I can't believe my folks are getting a new woodstove - Jotul F3 CB

It's been 22 years since they bought their house, and this old Jotul has been a true champion all those years. Over the years, a crack has been noticeable in the door and a couple of days ago the spring assembly on the door hinge gave out. It's a real struggle to close the door now. They've ordered a JotulF3 CB and I'm wondering what sort of learning curve they will have. Although it takes 16" splits, it sounds like it has a pretty small firebox. My dad is all about stuffing in an "overnighter" and I'm afraid this might not meet his expectations in terms of burn time. But, at the same time, with a more efficient stove, I'm also concerned it might put out too much heat for them. I don't have the square footage of the area this will heat, but it will heat a relatively small area downstairs. Although this includes the kitchen, dining room and living room, this portion of the house was originally a camp and really is not as big as what you find in a typical home. The upstairs loft was converted into a TV room and is likewise pretty small. They made several addition to the house, but none that are directly affected by the heat from the stove. Is this a good stove given the few details I've been able to provide?

The area the stove heats is the "living" area, i.e. this is where they spend their waking hours. I think keeping the stove going through the course of the day probably wouldn't be too difficult. What I would like to stress to them is that if they're expecting the stove to keep this area at 60+ degrees overnight, it might not happen. They have oil as back up, so keeping the area at a moderate temp would not be difficult, just costly. It's good to know that the stove lights easily and is easy to learn. They're working with a respectable stove shop, but perhaps they should request a site visit to figure out the most appropriate stove.

Thanks, everyone. They haven't paid for the stove yet and installation is scheduled in two weeks, so there's time. Again, given the limited info, what other makes/models might be comparable. They really have loved their old Jotul and consider it a HUGE part of the family. This is a big step and I want to make sure they're happy.

Well, they went with the F3. After fair warning thanks to my friends here, my old man was still surprised at the small firebox. His overnighters don't fit into the stove, so there's been a little ax work to get them to size. And there's been some trial and error on how best to load the stove, and there's a need now to monitor the depth of the coal bed. But, the overall consensus between my folks is that the stove will suit them just fine. First, the burn times are no different with the new stove compared to the old stove. The big difference is the F3, by my dad's estimation, burns about 1/2 to 2/3 less wood than the older stove, and puts off comparable heat. He is in absolute shock over this. Second, loading the stove with smaller splits is much easier. My mom is especially grateful for this. Finally, a stove with a fire view is what they've wanted for some time.

They're happy, and in the end, that's what really matters.