You made me look, and yes there is a PE Summit dealer within 30 miles of my home. I didn’t get over there to look, now as I’ve almost signed for the Quad maybe I don’t want to look
I am also guilty of pushing my neighbor toward a Quad, in their case a 5100-I the the subject of this thread. They too were offered 10% off list price as the dealer had one in stock, as does he for the 4100. This isn’t a big discount, but gets the price closer to the price quoted for the Summit in this post.
Another thing I like about Quadrafire is it is a US company, and I understand builds all the stoves and inserts in Washington State. I suppose they get parts from China, it would be too much to hope that the parts too are made in the US. I have no idea what the “roots” of the PE is, sound US-like.
pe is in canada i believe
but if you like the 5100 buy it its your money..get what you like..regardless you will be happy
ray
one thing to consider that is not talked about on here much is blower noise. i have a mid 90’s earth stove and love it, except for the noise. if you’re able, make sure you compare the noise levels of both.
bruce
Yes, a multi-speed fan is essential, and it is nice to have it thermostatically controlled, i.e., shuts off when the stove cools (such as an overnight burn). The 5100 has that, I believe, I know the 4100 Quad does.
Thanks for all the help and suggestions. We are going to look at both of them this weekend. The Summit salesperson is a one man show and has been VERY helpful over the phone. He is pretty sure that after I see his instore demo, my decision will be easy. He said the unit will be burning when I get there and he will show me how easy it is to operate. I will pay close attention to the blower noise as well.
Not to take anything away from the 5100i sales person, but he is not nearly as freindly or helpful with information, and I seriously doubt he will heve the unit in operation for us. The one benfiit there...they offer to install it for an additional price. But I am fairly handy and have a freind in the ‘home construction bizz’, I cant imagine we couldnt get it in and line the chimney without a whole lot of trouble.
Sounds like the Summit dealer is “hungry”, that’s the way we like um, buyer’s market. Not sure why the Q-dealer is less interested.
I consider myself lucky if I can even find a unit “on the floor” to look at, never mind one in operation. This thread has encouraged me to call the nearest PE dealer, I asked do you have a Summit on the floor I can look at, the person said the boss would have to call me back...doesn’t sound good for seeing one, again never mind seeing one in operation.
pe is in canada i believe
but if you like the 5100 buy it its your money..get what you like..regardless you will be happy
The summit is manufactured about 10 miles from my home. Good product,would have bought one myself but it wouldn`t fit. I was an inch too shy on the width in my fireplace opening.
When I was researching stoves, I tried to find a dealer for Pacific Energy and couldn’t find any in Maryland (or PA, for that matter). I would have had to go to New York just to look at them. Made the decision for the Quad a lot more obvious. Have I been mislead?
Chris
no your stove is fine many stoves offer many things… the one they all have in common is to heat...i bought the summit for the price and sq ft i had to heat .. if not i definitely woulda got a hi300 those are some nice looking stoves
No, I meant mislead about the dealer presence on the east coast. I couldn’t find any around here! Everone sells Quad, VC, Harman, etc, but I couldn’t find a PE dealer to save what’s left of my soul…
Chris
There’s one in Edgewater. (Bay Stoves) Not tremendously far, depending which Balto burb yer in, hon.
Got my Summit from a dealer in Bloomsburg, PA. About 20 miles west of me.
Dealer was ok at best, but I did my own install and never needed him again.
So I know there is at least one in PA
OK, we have looked at both units...and now I am very unsure of which one to get. With the sliver trim and liner kit, the price difference is only $24!
We like both units, the wife is a bit worried about the comments that the side windows on the Quad will be ‘dirty’ but is a bit more attracted to the look of it. (tho that is really not significant)
Do we need a block off plate, if the chimney cap is sealed off? (SS flex pipe, uninsulated)
The Quad dealer is offering an install for $350...the Summit dealer offers no install at all. I think I can get a few guys around and we should be able to do the install without much trouble.
I have (had) both and for my money I would go for the Summit, it puts out more heat and is easier to find the sweet spot Just fill her up, char the wood, and shut her down. Just be sure you cur it to at least 700F or you will be embarrassed like I was and say it stinks all the time, blah blah blah
The glass on the sides is nice on the Quad but that is about it. I guess if you are looking to heat your home (sorry I did not read the previous posts yet about your needs) then go for the Summit. If you are looking for a nice looking, good burning stove then go for the Quad 5100.
If you want no unburned fuel just about every time go for the Summit, if you want a part of a log left sometimes go for the Quad. If you can grab either the silver or gold trim, the Summit will look just fine. The EBT is just about the best thing in the book, I wish my Avalon had it
I know Summit’s are the sharpest looking stoves as compared to a Quad or an Avalon, but the Summit is still my “King of the wood stoves”
If I were way up north in Canada and only had wood for heat, nothing else, there would be absolutely no question in my mind that I would buy the Summit. This is exactly why they are soooooo popular eh!
So go ahead the buy the Summit you hoser......ok you know that was a joke right
It may be me, but “JFK” seems to my reading to be talking stove, not insert, at different points. The link “summit in action” looks like a stove to me.
I don’t have a Quad 5100, but I have spent some effort researching its little brother, the 4100-I and the best I can determine the windows, front and side, remain clear within reason. A slow burning, smoldering fire will “smoke” any window, I believe.
As for how much heat any stove gives, I’d take the published test specs: efficiency numbers, BTU output, along with the how clean they are for comparison. I’d not take a comparison by a user, especially one who has settled on one. It is human nature to justify past decisions by defending them. That said, I don’t know the published numbers for the PE Summit and Q5100, but they are easy to look up on the mfg web sites.
As for how much heat any stove gives, I’d take the published test specs: efficiency numbers, BTU output, along with the how clean they are for comparison. I’d not take a comparison by a user, especially one who has settled on one. It is human nature to justify past decisions by defending them. That said, I don’t know the published numbers for the PE Summit and Q5200, but they are easy to look up on the mfg web sites.
So you are saying that it is best to rely on sales “puffery” than the experiences of those who actually use the product?
Interesting.
As to those “efficiency” numbers, they are EPA defaults. No manufacturer that I know of fronts the money for actual efficiency testing.
And on the BTU front it is all in in-house manufacturer’s burn labs, using heaven only knows what wood, and how red the stove gets before they are satisfied with a number for the ad department.
Sorry if I was too general, but the manufacturer numbers are all subject to the same “bending” of the facts, and they don’t, in my reading, say my numbers are better.
I have benefited on this forum and other forums from the experience of others, my caution was driven by a long term experience of seeing a lot of “defending the right decision I made”.
What I like/prefer to read are facts and clearly stated opinions about experience with a model, not the putting down of alternative decisions.
Ray: go to chimneysweeponline and look at the comparison charts, click on the summit, click on the blower, and see how it is designed differently to work very efficiently even without the blower. Then you will see why I stated I really wished it would have fit in my fireplace. With the ebt technology and the air in and heat out, it would be my first choice.
$325.00 for an install? Are you sure thats not a direct connect?
And yes to the block off plate below under damper area. You wanna keep as much heat in the home and not up the inside of the chimney and drawn out the walls.
Around here installation of a liner for a two story chimney runs $650 and up. I’d guess a shorter chimney would cost nearly as much for labor, less for pipe… which I’ve been quoted $714 for a 35 foot length of Homesaver SS. Add in the connection parts and top and the installation cost goes to $1500 easily, plus the cost of insulation if one uses it. That’s my experience, all quotes, I haven’t yet gone through the install.
I am in a similar situation and have found that dealers bury $ in the installation cost. Buy the stove that you like, then shop the installation from a reputable chimmey sweep. As long as they are licensed and know their stuff, you are fine. We, in RI have to have a fire dept. inspection for our homeowners policy anyway. I have been quoted anywhere from $600 to $1200 on installation (25 ft SS liner) on an insert. At the end of the day, the total package ends up at $3000-$3500. That is for a PE summit or a Jotul 550. Both great stoves from what I have gathered on this site. My wife and I both like the Jotul, so that is what we are getting.
It may be me, but “JFK” seems to my reading to be talking stove, not insert, at different points. The link “summit in action” looks like a stove to me.
I don’t have a Quad 5100, but I have spent some effort researching its little brother, the 4100-I and the best I can determine the windows, front and side, remain clear within reason. A slow burning, smoldering fire will “smoke” any window, I believe.
As for how much heat any stove gives, I’d take the published test specs: efficiency numbers, BTU output, along with the how clean they are for comparison. I’d not take a comparison by a user, especially one who has settled on one. It is human nature to justify past decisions by defending them. That said, I don’t know the published numbers for the PE Summit and Q5100, but they are easy to look up on the mfg web sites.
My Summit is a freestanding but my Quad 5100 was an insert. I guess I cannot totally say the Summit insert and Summit freestanding burns the same but if I were a betting man that would be my pick. The Quad 5100 insert can actually be used as a freestanding so there should not be any problems there. I have been fooled by many manufactures claims about burn time and BTU’s and I would be cautious about using those guidelines. I guess for me I would go by people on this website but I would do as much reading as possible. I feel you can make just about any stove work well by a lot of tinkering. Some stoves however do not need that much tinkering time, the Summit is one of them. Plus it by far gives out more heat than a Quad 5100 when it is fully loaded. I can honestly say that because I have tested them many times against each other, yes again it is freestanding vs insert but the temps were not even close. Plus the burn time is not even close between the Summit and the Quad. So this is why I would go with the Summit hands down over the Quad unless I was just using this for some nice burns and still using gas or propane to heat the house. The Quad with the glass and gold trim is sharp but again what needs do you need?
I also think the Avalon Olympic is a good choice but that is another can of worms
Thanks, I’ve all but given my credit car on the installation of the Quad 4100-I, but may take a look at the large Summit insert. I had called the nearest dealer, but after some delay finally learned that he shows by appointment only, i.e., must be more a chimney guy than a store front. I let it drop, but if my Quad deal doesn’t go through I may make an appointment to look at the Summit, this the big PE insert and it looks good in its pictures. I’m not all that sold on the gold trim, but on the other hand my wife is sold on the side windows which she thinks will make the fire more visible.
Just fill her up, char the wood, and shut her down. Just be sure you cur it to at least 700F or you will be embarrassed like I was 
and say it stinks all the time, blah blah blah 
