Does size matter?

[begreen]

We get a few folks every year that need to downsize. You can overestimate heating need. FWIW a non-cat 2 cu ft stove can match a 3 cu ft burn time. The mid-sized PE stoves do this.

 

[bsruther]

We get a few folks every year that need to downsize. You can overestimate heating need. FWIW a non-cat 2 cu ft stove can match a 3 cu ft burn time. The mid-sized PE stoves do this.

And those are great options, if you want to pay twice as much.

 

[Hogwildz]

I'll quote my chimney sweep "I'd rather see a smaller stove burn hot to heat a home then a larger stove burn cool"

A large stove doesn't burn any cooler than a small stove. With properly dried wood it will burn just as hot, only for a shorter period of time if loaded less.
I can burn 3 splits in my 3cf firebox and have no issues. When I need it, I can load it full and also have no issues. It's been done every year for going on 9 years.
Aside from the first year, which was learning operation on my part, I avg a mason jar or less of fine brown coffee ground ash.
I also sweep my own chimney and know exactly what it looks like up top too. Have never even clogged the screen, with the exception of the first year. My learning burning habits and wet wood being the contributing factors, not the stove.

 

[Hogwildz]

We get a few folks every year that need to downsize. You can overestimate heating need. FWIW a non-cat 2 cu ft stove can match a 3 cu ft burn time. The mid-sized PE stoves do this.

I disagree with that, but each set up will have it's own results.
The mid size PE is a great stove, no doubt about that. But it ain't going to get the burn times I get, not here.
Far more folks have had issues and complaints of not enough stove when really needed, then too much stove.