The Grace pellet heater comes in two sizes, 8kw and 13kw, and also three flavours: insert, freestanding and Wellington. Below I take a look at the features of the Grace to help you
Have a large area to heat and looking for a central heating setup? Pellet Fires Tasmania sell a range of Samspon hydronic pellet boilers that will heat water or both air, like a standard pellet heater, and water. Pellet boilers are great for very big homes, anyone who wants to heat their entire house to
Pellet heaters are becoming more and more popular in Tasmania and Australia. The most affordable of these heaters are made in China but are Chinese pellet heaters good or are you better off buying more expensive European brands, such as Piazzetta or Palazzetti? The short version is yes, there’s nothing wrong with pellet heaters made
As of February 2023 there are at least six pellet heater retailers in Tasmania. If you’ve searched online or live in Lonnie or Hobart you would have heard of Pellet Fires Tasmania. Below I take a look at the history of Pellet Fires Tasmania, heaters they sell and services they offer to help you decide
Whatever you do, do not buy an electric heater. While there are some situations where an electric heater might be the best heating option, I think most people do not understand why electric heaters are bad and a waste of money. This is done deliberately because manufacturers charge a premium for electric heaters which are
If you are in the market for your first pellet heater or just looking to upgrade, you’ve probably come across the Palazzetti brand and wondering are Palazzetti pellet heaters worth the price tag. There are heaps of pellet heater brands available today ranging from budget focused made in China heaters to top of the line,
Ever had different types of pellets, maybe a bag left over, and wondered can you mix hardwood and softwood pellets? The short answer is yes, you can mix both types of pellets together and it will not harm your pellet heater in anyway. I’ll tread carefully here because I know the topic of hardwood and
A bumper stick that I’ll never forget read “There is no PLANet B”. Eco friendly heaters are important now more than ever. The days are long gone when you didn’t have to worry about what impact you had on the world. There’s a lot more of “us” today than ever before and the world’s resources
It doesn’t matter how well insulated or built your tiny house is, you’ll need heating at some point. The best heater for a tiny house is one that works with the unique design of these houses. Tiny houses are unique in that you usually don’t have much space to heat, which is good, but it
Walk into any shop or online store and you’ll see bold claims being made about how energy efficient heaters are. But what makes a heater energy efficient and what does it mean anyway? I’m sure most people think of saving money when they looking for an energy efficient heater, but be careful going down that
If you live outside of Tasmania then there’s a very good chance you have never heard of a pellet heater. So why aren’t pellet heaters popular in Australia despite the technology behind them was created in the early 1980s? Pellet heaters put out great heat, are easy to use, cheap to install and are much
Looking for some pellet heater reviews before before you take the plunge and buy one? If you are considering to buy a pellet heater then you’ve come to the right place. Below you will find a short summary and links to all the pellet heater reviews that I’ve created on this website. I’ll keep this
Looking for a pellet heater but only need to heat a small area? Below you’ll find my recommendations for the smallest pellet heater in Australia, which would go well in a tiny house, caravan or if you don’t need a massive heater and only want to heat a small space. I’ve listed more than one
What’s the Best Smallest Pellet Heater in Australia? Read More »
Tasmania, while not extremely cold, has a much cooler climate than most of Australia. So what is the best heating in Tasmania if you want to stay warm? “Best” here is going to be the tricky part. What I think is best will be different to what someone else thinks. As I live in Tasmania
When it comes to wood pellets vs firewood for heating your home, there are few crucial things to be aware of to understand the key differences between the two. There’s no denying firewood is extremely popular in Australia and for good reason. However, in Tasmania the popularity of using wood pellets for heating is growing
I love pellet heaters but even I know you can’t run them all year non-stop anywhere in Australia. They are great for the cold, winter months but what do you do with your pellet heater during the summer? You may get a cool or cold day here and there but depending on where you live
Wood heaters are a great way to stay warm during winter, but they can be a lot of work. If you’ve grown tired of messing with firewood, you may be wondering what’s the best alternative to a wood heater that will still keep you warm. There are plenty of heating options available, like heat pumps,
When it comes to buying a pellet heater, are expensive pellet heaters better? With so many brands on the market (mainly Chinese and European), it can be difficult to determine which heater is the best fit for your needs and budget. While the main difference between pellet heaters is price, Chinese heaters being cheaper, cost
Pellet heaters aren’t cheap, so before spending all that money you may want to know how long do pellet heaters last. You’ll pay anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000, depending on the model, so it’s a big investment to stay warm, especially if you’ve already got another heater. Some people have never heard of pellet heaters,
Looking to buy a pellet heater but don’t want to throw away your old heating system? The good news is there are many benefits to using a pellet heater with other heaters like a heat pump or wood heater. In Tasmania the weather can be unpredictable. One day it’s warm, the next it’s freezing cold.
You might have seen Piazzetta pellet heaters in other posts on this site and wondering are Piazzetta pellet heaters any good and worth the extra cost? There are many pellet heater models available today, like Piazzetta, which can make picking a pellet heater difficult. If you’re looking for a European-made pellet heater, Piazzetta should be
When it comes to heating your home, you may have heard of pellet heaters and wondered “do pellet heaters give off heat?” The answer is yes, but it’s different to how wood heaters give off or radiate heat. Unlike radiant heat from wood heaters, most pellet heaters use convection heating to warm up an area.
Pellet heaters in Australia are slowly becoming a popular but what are the disadvantages of a pellet heater? They are a great alternative to a wood heater and heat pump, but like anything, they have their disadvantages. Below I talk about some of the downsides of using a pellet heater and I also provide ways
A pellet heater is a great way to heat your house, but sometimes it’s hard to distribute heat from a pellet heater evenly. Below I’m going to give you some easy and practical tips to help distribute the heat from your pellet heater more evenly throughout your home. I’ll be going over using a ceiling
It’s a common problem, pellets sticking to the hopper. Your pellet heater goes out but the hopper is full. Depending on your pellet heater model, you’ll probably also see the E1 Code, fire went out, displayed on the control panel. However, a quick look in the hopper and it’s clearly not empty. It’s easy to
Cleaning the glass door on a pellet heater is easy, it’s keeping it clean that can be difficult. Below I’ve listed 3 ways to keep your pellet heater glass clean. As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, pellet heaters need regular maintenance and I clean my glass door about once a week. However, the glass door on a
Running a pellet heater off-grid is a great way to stay warm and perfect for those looking to move away from messing with firewood, especially if you want an alternative eco friendly way to stay warm. While pellet heaters do need electricity to run, unlike most wood heaters, they don’t draw very much power. Most
Pellet heaters burn clean, much cleaner than wood heaters but I still get people asking me if pellet heaters smell while they are running. If you haven’t read my article on pellet heaters being environmentally friendly, then the short version is basically pellet heaters are very efficient, burn super clean and emit fewer emissions than
E4 error code on a pellet heater has to do with the temperature sensors. Pellet heaters usually have at least two sensors that monitor the temperature of the fire. The first is a proof of fire sensor. This sensor detects that a fire has started during ignition and is burning and enables the pellet heater
E6 error code on a pellet heater means the temperature sensor in the hopper has been triggered and the pellet heater shuts down for safety reasons. It’s similar to the E4 error code but instead has to do with a sensor in the hopper. The two main causes of the E6 error code are the
Knowing how to store wood pellets is important because properly stored wood pellets mean you’ll get the maximum amount of heat out of your pellet heater in the middle of winter, so you can keep warm and not waste money on pellets that went bad due to improper storage. Storing wood pellets the right way
Clinkers are a natural part of burning pellets in a pellet heater, but what causes clinkers and how can they be avoided? Clinkers are a hard rock like substance that form in burn pots. The type of wood being burnt, impurities in the wood and airflow in the pellet heater can all contribute to whether
E8 error code for a pellet heater means the exhaust is blocked. A pellet heater exhaust is usually blocked due to excessive ash build up. However, it could also be blocked due to a bird or other foreign object stuck in the flue. If you experience an E8 error code while your heater is running,
E7 error code on a pellet heater is caused by a power failure. If the power goes out while the pellet heater is running, it will switch off without shutting down properly. If this happens, the fire in the burn pot will continue to burn. However, with no exhaust fan running to vent the smoke
E5 error code on a pellet heater can be caused by a few factors and has to do with airflow and sufficient vacuum on the burn chamber. First, there may be something wrong with the vacuum switch or door on your pellet heater. A faulty door gasket, blocked or faulty vacuum switch means negative pressure
An E2 error on a pellet heater is triggered when the fire in the burn pot does not light. You’ll experience this when switching your pellet heater on to heat your room. Instead of the fire starting the pellet heater will shut down and display the E2 error code message. This error is caused by
E1 error code on a pellet heater is triggered when the fire in the burn pot goes out. If this has happened to you then most likely you’ve found your pellet heater has switched itself off, is no longer heating and the E1 error message is displayed on the screen. You may have also noticed
Wood pellet length is important because it directly impacts your pellet heater burn rate and how long a bag of pellets lasts. Pellets should not be too long or too short. Pellet length will usually vary and ranges from 10mm to 40mm in length. Ideally the average length of wood pellets should be around 20mm.
If you live outside of Tasmania, then finding the best pellet heater in Australia for your needs can be a challenge. This is because there are limited brands and retailers selling pellet heaters outside of Tasmania on the mainland in Australia. It’s easy to buy a pellet heater in Tasmania and to help those who
Below I’ve created a short list of what I think are the top 5 best pellet heaters to buy in Tasmania. You’ll see the heaters are divided into categories, such as best value or best budget heater. This isn’t to say there aren’t other good heaters out there but I think the pellet heaters below
Without power pellet heaters will stop heating and won’t start. This can be a huge problem if the power goes out. However, you can run a pellet heater during a blackout or even off-grid. Below you’ll find what I think are the top 3 pellet heater battery backup options. They’ll keep your heater running during
Looking to buy wood pellets in Australia at the best price for your pellet heater? Below you will find a list of retailers around Australia that sell wood pellets for heating, which hopefully will save some money or at least give you an idea of what a pellet heater costs to run. If there is
How long does a 15kg bag of pellets last? It depends but generally speaking a bag of pellets will last anywhere from 8 to 23 hours of continuous burn. How long a bag of pellets lasts you will depend on your circumstances. This includes what heat output pellet heater you have, how warm you like
It’s rare but there’s a chance at some point you may need to manually light a pellet heater. This may happen if you are unlucky enough that the igniter in your pellet heater dies one day and it won’t automatically light a fire, so you have to start a fire by hand. A faulty igniter
If you are wondering what is a pellet heater then I don’t blame you. Most people have never heard of them or if they have know very little about them. Pellet heaters are type of heater that you can use to heat a room and house. Wood pellets are burnt to create heat and pellet
Looking to buy a pellet heater in Australia? Finding a retailer that sells pellet heaters can be difficult if you live outside of Tasmania. Below is a list of all the pellet heater retailers in Australia, excluding Tasmania. If you live in Tasmania please read the where to buy a pellet heater in Tasmania post.
Heard about pellet heaters (maybe you’ve heard them called pellet fires or pellet stoves) and wondering are pellet heaters good? They are better than good, I’d say they are great. If it’s really cold I won’t heat my house with anything else. If you haven’t already go and read my post about how pellet heaters
If you are looking to buy a pellet heater you might be wondering what’s the best pellet heater hearth to buy or maybe do you even need one? Pellet heaters must be installed on a non-flammable surface, so they need a hearth just like pellet heaters need a flue. While most of the outside of
You shouldn’t be cleaning your pellet heater with a normal vacuum cleaner. So what’s the best pellet heater ash vacuum then? The best and easiest way clean your heater is with a vacuum cleaner that is designed to handle ash. Visit any hardware store and you’ll see a wide range of ash vacuums ranging from
Pellet heaters, unlike most wood heaters, have fans and other moving parts. Some people worry about these moving parts and ask are pellet heaters reliable? They worry all these moving parts may cause problems and result in the heater constantly breaking down. This couldn’t be any further from the truth. It is easy to understand
More and more people around the world today are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint and be as environmentally friendly as possible. I’m often asked are pellet heaters environmentally friendly by people looking to move away from electric heaters or wood heaters. Staying warm is easy but for some it is important to
What? A website dedicated to pellet heaters telling you why you shouldn’t buy a one?!?!? While I personally think a pellet heater is better than a wood heater and heat pump, like most things, pellet heaters included, they aren’t for everyone. I don’t want someone buying a pellet heater to waste their time and money
What’s the difference between a freestanding vs insert pellet heater? This is a question you may be pondering if you have a house with a built in fireplace and are looking to buy a pellet heater to put in the old fireplace. So, which one is best and are there any differences between insert and
You’ll often see pictures online showing pellet heaters without any visible flue or chimney. So people naturally wonder do pellet heaters need a flue? Some websites also talk about “direct venting” which, coupled with pictures that show no flue or chimney, leads people to think pellet heaters can be installed without a flue. Unfortunately this
Should you worry hardwood vs softwood pellets when it comes to getting the most out your pellet heater? Unlike firewood, wood pellets, regardless of species of wood used generally produce similar amounts of heat. You will find some slight variation in heat (about 10%) as softwood typically burns hotter but for the most part you
Bunnings and BBQs Galore no longer sell pellet heaters for heating. If you want to buy a pellet heater, you can’t get one from Bunnings. The only thing they sold up until recently was pellet heater flues, but as of 2023 they are completely out of the pellet heater game. BBQs Galore still sells one
Which model pellet heater is right for you depends on your home you want to heat (such as size and how well insulated it is) and personal heating preferences (is 24 degrees Celsius just right or too hot?). Pellet heater models vary in how much heat they put out, the features and functions they come
How to Pick the Right Pellet Heater for Your Home Read More »
When I’m asked are pellet heaters noisy, I always say “no” because they aren’t. I think the biggest reason people are worried about noise from a pellet heater is because they are switching from a wood heater, which usually make no noise, and aren’t used to fans running on a heater. Some people worry the
People new to pellet heaters often ask how often should you clean a pellet heater? Pellet heaters need to be cleaned and maintained because they have moving parts and are a mechanical device like car. Just like how firewood in a wood heater produces ash, wood pellets in a pellet heater also create ash. While
How much electricity do pellet heaters use? Not much but it’s part of the running costs of a pellet heater. For some people looking to move from a wood heater to a pellet heater, it can be a bit of a shock to learn that pellet heaters need power to run. However, they use very
Pellet heaters have been around since the 1980s (history of pellet heaters from Wikipedia) and to answer the question how do pellet heaters work we need to look inside them. Pellet heaters create heat by burning wood pellets. A fan blows heat out of the heater into the room it is in. The main parts
One of the most common questions from people is how much pellet heaters cost to run and will it help reduce their winter heating bill. To properly answer this you need to look at what pellets cost where you live, the kind of pellet heater you have and how often you run your heater. Generally
Will a pellet heater heat my house? The short answer is “yes” and the longer answer is “yes, but it depends”. Pellet heaters, like all heaters, come in a range of sizes with different levels of heat output, from small to very large. The size or model you pick should match your home heating needs,
Before you fork out your hard earned money and buy a new pellet heater, here are some important questions to ask and keep in mind. When looking for a pellet heater, most people focus on price, but it shouldn’t be the only thing you consider when buying a new pellet heater. It’s definitely important, don’t
Find out all the answers to the most common pellet heater questions. Do you need a flue? Are they noisy? Are they eco friendly and more!
