Insert vs Freestanding

[mfetcho]

I am in the process of researching stoves and I have the option in my house to purchase a freestanding wood stove or an insert. I have only had experience burning in freestanding wood stoves and I love the heat they produce. Do inserts offer the same heat output as a freestanding?

 

[Bster13]

A little bit less, but less install costs generally and don't work as well during power outages.

 

[velvetfoot]

I'd go with a stove as well if it fits the room layout and looks good.

 

[bryan]

I have an insert only because I had a prexisting fireplace that I was trying to make use of. If you don't have a fireplace choose a stove as you'll have many more and cheaper options.

 

[Huntindog1]

My choice would be free standing stove as there are many more stoves to choose from and more sizes and shapes of the fire box itself.
Fire boxes tend to be shallow in inserts. You can find more square fireboxes with a free standing and be able to load both ways, east/west and north/south.
Free standing can be ran without a blower most times, usually inserts have to have the blower running. If electric goes out you will like being able to run your stove for heat. If you have a good size ledge coming out from your fire place a free standing can be set about half in the fireplace and half if it setting out on the hearth's ledge or a person can build a ledge onto their fireplace pretty easy. Or if your hearths ledge is big enough the best option is to have the stove sitting all the way out of the fire place for better radiating heat.
Here is a pic I found online:

 

[Highbeam]

You only buy an insert if you are stuck having to use a fireplace. It is a compromise. In every way the insert is an inferior performer.

Beats the heck out of an open fireplace though.

 

[topoftheriver]

I'd go with the free standing stove. I think it gives you more options.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Also what Highbeam left out, an insert finishes off the look of the existing fireplace, while placing a freestanding stove in a fireplace opening is more of an un-natural look

 

[EatenByLimestone]

With rare exception, I've always thought the sheetmetal that most use to close off the opening around the insert to look cheap and ugly. It's all in the eye of the beer holder though. I have to live with the looks of my stoves, they have to live with the looks of their inserts. I hope they like the look.

One other option that some have is a high efficiency fireplace. I don't know much about them, but the ones I've seen look pretty nice.

Matt

 

[paul bunion]

You only buy an insert if you are stuck having to use a fireplace. It is a compromise. In every way the insert is an inferior performer.

Beats the heck out of an open fireplace though.

A compromise it is. The biggest drawbacks are the fan on an insert will make noise, and will require you to run a generator if using it for heat during a power failure.

 

[Dix]

You only buy an insert if you are stuck having to use a fireplace. It is a compromise. In every way the insert is an inferior performer.

Beats the heck out of an open fireplace though.

I disagree. In my situation, the PE insert was the best bet for the upper level of my house. The 13 can take care of the lower level.

Your mileage may vary, of course

 

[btuser]

If it's primary heat, I'd try to make the stove fit. If it's secondary, then I'd go with the option that makes sense.

 

[Ashful]

Also what Highbeam left out, an insert finishes off the look of the existing fireplace, while placing a freestanding stove in a fireplace opening is more of an un-natural look

? If anything looks cheap and un-natural, it's an ugly sheet metal-surround insert stuffed into an otherwise attractive fireplace. I've seen a few folks make the best of it, but I can't imagine it ever being the preferred route.

<-- has freestanding stove placed in fireplace opening, looks natural

 

[fox9988]

Inserts are designed to fix a problem-a fireplace. They do a really good job of it.

 

[Nick Mystic]

I switched from an insert to a free standing stove placed in front of my fireplace this past February. I haven't had a full burning season with the stove yet, but from the time I spent with it at the end of last winter I can make a few observations. For one, it is a big improvement just not having to listen to a fan running all the time. I had to run the insert fan to get any heat out of it and this is the case for most any insert. Mine stuck out of my fireplace about six inches, so I even had the benefit of that part of the stove sticking out in the room. But compared to my Jotul F 600 stove it was nothing. With that big cast iron stove sitting on my hearth extension you can feel the heat radiating off it in every direction.

 

[Wingman]

I have an insert sans the surround that sets deep in the fireplace. If I were to do it again it would be a freestanding stove that sits out further.

 

[dafattkidd]

My insert puts out pretty good heat without the fan, but with the fan it really cranks out heat. Another advantage I found with the insert is the decreased footprint. That being said, if I had space I would prefer a freestander. Either way you're going to be happy. Burning wood for heat is great. Good luck!

 

[btuser]

I'm very happy with the insert. Unless you've got an perfect floor plan odds are there's a fan running ign the house.

 

[jharkin]

You would be surprised how small of a fireplace you can get a freestanding stove hearth mounted into. In my case the lintel is only something like 28inches high ( I don't have the measurement) and the hearth extension is very short, barely in front of the stove door. Yet the installers where still able to make the stove fit, pass clearance rules with heat shields and a hearth pad and pass the fire department inspection.

 

[etiger2007]

It comes down to what you need to get out of your stove, I have an insert and I can get my main living area into the mid 70's with temps well below freezing Thats the room its in, the living room , kitchen and dining area, first floor bed room. The room the insert is in get toasty but not too overwhelming. Im sure I could do much better with a free stander but it would require me to rip out the old manlte and wood trim and replace with a non combustible. Good luck on your desicion.

 

[teutonicking]

I am in the process of researching stoves and I have the option in my house to purchase a freestanding wood stove or an insert. I have only had experience burning in freestanding wood stoves and I love the heat they produce. Do inserts offer the same heat output as a freestanding?

I had the same dilemma when I got my stove two years ago. I really wanted a freestanding stove, but my wife wasn't crazy about the look of stovepipe. So we compromised and extended the hearth a bit and bricked over the fireplace opening so that the pipe would not be visible. Here is a pic of our setup.

 

[Tenn Dave]

View attachment 109331 View attachment 109330

I had the same dilemma when I got my stove two years ago. I really wanted a freestanding stove, but my wife wasn't crazy about the look of stovepipe. So we compromised and extended the hearth a bit and bricked over the fireplace opening so that the pipe would not be visible. Here is a pic of our setup.View attachment 109329

Nice job !

 

[ArchAngel78]

View attachment 109331 View attachment 109330
I had the same dilemma when I got my stove two years ago. I really wanted a freestanding stove, but my wife wasn't crazy about the look of stovepipe. So we compromised and extended the hearth a bit and bricked over the fireplace opening so that the pipe would not be visible. Here is a pic of our setup.View attachment 109329

Wow that is nice! Any more pics or info on your setup? Hearth depth etc?

 

[Todd]

I've never been a big fan of inserts but sometimes they fit the bill if you have a small room and need a flush install due to clearance restraints. I went back and forth with my install and ended up with a stove with a modified fireplace.

 

[Tenn Dave]

I've never been a big fan of inserts but sometimes they fit the bill if you have a small room and need a flush install due to clearance restraints. I went back and forth with my install and ended up with a stove with a modified fireplace.View attachment 109624

Looks good Todd.