I've tried the pine pellets, I didn't like them at all. Felt like I was wasting them when I cleaned, and I didn't find a difference at all in keeping the odor down. I tried straight pellets, and a mix of pellet and shavings, and just didn't care for it.
I hear ya on the smell and heat from rodents in Florida.... I'm from Orlando, and my rodent smell is about half of what it was down in the humidity of Florida. I'll never go back!