Englander 13 vs. Bosca 400?

Hi everyone, this seems like a great community!

I really, really wanted to buy a Scan 60: http://www.inglenookenergy.com/Stoves/Wood_Freestanding/Scan/scan_60.htm

But, i'm installing into a masonry fireplace, and only have 30" of height. Thats right in the middle of the flue pipe on that stove.


So, it's come down to the Englander 13 compared to the Bosca 400 (the 450 is also a little too tall)


Bosca: http://www.boscastoves.com/products/gold.php

Englander: http://www.englanderstoves.com/13-nc.html


Does anyone have direct experience with either/both of these stoves?

Here's what i see from looking at them:

Bosca Pros -
-- Large ash box, looks designed to suck ashes down into it.
-- Very well-sealed design, including ash door
-- knife-edge door seals
-- all-metal baffle

Bosca Cons --
-- Smaller firebox
-- No ashpan, must be shoveled
-- Door latch appears flimsy
-- lower BTU (26k epa) rating


Englander Pro --
-- Larger firebox
-- 29k epa btu rating
-- optional blower

Englander Con
-- flat door seals
-- small ash pan
-- ceramic baffles (easier to damage?)



So, what says the group?

Noone has any ideas?

I like that the Englander is made in VA, whereas Bosca is from Chile....

Well! Thanks everyone!


I was hoping to hear from someone who actually has the Bosca, but clearly Englander is a more common/popular option!


It's good to know that the blower is a worthy addition, i wasn't sure it's worth the $100 (seems a lot for a squirrel cage).


I suppose the ash-pan issues is not so big a deal... when i was a kid we had one of those big "appliance" type stoves, that look like a giant brown sheet-metal box. It was probably heinously inefficient, and i know it had a huuuuuge ash pan that was STILL a real PITA to clean out. I recall stuffing a LOT of wood into it too.

So with the modern stoves, i understand there is a lot less ash left over. And if i have a problem with the door seal (IF), i'm sure i could run a weld-bead around the contact surface to provide a "bump" to seal against.


Another question/issue: It seems really expensive (quoted $1600, including $1k in materials) to run a flex liner. I have an 8x8 tile flue built in 1969 that has NEVER been used. It's clean as a whistle, and all the mortar inside is still white. No cracks. The liner is more than the stove!


I'm not sure i understand why it's such a bad idea to direct-connect. I hear talk about the flue diameter and draft and such, but a full 25' two-story 8x8 chimney is going to pull well, i think. Ditto with creosote/condensed gas problems.... there's so little mass in the smoke from an efficient stove that i can't see this being a really serious problem. So why the expense? Why is everyone pushing the full liner? All of the dealers are similar in price and push, and it's clear (one guy actually brought it up) that they check each other's prices on this stuff.

It seems like they're just trying to push the materials/install to boost their overall revenue, and selling it off as no biggie since the tax credit is for the "entire invoice."

Aha!

Good to know about the blower, it hadn't occurred to me that it would make the stove longer. Indeed, this will be hearth-mounted. It's a marble fireplace with a flush hearth. The stove is short enough (both the Bosca and Englander) that it will go deep enough so that i won't need any additional floor protection.


Here's the fireplace:






Lookin up through the damper