getting smarter trying to figure out the stove question BUT still confused

I have been researching/looking for a different wood stove for our home. Home is a 1300 sq ft ranch on a full basement. Have a wood furnace in the basement for when it's really cold. But it is really too much furnace for our home. It's great when it's zero out, but when it's 45 degrees out, we are opening windows.
We put an intrepid 2 from vermont castings in the living room. It's too small. No way to get an overnight fire. And I feel like we are pushing the stove all the time to get the heat we need. And I don't like CAT stoves now.
So I am looking at older stoves on craigslist since there isn't a money tree in our backyard. If I have this correct--the older stoves like the Fisher, Timberline and All nighter burn more wood than the newer stoves. How much more wood do the older ones take? do the older stoves do a good job of heating? We have a good wood source that we cut ourselves so we are not Buying wood.
I am looking for a stove that will hold a fire overnight, and have a surface I can cook on if I had too. Would be great too if it will heat without a blower in case the power goes out.
What about a Sierra wood stove? found one of them on craigslist and it was a side load with a glass front. Can you see the fire with it or does the glass just turn black? Were they good stoves?
i know the Fisher was a good stove. buck stove seems to have a good name. Any other recommendations to look for? or stay away from? thanks for the help!

The older non-EPA stoves will burn more wood, they will give you more creosote troubles too, the clearances might be pretty large - like 36 inches to combustables in some instances and your insurance company might not approve of a non-EPA stove in your house - so tread carefully.

Having said the above, how much $$$'s do you have to spend? Are you getting rid of the VC?

Bill

I am so getting rid of the Vermont Castings. I don't like how I have to push it to get the heat i need and I feel like I am constantly watching temps too much. I kinda wonder if the draft we have is too much for the size stove. The chimney is 8 x 12 clay lined with a 6 inch stainless steel liner. the liner comes right down into the stove. I have a block off plate that is insulated. The chimney is 14 feet tall I think. I do like the front and top load on the VC. It has an ash pan that is nice too. I just need a bigger stove for what we are trying to do. The house is 1300 sq ft and the stove is rated for 1200 sq ft. Evidentally they test the stove in FL to see if the stove will heat a 1200 sq ft home, not in Montana!

We clean our own chimneys at least 2x's a heating season, or at least go up on the roof and check things out. The Crosswinds furnace in the basement will make some creosote, so that's why we check it out. The Crosswinds is too big and we are always damping it down which makes the creosote. It will run you out of the house if you let it. The Crosswinds is out of business and was installed in 1989.

thanks for answering me! I am looking on craigslist first. I think I would like to stay around $500 if the stove is used. I don't think we can do the $2500 stove as money is just way too non-existent. I could maybe go a little higher on a new stove--kinda depends if I can sell the VC and put it towards a new stove.

I don't have a lot of combustibles close. I have this wall of stone where the stove will go. I am going to get one of those hearth pads you can put a wood stove on at the hardware store and put it on the floor in front of the stove to protect it for this year. In this pic I just have a heat resistant rug.