jotul 600 firelight or isle royale?

[SPED]

Ok, I've narrowed it down to two stoves. The wife's main thing is aesthetics and these two fit the bill. Now I have to narrow between these two for performance and durability. I'm heating 2000 sq ft, r-13 walls, r-38 attic, double pane windows, but i do have two big rooms(600sq ft total) with vaulted ceilings and only r-19 insulation. So that's why I'm dismissing the jotul 500 oslo, even though I liked it... I really don't want to go two small.

So time to let it fly, I know this has been asked before, but the 600 was new then. I don't like the double doors, but I measured and i can fairly easily use the right side loading on the 600 and the isle royale has top loading. So i'm ok there. So I'm curious what people are getting for long burn times(i'll be burning mostly red oak on the cold days) and any personal likes dislikes. Also, it seems like jotul has been around forever but quad has the limited lifetime warranty. So far it seems to me like I probably would be happy with either, but I'll be owning this sucker for the next 30 years so I want to make the best decision.

 

[quinn]

I burn 24/7 with the 600 and have never used the Quadrafire. The double front doors have never been an issue with the 600 and I am very satisfied with the stove. I use Tamarck (aka Larch) which is a semi-hardwood and I will have enough of a coal bed to light the next fire after 10-11 hours. My place is 2700 sq feet, 104 years old and well insulated in a cold climate and the 600 does just fine.

The air control lever has been a bit of an issue. Actually, it is more the air slider in the stove that has been troublesome as it gets very hard to slide back and forth. My stove is four years old and I am not sure if the newer stoves have the same problem or not. I simply applied some high temp grease and it works fine although I do have to reapply it two to three times a season.

I think I would like the top loading option especially as I get older with the thought of creaky knees creeping into my life.

As I am sure others will say, you will likely be very happy with either stove. It will boil down to appearance and any extras that appeal to you in terms of functionality. Have fun with your choice.

 

[adrpga498]

I have a 6 year old castine (double door ) model. Never a problem when I only open right hand door to load. So...as far as I'm concerned I wouldn't let the double door be an issue. As a matter of fact I've heard some say they would rather have my model then the newer single door.

 

[jbrown56]

SPED, I heat 2100 sq. ft., 24/7, open concept floor plan with cathedral ceilings and four sky lights on the second floor. I looked at the 600 also and wasn't impressed with the double doors or the handle set up. I'm glad I got the 500 as it does a great job heating the house. The 600 would have been too much stove for this house. This morning, it was 6* outside and on the windowsill 30' away from the stove it was 66*. We load at 10p and at 7a there are plenty of coals to get the fire going again and the stovetop is around 250*. The ashpan gets emptied every three days, works well and makes minimal mess. I've been burning since mid Oct. and have burned about three cord so far. More heat with less wood and the secondary burn is spectacular. I used my old steel box stove for 26 years so I didn't take the decision to change stoves lightly. Hope this helps.

Jim

 

[BotetourtSteve]

I'm 2 weeks in with a 600, after a lifetime (I'm 40) of old school steels. Side load exclusively, no problems. Don't like the double doors, but don't use them except to clean glass occasionally, so maybe easier if I used them more. Pluses: hotter temps and heat output, longer burn times (10 hrs and stove still has coals and is at 250 degrees) which obviously translate into less wood burned, and less furnace kicking on or gas logs to burn high dollar propane. Ash pan is nice (empty every 3 days w/24-7 burning) and easy. Minuses: Cost ($2500 w/fan, tax), but I choke on anything that costs over a 100 bucks... Figure to recoop that cost within 3-4 years w/cost savings on wood and propane.

 

[stoveguy13]

either stove will do you a good job for personal felling i like the side load more then the top but dont think you will go wrong either way one other thing you may want to consider is the isle royale will need the brick changed from time to time

 

[begreen]

I suspect the IR will need a bit more maintenance over the years. It has more moving parts, burn tubes and firebrick. But top loading is sweet. If enamel, then IMHO the Jotul has the upper edge. It is tougher and available in many more colors. The IR however, is lightly more efficient and cleaner burning.

 

[SPED]

Man those burn times sound great! Right now I get whopping 2 hour burn times with my old franklin ;-) I think just the overnight burns will be a major cost savings for me on natural gas. No matter what I do now, even loading at midnight, the furnace has to kick on overnight. Plus using less wood, I figure it'll take me more like 6 or so years to recoup my cost on it, but hey how many things pay for themselves at all. I did really like the 500, I'm just worried that it won't keep up when it goes below zero here. On the other hand I don't wanna roast us out of the house. Those with the 600's any issue getting secondary burns?

 

[quinn]

Nope, secondary burn happens easily. Just bring the stove up to temperature (400-600+) and you will be burning efficiently. I also burn with the 400 and find that the 400 gets hot fast compared to the larger 600 (I guess this is pretty obvious though eh?).

 

[myzamboni]

Man those burn times sound great! Right now I get whopping 2 hour burn times with my old franklin ;-) I think just the overnight burns will be a major cost savings for me on natural gas. No matter what I do now, even loading at midnight, the furnace has to kick on overnight. Plus using less wood, I figure it'll take me more like 6 or so years to recoup my cost on it, but hey how many things pay for themselves at all. I did really like the 500, I'm just worried that it won't keep up when it goes below zero here. On the other hand I don't wanna roast us out of the house. Those with the 600's any issue getting secondary burns?

Just use smaller loads to help curb this.

 

[SPED]

Man those burn times sound great! Right now I get whopping 2 hour burn times with my old franklin ;-) I think just the overnight burns will be a major cost savings for me on natural gas. No matter what I do now, even loading at midnight, the furnace has to kick on overnight. Plus using less wood, I figure it'll take me more like 6 or so years to recoup my cost on it, but hey how many things pay for themselves at all. I did really like the 500, I'm just worried that it won't keep up when it goes below zero here. On the other hand I don't wanna roast us out of the house. Those with the 600's any issue getting secondary burns?

Just use smaller loads to help curb this.

Yep, good point for sure, do smaller loads hurt the secondary burn? Or is that totally unrelated? And thanks for all the responses so far, I always like to hear from people using something before I buy it, and yes anything over 100 bucks I am leery off too ;-) I guess that's a good thing as it drives me to research it well first.....

 

[northwinds]

It's been relatively warm today, and I lit two 1/2 load fires--one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
Temps ran above 650 quickly with the 1/2 loads, and had nice secondary burns both times. Burn times
are much shorter, but I wouldn't want them any longer. It was warm in the house today. Still 74 and the
fire has been out, except for hot coals, for a couple of hours. I think you'll be happy with either of these
stoves with a good supply of dry, well-seasoned wood.

 

[SPED]

Thanks northwinds that's exactly the info I was looking for. I haven't actually seen the isle royale in person yet, but gonna go scope it out tomorrow, and then it's decision time!!

 

[swestall]

I like both of these stoves. And, since they both use secondary tubes they both burn clean w/o a problem. The big thing with the Isle Royale is that the burn tube baffle swings up to load from the top. The Jotul side door is a great loading option and you most likely wouldn't use the front doors; that is as long as the right side of your install location had the clearance for you to use the door.

Either way, you have two winners here.

 

[SPED]

Argh, went to the stove shop without calling first, going by their info on the web, no isle royale on the floor, but he could get me one for 2k, and then of course he told me about how evil the jotuls are ;-) And tried to sell me a VC, I told him I'd rather keep my franklin.... So far it's looking like it might be the jotul if I can't find a quad to look at.

 

[SPED]

Well I'm gonna sleep on it tonight but I think the final decision is gonna be the jotul 600 firelight in matte black, which I can pick up in the morning. The wife liked the matte better and I'm a lil wary of chipping with the enamel finish, which even the salesman warned me of. Looks like about $1954 with the 15% end of season discount. Now I gotta find me some chimney ;-)

 

[myzamboni]

Well I'm gonna sleep on it tonight but I think the final decision is gonna be the jotul 600 firelight in matte black, which I can pick up in the morning. The wife liked the matte better and I'm a lil wary of chipping with the enamel finish, which even the salesman warned me of. Looks like about $1954 with the 15% end of season discount. Now I gotta find me some chimney ;-)

the matte can chip too, it's just easier to repair. BeGreen swears the enamel is tough on the Jotuls, so something to consider . . .

 

[begreen]

Thick, majolica porcelain enamel is more chip prone, but the blue-black & ivory finish is a different fusing process. It's the best I've ever had on a stove. The enamel may not be perfectly chip-proof, but you will have to work to ding it. And with the blue black finish, I would imagine that a chip would not show up very well. One thing for certain, if you take care of the stove, in 5 years, it will still look like new.

That said, I do like the look of a new, classic black stove, just not how they look after a few years. The casting sand impressions in a black stove fill with dust and ash over time which greys their finish. The only way to keep them looking sharp is a repaint or stove blacking.

 

[SPED]

Yeah I like the idea too that I can repaint it myself with the matte, did it to my dads stove a few years ago, stunk like crazy first few burns, but looks like new!!

 

[swestall]

I think that is a good decision. I like the Isle Royale a lot, but the only thing I wondered was how that rotating burn tube assembly would last over a long, long time.

I also like the matte black. We were thinking enamel but you just can't really fix a chip so it looks right, not a problem with the flat cast finish..

You will like the Jotul and it will heat.....really heat!

 

[SPED]

Well I bought the firelight in matte black! It's sitting in the bed of my truck right now, tarped like crazy, no snow is getting on that bad boy. Amazing that the crate comes all the way from norway and is in perfect shape. I did an inspection with them before we put it on the truck too. 2110 with tax and all. Now to get some friends over here to get that bad boy out of the truck..... and to scrounge home depot for leftover simpson duraplus on sale.......

 

[quinn]

Hey, congratulations. I am sitting in front of my 600 right now and it has served me well. I have had if for five years and put about 30 cords through it and it is still working very well. Have fun with the install and enjoy the heat.

 

[jbrown56]

SPED, Congrats on your new stove. I hope you get many good warm years out of it.

Jim

 

[BotetourtSteve]

Hey Sped:

If you figure out what that little allen wrench is for in the packet of goodies, let me know. I never did figure out what it was supposed to be used for. Remember that she is going to smell a bit (right much to progressively less, off and on for 4-5 days for me) as excess paint burns off/cures the first few burns, so be prepared to have to crack a window or door. I found after the second day or so that a strong candle sufficed at masking the odor, particularly since it was cold out! Other than that, been pretty elementary to operate, although still experimenting with hotter temps (over 500)/when to add wood (to coals or semi-active fire for more smoke burn)/air control setting (when to turn back from wide open and where to set). Don't bother putting air control setting all the way closed (left) - will not get clean burn, just an active smolder that blackens glass. Go one seashell notch right (the scallop pattern below the air control) and it will do fine - that is where I am setting it to achieve overnight (10 hr) burns with no problem.

When starting fire (haven't done that much since initial burn in fires, been 24/7 and easy to restart with coal bed), I have found that, while strongly not recommended (by Jotul that is), if she is a little slow or stubborn taking off, you can crack the ashpan door for a few seconds (no more than 30 - you'll see) and it is like pouring gas on the fire. While they urge no burning with the ashpan door open, I cannot imagine that 30 seconds or less will do any harm - and trust me, that is all the time you will need. Do not leave the ashpan door open however with fire burning unattended - such as when you go to empty the ash drawer.

Bout all I can think of for now, but feel free to holler if you have any questions since I am only about 3 weeks ahead of you with my F 600. We can learn/experiment together, and as we have both found, there is a ton of expertise from our awesome wood burning brothers and sisters on this site.

 

[SPED]

Thanks guys, I can't wait to get this baby installed, or even in the living room so I can look at it. I'm curious what chimneys you guys with 600's have? Masonry or class A and the height?