Katydid Gasifier Wood Stove

[mellow]

I saw the Kimberly at the wood stove challenge, they had issues with it so it wasn't burning at the time, looked like a nice stove. It looked like it would fit in a kitchen with the stainless steel fridge and stove and dishwasher. It was interesting seeing a wood stove being vented with pellet stove pipe, I just didn't get to see it in action.

I didn't see this letter till now browsing Unforgettable Fire's website, I guess the bad PR they are talking about in THIS letter is the fact it was broken and not burning?

Anyway, back to the topic. The Katydid, it was announced by @rogerandbridget back in 2011 in THIS post.

I had not heard anything more about it till I just saw one for sale on craigslist of all places, it is a shame we couldn't see it last year at the challenge, it looks interesting, a bigger brother of the Kimberly.

Price: $3,995

Specs:

Height: 38"
Width: 12"
Depth: 12"
Weight: 160 lbs
Expected Output: 85,000 BTUs
Expected Heating Range: Up To 3,000 sq ft <---- That I find hard to believe
Uses 4" Double Wall Pellet Stove Venting
Will Burn Up To 14" Log
Burns One Load Up To 12 Hours <--- Find this hard to believe as well
Made In The U.S.A. (Oregon)
Optional Accessories:
Thermo Electric Generator
Oven (Coming Soon)
12 Volt Convection Fan (Coming Soon)
Water Coil (Coming Soon)

​

 

[Jags]

Width = 12"
Depth = 12"
Burns a 14" log??? Standing up?
Marketing hype drives me nuts. 85,000 btus? Heats 3000 sqft?

Why not just be honest with the "this is a tiny little stove that will heat a small area for brief periods of time".

 

[mellow]

Thought those specs were odd, but it came from here the people listing it on CL, http://mountainviewoffgridliving.com/Katydid-Stove.php

 

[HotCoals]

Interesting.
I believe they are being very optimistic with their claims though.
But hey the flue's would be cheap and maybe 2 of those in a avg size house might be the ticket..I dunno.

I would like to know what's inside it to make it that pricey.

 

[Jags]

Don't get me wrong...its a neat little stove. It is obviously highly efficient if it can use pellet stove venting. It is just the reality of a tiny firebox can only hold so much fuel (even at 99% efficient, just for arguments sake, it is still a small fuel load).

 

[HotCoals]

Maybe soon somebody will buy one and post on here about it.

 

[begreen]

The claims are way off. Just because the stove can heat a room in a well insulated 3000 sq ft house on a 45F day in our climate does not earn it this rating. I tried to give this stove the benefit of the doubt but can not endorse it except perhaps for marine use or for tiny homes. There is too much hype in the marketing. The ideal fuel is not cordwood but high-density pressed logs like HomeFires or NIELs. A google search shows that there have been several people that like the stove in a mini home because it is a space saver. But there are also many others that have been profoundly disappointed by its real world performance in a real home. It holds one NIEL. That is 69K, btus burning over 6-8 hrs or about 9,000btus/hr. at 100% efficiency which the stove is not. So realistically one is going to see about 7-10 Kbtus/hr from the stove. In an appropriate sized space with appropriate fuel it will do the job, at a steep price.

 

[DevilsBrew]

The only time I have seen them used on youtube is in small spaces...boats, rvs, etc.

In general, I've got a big ol' soapbox of disgust set aside for all the bs marketing that I have seen from those trying to sell their stoves. A lot of people have no clue about fire. Instead of helping them, individuals use that vulnerability to push their stoves. It is sickening.