What's the big deal?

For stoves that offer E/W loading, I think it would be a huge benefit. I think that's the main appeal.

The oslo side loads, and conveinently, points at my door 5 feet away. I use the front for building the fire and cleaning it, and the side door exclusively for reloading it. I have heard some people say they love the top loading ones, but until I see one in action, I'm not convinced......

By the way, everyone is talking about N/S E/W loading......that would be N/S front to back, and E/W left to right, right? Standing in front to the stove......

I think it makes a bigger difference when there's a smaller opening in the front. My parents' VC had a small glass front and a side load that allowed for much longer and larger pieces to be added. Top loading would scare me.

If the air comes from the front and you can load E/W, it should burn longer and lower because the air doesn't move through the wood as easily.

A little cleaner with perhaps less smoke escaping. I have used both types and I think the side loader allows less "ash splash" when wood is tossed in.

My old Dutchwest 2461 loaded thru the side door. The stove was looooong(could fit 24" pcs) but not too deep. Front glass door not very big, and would waste alot of space if used exclusively for loading. Also, the glass door was low in the firebox, so after a real nice coal bed was achieved, coals could fall out if the front door was opened. This was the stove I used all my life, and I swore I would never get a stove that only loaded 'small' splits thru the front. Well.....I have a new insert, with only a front door(nice 16' long glass) and a deeper firebox , which I am now loading N/S AND E/W for the 1st time in my life..........and loving it.

For me it is just handy to have the firebox door located so I can insert a few logs to make a good fire.

btuser said:

Top loading would scare me.

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You'd get over that in about five minutes, and never look back. (Well, you occasionally look back, when you forget to open the damper, to avoid getting smoke in your eyes. But that can also happen with front or side-load stoves that have dampers.)

In all the stoves I've used that offer both front and side-load, which are E-W burners, I've always used the side door. Less smoke spill, less ash spill, more control of log placement.

wood-fan-atic said:

. Well.....I have a new insert, with only a front door(nice 16' long glass) and a deeper firebox , which I am now loading N/S AND E/W for the 1st time in my life..........and loving it.

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With 16 foot long logs can you get 30 day burns?

btuser said:

I think it makes a bigger difference when there's a smaller opening in the front. My parents' VC had a small glass front and a side load that allowed for much longer and larger pieces to be added. Top loading would scare me.

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How does top loading scare you?

btuser said:

Top loading would scare me.

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It ain't always for the faint of heart, but it's the best IMHO.

This is just a few splits on the bottom. Go ahead, reach down in there with your stove gloves on.



Notice, though... no smoke spillage, in spite of what the detractors say.

Nice video...I reach into there 4+ times a day for several months of the year. Wife and oldest son are as well. Ideally, it is better to reach in when the fire is a bit smaller.

Gloves are nice too.

After using a top loader for a few years, I would never consider a stove without it. You get easy access to all parts of the fire box. Load in any direction.

Top loading seems strange until you try it.

I like my side loaders but wish the doors were a little larger. I remember my previous front loading stoves all seemed to smoke some during reloads and I didn't like leaving the door cracked to get the fire going. Now I think of it the smokeless reloading I have now probably has more to do with my stoves bypass system than where the door is. If I open my door with the cat engaged I get smoke out the door. Another advantage for me is since the front glass is fixed my front clearance is smaller which works out well for my fireplace install. A big disadvantage is cleaning the glass, I have to maneuver around those damn andirons, luckily the glass stays very clean and I only have to wipe it off maybe once per month.

I can't count how many times i have opened the door of my insert and had many red hot coals roll out onto the the hearthe and then onto the rug. Even with our new 24" tile in front of the hearth I have a big burn mark on our brand new rug. (hearth rug is on the way) The point is that side loading would keep the coals on the hearth for me.

BeGreen said:

And there's no more space outs with the bypass left open.

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Yeah, well I've never done that. :roll: :red:

JimJ said:

I reach into there 4+ times a day for several months of the year.

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I was referring to those guys with the furnace gloves that grope around in the fire moving logs around by hand. If I tried that with a fully involved top-loader, best I could hope for was looking like I shaved up to my armpits.

soupy1957 said:

What's the big deal about being able to side-load a fire? I don't have that capability on the stove we bought (see signature for Model and Type) and I don't have any "issues" with NOT having a side door.

Just sitting here in my warm New England home, (fire going since 2 AM) wondering what benefits there really are, in a side-loading stove. The flames and coals are just as hot whether you access them from the front, or the side, eh?!

-Soupy1957

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Soupy, I grew up with a top loader. Folks replaced it a couple years back with a new toploader. When I moved into my current house 2-3yrs ago it was the first experience with a front only door. Even after 2 winters I still dont like it much, sure it works fine but there is always a few times I try to throw something in there without gloves that turns out to be a bad idea, or stuff wanting to roll back out, or not being able to reach the 'top' of the pile inside easily.

But the biggest advantage to me would be a side door on the side where my wood is. With most front loaders that are hinged on the right I'd have to work around the door plus take a few extra steps. Not a make or break deal but would prefer a side loader than I could litterly stand in place and grab a split and slide it in without having to take a step or work around a big hot door. My only problem is looking for a nice cast iron right side loader leaves very few options. Actually only 2 that I have really considered, and one is way too huge, so I really only have 1 option if I want to go that route (that I have found and liked anyhow).

BeGreen said:

Rockey said:

I can't count how many times i have opened the door of my insert and had many red hot coals roll out onto the the hearthe and then onto the rug. Even with our new 24" tile in front of the hearth I have a big burn mark on our brand new rug. (hearth rug is on the way) The point is that side loading would keep the coals on the hearth for me.

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That's an advantage of N/S loading. A log can't roll out of the stove.

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I've never heard of the n/s loading until here at hearth... such a simple concept dont know why I never thought of it. However with our new stove (the Jotul 550) no way I am going to cut that small. If memory serves, it was only like 14" to the glass, however, 24" e/w at its narrowest point... The 550's arent known for overnight burn despite the large firebox... I'm wondering if I cut to the full 24" if that would help with the overnight possibility.

BeGreen said:

I've had top, box and front loaders. My favorite is the stove that lights and loads easily. It really doesn't make a big deal of difference what direction. But I did notice that I get a lot less burns with a big door on the front loader. Last year was the first time I didn't have any burns so that may be an indication that the best loader is a big wide opening that gives you lots of wiggle room. Something that BBart has been pointing out for years.

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I too have had top, side and front loaders and my favorite matches exactly; that stove which lights and loads easily. I have no problem at all with the small side door on our Fireview but no matter which stove I load, it has always been a habit of mine to wear gloves; welder's gloves.

I don't think I had a burn in the last couple of years but foolishly I got one already this year. My mistake for sure. I usually sit while loading the stove. This time I was talking and standing more in front of the stove and just reached around to put a log in. Dummy. I burned the side of my arm. Vitamin E to the rescue. We always keep that stuff on hand and it works wonders.

It's all what you're used to, I've had top, side and front loaders. The Dutchwest 2461, my main stove, gets reloaded from the side, I rarely use the front door because it's small and I really can't fit more that a couple splits without spilling ash or embers. The Regency loads front only and it can be hard to use all the small firebox space without spilling the wood out because the firebox floor is barely lower than the door opening and there are no andirons. I like the top load of the Intrepid best because dropping in the wood and letting gravity take over uses the firebox space most efficiently without spilling anything out.

That said, I ordered a Jotul F3CB for the new house and that's front load only. It looks like a far better firebox and door design than the Regency and friends tell me the front loading Jotuls, including the inserts, are easy to master at loading to capacity. We'll see.