best pellet or multi fuel insert

[JohnnyL]

Hello!
I am from NE Arkansas and am thinking about changing from a wood burning fireplace insert to a pellet insert.
Can any of you guys give me some insight on what brand and make would be the best quality?
I am looking at the US Stove 6041I which is multi-fuel. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks,
My home is 2200 sq ft.

 

[pelletdude]

Look at the Enviro M55 Cast. Burns everything - has a self cleaning burn pot. Pricier than the US Stove model - but a much better manufactured unit. Made in BC, canada. www.enviro.com

 

[JohnnyL]

Thanks for the suggestion, I will check it out.
Another question I have is what is the difference between a top feed and bottom feed, and which is best.
Thanks,

 

[Gweeper64]

The Quadrafire Mt Vernon AE insert is a multifuel model too. Also "burns everything". It is a "top feed" model. I've never had any auger jams.

 

[relxn88]

I don't think it's up to me to tell you what stove to buy, and I would imagine every dealer on this forum will tell you their's is the best for you. What I will say is from my own experience. I heat a 2400ft , 2 story, non-open floor plan home. The first thing I looked for was a stove which would fit in my fireplace(most where to big). Next, I made sure that I could hook up a thermostat(similiar to my oil furnace). Next thing was style(mine has a lot of glass and brass). Next was a top-feeder and self-cleaner. And lastly, was a Dealer to trust(in case I need help). That was my criteria for buying an insert. I thought, my insert would just be a room heater, but it heats my whole house 24/7 and as long as it's above 0 degrees, I don't have to run the oil furnace. I hope you have as good a result as I have had.

 

[twinsinpa]

Relaxn88
i also need to heat a 2000 sq ft 2 story (bilevel)home. i am interested in the insert you have. how many BTU's is it? i read that i would need 60,000 BTU for 2000 sq ft. is that correct? i also have a heat pump that i can turn the fan on for circulation. i don't have alot of money but i also don't want to cheap out and not get the right stove to heat my home. i currently have the heat pump but since electric went up it is costing me about $500/month during the winter - hence the wood pellet insert i am thinking of. any help you could give me would be appreciated. thank!

 

[relxn88]

I have a St.Croix York insert. It has a max of 40,000 btu's at setting 5, but I wouldn't run it at that level for more than an hour. Anything above freezing,
I heat the house on the setting 1 out of 5. Above 20 degrees setting 2 or 3. Above 10 degrees 3 to 4. 0 to 10 degrees setting 4. Below zero is setting 4 and a little help from oil. I leave the bedrooms upstairs open during the day, but closed at night(I have electric in the bedrooms). The heat from the first floor will still help heat the upstairs, even with the doors closed. As long as the weather stays above 20 degrees, I use the thermomstat(my stove is in the L.R., but I wired the thermostat into the kitchen next to the oil furnace thermostat). My downstairs stays 70-72 degrees(the thermostat is set for 71 degrees) and the upstairs is 4 degrees cooler. I use a small 6" fan on the upper part of the doorway of the L.R. to blow the heat out and I have a 60 watt, small (1 foot tall) tower fan on the hallway floor blowing the cold air back towards the stove. That's it.
I'm sure many other people on the this forum will help you before and after you buy your stove. Good Luck.

 

[JohnnyL]

Thank you guys for all the responses.
Can anyone tell me the difference from top and bottom feed and which is best?

 

[Nicholas440]

Top feed and bottom feed designs

Another way to distinguish between pellet stoves is by how they deliver fuel from hopper to burn box. Top feed stoves send pellets down a chute or tube onto the fire, while bottom feed stoves deliver pellets from behind or beside the fire.

Bottom feeders tend to have the edge when using standard grade fuel because the feeding action moves ash and clinkers away from the burn area. This action helps keep air inlets open and so lengthens the time between cleanings of the burn box; in some top feed designs, special grates or rotating burn pots can also shift spent fuel from the inlets. Top feed stoves have a slight advantage in heating efficiency since pellets stay in the burn box until they are completely burned.


Top feed drops the pellets in from the top, and bottom feed pushes pellets in from the bottom.


The only bottom feed stove I know of is the Harmon stoves. There might be another brand but I am not aware of any.

 

[twinsinpa]

thanks for your reply!
so the thermostat can be placed anywhere? like even on a different level?

 

[relxn88]

thanks for your reply!
so the thermostat can be placed anywhere? like even on a different level?

I can't speak for all stoves but mine acts the same as your oil furnace for heating. Two wires from the stove to wherever you put the thermostat. Many people use the portable wireless thermostat, so they can move it from room to room. Maybe someome here with a wireless thermostat could tell you more about them.

 

[jtakeman]

thanks for your reply!
so the thermostat can be placed anywhere? like even on a different level?

Well not quit anywhere. Its best not to install on an exterior wall. Most put them close to the cold spot in the home. The closer you get the warmer its gets in that area, But it may also get to warm close to the stove. This is were the wireless stats rule. You can play with it anyware without the wires. I did some playing with a thermometer before placing my wired stat. I found the sweet spot and don't have to worry about loosing or misplacing it. Or the dog took it or the kid has it in his room.

Both work well when tuned properly!

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

England Stove Works makes both top and bottom feed stoves, several others also exist, for instance the old Earth Stoves.

Properly operating stoves of either kind work well.

 

[Countryboymo]

I do not have an insert but have been around a Harman and Quadrafire Mt Vernon AE and if you want a quiet unit go look at the Quadrafire. The Harman isn't horrible by any means but I would rather watch tv in the same room with the Mt Vernon any day compared to others.