What Brand Bagged Coal Do You Think Is Best?

keegs · Post by **keegs** » Fri. Dec. 30, 2016 4:01 pm

I'm sure this is a regular topic but I'll be darned if I could find a thread in this forum about it.

So far my search around for bagged coal has been less fruitful than I'd imagined it would be. To be honest, I haven't spent that much time at it yet but so far there appears to be few brand options.

So with varying degrees of effort it seems I have access to Blaschak, Kimmel, Reading and Lehigh. I can get Blaschak delivered in bulk but I don't have a bin so I'm leaning on bagged coal right now. It appears so far that the bagged coal most readily available are Blaschak from Center Farms Coal in Easton, ME (about 10 miles from me), and Kimmel from TS (about 20 miles away). Lehigh and Reading are both available but the suppliers for each are pretty far out of my way.

My understanding is that there's a difference in the quality of these coal brands. Terms like BTU content, the characteristics of the ash that's left behind and price are some quality attributes I've gleaned from the forums here.

So what coal have you burned and which brand do you think is best?

Thank you... CK

D-frost · Post by **D-frost** » Fri. Dec. 30, 2016 4:26 pm

Kegs,
I have always used Reading(bagged), because it was nearby. This year I'm burning Blashack(bagged), and I'm more than pleased. It burns clean, with no bridging, or clinkers(yet-2 months). Today, my preference would be Blashack.
Cheers

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Fri. Dec. 30, 2016 4:40 pm

+1--been burnin BLASCHAK for pushin 10 yrs & very satisfied. Bulk mostly, but some bagged. The grass ain't always greener ya know.

Post by **Rob R.** » Fri. Dec. 30, 2016 4:41 pm

I have burned all of the ones you listed, I have found Lehigh to be my favorite.

Out of your local choices, Blaschak would be my choice with Kimmel's a close 2nd.

urdahere · Post by **urdahere** » Fri. Dec. 30, 2016 4:44 pm

5 years using Blaschak bagged rice. Excellent burning qualities.

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Fri. Dec. 30, 2016 5:44 pm

CK, Are you sure that is Kimmels coal you got at TSC? Last years coal was Kimmels...not this year, it has changed.

keegs · Post by **keegs** » Fri. Dec. 30, 2016 6:57 pm

McGiever wrote:CK, Are you sure that is Kimmels coal you got at TSC? Last years coal was Kimmels...not this year, it has changed.

Yep.. The local TS here has Kimmel's for 5.99 a bag or $289. a ton - 50x40 lb bags. I checked the website for the store in Houlton and they say they have Kimmel's but I haven't been to the store recently and don't know their inventory or the by the ton price.

The price I got here for Kimmel's is about 50 cents per bag cheaper than the Blaschak brand. The Blaschak supplier charges for delivery. Not sure about TS. I have a little utility trailer and a pickup so I can hump it back to the house myself.

If the Blaschak works out I'll probably look at putting a bin in the basement to take advantage of the bulk delivery price.

keegs · Post by **keegs** » Fri. Dec. 30, 2016 6:59 pm

Thank you all for the feedback.

SWPaDon · Post by **SWPaDon** » Fri. Dec. 30, 2016 7:16 pm

keegs wrote:
McGiever wrote:CK, Are you sure that is Kimmels coal you got at TSC? Last years coal was Kimmels...not this year, it has changed.
Yep.. The local TS here has Kimmel's for 5.99 a bag or $289. a ton - 50x40 lb bags. I checked the website for the store in Houlton and they say they have Kimmel's but I haven't been to the store recently and don't know their inventory or the by the ton price.

The price I got here for Kimmel's is about 50 cents per bag cheaper than the Blaschak brand. The Blaschak supplier charges for delivery. Not sure about TS. I have a little utility trailer and a pickup so I can hump it back to the house myself.

If the Blaschak works out I'll probably look at putting a bin in the basement to take advantage of the bulk delivery price.

Don't trust the website or the employees, unless you know them personally. If the bag actually says Kimmel, then it is.

coalder · Post by **coalder** » Fri. Dec. 30, 2016 7:34 pm

Blaschak reigns supreme for me. Tried Reading bagged last year & it was LOADED with fines. Santa coal all the way!!
Jim

davidmcbeth3 · Post by **davidmcbeth3** » Sat. Dec. 31, 2016 12:38 am

coalder wrote:Blaschak reigns supreme for me. Tried Reading bagged last year & it was LOADED with fines. Santa coal all the way!!
Jim

I ordered Reading for the last 15-20 tonnes ... have not had that too-many-fines experience. The Reading what I get is a larger size nut coal .. I can get the heat out if needed.

Previous 30-35 tonnes was Blaschak.

Switched solely due to cost (delivery costs mainly).

I named all the ladies their own name ... I'm running out of names !

joeq · Post by **joeq** » Sat. Dec. 31, 2016 12:53 am

I've used all 4, and I'm assuming you're using nut in your Chubby. Blaschak seems to be the cleanest, and TSC Reading the nastiest and inconsistent. (Altho it will burn, once you sift thru the crap). Lehigh and Kimmel about the same. Both burn hot and put on a nice show with the blues. Altho I did have a bad experience with Kimmel "stove size only" last year. Maybe it was a freak thing, but Kimmel pea coal always burned good for me in my Surdiac. In your situation, I'ld go with the Santa coal, seeing it's closest.

lowfog01 · Post by **lowfog01** » Sat. Dec. 31, 2016 1:16 am

Blaschak all the way. I've burned Reading and Kimmels (TSC) because they were closer and less expensive and they burned ok but unless it's a huge cost differential I'll drive further to get Blaschak. It just makes my life easier. Lisa

scalabro · Post by **scalabro** » Sat. Dec. 31, 2016 6:05 am

I've burned all 4, same as Joe. But Lehigh is far and away the best I've burned to date. Highest heat output, lowest ash, most consistent sizing, least amount of foreign material. It does have some fines but it's not that much. I've heard that this years Stockton has the least fines....

keegs · Post by **keegs** » Sat. Dec. 31, 2016 6:56 am

scalabro wrote:I've burned all 4, same as Joe. But Lehigh is far and away the best I've burned to date. Highest heat output, lowest ash, most consistent sizing, least amount of foreign material. It does have some fines but it's not that much. I've heard that this years Stockton has the least fines....

Larry from Chubby said the same thing about Lehigh. Matt from Lehigh pointed me to a shop that sells it in Down East Maine. It'll be a detour on the way to Bridgewater from here but I'm interested in what all the fuss is about

.

Never burned coal before so I need to get a baseline of what's good and bad quality coal.