I Finally Saw The Mighty PE Summit Insert

[BrotherBart]

Walked into the local stove shop today and they had re-arraigned the whole place. Walked to the back and there was a strange new insert sitting in the display area. I'll be damned. A PE Summit insert. After what seems like decades hearing about them on this site, and trying to find one three years ago to replace my old insert, there it was. The Nirvana of inserts right in front of me. The king of wood heaters. When I was looking nobody in the mid-Atlantic had ever heard of this marvelous God's answer to wood heat.

Well, I took a look and can't see what all the shouting is about. Glad I saved a grand plus. Thick steel, no question, but that firebox configuration makes me claustrophobic compared to the 30-NC. And an ashlip angled down, what is that about? Ashlips are supposed to catch stuff. Yep, big solid stainless baffle up top. Too close up top, no wonder you guys with Summits love not being able to hurt it smacking it with splits. You have to to load the stove. And I hope those door hinges are replaceable because I have never seen more wimpy wood stove door hinges in my life. And that door glass is just downright small.

I would still like to see a Summit Classic but for now I don't know what all the shouting has been about. If the 30 doesn't melt down this year I think I will just stick with it.

 

[Hogwildz]

Walked into the local stove shop today and they had re-arraigned the whole place. Walked to the back and there was a strange new insert sitting in the display area. I'll be damned. A PE Summit insert. After what seems like decades hearing about them on this site, and trying to find one three years ago to replace my old insert, there it was. The Nirvana of inserts right in front of me. The king of wood heaters. When I was looking nobody in the mid-Atlantic had ever heard of this marvelous God's answer to wood heat.

Well, I took a look and can't see what all the shouting is about. Glad I saved a grand plus. Thick steel, no question, but that firebox configuration makes me claustrophobic compared to the 30-NC. And an ashlip angled down, what is that about? Ashlips are supposed to catch stuff. Yep, big solid stainless baffle up top. Too close up top, no wonder you guys with Summits love not being able to hurt it smacking it with splits. You have to to load the stove. And I hope those door hinges are replaceable because I have never seen more wimpy wood stove door hinges in my life. And that door glass is just downright small.

I would still like to see a Summit Classic but for now I don't know what all the shouting has been about. If the 30 doesn't melt down this year I think I will just stick with it.

LMAO, the 30 has .5cf larger fire box. The ashlip doesn't angle down on mine? Maybe they didn't have it bolted on tightly? Not sure what ya mean by the baffle being too close up top? Hinges are fine, no problems here at least.
While the Door glass might be smaller than you like, its fine for me. It may not be fancy and cast iron, but in this house it pulls its weight and does a fine job heating the place. Thats why I am happy.

 

[madrone]

OK, it's time for me to visit the PE dealer near me. I have to see the thing for myself.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Troll!





Matt

 

[Todd]

I can picture you in that shop kneeling down giving praise to the almighty Summit BB. :lol: Too bad Englander doesn't have a 30 insert.

 

[iceman]

Walked into the local stove shop today and they had re-arraigned the whole place. Walked to the back and there was a strange new insert sitting in the display area. I'll be damned. A PE Summit insert. After what seems like decades hearing about them on this site, and trying to find one three years ago to replace my old insert, there it was. The Nirvana of inserts right in front of me. The king of wood heaters. When I was looking nobody in the mid-Atlantic had ever heard of this marvelous God's answer to wood heat.

Well, I took a look and can't see what all the shouting is about. Glad I saved a grand plus. Thick steel, no question, but that firebox configuration makes me claustrophobic compared to the 30-NC. And an ashlip angled down, what is that about? Ashlips are supposed to catch stuff. Yep, big solid stainless baffle up top. Too close up top, no wonder you guys with Summits love not being able to hurt it smacking it with splits. You have to to load the stove. And I hope those door hinges are replaceable because I have never seen more wimpy wood stove door hinges in my life. And that door glass is just downright small.

I would still like to see a Summit Classic but for now I don't know what all the shouting has been about. If the 30 doesn't melt down this year I think I will just stick with it.

LMAO, the 30 has .5cf larger fire box. The ashlip doesn't angle down on mine? Maybe they didn't have it bolted on tightly? Not sure what ya mean by the baffle being too close up top? Hinges are fine, no problems here at least.
While the Door glass might be smaller than you like, its fine for me. It may not be fancy and cast iron, but in this house it pulls its weight and does a fine job heating the place. Thats why I am happy.

OMG! we are still in Augsut and I sense a heated PE disscussion coming on!
My ash lip isnt angled down either.... and I think everyone wants a bigger window in just about every stove....
But, many peoiple have complained about the unattractive looks of englanders and summers heat..... however... they do work well as BB has spoken very highly of this stove as well as others.... to each his own I guess........ kinda like comparing Ford trucks to Chevy to Toyotas
or the Firebird to Camaro to Trans am to Corvette to the Viper..... evryone has there opinion....
While englanders/ summers heat are very good stoves ALOT of people wont buy them just because they assume since depot and lowes sell them they arent any good or " cheap" many stores here in the northeast consider PE (did) like and entry level stove... the harmans, hamptons, jotuls, and vermont castings are the "name brand" stoves with regency and pe the cheaper alternatives...(at least that was my impression as the "big fireplace " stores do not sell them only the "little guys"
so, as to make my point, many of us happy pe owners "feel" like we got a great stove and saved money over the other ones... the same as you got a great stove and saved money over us... if englander had a insert on size with the 30 i woulda considered it .... but BB , you should take a lot at the T6 that is a heck of a stove....i ask my summit to heat 2000+sq ft

 

[BrotherBart]

Troll!





Matt

:coolgrin:

 

[bsa0021]

Thanks BB! I was ready to buy a PE super over a Hampton insert but now maybe I should reconsider.

 

[BrotherBart]

Thanks BB! I was ready to buy a PE super over a Hampton insert but now maybe I should reconsider.

Take a good look at both stoves. Maybe I was just having a bad day. :lol: I guess I have just gotten used to the extra .5 cubic foot since it is above the top of the firebrick and seems to give working room that I didn't see with the Summit. With the Summit it just looked like I would have to pack it right up against the baffle. Everybody, well except one guy that sold his last year, seems to love'em though.

I picked on the Hampton I saw a couple of years ago too. Just like I have picked on the 30-NC.

 

[Hogwildz]

Thanks BB! I was ready to buy a PE super over a Hampton insert but now maybe I should reconsider.

Take a good look at both stoves. Maybe I was just having a bad day. :lol: I guess I have just gotten used to the extra .5 cubic foot since it is above the top of the firebrick and seems to give working room that I didn't see with the Summit. With the Summit it just looked like I would have to pack it right up against the baffle. Everybody, well except one guy that sold his last year, seems to love'em though.

I picked on the Hampton I saw a couple of years ago too. Just like I have picked on the 30-NC.

Thats the beauty of the heavier baffle, you can pack it to the bottom of it.

 

[iceman]

Thanks BB! I was ready to buy a PE super over a Hampton insert but now maybe I should reconsider.

Take a good look at both stoves. Maybe I was just having a bad day. :lol: I guess I have just gotten used to the extra .5 cubic foot since it is above the top of the firebrick and seems to give working room that I didn't see with the Summit. With the Summit it just looked like I would have to pack it right up against the baffle. Everybody, well except one guy that sold his last year, seems to love'em though.

I picked on the Hampton I saw a couple of years ago too. Just like I have picked on the 30-NC.

Thats the beauty of the heavier baffle, you can pack it to the bottom of it.

yes thats right
but comparing a 30 to a summit to a hampton ?????? they are all completely different stoves! heck ones doesnt even come in an insert!?!?!?

 

[i3bpvh]

I've been doing a lot of research looking for an insert this year, and I really like the summit... what I've heard and seen of it. the only question I have left is, is this insert too big for my house? I've always gone by bigger is better, but I don't want to get burned out of the house on those over nights. I live in a 3 level split, fireplace is in the basement, bedrooms are right above. thanks.

 

[BrotherBart]

The object should be a warm house in the morning. Not the stove full of coals in the morning Kool Aid. Go with the Summit and you will love it. It will do an overnight burn on two cubic feet of wood just like a two cubic foot stove will. The heat from downstairs will work its way up over night and not roast you out. Well, at least after you learn how to feed and control it. That takes awhile.

That said, if you pack that sucker full and give it a little air to run with it is gonna get damned hot in the joint. Also, you control a lot of the output of an insert with the blower speed. I don't have an insert anymore but a free standing monster in the fireplace. I can have it cranking without the blower going and life is comfortable downstairs. When I get ready to go to bed I turn the blower up to move more heat out of the fireplace. Everything in your house absorbs heat and then releases it. The furniture, the walls etc. Heating up the downstairs just lets that heat get steadily released overnight and it does what heat does. Either goes out through the walls or comes upstairs to see ya.

 

[BrotherBart]

About that PE ash lip being angled down. The thing sits level but what is the deal with the front edge rolled down? Every other ash lip in the world is turned up at the front to, well, hold the ashes and crap that falls out. That thing on the PE stoves is just plain dumb. Great stove but...

 

[Todd]

It's like an upper lip instead of a lower lip. %-P

 

[BrotherBart]

It's like an upper lip instead of a lower lip. %-P

What do you know? You don't even have a door in the front of the Magical Fireview. :lol:

 

[Todd]

It's like an upper lip instead of a lower lip. %-P

What do you know? You don't even have a door in the front of the Magical Fireview. :lol:

Yeah your right, I'll zip my lip.

 

[Hogwildz]

About that PE ash lip being angled down. The thing sits level but what is the deal with the front edge rolled down? Every other ash lip in the world is turned up at the front to, well, hold the ashes and crap that falls out. That thing on the PE stoves is just plain dumb. Great stove but...

It catches any small amount of ash that may stray out while scooping the ash out or sometimes the small amount that swirls out when opening the door with ash up near the front. If ya need a lip to collect inches worth of ash, there is more of a problem than the ash lip edge. And of course us "elite" Summit owners do it right the first time.

 

[begreen]

About that PE ash lip being angled down. The thing sits level but what is the deal with the front edge rolled down? Every other ash lip in the world is turned up at the front to, well, hold the ashes and crap that falls out. That thing on the PE stoves is just plain dumb. Great stove but...

The cast ash lip on the Alderlea is up and quite deep. It catches a lot of crap.

 

[BrotherBart]

My wood burning brother, how is this ashlip gonna catch anything?

 

[begreen]

The picture is deceiving. Tis a mighty thick door on this beastie. Here's a shot with the door open. Ash tray is 4" deep and the lip is 1/2" high. Works for me most of the time unless I'm being careless or sloppy.

 

[BrotherBart]

They are wonderful. I would let my sister marry one. :cheese:

 

[Hogwildz]

They are wonderful. I would let my sister marry one. :cheese:

But would you let her marry me???? Muhahaha

 

[karl]

Bart,

You must have been having a bad day. The extra half a cubic foot you have really means nothing. For the Summit to be a 3.5 cubic foot box it would only have to be 2.4 inches taller inside. The fact that we have a durable secondary air system does let us pack it to the top. I bet with your stove not having the stainless baffle you have to be careful not to hit yours and you probably don't use all of that extra 2.5 inches.

As for the window, you have to be joking. That thing nearly covers the whole front of the stove.

The hinges are fine. I swing on my door daily.

My ash lip is flat There is a plate inside the stove at the front that is angled, but it is angled back towards the firebox so stuff falls back in. This is the plate that has the holes drilled in it for the primary air.

 

[BrotherBart]

The thread served its purpose. It brought Hogwildz back out of the woodwork for the start of the season. As to the firebox loading, both stoves are actually 3 cubic foot boxes given that you aren't supposed to load either one above the firebrick. On the 30 that extra space at the top is for combustion above the wood. So I never have to worry about jabbing the baffle boards. Well, not after the first season when I learned that it burns just as hot and just as long when you don't try to pack it to the roof.

The "angle down" in the lip around the Summit ashlip is that it is rolled down instead of up all the way around. Not a slope in the lip itself. Not kidding on the glass whatsoever. After the larger glass on the 30 and some other stoves, it just looks small.

Stand proud Summit insert owners. Great stove. I am just glad though that after I finally saw one in the flesh I wasn't upset over not finding one when I was looking for a stove like I thought I was going to be.