Quadrafire Isle Royale (should I buy?)

Stihl-ing Trees · Nov 26, 2013

I am looking to buy the isle royale, just wanting some feedback. Everything I have researched about this stove has looked good. My home is a 2500 sq. ft. old farm house, I cut wood a lot as a hobby so I figured why not get a stove. Or if any one has suggestions I am all ears.

Johnpolk · Nov 26, 2013

I have one and love it. My opinion is based because it's the only stove I've owned but nothing bad to say about it

Stihl-ing Trees · Nov 26, 2013

Thanks for the feedback! I was concerned about the ash pan but I think I can get past that. I plan to purchase one possibly this weekend.

begreen · Nov 26, 2013

It's a great heater. I almost got one but our clearances didn't work. Several members have this stove and are delighted with it. One question, how tall is your chimney?

Johnpolk · Nov 26, 2013

The ash pan is not useful. Easier to just have a bucket and shovel.

jack_90125 · Nov 26, 2013

I upgraded to one this year and was well worth it.got 2500+ 2 story and no problems or issues since the cold snap.
makes heatin wit wood a joy.

Stihl-ing Trees · Nov 26, 2013

I haven't ran the chimney yet, but it will be around 20-25 feet running up side of house. Any guidance would be appreciated.

jack_90125 · Nov 26, 2013

hope you got dry wood waiting for the stove. as with any stove that will be the key to doing welll or this thing was a waste of money.

begreen · Nov 26, 2013

Stihl-ing Trees said:
I haven't ran the chimney yet, but it will be around 20-25 feet running up side of house. Any guidance would be appreciated.

That should be ok. I was checking if this was going to be a 35ft straight up flue. That might require a downsized fluepipe or key damper.

Stihl-ing Trees · Nov 26, 2013

I was also curious about the burn times? From what I've researched they are averaging 8 hours. I also realize every situation varies.

BrowningBAR · Nov 26, 2013

Stihl-ing Trees said:
My home is a 2500 sq. ft. old farm house

How old is the house?
How open is the layout?
How are the doors, windows, and insulation?

2,500 is the top end of what this stove can heat. add in draftiness and a traditional farmhouse layout, and you need to be realistic about your expectations.

BrowningBAR · Nov 26, 2013

Stihl-ing Trees said:
I was also curious about the burn times? From what I've researched they are averaging 8 hours. I also realize every situation varies.

That depends a lot on the above questions I asked.

Stihl-ing Trees · Nov 26, 2013

The house is pre-1920's, the first floor was remodeled at one time. As for the second story it is still lath and plaster walls. I was told that it was re-insulated within the last couple of years. The windows are very good, the expensive wood frame ones. I think the two biggest problems I have is draftiness and the layout. The house is very spread out on the first floor, going to try and install ceiling fans in the two nearest rooms to help. The draftiness I am working on, trying to plastic wrap doors and spray foaming any areas I might find problematic. I am not expecting the stove to heat the whole house, but and hoping to just cut some costs. I enjoy cutting wood and there is nothing like a stove burning in the middle of winter. I am however getting my foundation spray foamed and possibly some other things, still waiting on the estimate. Just very excited to get the ball rolling and get this stove installed. Again any guidance or advice would be greatly appreciated.

northwinds · Nov 26, 2013

The Isle Royale is a great stove with a big firebox, but a drafty farmhouse that's 2500 square feet will be difficult to heat with any one stove on the coldest of days. Most days, you'll be just fine.

Best advice I can give you is to get 3 years ahead on your wood supply.

teutonicking · Nov 26, 2013

Stihl-ing Trees said:
I am looking to buy the isle royale, just wanting some feedback. Everything I have researched about this stove has looked good. My home is a 2500 sq. ft. old farm house, I cut wood a lot as a hobby so I figured why not get a stove. Or if any one has suggestions I am all ears.

Its a great stove. It was my top choice until Woodstock developed the Progress Hybrid, which I chose instead because it can put out more BTUs. I think the IR a quality stove and one of the best looking ones on the market.

Cross Cut Saw · Nov 26, 2013

We have a 150 year old drafty farmhouse and went with the Progress Hybrid over the Isle Royale at the suggestion of the Isle Royal dealer.
With 10 month seasoned wood I'm comfortably heating the house 24/7 and getting burn times over 12 hours with the stove still over 300 degrees.

I really like how the Isle Royale looks and it was hard coughing up even more dough but we're really happy with the PH.

You do have to have dryer wood with the PH so if space to store 6-8 cords is a concern it will be tricky...

Stihl-ing Trees · Nov 26, 2013

I am kinda of torn now because my wife loves the IR with the fan. The soapstone seems like the company is great and the users are very happy. Do you think I would save wood by going with soapstone? That's what the numbers say. Any other issues comparing the two brands?

BrowningBAR · Nov 27, 2013

Stihl-ing Trees said:
I am kinda of torn now because my wife loves the IR with the fan. The soapstone seems like the company is great and the users are very happy. Do you think I would save wood by going with soapstone? That's what the numbers say. Any other issues comparing the two brands?

The Progress is a new stove. It's a good stove, but determining it's capabilities is very difficult at this point. Some are heating as large of an area as your home very well, while others are heating small spaces and having shorter burn times and the need for more heat. Some are burning at hotter temps with less space and some are burning at lower temps with larger layouts.

At this point it is hard to figure out what the stoves capabilities are and how it would relate to your layout. At the very least is would heat as well as the Isle, due to its mass as it is at least 200 lbs heavier. I would think it would provide longer burn times for you over the Isle. This is more based on how the Isle Burns than it does on the Progress.

Both are good stoves. BUT, if you are fighting a lot of draft, which it seems you are, you may have a difficult time with long burn times and heating capacity with either stove.

Stihl-ing Trees · Nov 27, 2013

BB thanks for the information, this forum has helped me a bunch. I appreciate everyone's help.

begreen · Nov 27, 2013

Stihl-ing Trees said:
I am kinda of torn now because my wife loves the IR with the fan. The soapstone seems like the company is great and the users are very happy. Do you think I would save wood by going with soapstone? That's what the numbers say. Any other issues comparing the two brands?

Both are going to heat the place. If your wife doesn't like a particular stove however, life could get chilly in other ways. There is another stove with a combo design that might be worth considering. That is the Hearthstone Manchester. It's cast iron with 50# of soapstone firebrick inside. There's a blower option for this stove.
http://www.hearthstonestoves.com/store/wood-products/wood-stoves/manchester

teutonicking · Nov 27, 2013

begreen said:
Both are going to heat the place. If your wife doesn't like a particular stove however, life could get chilly in other ways. There is another stove with a combo design that might be worth considering. That is the Hearthstone Manchester. Its cast iron with soapstone firebrick inside. There is a blower option for this stove.
http://www.hearthstonestoves.com/store/wood-products/wood-stoves/manchester

The Cape Cod might be another option--a very nice stove that throws out a lot of heat.

http://lopistoves.com/product-detail.aspx?model=364

Jags · Nov 27, 2013

The Isle Royale is a very solid stove, I can state this from experience. At 2500 sqft if you have ANY weakness in your house, this stove will work its butt off trying to heat it. You will probably not heat 100% of your house on an 8 hr burn if this is the case (nor will any 3 cuft stove). Just trying to put a bit of reality into the discussion.
My Isle Royale has been flawless in its form and function - but when it comes down to it, it is still just a pretty cast iron box with 3 cuft of space to toss wood in to burn. It doesn't perform miracles.

firefighterjake · Nov 27, 2013

Jags said:
The Isle Royale is a very solid stove, I can state this from experience. At 2500 sqft if you have ANY weakness in your house, this stove will work its butt off trying to heat it. You will probably not heat 100% of your house on an 8 hr burn if this is the case (nor will any 3 cuft stove). Just trying to put a bit of reality into the discussion.
My Isle Royale has been flawless in its form and function - but when it comes down to it, it is still just a pretty cast iron box with 3 cuft of space to toss wood in to burn. It doesn't perform miracles.

Huh . . . with my Oslo I can fill up the steamer with water and it miraculously turns into wine.

Stihl-ing Trees · Nov 27, 2013

The stove I do choose isn't going to be the main heat source but I am hoping for the best. I am still leaning towards the isle royale. I think that it is the best fit, but the Manchester is awful tempting to consider. I am going to the stove shop this weekend and looking at both of them. Do the echo fans work really well?

Jags · Nov 27, 2013

Mixed reviews on the fans. Some like them, some...not so much. They make a nice indicator for long distance gauging of stove temp.

(higher temp - higher fan speed).

Welp - if I didn't like my IR I wouldn't own it - if that helps you any.

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