Hi everyone, I thought I’d start a thread for those that come on this board for advice when buying a wood stove. This would be a repository of all the communal wisdom in short form we can offer first timers or others who are confused by what to look for. This would not be a discussion of a particular brand vs another, but rather how to get the most value for the budget. If we have a consensus we may edit a final draft and make it a ‘Sticky’.
1) Determine what kind of user you are: While there’s all sort of information about Square footage & performance available on this forum & from dealers; you must first determine what kind of wood burning user you are/will become:
a.Emergency use: Your stove is mainly a convenience as a backup appliance. Worst case scenario, you can heat the house, boil some water and cook a can of beans. You will be looking for a smaller inexpensive unit. Mobile home users also fits this category.
b. Ambiance seeker: You & your family enjoy entertaining and want a nice looking unit when you have friends over. Heat output is a secondary consideration. Since you and your better half will likely be making babies in front of this you are likely looking for a medium size stove with a large glass viewing area such as a bay window. Since look is a prime consideration you will probably be willing to spend extra for cast iron, soap stone or European look.
c. Serious heater: You have a chainsaw, a woodlot, a maul and know how to use them. At the very least you have access to inexpensive wood. You want your stove to be the primary heat or seriously cut down on your utilities expenses. You will be looking for a large stove with long burn time.
d. While these are gross generalizations and there may be overlap in what you are looking for it at least help you to determine what you are after.
2) Where to buy:
a. Hearth Specialty Stores: These are folks that specialize in wood burning and they know their stuff. They install & service what they sell. They have a large selection from various manufacturers so are able to quote according to your budget. This works well for people who don’t want to lug a 500Lbs stove around and let someone else do the install.
b. Hardware Stores: They typically carry lower priced units with an ‘all black’ look. Level of knowledge and support is limited and these stores are geared for the DIY crowd. Need a pick up truck.
c. Internet re-sellers: Since they do not operate out of brick & mortar stores their main approach is low cost. If you don’t mind having a stove shipped and land on your driveway to save some money this is something to look at. Level of service is typically minimal.
3) Look: Unless for a man-cave make sure to take your better half along. As the sayin’ goes “if Mama aint’ happy, aint’ nobody happy!”
4) Catalytic stoves vs. Secondary Burn Stoves: Most stoves use a ‘secondary combustion’ to burn the smoke. A smaller proportion of stoves use a catalytic converter to reduce emissions. There are many posts on this forum discussing the pros & cons of either. You may want to do a search on this. But suffice it to say ‘Cat’ stoves are typically more expensive than the non-cat, they have a longer burn time due to lower burn temperature. Word of caution: Cat stove requires a user who knows how to use one properly otherwise you may damage the catalyst ($$$). Again do some research first.
5) Type:
a. Plate steel: By far the most popular and least expensive way to go. Look for the thickest plate possible. Thicker = better heat retention & solid construction.
b. Cast Iron: Retains heat longer due to thicker material. Now come in glazed colors & looks. More expensive than Plate Steel.
c. Stone type: Soapstone & other material to get a specific ‘look’. Most expensive units.
6) Baffle: The baffle is designed to hold the heat down for the secondary combustion tube to do their work. The baffle can be made of the following materials:
a. Bricks: least expensive material. Have to be replaced on a regular basis. Easy to replace.
b. Vermiculite: Typically comes in 3 density: light, medium & heavy. Has a heat resistance factor of up to 1,200f. Depending on density has to be replaced from time to time. Degrades over time. Can warp if overheated. Easy to replace.
c. Steel baffle: No maintenance & long lasting. Can warp & crack over time & if overfired. Next to impossible to replace.
d. ‘C’ Cast: This is a ceramic composite cast material typically found on better units. It’s more expensive but has a heat factor of close to 3,000f. Lasts a long time and helps the performance of the unit. It is not brittle and can take some abuse.
7) Bricks: Used to line the firebox & hold some heat in.
a. Low porosity: These are light duty bricks. Easy to identify, they are light & bumpy. Have to be replaced more often.
b. Refractory bricks: These are found in furnace & better quality stoves. You can tell them apart by their smooth surface. They are quite heavy & last a long time. Better heat retention.
8) Door Latch: This may not seem like a big deal but this tells a lot about the quality of construction. Lesser stoves will have a bent rod as a latch, whereas better quality one will have an adjustable mechanism such as a roller for a smooth operation. The adjustment also allows you to tighten the door.
9) Warranty: You will typically find better warranties on stove brands available through Hearth Specialty stores. Items to look for on Warranty are the glass, stainless steel tubes, baffles & blower. Obviously, the longer the warranty on these components the better. Lesser warranties are typically from 1 to 5 years whereas ‘Limited Lifetime’ can be found by some manufacturers. Word of caution: some manufacturers will honor the warranty only if you have registered it within 30 days of purchase.
1) Determine what kind of user you are: While there’s all sort of information about Square footage & performance available on this forum & from dealers; you must first determine what kind of wood burning user you are/will become:
a.Emergency use: Your stove is mainly a convenience as a backup appliance. Worst case scenario, you can heat the house, boil some water and cook a can of beans. You will be looking for a smaller inexpensive unit. Mobile home users also fits this category.
b. Ambiance seeker: You & your family enjoy entertaining and want a nice looking unit when you have friends over. Heat output is a secondary consideration. Since you and your better half will likely be making babies in front of this you are likely looking for a medium size stove with a large glass viewing area such as a bay window. Since look is a prime consideration you will probably be willing to spend extra for cast iron, soap stone or European look.
c. Serious heater: You have a chainsaw, a woodlot, a maul and know how to use them. At the very least you have access to inexpensive wood. You want your stove to be the primary heat or seriously cut down on your utilities expenses. You will be looking for a large stove with long burn time.
d. While these are gross generalizations and there may be overlap in what you are looking for it at least help you to determine what you are after.
2) Where to buy:
a. Hearth Specialty Stores: These are folks that specialize in wood burning and they know their stuff. They install & service what they sell. They have a large selection from various manufacturers so are able to quote according to your budget. This works well for people who don’t want to lug a 500Lbs stove around and let someone else do the install.
b. Hardware Stores: They typically carry lower priced units with an ‘all black’ look. Level of knowledge and support is limited and these stores are geared for the DIY crowd. Need a pick up truck.
c. Internet re-sellers: Since they do not operate out of brick & mortar stores their main approach is low cost. If you don’t mind having a stove shipped and land on your driveway to save some money this is something to look at. Level of service is typically minimal.
3) Look: Unless for a man-cave make sure to take your better half along. As the sayin’ goes “if Mama aint’ happy, aint’ nobody happy!”
4) Catalytic stoves vs. Secondary Burn Stoves: Most stoves use a ‘secondary combustion’ to burn the smoke. A smaller proportion of stoves use a catalytic converter to reduce emissions. There are many posts on this forum discussing the pros & cons of either. You may want to do a search on this. But suffice it to say ‘Cat’ stoves are typically more expensive than the non-cat, they have a longer burn time due to lower burn temperature. Word of caution: Cat stove requires a user who knows how to use one properly otherwise you may damage the catalyst ($$$). Again do some research first.
5) Type:
a. Plate steel: By far the most popular and least expensive way to go. Look for the thickest plate possible. Thicker = better heat retention & solid construction.
b. Cast Iron: Retains heat longer due to thicker material. Now come in glazed colors & looks. More expensive than Plate Steel.
c. Stone type: Soapstone & other material to get a specific ‘look’. Most expensive units.
6) Baffle: The baffle is designed to hold the heat down for the secondary combustion tube to do their work. The baffle can be made of the following materials:
a. Bricks: least expensive material. Have to be replaced on a regular basis. Easy to replace.
b. Vermiculite: Typically comes in 3 density: light, medium & heavy. Has a heat resistance factor of up to 1,200f. Depending on density has to be replaced from time to time. Degrades over time. Can warp if overheated. Easy to replace.
c. Steel baffle: No maintenance & long lasting. Can warp & crack over time & if overfired. Next to impossible to replace.
d. ‘C’ Cast: This is a ceramic composite cast material typically found on better units. It’s more expensive but has a heat factor of close to 3,000f. Lasts a long time and helps the performance of the unit. It is not brittle and can take some abuse.
7) Bricks: Used to line the firebox & hold some heat in.
a. Low porosity: These are light duty bricks. Easy to identify, they are light & bumpy. Have to be replaced more often.
b. Refractory bricks: These are found in furnace & better quality stoves. You can tell them apart by their smooth surface. They are quite heavy & last a long time. Better heat retention.
8) Door Latch: This may not seem like a big deal but this tells a lot about the quality of construction. Lesser stoves will have a bent rod as a latch, whereas better quality one will have an adjustable mechanism such as a roller for a smooth operation. The adjustment also allows you to tighten the door.
9) Warranty: You will typically find better warranties on stove brands available through Hearth Specialty stores. Items to look for on Warranty are the glass, stainless steel tubes, baffles & blower. Obviously, the longer the warranty on these components the better. Lesser warranties are typically from 1 to 5 years whereas ‘Limited Lifetime’ can be found by some manufacturers. Word of caution: some manufacturers will honor the warranty only if you have registered it within 30 days of purchase.