Vermont casting or Woodstock
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Grisu
Minister of Fire
Welcome to the forum! 
Are you searching for a catalytic stove? What specific models are you looking at? The Woodstock Ideal Steel maybe versus...? A big plus of Woodstock over VC is their superior customer service. My guess is that people here will also say that the cat technology from Woodstock is better than from VC.
However, there are also plenty other good stoves/companies around. What size area do you want to heat? How well is your home insulated? What is your budget?
Are you searching for a catalytic stove? What specific models are you looking at? The Woodstock Ideal Steel maybe versus...? A big plus of Woodstock over VC is their superior customer service. My guess is that people here will also say that the cat technology from Woodstock is better than from VC.
However, there are also plenty other good stoves/companies around. What size area do you want to heat? How well is your home insulated? What is your budget?
Unfortunately as beautiful as VC stoves are they have a tarnished reputation. There have been improvements but it is too early to say how the latest versions will stand up over time. That said, the Ideal Steel is a new stove so we have only a short track record for it too and those are for beta models. There are reviews on VC stoves in the reviews section and many posts on the Ideal Steel here. You might also want to look at Blaze King stoves for comparison.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/ratings.php
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/fireview-to-ideal-steel-qs.127758/
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/idealsteel-hybrid-woodstock-up-close-today.126174/
https://www.hearth.com/talk/ratings.php
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/fireview-to-ideal-steel-qs.127758/
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/idealsteel-hybrid-woodstock-up-close-today.126174/
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fire_man
Minister of Fire
If you want a nice looking cast iron stove and you don't care about reliability, customer service, or cost of maintenance, Vermont Casting is the clear winner. Otherwise, I'd look at Woodstock.
prezes13
Minister of Fire
I think you gone have to give more info so folks can have a better understanding of what you are trying to accomplish with the new stove. What kind of setting for the stove etc.. From what I have read here Vermont casting due to several ownership changes in recent times doesn't have good reviews. Woodstock on the other hand is a pretty well like stove manufacturer around here.
fire_man
Minister of Fire
prezes13
Minister of Fire
Is there a particular reason why you want to heat your house from the basement? Wood stove is a space heater so it would work better if it was on the living level of your house. I have a raised ranch and was thinking about putting a freestanding stove in my rec room downstairs "basement", but ended up installing an insert in my living room where we spent more of our time.
x4 about not getting VC, too many issues in recent history. Jotul should be a consideration if a cast stove is needed/wanted. If heating from a basement finished or unfinished?? Steel stoves are good platforms to heat from the basement, espec unfinished ones. Better value too. If its a cat you want, prob should check out the Blazekings. Not to say cast stoves won't heat from a basement, sure they will. Seems a shame to put an aesthetic stove such as cast or soapstone into an unfinished area....... good luck in your searching, lots of good stoves out there. Hope your firewood is getting ready or gotten already..
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
If the reason you were looking at a VC was for cast iron ... consider Jotul or the Pacific Energy line -- PEs have some steel stoves with cast iron jackets.
If the reason you were looking at a VC was for the catalytic combustor for longer burns ... consider Woodstock or Blaze King's.
If the reason you were looking at a VC was to go with a more locally built stove ... consider Woodstock built in NH or Jotuls which are built or assembled in ME.
If the reason you were looking at a VC was for folk's recommendations of how it is a great, reliable stove ... as mentioned things have changed since the 1980s and VC still seems to be finding their way ....
If the reason you were looking at a VC was for the catalytic combustor for longer burns ... consider Woodstock or Blaze King's.
If the reason you were looking at a VC was to go with a more locally built stove ... consider Woodstock built in NH or Jotuls which are built or assembled in ME.
If the reason you were looking at a VC was for folk's recommendations of how it is a great, reliable stove ... as mentioned things have changed since the 1980s and VC still seems to be finding their way ....
Parallax
Minister of Fire
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I know you love your stove but
Is the basement also insulated? Does the 1800 sq ft also include the basement sq ftg? Will the stove be close to the center of the house and the stairway?
Is the basement also insulated? Does the 1800 sq ft also include the basement sq ftg? Will the stove be close to the center of the house and the stairway?
The stove has to go in the basement do to chimney hook up. Yes the basement is finished and square footage is included and the stove will be close to the stairs. I was thinking about vc because I found a rebuilt one for what seemed to be a decent price but after reading all the reviews no way!! Thank you all for your time and help
If you are in VT you really owe yourself a trip to the Woodstock factory. I've toured both manufactiring centers and I bought a Woodstock stove even though my previous stove was only 4 years old 
Bigg_Redd
Minister of Fire
Charles1981
Minister of Fire
There is quite a bit of VC hate. And I can't disagree with any statements anyone has made as it does seem to be general consensus.
I have had one of their newer models (Encore 2n1 stove) it is 2.3cuft. I heat from my partially finished basement. The floor is concrete still and I haven't put down carpet or engineered hardwood (time, money still). So the cement floor acts a bit as a heat sink but the walls have insulation and drywall up.
My stove is central to the house and located right next to a spiral staircase with ceiling fan above it and floor registers directly above the stove. 2100sq foot open ranch layout (1050 upstairs/1050downstairs).
It has been heating the house very adequately (even this past winter when it was -20 but this was pushing the stove heating from the basement to its max really). But it has only been two years. We will see if I sing the same song 4-6-8 years from now or if there is a new stove in its place...but I gatta get my money's worth out of the stove first (which will only take 2-3 more years)
Your setup sounds similar but it is difficult to get that hot air from downstairs adequately moving upstairs.
The wood stock ideal steel is bigger, has more excitement surrounding it, and based on wood stock's other stoves will work exceptionally well and have excellent customer support. And it is cheaper..new at least.
I would definitely go wood stock.
I have had one of their newer models (Encore 2n1 stove) it is 2.3cuft. I heat from my partially finished basement. The floor is concrete still and I haven't put down carpet or engineered hardwood (time, money still). So the cement floor acts a bit as a heat sink but the walls have insulation and drywall up.
My stove is central to the house and located right next to a spiral staircase with ceiling fan above it and floor registers directly above the stove. 2100sq foot open ranch layout (1050 upstairs/1050downstairs).
It has been heating the house very adequately (even this past winter when it was -20 but this was pushing the stove heating from the basement to its max really). But it has only been two years. We will see if I sing the same song 4-6-8 years from now or if there is a new stove in its place...but I gatta get my money's worth out of the stove first (which will only take 2-3 more years)
Your setup sounds similar but it is difficult to get that hot air from downstairs adequately moving upstairs.
The wood stock ideal steel is bigger, has more excitement surrounding it, and based on wood stock's other stoves will work exceptionally well and have excellent customer support. And it is cheaper..new at least.
I would definitely go wood stock.
Not a lot of hate, more sadness. My first real stove was the original VC Resolute. I loved that stove. They still make one of the most beautiful stoves out there. I hope they've turned the corner and you can report 5 years from now with a smile.
fire_man
Minister of Fire
I also owned one of the original VC Resolutes. I loved that stove, it was indestructible and heated like a champ. I decided to switch to an EPA stove in 2007, so I went straight to the nearest VC dealer - almost bought one without looking at a single other stove manufacturer based on how much I liked the old Resolute. Just for the heck of it I got on-line, stumbled onto Hearth.com, read the not so great VC reviews and the rest is history. I'm now the happy owner of 2 Woodstock stoves.
smokedragon
Minister of Fire
If you are willing to wait until about december, I will give you a very thorough personal review........have to get the stove installed and running before I can give you that though
smokedragon
Minister of Fire
Woody Stover
Minister of Fire
fire_man
Minister of Fire
I started with a Fireview, sold it and got a Progress.
Then decided to add a Palladian in another room (still installing it).
I can't get enough of these WS stoves, if I only had a third Chimney!
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