Instead of asking what models are good... what models suck?

[Light in the Dark]

Too direct?

My sister and her husband are looking to add a pellet stove to their house. I dont know anything about pellets, but I figure they cant be too radically different from woodstoves (meaning there are a number of premier manufacturers, then the rest). So... who makes the best? I want her to buy once, and not have to worry about it again.

Thanks

 

[smoke show]

Ford vs Chevy vs Dodge....

Stick with the bigger names out there. IMO

Whats available? Got a budget?

Lotsa variables....

 

[Light in the Dark]

I'm in a fact finding stage for her now. They have a finished basement with walk out, that doubles as his photo studio... so I am helping them find a heating source for that room. Pellet makes sense, since they can direct vent outside from where they want to put something.

Who are considered the bigger names in pellets? I know the bigger names for wood stoves, but the pellets.... never really investigated too hard. Lopi? Englander? Who else? Thanks

 

[smoke show]

Quad, Harman, Enviro, etc, etc...

I would determine the features and looks you desire and go from there.

Are they gonna need dealer support? That seems to be a big issue.

 

[Light in the Dark]

I know they have a Napoleon dealer like 2 miles from their house, and various other dealers within like 10 miles. Are there any 'name brands' that aren't made here in the North America? I want to cross those off immediately....

 

[jtakeman]

I'd steer clear of US Stove and Breckwell unless you get a steal on one. Try to find a multifuel unit in the budget that can burn about any pellet plus. No where as picky on the fuel quality as a pellet only stove.

 

[smwilliamson]

If they are installing in a basement you want to consider where the stove will be vented. If they have a walk out that's good. You will most likely want to vent out on that wall, maintaning manufacturer specs from windows and doors etc...If the stove they want require outside air, like Englander, installing in a basement that does not have a walk out wall can be problematic. All Englanders require outside air.

I love Englander stoves and they are cheap. They are all made in USA. USSC is made in China. Quads derive from China but are assembled in the US. Harman is made in USA and one of the best names out there. I'd stay away from Breckwell, USSC, used Hudson Rivers. St Croix just released the Element which is the old pepin with an overfeed shut down control, it is a very sharp looking stove at 40k BTU...

Look for Harman, St. Croix, Enviro, Englander...budget would be helpful. There are several new stoves on the market that can be ducted like the MZC, Drolet, etc...

 

[Lousyweather]

throwing my 2 cents in....and I deal in Harman, so, Im biased, but not a fan of Napoleon. Have sold many a Harman to replace them. Englander is an ok unit, Quad is good, as is Enviro.....Heatilator as well, just a fairly new stove to the market...make sure whatever dealer you buy it from is willing to come out to your neck o' the woods and service it as well tho....kinda a Wheelwright thing, I guess......

 

[imacman]

....not a fan of Napoleon. ........Englander is an ok unit.....

I agree about the Napoleon....not a fan of them. As for the Englander comment, if you factor in the ease at which they can be serviced by the homeowner, the OUTSTANDING customer service, heats as well as any other comparable units, I'd say they are one of the better units around.

 

[letsblaze]

<----- This guy loves his Englander.

 

[Defiant]

Harman

 

[Countryboymo]

A multi-fuel stove usually has more moving parts but is a lot more forgiving on what pellets you can feed it without any issues. Any pellet stove will burn any pellet but some pellets work in some stoves great and others not so great causing cleaning and heat output issues. I enjoy my quadrafire and got a good deal on it used but with what I know now I would look towards a true multifuel stove with more adjustments because I like to tinker. My quad only has an adjustment for the pellet feed rate and low medium and high heat setting and a stat on and off. It auto lights and as long as it is eating pellets it likes it is fairly simple. I would really look at Englander, Harman, Enviro and a few others mentioned previously. One person here heats solely with cherry pits on a multifuel stove dirt cheap.

 

[Lousyweather]

I agree about the Napoleon....not a fan of them. As for the Englander comment, if you factor in the ease at which they can be serviced by the homeowner, the OUTSTANDING customer service, heats as well as any other comparable units, I'd say they are one of the better units around.

Englander does have VERY good consumer service, but, fact is, if you arent handy, you might not be able to replace those parts yourself. Many folks here are handy, dare I say, handier than the general public, so its no big deal to you guys and gals here, but trust me, there are quite a number of folks out there who probably shouldnt be monkeying around in their stoves!

 

[The Ds]

The Heatilator Eco-choice PS50 is basically a quad with a different outer covering......like countrymo above ---it has a low-med-hi setting and a feed adjustment and a great burn pot...Has a stat as well.......We are very happy with ours in the limited time we have had it...Installed earlier this year......There are a few of us who have them on here...

 

[Don2222]

If they are installing in a basement you want to consider where the stove will be vented. If they have a walk out that's good. You will most likely want to vent out on that wall, maintaning manufacturer specs from windows and doors etc...If the stove they want require outside air, like Englander, installing in a basement that does not have a walk out wall can be problematic. All Englanders require outside air.

I love Englander stoves and they are cheap. They are all made in USA. USSC is made in China. Quads derive from China but are assembled in the US. Harman is made in USA and one of the best names out there. I'd stay away from Breckwell, USSC, used Hudson Rivers. St Croix just released the Element which is the old pepin with an overfeed shut down control, it is a very sharp looking stove at 40k BTU...

Look for Harman, St. Croix, Enviro, Englander...budget would be helpful. There are several new stoves on the market that can be ducted like the MZC, Drolet, etc...

What is problematic about having outside air come in thru the top of a basement wall and down into the stove? Englanders are good basic reliable stoves but many of them do not have the features that the more expensive pellet stoves have. Older Hudson River stoves did have problems, but since Enviro bought them out, the new re-designed stoves are terrific. If the Hudson River Kinderhook was out when I bought mine I would have got it! The Kinderhook with it's 3 bag hopper and nice deep ash pan is great for a basement install. The Enviro style burn chamber and burn pot is one of the best in the industry! Their digital control panel is also one of the best in reliability and features! Working on a T-Stat, it is nice to have Auto-On/Off for the shoulder seasons and Auto Hi/Lo for the deep winter months! Not all USSC stoves are made in China. Enviro made by Sherwood Industries is a Canadian company and Inca Metal Cutting LTD that fabricates many of the USSC stoves is also located in Canada.

Inca Metal Cutting LTD 2771 Viscount Way Richmond, BCV6V 2X4
http://www.yelp.com/biz/inca-metal-cutting-ltd-richmond

See price and features of this HR Kinderhook 59k BTU appliance! > http://www.build.com/hudson-river-k...stove-from-the-kinderhook-collection/p1840260

Also I owned one of these stoves and the looks, price, features and the 48k BTUs it cranks out is hard to beat! http://www.tractorsupply.com/united-states-stove-bay-front-pellet-heater-1015646

Pic of my USSC 5660 below. Click pic to enlarge.
Hard to see the beautiful chrome trim on the door and grill in the pic. The fake logs and fire brick in back are pretty!

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

"What is problematic about having outside air come in thru the top of a basement wall and down into the stove?"

Frequently clearance issues can cause problems in a basement install Don. Not everyone has a chimney they can vent their stove through.

All stoves have their issues, some more than others. Unless you plan on doing your own servicing I'd suggest that you look into the reliability/ability/reputation/etc.. of the local dealers more than what brand.

 

[IHATEPROPANE]

I too would have bought the Kinderhook...$2500 by me

 

[Don2222]

Hello Smokey

Yes, no stove is perfect. However on Installations, there are codes and what the manufacturer's stove manual recommends for clearances that must be followed for safety and performance!

 

[Danno77]

oh, this thread wasn't what I thought it would be about. I was hoping people were talking about naughty runway models.

 

[Don2222]

oh, this thread wasn't what I thought it would be about. I was hoping people were talking about naughty runway models.

I do not like to be negative. One important consideration that you should be aware of, is that some stoves that are corn stoves say they can also burn wood pellets! Be very careful. Only true multi-fuel stoves can burn corn and wood pellets well. Most of those multi-fuel stoves have an agitator or pot stirrer in the burn pot. Some of those multi-fuel stoves may not put out as much heat with wood pellets as a true wood pellet stove. So think about what the fuel costs are and what is available in your region. Then get the stove for the fuel that you will be using.

 

[DirtyDave]

I would say look thru here on older pagers and see ALL the whines about the different models and make up your mind.. I say buy Vintage and be happy with no frills

 

[smwilliamson]

What is problematic about having outside air come in thru the top of a basement wall and down into the stove? Englanders are good basic reliable stoves but many of them do not have the features that the more expensive pellet stoves have. Older Hudson River stoves did have problems, but since Enviro bought them out, the new re-designed stoves are terrific. If the Hudson River Kinderhook was out when I bought mine I would have got it! The Kinderhook with it's 3 bag hopper and nice deep ash pan is great for a basement install. The Enviro style burn chamber and burn pot is one of the best in the industry! Their digital control panel is also one of the best in reliability and features! Working on a T-Stat, it is nice to have Auto-On/Off for the shoulder seasons and Auto Hi/Lo for the deep winter months! Not all USSC stoves are made in China. Enviro made by Sherwood Industries is a Canadian company and Inca Metal Cutting LTD that fabricates many of the USSC stoves is also located in Canada.

Inca Metal Cutting LTD 2771 Viscount Way Richmond, BCV6V 2X4
http://www.yelp.com/biz/inca-metal-cutting-ltd-richmond

See price and features of this HR Kinderhook 59k BTU appliance! > http://www.build.com/hudson-river-k...stove-from-the-kinderhook-collection/p1840260

Also I owned one of these stoves and the looks, price, features and the 48k BTUs it cranks out is hard to beat! http://www.tractorsupply.com/united-states-stove-bay-front-pellet-heater-1015646

Pic of my USSC 5660 below. Click pic to enlarge.
Hard to see the beautiful chrome trim on the door and grill in the pic. The fake logs and fire brick in back are pretty!

Sherwood didn't buy Hudson River out, they started making their models. I think the Enviro (Sherwood) burn cha,ber design is flawed as there is no separation from the ash pan...if you want the same burn chamber design...go with a Whitfield...Enviro copied it. Best fire box design I would have to say is Harman followed by Travis (Lopi/ Avalon)...but to get back to the OP....models that routinely give me problems...AES, Breckwell (newer), older Hudson River and USSC...Danson from time to time and any natural draft stove still barely chugging along.

 

[DexterDay]

Don2222- The problem with most outside air installs for basements, is the intake must be below the exhaust vent. In most standard basement installs, the brick is barely 18" above grade. By the time you get your vent 18"-24" above grade, your OAK Cant be above it. It must be 12" beside or below. 12" below the 18" is 6" above ground..... Snow gets way deeper than 6" by me... Gets deeper than 18" by the house.....

Thats the problem with them... Its kinda hard to OAK a basement install. If its not a Full basement and only 3-4 ft brick walls, its much easier. But a standard, run of the mill, brick basement, with full brick up the wall and only 18" of brick above grade outside. Its not easy. Its possible.

 

[Don2222]

Sherwood didn't buy Hudson River out, they started making their models. I think the Enviro (Sherwood) burn cha,ber design is flawed as there is no separation from the ash pan...if you want the same burn chamber design...go with a Whitfield...Enviro copied it. Best fire box design I would have to say is Harman followed by Travis (Lopi/ Avalon)...but to get back to the OP....models that routinely give me problems...AES, Breckwell (newer), older Hudson River and USSC...Danson from time to time and any natural draft stove still barely chugging along.

Ok Enviro did not buy them but they make their stoves now which is alot better!
Why do you say the Enviro burn chamber is flawed? Travis and Whitefield have ash dumps that must be opened every few days to brush the ashes into the ash pan. The Enviro like the Quadrafire CB1200 and Magnum Baby Countryside burn chambers are open to the ash pan so the ashes fall right into the ash pan so no ash dumping and less burn chamber brushing is needed. They also have an ash pan gasket and must seal tight so there is no lazy flame. The Travis and Whitfields do not need a sealed ash pan with a gasket.

Also why do you say Travis is better than Whitefield? - What is the difference?

I believe Travis copied the Whitefield design. Right?

Pic 1 Below - Whitefield Profile 30 closed Ash Dumps in bottom of burn Chamber box.
Pic 2 below - Enviro Meridian Burn chamber shows both sides of burn pot open to ash pan
Pic 3 Below - Shows my temperature test of my Enviro Meridian of 200 Deg F during low fire shutdown!
You can also see the sides of the burn pot open the the ash pan.
Pic 4 Below - Shows my Travis Avalon Astoria fire box with open Ash Dumps - See yellow Arrows
Click on Pics to enlarge:

 

[Don2222]

Don2222- The problem with most outside air installs for basements, is the intake must be below the exhaust vent. In most standard basement installs, the brick is barely 18" above grade. By the time you get your vent 18"-24" above grade, your OAK Cant be above it. It must be 12" beside or below. 12" below the 18" is 6" above ground..... Snow gets way deeper than 6" by me... Gets deeper than 18" by the house.....

Thats the problem with them... Its kinda hard to OAK a basement install. If its not a Full basement and only 3-4 ft brick walls, its much easier. But a standard, run of the mill, brick basement, with full brick up the wall and only 18" of brick above grade outside. Its not easy. Its possible.

I see your point. I have a walk out basement so no real issue. Also I am going into a center chimney for the pellet exhaust vent and the OAK just goes out the back wall of the house.
It depends upon the basement configuration that someone may have but still can be done.