WANTED: handsome stove for one-room heating

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medora66

New Member
Nov 15, 2008
17
Three Oaks, Michigan
Hi all,

I'd had my heart set on a woodstove for our walk-out basement -- but just had our friendly installer guy come over, and for a variety of reasons it seems it's a pellet stove or nothing. So I could use some help with a few suggestions on stoves I should look at.

I think the room is about 10x30?

Criteria: tax-credit eligible, small, reliable -- and handsome. I am not a fan of gold trim and "country" designs. :)

What should I consider?

Thanks, all.
 
Hi chill, and welcome to the forum.

Is the basement finished? What is your budget for this for everything...stove, pipe, hearth, install, etc?

Also, it's tough for us to give you ideas when we don't know what stoves are available in your area...have you done some stove shopping?
 
The basement is finished. I'm waiting for an estimate on the install (just had the guy over today) -- but he prefers that we choose our own stove. There's a good dealer in the region that has all the major brands, but it's a daytrip and I'd like to do as much research online as I can so that I'm prepared to ask the right questions when we get there. I purchased a woodstove insert from this dealer and feel they're reputable, but it's overwhelming going down there because they have so many to choose from.

Our budget is very limited and since this is a "luxury" (this room does not absolutely have to have a stove -- it just would make winter down there alot cozier) if the cost goes crazy we'll defer. I don't have a set LIMIT in mind (yet) -- kind of wanted to see what the install guy comes back at us with.

Thanks!
 
Take a look at the Quadrafire Castille. It's a nice looking stove, but be sure to look at the specs and talk to your dealer to make sure it completely suits your needs. Another thing to be sure of, is to make sure you have a good reputable dealer to work with before AND after the sale.

Good luck!
 
Well, to be honest, without having any idea what you can spend on the stove, it's very tough to help. All we know right now is that you need a stove that's NOT rustic, and will heat a 300 sq. ft space.

What are the "major brands" that you mentioned? We'd need that info too, or else we're flying blind.

Have you read the green "announcement" at the top of the forum main page - "Which stove should I buy?"?
 
I'd like to keep the entire cost of this under $2,000. Because I don't know what the install is yet, I can't really say on the cost of the stove, but I don't think I'd want to look at anything much over $1,500 (that's the tax-credit price). The piping/etc should be very easy, and the guy we work with is extremely reliable and reasonable. I live within two hours of Chicago and truly have access, ultimately, to pretty much every brand you could recommend (I know this based on my forum experience here when we bought our stove insert). I can list the brands, but honestly -- I am confident I can find whatever you recommend here. Yes, I have looked at the green announcement -- I was just hoping for a few specific recommendations from people more experienced than I am with this, to save me from having to start from scratch.

Will check into the Quadrafire, thanks Mt Vernon.
 
jtakeman said:
I would go with the Enviro mini. Neat looking little stove.
Click to expand...

Unless the new Mini A modal has some improvements on it's screw and feed control, I am not to keen on recommending one.
 
Chillpill said:
I can't really say on the cost of the stove, but I don't think I'd want to look at anything much over $1,500 (that's the tax-credit price).
Click to expand...

Just to make sure, you do realize that the 1500 tax credit is a max. It's 30 % of the stove and I think the install. It's not the entire amount. A $1500 stove would only get a 450 tax credit. Plus 30% of install parts.
 
i understand on the tax credit thing -- thanks -- i'm assuming 30% off the dealer's price, and at that, I'd like to stay no more than $2,100 before the break, and $1,500 after it. But I'll look at the sweet $$$ stove too :)
 
Chillpill said:
i understand on the tax credit thing -- thanks -- i'm assuming 30% off the dealer's price, and at that, I'd like to stay no more than $2,100 before the break, and $1,500 after it. But I'll look at the sweet $$$ stove too :)
Click to expand...

You DO realize that you don't get that Tax Credit $ back until you file the 2010 taxes next year, right? You have to pay the full stove cost up front now.

Also, the stove, pipe, install costs can be included in the tax credit, as far as I know. I'm including it on my new stove on my 2009 taxes.
 
SmokeyTheBear said:
This might cost more than you are looking for but for the sake of completeness in the handsome pellet stove category.

the small Thelin Gnome Pellet Stove .
Click to expand...

That's the 1st stove I have seen that lists Heat Exchange Efficiency.

Combustion Efficiency: 94%

BTU: 31,300 Input

BTU: 21,600 Output

Heat Exchange Efficiency: 69%

Another eye catcher too!
 
The bonus is that clicking on the porcelain enamel link lets you see the eye candy colors the stoves come in.
 
QuadraBurner said:
Take a look at the Quadrafire Castille. It's a nice looking stove, but be sure to look at the specs and talk to your dealer to make sure it completely suits your needs. Another thing to be sure of, is to make sure you have a good reputable dealer to work with before AND after the sale.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

You beat me to it, QuadraBurner. The Castile is beautiful and not too bad on the pocketbook. If you get the brown porcelain finish, as mine is, it keeps the wife 'reasonably' happy too. :)
 
Chillpill said:
I'd like to keep the entire cost of this under $2,000. Because I don't know what the install is yet, I can't really say on the cost of the stove, but I don't think I'd want to look at anything much over $1,500 (that's the tax-credit price). The piping/etc should be very easy, and the guy we work with is extremely reliable and reasonable. I live within two hours of Chicago and truly have access, ultimately, to pretty much every brand you could recommend (I know this based on my forum experience here when we bought our stove insert). I can list the brands, but honestly -- I am confident I can find whatever you recommend here. Yes, I have looked at the green announcement -- I was just hoping for a few specific recommendations from people more experienced than I am with this, to save me from having to start from scratch.

Will check into the Quadrafire, thanks Mt Vernon.
Click to expand...

That $1500 budget kills the Mt. Vernon, for sure, and also the Castile. The Sante Fe Quad is also nice but not showy. Your install cost really depends on how you are venting it. It might shock you to see the cost for that. You're going to really work at it to get it under $2000, I think.
 
SmokeyTheBear said:
This might cost more than you are looking for but for the sake of completeness in the handsome pellet stove category.

the small Thelin Gnome Pellet Stove .
Click to expand...

Oh, the little gnome is cute, especially with the nickle/chrome trim. Looks perfect for what you need.
 
I have two stoves to consider. One a Harman PC45 which is both corn or pellet stove is auto starting and runs in either stove temp mode or room temp mode. Cost is 1800.00 brand new on pallet. The other is St Croix Lancaster at 1200.00 It is a 40,000 btu stove, can burn either corn or pellets and is manually started and manually dump the clinker. This is also brand new in the box stove.
I am helping a family sell a stove business that the father passed away last fall and they are selling the inventory.
 
Chillpill said:
Thanks, jtakeman -- actually, the dealer closest to me also recommended the Enviro Mini. They have one on the floor. Will give it a look.

Any others?
Click to expand...

That minni would be perfect for that small room .
 
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