Why Buy Anything Except A Blaze King?

tom dee · Jan 27, 2015

I own a progress hybrid i love the look the place it comes from the parts prices etc im having trouble with gettin over 435 degrees im in a 1600 sq ft manuf. home 88 model i bought a big stove in case of issues like this even at 435 its so big it radiates enuff heat so it looks like i gotta get bout 6 cords a wood here inside (loafing shed) and then i ll be ok i think even just a lil over 20% effs up the woodstock ..

Tenn Dave · Jan 27, 2015

Mag Craft said:
I looked at the BK's but decided I did not want a cat stove and the price is out there and I only had so much to spend.

Turns out what I did get works great for me and the house I live in.

See, this just goes to show that there are tons of good stove options to consider and many many happy stove owners. Just do a little research and try to understand what your needs and wants are.

firefighterjake · Jan 27, 2015

Price
Local Dealer
Look/Design of the Stove
Bias towards/against cat stove or secondary burn
Stove's specific requirements -- clearances, R value of hearth, rear/top vent, size, etc.

Lots of reasons why folks go with different stoves . . . it's why I am looking at a sporty car for my next vehicle and my wife was looking for a plain jane practical sedan . . . different needs and wants.

Ashful · Jan 27, 2015

Highbeam said:
...BK and woodstocks. ... We can help you pick from among the models and even squabble about the plusses and minuses but you really can't go wrong.

They're both ugly. [emoji12]

alforit · Jan 27, 2015

Tenn Dave said:
This is a meaningful post unlike the worthless one above about running back to a BK from a Woodstock without giving any facts. Enough said.......

The post was meant to just give a brief opinion without detail of my experience.
Whats worthless is your continuous snide comments to other members.

But since you brought it up , here are some detailed facts of my experience with the Woodstock Progress hybrid and the Blaze king stoves.
First ..... All the stoves were ran on the same chimney. 17 foot , straight shot up. .........I live in the pacific northwest near mt rainier and my winter temps vary from highs of teens to-50 ' f to lows of single digits to 40's. House is 2000 square foot tri level , good insulation.

One problem I had with the Woodstock PH was getting a fire going . I had a hell of a time especially from a cold start. Sometimes it would take up to an hour and a half. Especially with not so dry wood.
The Blaze Kings were no problem . about 20 minutes.... In fact compared to the non cat and the PH , it was a real pleasure . I don't have time to babysit a stove.....I own a business . I am in and out every day.
My experience with the Woodstock stove was that is was extremely finicky and I felt I was constantly fighting with it . The opposite was my experience with the Blaze Kings.

I did not get the Advertised burn times from the Woodstock PH . I realistically got about 8 to 9 hour burn times , sometimes 10-11.....and a few 14 +hour burns..
With the BK's I got a minimum 15 hour burn times to 29 hour burn times......I need and love those long burn times..........And yes, If you are entertaining or just want a nice fire view for a bit, you can get that instantly if you want it by simply turning up the stat.

The Woodstock PH sort of ran away on me 3 different times ... I woke up to a overheated hearth that I couldn't touch with my hand . I lost confidence with the stove after that. I will Not risk my safety to a stove like that
I never have had a out of control situation with a Blaze King....I always feel confident and trust the control it provides. In all situations it has maintained control..........That's a BIG DEAL.

The Woodstock heating control was nothing like the BK s..........It would spike the heat in my house and then drop off .....The soapstone was nice though.
The BK's provide an almost seamless heat at any level.....Nice control !

Did not like the side loading door on the Woodstock........Was always burning my arm on reload ( even with welders gloves) . Cleaning the glass was also a real PAIN in the....... Having to reach through the side to access the glass and harpooning my hand on the Andirons.
The BK's have easy access to the glass and loading.........( I like a front loader )....Makes it much easier.

As far as looks goes, I like the Ashfords looks.. ....I had mine custom enameled and it looks pretty classy in my setting. The feedback I get from parties and guests that come over echoes that . ..........The Woodstock PH wasn't bad looking . Just didn't care for the look after a while....Kind of square Victorian.

Customer service at Woodstock was GREAT......I appreciated that

Support not so great with Blaze King

But the better stove won out in the end.

Vigil Igne · Jan 27, 2015

I too am interested in a BK (Ashford 30). I was worried about the catalyst too. After all my research around here I discovered it’s not a problem at all. Here is why I haven’t pulled the trigger: I ran a check online at the BK web site for dealers in my area. In a 100 mile radius there are two. One is out of his residence and the other is out of – GET THIS – a liquor store! After a call to both, neither did, nor knows, anyone that can do the install. I thought I read here (can’t find now) where BKVP stated that they added a few hundred dealers in the last year. I’m wondering what the “standards” are for becoming a BK dealer? Is there not a minimum level of service they have to meet? I’ve heard they are selling a ton of stoves and are growing fast – maybe too fast? I know others around this forum have had great (full service) dealers to work with. I have a small “fear factor” at this point based on the lack of a “real dealer” in my area.

begreen · Jan 27, 2015

Well if unhappy with the stove at least you can commiserate with one dealer over a good bottle of scotch.

CRE10 · Jan 27, 2015

begreen said:
Well if unhappy with the stove at least you can commiserate with one dealer over a good bottle of scotch.

If that's the case then I would wish for trouble

Tenn Dave · Jan 27, 2015

alforit said:
The post was meant to just give a brief opinion without detail of my experience.
Whats worthless is your continuous snide comments to other members.

But since you brought it up , here are some detailed facts of my experience with the Woodstock Progress hybrid and the Blaze king stoves.
First ..... All the stoves were ran on the same chimney. 17 foot , straight shot up. .........I live in the pacific northwest near mt rainier and my winter temps vary from highs of teens to-50 ' f to lows of single digits to 40's. House is 2000 square foot tri level , good insulation.

One problem I had with the Woodstock PH was getting a fire going . I had a hell of a time especially from a cold start. Sometimes it would take up to an hour and a half. Especially with not so dry wood.
The Blaze Kings were no problem . about 20 minutes.... In fact compared to the non cat and the PH , it was a real pleasure . I don't have time to babysit a stove.....I own a business . I am in and out every day.
My experience with the Woodstock stove was that is was extremely finicky and I felt I was constantly fighting with it . The opposite was my experience with the Blaze Kings.

I did not get the Advertised burn times from the Woodstock PH . I realistically got about 8 to 9 hour burn times , sometimes 10-11.....and a few 14 +hour burns..
With the BK's I got a minimum 15 hour burn times to 29 hour burn times......I need and love those long burn times..........And yes, If you are entertaining or just want a nice fire view for a bit, you can get that instantly if you want it by simply turning up the stat.

The Woodstock PH sort of ran away on me 3 different times ... I woke up to a overheated hearth that I couldn't touch with my hand . I lost confidence with the stove after that. I will Not risk my safety to a stove like that
I never have had a out of control situation with a Blaze King....I always feel confident and trust the control it provides. In all situations it has maintained control..........That's a BIG DEAL.

The Woodstock heating control was nothing like the BK s..........It would spike the heat in my house and then drop off .....The soapstone was nice though.
The BK's provide an almost seamless heat at any level.....Nice control !

Did not like the side loading door on the Woodstock........Was always burning my arm on reload ( even with welders gloves) . Cleaning the glass was also a real PAIN in the....... Having to reach through the side to access the glass and harpooning my hand on the Andirons.
The BK's have easy access to the glass and loading.........( I like a front loader )....Makes it much easier.

As far as looks goes, I like the Ashfords looks.. ....I had mine custom enameled and it looks pretty classy in my setting. The feedback I get from parties and guests that come over echoes that . ..........The Woodstock PH wasn't bad looking . Just didn't care for the look after a while....Kind of square Victorian.

Customer service at Woodstock was GREAT......I appreciated that
Support not so great with Blaze King

But the better stove won out in the end.

WOW, first you couldn't lite a fire, then you got burned by the fire you couldn't lite even with welder's gloves, and then that fire that wouldn't lite became an inferno that over heated your hearth. Now I understand why you ran away. Perhaps you better stick with a BK.

Yeah, Woodstock's do demand good dry wood to maximize performance. However, you are the first person I have heard of who wasn't able to lite a fire in one. And I must say that burning your arm when loading even with welder's gloves is just plain comical. Burn times are dependent on a lot of factors, but most folks who own Woodstocks who have posted here and the other site have no problem meeting or exceeding manufacturer claims. Now let me be very clear on something - I have no problem with BK stoves, in fact I considered one very carefully before I purchased my stove. It just came down to the fact that the BK strong points were lower on my needs & wants list then the Woodstock advantages. In the end it was just personal preference. But I will say it again...the notion that BKs are the 'be all & end all' of wood stoves is ridiculous. And if you make negative comments about other stoves and offer no facts to back it up, then those comments are of no value in helping others to evaluate the stove - in other words the comment is 'worthless'. Nothing personal intended - sorry if your feelings were hurt..

Ashful · Jan 27, 2015

Surprised we haven't seen BKVP pop in on this one. Hearth.com should charge him for the free market feedback. ;lol

Seriously, he'd do well to take note of some of the comments made here. Some very good points, and some clear instructions on where BK could make improvements to their stoves, marketing, and support. Every company has room for improvement, but figuring out where to put those resources isn't always obvious.

begreen · Jan 27, 2015

We're lucky to have BKVP on board here and listening. Stoves, installations, fuel supply (and some customers) are not all perfect. Each has its quirks.

Diabel · Jan 27, 2015

I have been following this thread closely too. Many, many excellent points made here.

What stuck in my head from this thread, were points that BK stoves are leading the competition when it comes to performance only during shoulder season, or in a mild climate, or in small to medium size homes. In a real cold snap like most of the north east coast had couple weeks ago, BK stoves perform no different from any other stoves (cat, non cat, downdraft) they simply get 6 to 8 hours of meaningful heat.

There were few other threads on here about the short (normal to most of us) burn times of BK stoves during the cold snap two weeks ago.

Highbeam · Jan 27, 2015

Diabel said:
I have been following this thread closely too. Many, many excellent points made here.

What stuck in my head from this thread, were points that BK stoves are leading the competition when it comes to performance only during shoulder season, or in a mild climate, or in small to medium size homes. In a real cold snap like most of the north east coast had couple weeks ago, BK stoves perform no different from any other stoves (cat, non cat, downdraft) they simply get 6 to 8 hours of meaningful heat.

There were few other threads on here about the short (normal to most of us) burn times of BK stoves during the cold snap two weeks ago.

Even when conditions warrant that you run a BK on higher outputs, you are still winning. Still getting the highest efficiency of any stove and getting more heat per log than the non-cat guys. At high outputs, those non-cats are doing about as good as they can.

The real story is that the BK (or the WS) gives you the flexibility of burning low for a long time or hot for a shorter time. I can have my BK kicking butt at 650 just like a non-cat. Or cleanly burning at 400. In either case getting the most out of my wood.

pdxdave · Jan 27, 2015

The rear exit on Woodstock gave me only one choice for my upgrade. Still hoping I'll see the stove someday !

Tenn Dave · Jan 27, 2015

Diabel said:
I have been following this thread closely too. Many, many excellent points made here.

What stuck in my head from this thread, were points that BK stoves are leading the competition when it comes to performance only during shoulder season, or in a mild climate, or in small to medium size homes. In a real cold snap like most of the north east coast had couple weeks ago, BK stoves perform no different from any other stoves (cat, non cat, downdraft) they simply get 6 to 8 hours of meaningful heat.

There were few other threads on here about the short (normal to most of us) burn times of BK stoves during the cold snap two weeks ago.

Just goes to show that you cannot bend the laws of science. When you compare stoves of similar efficiency, the number of btu's in the wood to be converted to heat are the same. You can bleed it out 'low & slow' or you can pay it out at a higher rate, but the usable heat will remain constant. If you feel you have to or want to burn during long periods of warmer weather, BKs would be your choice if all other variable were equal. I personally shut down, save some wood, and use the high efficiency heat pump. Just personal preference.

begreen · Jan 27, 2015

The heat pump is our shoulder season stove too. It's much cleaner and easier to deal with. Western WA shoulder seasons can last for months. Currently 50F outside and 72F inside.

ambull01 · Jan 27, 2015

Oldman47 said:
I did not buy a Blaze King. What I did was look at my available space without ruining the travel paths in my new home. Then I looked at clearance requirements and stove width and depths. Next up was the pad requirements on front of and beside the stove. If a hearth pad had to extend into my walking path the associated stove was rejected out of hand. What I was left with was a small number of stoves that could fit in without ruining my normal use of my new home. Then I started to narrow things down to what I would not mind seeing in my home. That really sliced through the group and got me to just 3 or 4 stoves from various manufacturers. Then it was time to start doing some cost benefit analysis while keeping in mind this was going to be an emergency heating system that had to keep my home above freezing for a prolonged period because I could be without power for days on end in very cold weather since I would live out in the country. This got me down to one Napoleon model and one Quadrafire model. No Blaze King in the mix at all. Finally I had to trade off my impressions of just 2 stoves against their apparent value and the retail price. Why not a BK? Show me a nice looking BK with a hearth pad less than 45 inches deep from the back wall and less than 48 inches wide that is rated at over 50k BTU/hr and it will be one I missed in my search.

Damn, it would be wise to follow your lead. I've been going about this backwards it seems lol. I'm looking at stoves then seeing if it will fit my existing chimney. I have much to learn

rideau · Jan 27, 2015

Alforit's experience with the PH was frustrating to him, to me, and I am certain to Woodstock.

His second post here provides some clues: his winter temps are East Coast shoulder season temps, where a stronger draft is needed for the fire. His chimney is just over average length, but he is likely at elevation and the chimney is not tall enough to compensate for that. And he states that he used the BK and PH on the same chimney. It must be an 8 inch chimney, further compounding the problem. The PH is designed for a 6 inch. The PH manual states right at the beginning that the stove is designed to be used with properly seasoned hardwoods only, and he was trying to use less than properly seasoned softwoods.

He is fortunate that Woodstock's policy is a no questions asked 100 % refund if one is dissatisfied. I don't believe any other stove manufacturer stands with such confidence behind its product.

I wish, Alforit, that when you post about your dissatisfaction with the PH that you would state that it did not work for you, instead of implying that it is an inferior product. Not for a minute do I believe that a BK is a superior product to a Woodstock. Different, yes. Better for many people, yes. But the Woodstock is also better for many people...a lot more people, I suspect, because there are a lot more in non-shoulder season areas.

Your quips that sometimes state, sometimes imply that Woodstock is an inferior product are both misleading and irritating, and generate irritated responses.

I believe the purpose of this forum is to be helpful.

Tenn Dave · Jan 27, 2015

rideau said:
Alforit's experience with the PH was frustrating to him, to me, and I am certain to Woodstock.

His second post here provides some clues: his winter temps are East Coast shoulder season temps, where a stronger draft is needed for the fire. His chimney is just over average length, but he is likely at elevation and the chimney is not tall enough to compensate for that. And he states that he used the BK and PH on the same chimney. It must be an 8 inch chimney, further compounding the problem. The PH is designed for a 6 inch. The PH manual states right at the beginning that the stove is designed to be used with properly seasoned hardwoods only, and he was trying to use less than properly seasoned softwoods.

He is fortunate that Woodstock's policy is a no questions asked 100 % refund if one is dissatisfied. I don't believe any other stove manufacturer stands with such confidence behind its product.

I wish, Alforit, that when you post about your dissatisfaction with the PH that you would state that it did not work for you, instead of implying that it is an inferior product. Not for a minute do I believe that a BK is a superior product to a Woodstock. Different, yes. Better for many people, yes. But the Woodstock is also better for many people...a lot more people, I suspect, because there are a lot more in non-shoulder season areas.

Your quips that sometimes state, sometimes imply that Woodstock is an inferior product are both misleading and irritating, and generate irritated responses.

I believe the purpose of this forum is to be helpful.

Wow, you said it sooo much better then me.

begreen · Jan 27, 2015

There's been a lot of defensive opinions in this thread. No stove is inferior, just perhaps not suited for your application. For someone on a budget a $1000 Englander or Drolet may be the superior choice.

Woodstock stoves are not meant to burn softwood? Really?? That cuts out about half the country right there.

rdust · Jan 27, 2015

Diabel said:
What stuck in my head from this thread, were points that BK stoves are leading the competition when it comes to performance only during shoulder season, or in a mild climate, or in small to medium size homes. In a real cold snap like most of the north east coast had couple weeks ago, BK stoves perform no different from any other stoves (cat, non cat, downdraft) they simply get 6 to 8 hours of meaningful heat.

There were few other threads on here about the short (normal to most of us) burn times of BK stoves during the cold snap two weeks ago.

Not sure why that stuck in your head. That is from people with other stoves assuming the BK burn times suffer in the cold snaps. Sure my burn times suffer, instead of getting 24 hours I get 12-18 hours out of a load. Where the BK excels for me when compared to my Lopi non cat is the ability to control the burn. When a stoves output is steady all the time where the house temp doesn't drop you don't need big heat at the beginning of the load to bring the house temps back up. Load the stove, let it burn for 15-25 minutes, dial it down and let the cat work. I can't think of a time when a full load didn't last me at least 12 hours. I struggle at night loading the stove since I typically over load the stove resulting in too much left over wood in the morning still in the stove.

A bunch of awesome stoves on the market but for a 24/7 heater where you don't want to use any other source of heat the BK stoves can't be beat. If someone had a stove come to market that outperformed my Princess as a heater(don't care about looks or a fire show) it would be on my hearth at the start of the next burning season.

alforit · Jan 27, 2015

rideau said:
Alforit's experience with the PH was frustrating to him, to me, and I am certain to Woodstock.

His second post here provides some clues: his winter temps are East Coast shoulder season temps, where a stronger draft is needed for the fire. His chimney is just over average length, but he is likely at elevation and the chimney is not tall enough to compensate for that. And he states that he used the BK and PH on the same chimney. It must be an 8 inch chimney, further compounding the problem. The PH is designed for a 6 inch. The PH manual states right at the beginning that the stove is designed to be used with properly seasoned hardwoods only, and he was trying to use less than properly seasoned softwoods.

He is fortunate that Woodstock's policy is a no questions asked 100 % refund if one is dissatisfied. I don't believe any other stove manufacturer stands with such confidence behind its product.

I wish, Alforit, that when you post about your dissatisfaction with the PH that you would state that it did not work for you, instead of implying that it is an inferior product. Not for a minute do I believe that a BK is a superior product to a Woodstock. Different, yes. Better for many people, yes. But the Woodstock is also better for many people...a lot more people, I suspect, because there are a lot more in non-shoulder season areas.

Your quips that sometimes state, sometimes imply that Woodstock is an inferior product are both misleading and irritating, and generate irritated responses.

I believe the purpose of this forum is to be helpful.

Both the Bk's I have run on a 6 inch chimney.........only the BK king runs on an 8 inch chimney.....Important that you look before you post so you don't misinform other members.

I am only stating the facts from my experience with the stoves ........ Any implications of the stove being inferiorly made are done so by your own noggin

. And it is YOUR ASSumption.

.

I Have had many members PM me and thank me for sharing the results of my experience with my stoves....And ask for advice ............I personally would want that for myself if I was looking to put out a large sum of money for a stove.......I would want ALL VIEWPOINTS to help make the best decision ....( look at my tag

).
So as far as helpful goes , I think it very much is.

And Woodstock's return policy is AWESOME. And I am glad it was there for me use. Just sorry I had to use it. I had really high hopes for the Progress Hybrid.

I really respect you Rideau but I think you are taking it too personally .......Remember , Its just a stove...Its not an extension of you that you have to defend.

rdust · Jan 27, 2015

alforit said:
Remember , Its just a stove...Its not an extension of you that you have to defend.

x2, a while back a poster had a BK Princess that just didn't work, installed a Summit and was getting great heat. Not every stove works for everyone, it's a good thing we have bunches to choose from.

drz1050 · Jan 27, 2015

Edit: whoops, they beat me to it

begreen · Jan 27, 2015

Wrapping this one up. The OP's question has been answered and then some. The stove that works best for you is the best stove.

Why Buy Anything Except A Blaze King?

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