Gas Fireplace Insert, what would you install?

I am planning on shopping for and having installed a natural gas fireplace insert. Before I start heading out to the retail shops I wanted some opionions on brands, reputation, etc.
I have a colonial home and plan on putting a traditional looking insert, cast iron on the main form and will plan on using it to heat the living room and upstairs part of the house.
I have been looking at Lennox and I like the look of the Shoreline and Revenna models. What other reputable brands with great track records should I consider? Are most of the brands at this price range reputable and is it just a matter of preference?
I am looking for at least 30,000 btu unit, with lots of glass and a real fire look that I am not going regret in a few years regarding reliablility.
My opening is 34"wide by 30" High and I appreciate your posts in advance, and yes I will be going out to the retailers in the near future, just wanted to get some information first.
D-

The Shoreline says it needs a 36" wide opening so that would not fit, it also seems to be made for ZC prefab boxes, not masonry. The Revenna comes in a 33" model so it might fit, the site does not give the opening size needed and I did not feel like downloading the install manual.

I would check out the Heat & Glo FB-IN: http://www.heatnglo.com/Products/FB-IN-Gas-Insert.aspx

We used to have a Quadrafire model in our showroom with the cast iron like the Revenna but I cannot find it on their site, it may have been discontinued.

Thanks JTP, I do appreciate your reply. I will look at the heatnglo and will see about the Quadfire model. Any insight on reliability with Lennox or Heat n Glo?
Thanks

I don't encounter much Lennox stuff, just cheap builder boxes usually, never get see any of thier nicer stuff in action. We sell Heat & Glo so thats mostly what I know, the inserts are very reliable. The only major service calls I can think of have been under warranty.

When you do get an insert, I would make sure it is a "direct vent" model and not a B-Vent. The direct vent inserts can be installed with just a stubby liner for the air intake, I would make sure they run both liners (exhaust and intake) from the insert all the way to the cap. We have noticed with the stubby liner the insert pulls in contaminants from the old flue which turns into a white haze on the inside of the firebox.

white have is typically just mineral build-up from the gas, very common over time.....

try rutland white off, for example
White Off® Glass-Ceramic Cleaning Cream
Non-abrasive White Off glass cleaning cream is specially formulated to remove white residue caused by gas log fires on glass fireplace doors. It cleans without scratching or micro-pitting. Great for cleaning glass-ceramic cooktops, composite sinks and fiberglass showers. Also safe for use on
glass-ceramic woodstove windows.

IMHO, Avalon and Lopi have one of the nicest looking flame. I have a natural gas Lopi Berkshire freestanding stove and the flames looked by far much better than Quadra-fire, Hearthstone, and Jotul. I am very happy with it, many extras you can buy like an accent light and different brick fire backs. Take a look at my signature to see the flame on my gas stove

Some brands I have sold in the past with customers loving them:
Quadrafire
Jotul
Hearthstone
Regency

All make a great quality product. Just find the one you like the look of and that also fits in your fireplace. Make sure if you have the fireplace company install the gas line that they do the proper testing afterwards and if they are using any kind of flex tubing that the tech AT YOUR HOUSE has been properly trained. Lastly, to have the lead installer be NFI Certified would be a smart move.

I noticed the original poster lives on Long Island. Embers Fireplace and Stove, on Milbar St. in Farmingdale, has a showroom set up with many products setup to fire for demonstration. Lennox is the most reliable, and they also offer the Regency brand. Napoleon is a good, solid value product. Town and Country is a fantastic high end product that you should check out!

I'll say that after being in the Hearth Industry on Long Island for 15 years or so that if I was going to buy a fireplace product as a consumer, Embers would be the place I would shop.

I myself am a GREAT FAN of the Mendota products.

Hows that first his first post. Must be the local Mendota rep

All kidding aside, Mendota makes a fine product as far as I'm concerned

sign up just to vote in a "what unit to buy?" thread, funny

we used to sell mendota, good stuff if i recall

Just a local dealer..... That's all.....
I have sold my fair share of Hearth products.
I take towards Mendota and Jotul or Travis isn't to bad either!! Everyone in there brother has it though!!

What dealer are you?

Dido on the white off, it is great stuff! The white haze on the glass is just a by-product of burning gas, especially LP Gas as mentioned above.
Fireplace Extrodinaire are suppose to be very good units, as well as Mendota Units.
Make sure you like the way the unit looks burning and not burning, and also how it will look with your home decor. Good luck in your search for your insert.

LB

If you looking for a big viewing area, the new Heat & Glo Escape Fire Brick Line is the most realistic flame out there... but that's just my opinion. They're very new, just hitting showrooms in the last few weeks.