Thinking of buying a new wood stove for next winter

[Wisneaky]

Don't take a personal offence to comments stated by myself as I was just reading the information from their site that states that it's a three year combustor warranty and another three years at a pro-rated rate.
So six years in total but only three real years at 100%.
But there is an extended, 10 year, inspection-based warranty on combustors after 2012. Only problem is that if you need to remove it if it failed, then you need to have a new one to put in until you get the warranty-inspected refund or your old one returned to you without a refund. Either way you're buying a new one.

With the amount of money you'll save on wood you should easily be able to buy a new one every three years if needed.

 

[sunfish]

I had a Vermont Casting for 9 years and got tired of the high maintenance. Got a Jotul 118cb 6-7 years ago and love it. Might need a door gasket at some point, but that's it.

 

[Idahonative]

Don't take a personal offence to comments stated by myself as I was just reading the information from their site that states that it's a three year combustor warranty and another three years at a pro-rated rate.
So six years in total but only three real years at 100%.
But there is an extended, 10 year, inspection-based warranty on combustors after 2012. Only problem is that if you need to remove it if it failed, then you need to have a new one to put in until you get the warranty-inspected refund or your old one returned to you without a refund. Either way you're buying a new one.

Actually, you are saying something different now vs. what you said in post #31 but no offence taken at all. Just calling you out on the misinformation you posted. Blaze King warrants their combustors for SIX years (pro-rated) and they also offer a TEN year extended warranty. This extended warranty is FREE to the customer.

Yes, at some point in any cat stoves life the combustor will need to be replaced. Follow the manufacturers recommendations of not burning colored paper, trash etc. and the "useful life" of the cat should be 7-10 years. I can't overstate the value of the cat. The long burn times, efficiency, and clean burning make it worth every penny. We consistently burned 2.25 cords of wood every winter with our non-cat stove. We now burn 1.25-1.4 cord. That is at least 8 cord of wood saved over a ten year period. Is that worth $281? That comes out to $35 per cord. Even though I enjoy cutting and splitting firewood, I would not pass up a cost per cord ratio like that.

As far as combustor failure: Combustors rarely fail all at once with the exception being a combustor somehow getting broke. Normally, the precious metals in the combustor get depleted over time and the user will be able to replace it on the off season. In the rare occurrence that it all of the sudden needs to be replaced, the Blaze King can still be operated without the cat. Just open the by-pass and burn it like a regular stove.

 

[Jeff Lary]

Well I don't even own a cat stove but I think in a pinch smack that baby with a bfh and run her like you stole her. Naw I don't know anything about them. I had one stove shop say stay the "F " away from any stove with a cat in it run screaming in the other direction! He sold Jotul and lopi?
I burn 5-6.5 cords of good quality hard wood and I expect to burn the same amount with a new stove as well. If I burn less well that's great. I was looking at the Vigilant by Vermont C. But the dealer I was at that sold them said well I am not too sure about them anymore. He said they were just sold again, he also said the first few years they made stoves they were pretty good ones but now....

 

[Cerran]

I've seen several Blaze King stoves in operation and have helped a couple friends install them (one princess one king). I myself have a Quad 3100i that I like a lot and in 10 years all it has needed is a couple firebricks ($6) and a ceramic baffle board ($60) that is getting replaced this year.

Given the longer burn times and turn-down of the Blaze King if/when I replace my quad and knock out my fireplace and put in a free-standing I will likely go with a Blaze King myself. The additional cost of a cat every 7-10 years for the ability of increased turn-down is very appealing to me.

 

[Jeff Lary]

Ok I been around some tell me this, how much H3ll does a man go through to change out a cat? It has been in 1500* temp every day of the heating season for 7 winters lets say. Now you have to replace it is it just me or does anyone else smell a nightmare repair?

 

[Cerran]

Ok I been around some tell me this, how much H3ll does a man go through to change out a cat? It has been in 1500* temp every day of the heating season for 7 winters lets say. Now you have to replace it is it just me or does anyone else smell a nightmare repair?

It has stainless hardware holding it in, unbolts and a new one is bolted in place. I've never experienced it myself but haven't heard any horror stories about them being difficult to change.

 

[flotek]

Seems Most everyone truly wants a blaze king .. Most don't though simply because they can't drop the dough to get one

 

[Jeff Lary]

ok then mine will be the first! yea that's me the guy that has trouble with a roll of paper towels.

 

[Jeff Lary]

Seems Most everyone truly wants a blaze king .. Most don't though simply because they can't drop the dough to get one

I have been looking and I can tell ya they are all within 600 bucks of each other. maybe less

 

[Ambull01]

I've seen several Blaze King stoves in operation and have helped a couple friends install them (one princess one king). I myself have a Quad 3100i that I like a lot and in 10 years all it has needed is a couple firebricks ($6) and a ceramic baffle board ($60) that is getting replaced this year.

Given the longer burn times and turn-down of the Blaze King if/when I replace my quad and knock out my fireplace and put in a free-standing I will likely go with a Blaze King myself. The additional cost of a cat every 7-10 years for the ability of increased turn-down is very appealing to me.

Dude, what about the IS!?

 

[Ambull01]

On another note, what kind of freaking trash do people burn in their stoves? I never thought of attempting to burn trash in my insert.

Also, @Jeff Lary , have you looked at the Ideal Steel hybrid stove? If the BK is $3k, the IS will be about half the price (if you go with the plane jane model). I've heard Woodstock cats are a lot cheaper than BKs too. Just a thought.

 

[Cerran]

Dude, what about the IS!?

I have two personal friends that have Blaze Kings for 4+ years now and love them, that's enough for me to stick with a Blaze King and I'm not stove shopping yet.

 

[Jeff Lary]

On another note, what kind of freaking trash do people burn in their stoves? I never thought of attempting to burn trash in my insert.

Also, @Jeff Lary , have you looked at the Ideal Steel hybrid stove? If the BK is $3k, the IS will be about half the price (if you go with the plane jane model). I've heard Woodstock cats are a lot cheaper than BKs too. Just a thought.

well I never heard of them?

 

[Jeff Lary]

they do look nice but are they only able to be seen in NH ?

 

[Ambull01]

well I never heard of them?

I believe the IS is a relatively new stove. The company Woodstock sounds like a smallish company but known to make great stoves. The IS recently won some wood stove design challenge based on five criteria.

http://www.woodstove.com/ideal-steel-hybrid

Probably doesn't get the low slow burns the BK stoves do though. I've only heard raving reviews about BK stoves so guess you can't go wrong with one. Only bad thing I've read is small annoyances and the initial price/cat replacement cost.

 

[Ambull01]

they do look nice but are they only able to be seen in NH ?

Oh sorry, took too long to type lol. Not sure about that, just found out about them a few days ago myself. Head over to hearth .com, there's a few thread there with lots of pics and real world experiences. There's also another site called wood hoarders that has a couple of really great, informative threads about the IS.

 

[Jeff Lary]

yup maybe I will but I will most likely go with a brand I can easily get support for. I do believe that there are unknown to the masses many products that are superior to better known products. Just because it is a small company does not mean they might not be the best at whatever they do. When I bought my old mill no one I ever met ever heard of them. Now whenever some one sees my stove / feels the heat they all comment on what a nice stove it is. Old mill went under a few years later but my stove remains and will (with regular care) for the next two hundred years I bet. Maybe I will stick around to see for myself.

 

[Ambull01]

they do look nice but are they only able to be seen in NH ?

I have to admit the stoves looks funky as hell with the two tone colors. I think it would look great in a solid light color though. Also like the cooktop feature.

 

[Ambull01]

yup maybe I will but I will most likely go with a brand I can easily get support for. I do believe that there are unknown to the masses many products that are superior to better known products. Just because it is a small company does not mean they might not be the best at whatever they do. When I bought my old mill no one I ever met ever heard of them. Now whenever some one sees my stove / feels the heat they all comment on what a nice stove it is. Old mill went under a few years later but my stove remains and will (with regular care) for the next two hundred years I bet. Maybe I will stick around to see for myself.

Well that seems like a good route to take. Almost like buying a chainsaw brand from whatever dealer is closest and provides the best support. Although, I've heard the IS is extremely easy to maintain and Woodstock's customer service is supposed to be great. Anyway, good luck with the decision. I'm trying to decide on a stove myself. Have my sights set on an IS but there's no denying the Englander 30-NCH is probably the best bang for the buck.