Jotul f500 or f600?

[molly1414]

Looking to replace a quadrafire 3100 from 1990. The stove came with the house and is not enough stove for the house. The house is 2400 sf with a large great room and three bedrooms upstairs. . The stove is perfectly centered in the house and close to the stairs so the heat has no problem going up the stairs. The 3100 only has a 2cf firebox and I constantly have to keep filling it. The stove really struggles to heat the house. We are looking at the joutil f600 Firelight and the f500 oslo. I really like the look of the Oslo and the side door is on the correct side for our install. The firelight has double doors which I don't care for and the side door is on the wrong side for us. We could use the side door but not as easy as with the Oslo. Both have a larger firebox size and prodice many more btu then the 3100. The 3100 is rated at 51000 btu vs 70,000 and 80,000 btu. Would the f500 work for us or should we go with the larger f600?
Thanks

 

[begreen]

Go for a 3 cu ft stove. The Oslo will only be a slightly larger usable firebox. If you only want a Jotul the F600 sounds like a better fit. Also look at the F55.

 

[jeff_t]

In cast iron, I'd also look at the T6 and Lopi Cape Cod.

 

[Bluerubi]

I've had both, and though I prefer the looks and size of the f600, the double doors and need for a special tool to operate anything was an issue for others (I also broke a pane of glass when the poker slipped once with only one door open). The oslo is easier to operate, and I have to admit that it's kind of nice to not have to search for the removable handle that I sometimes left in random spots.

 

[Nick Mystic]

I bought an F600 last February and got a few months experience with it before the end of the burning season. Since many people complain about the ash coming out the front doors of both the Oslo and the F600 it is fairly common to load only through the side doors for these two stoves. With my installation the right side door worked better than the left on the Oslo. With my set up for safety reasons I never open the front doors when the fire is burning, only when it's cold for cleaning the glass; therefore, the removable front door handle works well for me. I just place the handle on the base of my fire tools rack and always know right where it is. As for heating, I didn't get a chance to burn the stove during any extended cold snap where we stayed below freezing for multiple days, but it throws out a lot of heat for sure. Our main level where the stove is located is 1400 sq. ft. with a two story tall cathedral ceiling in the living room where the stove is situated.

 

[Grisu]

Hi Molly,

If the Quadra is too small for your needs it would be advisable to go for a larger stove in the 3 cu ft firebox range. However, why are you only considering the Jotul F600 if its features do not convince you? Have you taken a look at other models? For example:

Pacific Energy Alderlea T6 http://www.pacificenergy.net/alderlea/t6.php
Lopi Cape Cod http://www.lopistoves.com/product-detail.aspx?model=364#specs-tab
Osburn 2300 http://www.osburn-mfg.com/en/heaters/model-OB02301-description
Regency F3100 http://www.regency-fire.com/Products/Wood/Wood-Stoves/F3100.aspx
Hearthstone Manchester or Mansfield http://www.hearthstonestoves.com/store/wood-products/wood-stoves?p=2
Quadrafire Isle Royale http://www.quadrafire.com/en/Products/Isle-Royale-Wood-Stove.aspx?page=Specifications (if size is the only problem that you have with your stove.)
Enviro 2100 http://www.enviro.com/fireplace-products/wood/freestanding-fireplace.html#2100
Drolet Baltic http://www.drolet.ca/en/products/wood/baltic

Or have you thought about going for a catalytic stove for cleaner burns, more even heat and longer burn times?
Woodstock Progress http://www.woodstove.com/progress-hybrid
Blazeking (e. g. Princess, Chinook 30, Sirocco 30) http://www.blazeking.com/EN/wood-stoves.html
Buck 80 http://www.buckstove.com/model-80.html#.UkGU5EDCH7I

Feel free to ask questions about a specific model if you see one that you like.

 

[teutonicking]

Looking to replace a quadrafire 3100 from 1990. The stove came with the house and is not enough stove for the house. The house is 2400 sf with a large great room and three bedrooms upstairs. . The stove is perfectly centered in the house and close to the stairs so the heat has no problem going up the stairs. The 3100 only has a 2cf firebox and I constantly have to keep filling it. The stove really struggles to heat the house. We are looking at the joutil f600 Firelight and the f500 oslo. I really like the look of the Oslo and the side door is on the correct side for our install. The firelight has double doors which I don't care for and the side door is on the wrong side for us. We could use the side door but not as easy as with the Oslo. Both have a larger firebox size and prodice many more btu then the 3100. The 3100 is rated at 51000 btu vs 70,000 and 80,000 btu. Would the f500 work for us or should we go with the larger f600?
Thanks

I'd go with the F600 Firelight. If you are in doubt, always get a bigger stove. You never know when you might need the extra BTUs. You can always put less wood in the Firelight if necessary, but not the reverse with the Oslo.

 

[molly1414]

Hi all thanks for the replies. I am looking at the t-6 , the cape code and the Isle. The cape cod is really nice but it is the most expensive of the stoves I am looking at and being a new stove there is not as much information on it. Also my dealer does not have one for me to look at. I may have to drive a distance to see it up close. I have to still find a dealer for the t-6. I guess I just really liked the way the Oslo looked and it had everything I wanted. I wish they made a 600 like the Oslo.

 

[Grisu]

For the T6: Have you tried the showroom search? http://www.pacificenergy.net/showroom.php

For the Cape Cod: We have a few owners here but no long-term experience of course: https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/lopi-cape-cod-wood-stove-owner-reviews.111406/#post-1479944

Check the forum search also for Isle Royale reviews or start a new thread with the stoves you are considering in the title.

 

[stovelark]

Hi Molly- All nice stoves mentioned. If you like the Oslo, it prob would fill your needs adequately. If you talk with Jotul, they will tell you not much difference in heat output over the entire burn cycle. The Isle Royale is one of my favorite stoves though, Quads do burn beautifully. Good dry seasoned hardwood the most important factor, if available for you to burn. Are you in need of a side loading stove specifically?? If not, try to see the IR and PE T6, both are heating beasts. Good luck in your search.

 

[dutch_ny]

Hi. We built a 2400 sq ft home last year (upstate NY) and have the Oslo. 2 bedrooms upstairs, open floor plan downstairs with a ceiling fan to spread heat 10' in front of the stove, 9' ceilings. The Oslo heated the whole house, living room was usually 74-77, for 3 days or so the outside temps ranged from -13 to 0 and that was the only time we had trouble keeping the house in the 70s ( was around 68). Very happy with the stove.

We also didn't have the best wood last year being the first year in the house...

 

[molly1414]

That sounds like our house the ceiling are a little higher in the main living room. I think I failed to mention that we are located in northern California in the Tahoe foothills. The coldest it gets here is 28 some nights most of the time it's around 35. Dutch how often do you have to reload the oslo on a typical day? I have to reload the 3100 every three to four hours during the day.

 

[begreen]

Tsk tsk Molly, that is an important detail. It still seems like you are fighting a leaky house. The Oslo will work for you. If there is a nasty freeze below 20 you may be stoking it like an Altoona fireman, but for 90+% of your weather it may work out. If you want less frequent reloads, get a bigger stove like the F600, T6, IR, etc..

 

[Detector$]

I've had the F600 for 5 years heating about 2800 sq ft with 2 story balcony living room and have NEVER loaded the stove from the front. Jotul makes a great stove and it heats our house like a hoss. I can easily load the stove before bed and have enough coals to fire right back up in the AM. We'll load up at lunch time in the winter and head out to run errands, goof off, and eat dinner out, and we always have plenty of coals to rock and roll when we get back. When winter gives us her worst for extended periods, I never have to relight the fire. Simple design means not much to go wrong.

 

[dutch_ny]

The coldest it gets here is 28 some nights most of the time it's around 35. Dutch how often do you have to reload the oslo on a typical day? I have to reload the 3100 every three to four hours during the day.

When it's above 20 we typically had a fire to warm the house before work, one mid day and one for an overnight burn. Temps in the teens or lower we reloaded every 3-4 hours or so, but our wood situation wasn't ideal and we only filled the stove half to 3/4 full. Now that we know better and have better seasoned wood Im thinking it should be more efficient.

Hope that helps.

 

[paredown]

We had the incredible good fortune to get an F600 for free, paid for an install and have not looked back.

We're heating a cathedral ceiling great room from 1963 (leaky as all get out with lots of glass) and can keep comfortable temps even on cold days.

Just cleaned the chimney to start the season--about a cup and half of ash and only a little creosote after a continuous burning season.

I've gotten very used to the side loading--I find it very safe (true about the ash falling out the front and also true that the glass does not stay very clean) and convenient.