1. Welcome Hearth.com Guests and Visitors - Please enjoy our forums!
    Hearth.com GOLD Sponsors who help bring the site content to you:
    Jotul Cast Iron Stoves
    Woodstock Soapstone Stoves
    Hearth and Home (QuadraFire and Harman Stoves)
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. terryjd98 Member

    joined: Jul 1, 2008
    91 posts
    Ontario Canada
    A friend who has a wood pellet stove told me to make sure I bought a cast Iron stove not a steel stove as they will warp. Well from what I have been reading on the different manufactures sites it seems like all the stoves are made from steel, Or am I reading wrong? So are there any Cast Iron Pellet Stoves out there? Does it really make any difference if cast or steel stove? Sorry for all the questions but still reading and trying to learn all I can before my bank account gets drained.
    Terry
    #1

    Helpful Sponsor Ads!



  2. Shortstuff Feeling the Heat

    joined: Jun 5, 2008
    461 posts
    Southeastern MA
    As far as I know, a lot of manufacturers still make classic cast iron pellet stoves, although you'll find that there is some steel used in their construction. My new stove, a Quadra-Fire Castile is a combination of cast iron and steel, but most of the outside is cast, the burnpot is cast, the firebox surround is mostly cast, etc.

    You have to keep in mind that there is a big difference between a wood stove and a pellet stove. Pellet stoves generally do not radiate heat like a wood stove. Pellet stoves are designed to blow heated air out through convection tubes into the room. QF also makes a Sante-Fe model which is very similar to my Castile, but only it is made mostly of steel. You'll notice a few members have avatars with pictures of their stoves running and their pet cat laying on top of it.

    Also, I've not heard or read of anyones metal stoves warping.

    Steve
  3. MoeB New Member

    joined: Apr 4, 2006
    82 posts
    Bangor, Maine
    The Harman Accentra is cast iron. Check them out, if you can, and then you will see and feel the difference.

    Moe
  4. MCPO Minister of Fire

    It`s mainly about looks. Cast is usually nicer looking.
    I`ve had both cast iron and steel wood stoves and would not go with cast again but for the nicer looks of the castings.
    A good quality built steel stove is much more durable and forgiving . A good steel stove doesn`t ever crack or break off from a hard hit while moving it , occasional misfiring , overheating, or does it ever need to have the joints periodically re- cemented and they are almost always considerably cheaper to purchase. Both mediums heat transfer rate is nearly the same .
    Obviously with pellet stoves very lttle cast iron is actually necessary .
    John
  5. stoveguy13 Minister of Fire

    joined: Dec 15, 2006
    768 posts
    CT
    quad, harman ,enviro, st croix, lopi
  6. johnnywarm New Member

    joined: Sep 12, 2007
    1,244 posts
    Connecticut
    is cast more for looks in a pellet stove??
  7. drizler Minister of Fire

    joined: Nov 20, 2005
    948 posts
    Chazy, NY 12921
    Having had one and been all through it I don't see the need for cast in a pellet stove, nothing at all but looks. Seriously they are more electric dryer than wood stove really. The outside gets just warm enough to be toasty most of the time except right where the heat exits. Everything else is just moderately hot with the outer casing being only luke warm. My cat sits on ours all the time. Cast, for any real value beyond looks just doesn't in my view factor into anything concerning how well it works. In the real world if you need something welded steel is a whole lot simpler too, just ask the guy here who has a bulldozer made of cast iron. Just not the grandest stuff in a lot of ways except engine blocks and wood stoves. If it turns you on and gives you that special feeling then do it but I wouldn't let it make or break a deal on a pellet stove. Now if it was a bulldozer on the other hand, how does glass jaw sound?.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page