Pellet Calculator: How Many Bags of Pellets Do I Need?
No Sales Tax in any state on the stoves we sell. Short answer: a ton of pellets is 50 bags of 40 lb, most one-ton pallets hold 50 bags, and a 1,500 sq ft home in a cold climate burns about 3 to 4½ tons a winter if pellets do all the heating, for example in a ComfortBilt HP22. Use the tabs below for your own home and stove, whatever brand it is.
How many bags of pellets are in a ton?
There are 50 bags in a ton of wood pellets when the bags weigh 40 lb, which almost all of them do: 50 × 40 lb = 2,000 lb. If your bags are a different weight, divide 2,000 by the bag weight.
How many bags of pellets are on a pallet?
Most one-ton pallets are 50 bags of 40 lb, so a pallet and a ton are usually the same thing. Not every seller stacks the same count, so check the seller's number before you compare prices. The second tab above lets you change the pallet size.
How long does a 40 lb bag of pellets last?
A 40 lb bag lasts about 6 to 10 hours on high and 14 to 35 hours on low, depending on the stove. The table uses each maker's published hopper size and burn time on low. Real-world hours change with pellet quality and how the stove is set.
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| Stove | Hopper | Full hopper on low | One bag on low | One bag on high |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ComfortBilt Alpine HP40 | 25 lb | 13 hrs | 20 hrs | 10 hrs |
| ComfortBilt Alpine HP41 | 52 lb | 20 hrs | 15 hrs | 7.7 hrs |
| ComfortBilt Alpine HP42 | 120 lb | 80 hrs | 27 hrs | 6.4 hrs |
| ComfortBilt HP21 | 40 lb | 16 hrs | 16 hrs | 8.3 hrs |
| ComfortBilt HP22 | 55 lb | 20 hrs | 15 hrs | 6.3 hrs |
| ComfortBilt HP22N | 80 lb | 30 hrs | 15 hrs | 6.3 hrs |
| ComfortBilt HP22i Insert | 47 lb | 18 hrs | 15 hrs | 6.3 hrs |
| ComfortBilt HP50S | 47 lb | 24 hrs | 20 hrs | 6.5 hrs |
| ComfortBilt HP61 | 51 lb | 25 hrs | 20 hrs | 6.9 hrs |
| ComfortBilt HP75C | 65 lb | 22 hrs | 14 hrs | 5.8 hrs |
| ComfortBilt GAP2020 Non-Electric | 88 lb | 46 hrs | 21 hrs | 8.3 hrs |
| Drolet ECO-65R | 125 lb | 105 hrs | 34 hrs | 8.6 hrs |
| Drolet ECO-55 | 60 lb | 51 hrs | 34 hrs | 8.5 hrs |
| Ventis ECO-55 ST | 80 lb | 70 hrs | 35 hrs | 8.5 hrs |
| Englander 25-CBPAH | 120 lb | 76 hrs | 25 hrs | 9.1 hrs |
More hopper means fewer fills, not less fuel: the HP22N has the same burner as the HP22 with an 80 lb hopper, so it runs up to 30 hours on low instead of 20.
Hopper size and burn time of other popular pellet stoves
Own a stove from another brand? Here is how long its hopper and a 40 lb bag last, using the figures its maker publishes.
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| Stove | Hopper | Full hopper on low | One bag on low | One bag on high |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harman P43 | 50 lb | 18 hrs | 14 hrs | 8.2 hrs |
| Harman P61 | 72 lb | 48 hrs | 27 hrs | 6.1 hrs |
| Harman P68 | 76 lb | 45 hrs | 24 hrs | 5.1 hrs |
| Harman Absolute43 | 52 lb | 32 hrs | 24 hrs | 8.0 hrs |
| Harman Absolute63 | 72 lb | 44 hrs | 24 hrs | 5.0 hrs |
| Harman XXV | 65 lb | 51 hrs | 31 hrs | 7.4 hrs |
| Harman P35i | 62 lb | 42 hrs | 27 hrs | 9.8 hrs |
| Quadra-Fire Classic Bay 1200 | 80 lb | 42 hrs | 21 hrs | 7.5 hrs |
| Quadra-Fire Santa Fe | 52 lb | 52 hrs | 40 hrs | 12 hrs |
| Quadra-Fire Mt. Vernon | 80 lb | 42 hrs | 21 hrs | 6.8 hrs |
| Quadra-Fire Castile | 45 lb | 45 hrs | 40 hrs | 12 hrs |
| PelPro PP130 | 130 lb | 96 hrs | 30 hrs | 7.0 hrs |
| PelPro PP150 | 150 lb | 96 hrs | 26 hrs | 7.0 hrs |
| PelPro PP60 | 60 lb | 40 hrs | 27 hrs | 10 hrs |
| US Stove Wiseway GW1949 | 60 lb | 30 hrs | 20 hrs | — |
| Cleveland Iron Works No. 215 Mini | 17.6 lb | 13 hrs | 30 hrs | 14 hrs |
| Cleveland Iron Works Bayfront | 66 lb | 62 hrs | 38 hrs | 6.9 hrs |
| Castle Serenity | 40 lb | 24 hrs | 24 hrs | 9.2 hrs |
| Englander 25-PDVC | 40 lb | 20 hrs | 20 hrs | 11 hrs |
| Englander 25-PDV | 60 lb | — | — | — |
| Enviro M55 | 80 lb | 48 hrs | 24 hrs | 6.2 hrs |
Figures are from each maker's owner's manual or spec sheet.
How many tons of pellets do I need for winter?
A 1,500 sq ft home of average insulation in a cold climate needs about 3 to 4½ tons if pellets do all the heating. Warmer climates, tighter houses and part-time burning need less, and a very cold climate or a drafty house needs more.
The calculator multiplies your square footage by your climate's heating degree days, 24 hours and a heat-loss factor for your insulation, then multiplies by the share of heat you expect from pellets. It is the same heat demand method as our firewood calculator, so the two agree. We then divide by 8,000 BTU per pound of pellets and your stove's efficiency. Treat the result as a planning number and buy a little extra. To pick the size of stove, use the stove size calculator.
How much do pellets cost?
Prices change by region and season, so work it out from your own quote. Multiply the price of a bag by 50 to get the price per ton, and divide a pallet price by the number of bags on it to compare sellers. Add delivery if you pay for it. Then multiply the price per ton by the tons you need. Quality matters too: dirty pellets mean more ash and more cleaning, so see our guide to the best wood pellets.
How much does it cost to run a pellet stove?
Your season cost is tons burned × price per ton, plus a little electricity. The third tab compares that to propane, heating oil and electric heat using prices you can change. It uses 91,500 BTU per gallon of propane, 138,500 BTU per gallon of oil and 3,412 BTU per kWh, each adjusted for how efficient the appliance is. We go through the comparison in pellet stove vs propane. Cleaning is part of the job too: see our pellet stove maintenance schedule.
How much electricity does a pellet stove use?
Most pellet stoves use about 50 to 350 watts while running and more for a few minutes while the igniter is on. To find the monthly cost: running watts × hours a day × 30 ÷ 1,000 × your price per kWh. For example, 207 W for 12 hours a day is about 75 kWh a month, or about $11 at 15 cents a kWh.
↔ Swipe the table to see more →
| Stove | Running watts | Startup or ignition watts |
|---|---|---|
| ComfortBilt Alpine HP40 | 164 W | 461 W |
| ComfortBilt Alpine HP41 | 172 W | 481 W |
| ComfortBilt Alpine HP42 | 214 W | 481 W |
| ComfortBilt HP21 | 207 W | 495 W |
| ComfortBilt HP22 | 207 W | 495 W |
| ComfortBilt HP22N | 207 W | 495 W |
| ComfortBilt HP22i Insert | 207 W | 495 W |
| ComfortBilt HP50S | 198 W | 495 W |
| ComfortBilt HP61 | 207 W | 495 W |
| ComfortBilt HP75C | 207 W | 495 W |
| Drolet ECO-65R | 258 to 348 W | 360 W |
| Drolet ECO-55 | 51 to 140 W | 360 W |
| Ventis ECO-55 ST | 51 to 140 W | 360 W |
ComfortBilt lists the running figure on high, so real use is usually lower. Where a manual gives only amps, we multiplied by 115 volts. The ComfortBilt GAP2020 is non-electric and uses none.
Frequently asked questions
How many bags of pellets do I need for winter?
A 1,500 sq ft home of average insulation in a cold climate burns about 150 to 230 bags (3 to 4½ tons) if pellets do all the heating. A milder climate, a tighter house or a stove used alongside another heat source can cut that by half or more. Use the calculator above for your home.
How long does a ton of pellets last?
It depends on how hard the stove runs. Running full time in the coldest month, a whole-house stove goes through a ton in about 5 to 7 weeks. On low, or heating part of a house, a ton can last several months.
How many 40 lb bags are on a pallet?
Most one-ton pallets hold 50 bags of 40 lb. Some sellers stack fewer, so check the count before you compare prices.
Does a bigger hopper burn more pellets?
No. Hopper size changes how often you fill the stove, not how much it burns. The burn rate comes from the heat setting.
Does a pellet stove work in a power outage?
Most pellet stoves need electricity for the auger, blowers and igniter. The ComfortBilt GAP2020 is gravity fed and runs with no electricity.
Do you charge sales tax on pellet stoves?
No. There is No Sales Tax in any state on the stoves we sell.
Ready to choose? See all pellet stoves, with No Sales Tax in any state. Questions? Email info@stovesource.com or text 1-888-866-8206.