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Backwoods Savage said:
Pete, is there any place where you can get a full money back guarantee? Maybe pay for the stove and use it a few months and then decide you want a bigger or smaller stove so return it for a full refund?
Click to expand...

Dennis I did ask and found three dealers within a hundred miles that will do that one is a Jotul Dealer one is (Harman) one is SBI inc./Pacific Energy. Harman is out naturally lol. I so at this point it looks like Woodstock/SBI inc./Pacific Energy/Jotul are the names on the hit list. I am also looking at Englander based on my discussion with them and there outstanding reputation on the forum. Any guidance you have would be greatly appreciated!


Thanks
Pete
 
BeGreen said:
I would stick with a big stove in the 3 cu ft range. There are many of them, all with good reputations. It really comes down to the one that fits your home, location, clearances and aesthetics. My recommendation would be to get the simplest one that does the job well. And buy it from a dealer or company that stands behind what they sell 100%.

PS: Based on your removal of the side shields on the Harmon, it sounds like you want a radiant stove. If so, the recommendation of a Jotul 600 makes good sense.
Click to expand...

I had a very hard time making the decision between the T-6 and the Mansfield. (both in the 3CUFt range. It took me a couple of years to get to understand and regulate the soap stone. I think one might do better if they never burned a woodstove before.

Anyway, I still wish I'd been able to try the T-6 to see about the heat output versus the Mansfield. The soapstone definately does release a lot of heat when the fire is burning on the down cycle. This is important to us because we get the house warm days/eves and we shut the fans down and let the heat rise overnight. This results in warm bedrooms which are upstairs.

I could not get to stand by a T-6 burning or a Mansfield. But the Heritage impressed me and I liked tha mass of the soap stone.

Hope you have good luck with it. I can tell you that the secondaries on both stoves are great if you have a good chimney to connect to.
 
I haven't burned a Mansfield, but I suspect that it is not too unlike the T6 in burning habit.
 
My wife really likes two stoves at this point and I also think they look good. The dealer ( Kathy ) is an awesome lady and has been good to a few of my friends in the past and present so we are looking at here stoves. The Pacific Energy Aledrea and the Woodstock Progress are now the candidates. I know that they are good stoves and either way I will be getting great service with the stove do any of you have a reason To or Not to buy one of them? I have searched the forums and found some pros and cons on both and at this point I believe I need some assistance choosing between them.

Thanks Guys and Gals
Pete
 
Of the two, the Alderlea is a convective stove. A very good one, but your original needs seem to point more toward a radiant stove. While there, did she have a Hearthstone Bennington for you to look at?
 
BeGreen said:
Of the two, the Alderlea is a convective stove. A very good one, but your original needs seem to point more toward a radiant stove. While there, did she have a Hearthstone Bennington for you to look at?
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She had a hearthstone on order but not on display at the time. There was a returned Mansfield however she thout that kind of stove would be good but pointed out that the handles wear out quickly and the hinges not always but frequently they get returns due to that issue. I do like the looks and air control of them was she mistaken about that? She is a good dealership and though I have bought many things from her a stove is not one. This is heat and sweep by the way.

Thanks
Pete
 
That's tough. They both look good. They both heat good. Do you think you'll ever need a blower? I like the nifty trivets on the T6. Woodstock is great as a company. The stove sounds like it's having some growing pains, but nothing that isn't being speedily addressed.

If both stoves would work equally well for you, throw it out here for a popular vote and be done with it ;-)
 
Jeff our goal is really to eliminate the need for a blower by buying a big enouph stove to handle the house. Historically in this house we have needed to use a blower in the 0 and below range on any stove we have had. I personally don't want to be reliant on electricity in the colder months. My only issue with Woodstock is that I am the type who wants a good dealer nearby that deals with and can repair the stove if need be. I understand that woodstock is good but I just want to be sure that I am ok with the phone customer support first. This is making me lose my mind at this point lol. My thoughts on the T6 are that if it is that large that maybe it would work well my wife loves the fold out pot holders and cooktop idea and I am just intrigued by the secondary box idea. We saw it in operation and I was blown away by the air controls on it amazingly responsive ! I am gonna start a post on the hearthstone because it looks just as good but I am worried about the durability of the hinges and latch from what I have read they are not very durable. I may just start a vote poll up lol

Thanks Jeff
Pete
 
I'm on my fourth season with the Mansfield and have no hinge problems. I know two other Hearthstone users that have never mentioned anything like that either. If you want to know about that type of thing, you should talk with Tom Oyen, email him at, http://chimneysweeponline.com/emptom.htm
Tom is a real straight shooter and a high volume Hearthstone guy with lots of experience.
I don't think you can make a mistake. But, if you like the look of the T-6, I'd say go with it.
Be Green got his T-6 at the same time I got my Mansfield and we've both been happy over time.
The Soapstone takes some getting used to. And, the CAT stove is different than the burn tube stove. Its a preference thing. And, we don't have enough time to live with them all.I think I would be happy with a T-6 but I can't find a reason to change because the Mansfield is like new. Most of the Hearthstone stove is a lifetime warrantee too. I think that's pretty much the same with the T-6.
Were my stove to crap out for some reason, I'd try the T-6 just to have something different, but I'm not going to spend that much just to change.
If the wife likes it, you can't go wrong.
If you want a soapstone then that used Mansfield might be good if it is a later model; the last 5 years or so. There was a complete redesign at that point and most of it changed.
 
BeGreen said:
Of the two, the Alderlea is a convective stove. A very good one, but your original needs seem to point more toward a radiant stove. While there, did she have a Hearthstone Bennington for you to look at?
Click to expand...

BeGreen can you tell me how the T-6 is convection my understanding is that it is cast iron over steel. I called Pacific Energy today and they claim it is a radiant stove I think they said that because I said we wanted a radiant stove. I would think cast iron would make it radiant is what I am getting at. I think you are right I believe do to how drafty it gets in my house radiant works better for us.

Thanks for all the help
Pete
 
swestall said:
I'm on my fourth season with the Mansfield and have no hinge problems. I know two other Hearthstone users that have never mentioned anything like that either. If you want to know about that type of thing, you should talk with Tom Oyen, email him at, http://chimneysweeponline.com/emptom.htm
Tom is a real straight shooter and a high volume Hearthstone guy with lots of experience.
I don't think you can make a mistake. But, if you like the look of the T-6, I'd say go with it.
Be Green got his T-6 at the same time I got my Mansfield and we've both been happy over time.
The Soapstone takes some getting used to. And, the CAT stove is different than the burn tube stove. Its a preference thing. And, we don't have enough time to live with them all.I think I would be happy with a T-6 but I can't find a reason to change because the Mansfield is like new. Most of the Hearthstone stove is a lifetime warrantee too. I think that's pretty much the same with the T-6.
Were my stove to crap out for some reason, I'd try the T-6 just to have something different, but I'm not going to spend that much just to change.
If the wife likes it, you can't go wrong.
If you want a soapstone then that used Mansfield might be good if it is a later model; the last 5 years or so. There was a complete redesign at that point and most of it changed.
Click to expand...

Thanks Swestall I will email Tom and get his opinion. I like the concept of a cat a lot and also like tubes from experience I must admit our stove growing up would smoke the world into darkness very often. It is nice not having that problem anymore! We tend to loose power often where we live so we wanted the cooktop on a stove or a stone top so we could still cook.

Thanks Swestall
Pete
 
Pete1983 said:
swestall said:
I'm on my fourth season with the Mansfield and have no hinge problems. I know two other Hearthstone users that have never mentioned anything like that either. If you want to know about that type of thing, you should talk with Tom Oyen, email him at, http://chimneysweeponline.com/emptom.htm
Tom is a real straight shooter and a high volume Hearthstone guy with lots of experience.
I don't think you can make a mistake. But, if you like the look of the T-6, I'd say go with it.
Be Green got his T-6 at the same time I got my Mansfield and we've both been happy over time.
The Soapstone takes some getting used to. And, the CAT stove is different than the burn tube stove. Its a preference thing. And, we don't have enough time to live with them all.I think I would be happy with a T-6 but I can't find a reason to change because the Mansfield is like new. Most of the Hearthstone stove is a lifetime warrantee too. I think that's pretty much the same with the T-6.
Were my stove to crap out for some reason, I'd try the T-6 just to have something different, but I'm not going to spend that much just to change.
If the wife likes it, you can't go wrong.
If you want a soapstone then that used Mansfield might be good if it is a later model; the last 5 years or so. There was a complete redesign at that point and most of it changed.
Click to expand...

Thanks Swestall I will email Tom and get his opinion. I like the concept of a cat a lot and also like tubes from experience I must admit our stove growing up would smoke the world into darkness very often. It is nice not having that problem anymore! We tend to loose power often where we live so we wanted the cooktop on a stove or a stone top so we could still cook.

Thanks Swestall
Pete
Click to expand...

Tom is also knowledgeable in the PE line as well. He'll give you good info....
 
Pete1983 said:
BeGreen said:
Of the two, the Alderlea is a convective stove. A very good one, but your original needs seem to point more toward a radiant stove. While there, did she have a Hearthstone Bennington for you to look at?
Click to expand...

BeGreen can you tell me how the T-6 is convection my understanding is that it is cast iron over steel. I called Pacific Energy today and they claim it is a radiant stove I think they said that because I said we wanted a radiant stove. I would think cast iron would make it radiant is what I am getting at. I think you are right I believe do to how drafty it gets in my house radiant works better for us.

Thanks for all the help
Pete
Click to expand...

That's just silly. PE stoves are convective, period. You don't completely surround the steel stove with a jacket and get strong radiant heat. If it was so radiant, how do they have such close clearances? They are radiant from the front of the stove only.

Of course, you could focus on eliminating the draftiness. That would be an excellent investment and then a convective stove would work out fine.
 

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I am planning on getting the house insulated this summer if possible BG I can't wait ! We just have to find a reasonable contractor to have the walls blown in. It looks like the hearthstone will be it then although I am still trying to find that jotul f600 or f500 to look at.

Thanks BG
Pete
 
Pete, maybe youve got the bug. Only way to tell is start running more than one stove....kidding.

Either way i know you must still have that sour taste in your mouth from the harman, but take lots of time to pickout this next one. No need to wash out one sour taste with another.

Personally, i wish i would have picked up my stoves sooner. Not sure yet but if i ever do it again, i may stick with a cat stove.
 
Well folks I got the pick tonight Begreen you where right I finally got to look at the Jotul F-600 today . I am set on a Jotul now that is definitely the stove for us as it is radiant and has a high btu rating. The stove looks very well made compared to the others we where looking at. I just can't convince myself to order from the manufacturer I am not comfortable with that idea and would rather purchase from a good dealer. I found some better info on the T-6 and now have a better understanding of it and the way it works. They didn't lie it is radiant as your picture shows but they didn't tell the whole truth it is also convection.

Stump_Branch I wouldn't mind having 5 stoves just so I could say I have 5 stoves :lol: We looked at a ton of stoves before and where already researching before the stove meltdown that led to Harman. Our old stove was a Vogelzang Durango and it sucked we where looking to replace it as soon as we could already. We do like the Harman but the support is just not there for the stove and I won't pay big $$ and not get good service. That is my issue more than anything!

Swestall I emailed Tom and his response was that the I should be looking at much Higher btu stoves because I live in Michigan where it is hard to heat 1500 sq ft homes. Thanks for that email I am going to be talking to him more he is a very knowledgable fella from what I can tell.

Thanks everybody for the info.
Pete
 
Pete, i had a vogalzang once as well. I admit it freely, better information learned in part from here helped. Jotul makes a very nice stove indeed. I am dying to get my f500 hooked up once again so i can toy with.

Ha, still wish the jotul ran like a catcstove though...older 600s where cats. I wish jotul kept that option.
 
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