forgive my ignorance

The number one that I can think of is

Looks

Cast iron can be made to look much better than steel

gzecc said:

Why would any company make a stove or insert out of cast iron. Given the brittle nature of it, I would think it would be prone to cracking. Is there some kind of benifit to cast iron over steel?

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Cast iron can crack. Welds can crack on steel stoves. Soapstone stoves can crack. There's no material in use that is 100% crack-proof in this application.

I know cast-iron stoves are available in enamel finishes. Not sure about steel. Cast iron is also slower to heat up and cool off, so you may get longer effective burn times with more even heat in a cast iron stove than in a steel stove (think steel skillet vs. cast iron skillet).

Forgive your ignorance? Okay, you are forgiven.

I like butter on my biscuits . . . or jam . . . strawberry jam.

Since both materials have their problems I like stoves that take advantage of both materials and use them in areas that take advantage of their strengths. Cast might crack but is very stable under high heat. Steel even though less likely too crack is prone to warp. Also as other have mentioned, both materials deliver the heat differently. By using both in a stove you can take advantage of faster radiant heat but more carry over in cast after the fire has burned down.

I've seen cast iron stoves over 100 years old with no cracks.

As an ignoramass myself, I am not in the position to forgive you.

I realized last night while grilling steaks: I paid extra for cast-iron grates for my grill, rather than use stainless steel. More even heat.

I thought the big reason for Cast Iron over Steel was longer heat retention. Similar to the advantages of Soapstone over Cast iron. Longer heat retention but slower heat output.

My cast iron warms my house from cold less quickly than steel, but it stays hotter when the fire burns out than the steel stove. Other than that... for me, I like cast for nostalgic reasons.

No idea.. I seem to remember this graph for being pro soapstone

http://www.hearthstonestoves.com/stove-guide/Why-soapstone

if its to be believed it looks like it only gives about 1 hour longer above 100 degrees on a 6 hour burn... So about 16%?

Bobforsaken said:

No idea.. I seem to remember this graph for being pro soapstone

http://www.hearthstonestoves.com/stove-guide/Why-soapstone

if its to be believed it looks like it only gives about 1 hour longer above 100 degrees on a 6 hour burn... So about 16%?

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I don't know what stoves they were comparing, but I don't think you can put a definitive number on the heat retention differences between cast and steel.

Low-carbon steel and cast iron have very similar density, thermal conductivity and specific heat. The only real difference between them would be their thickness/mass. Steel stoves can be sheet metal or heavy plate or in between.h A thin-walled steel stove will heat up real fast compared to a cast iron stove, but a steel stove that has the same thickness as a cast stove shouldn't exhibit a remarkably different temperature profile throughout the burn, all other things being equal.