Morso 5660, Enviro, Jotul options

[morrisericd]

So I've spent a lot of time on this very helpful forum and in my local fireplace shops this week looking for an insert. 3300 sqft home, external masonry chimney, large firebox. We need an insert in addition to our oil based heat and I am stumped which direction to take. The insert will be on my main floor and will need some kind of blower/fan setup to get the heat throughout the house. My first thought was the Jotul Rockland. A nice looking stove that puts out pretty good heat. Same thing with the Vermont Castings Montpelier. I was shown the Enviro Venice which I don't really love the look of but seems to put out a lot of heat and is the cheapest by $700 or so. Then I saw the Morso 5660 blower and fell in love (well, as much as you can love a wood stove). I have always liked the look of their free-standing stoves and often wish I had designed my house to have one. The dealer with the Morso thought it was a good choice, especially with the blower and thought it would provide a lot of heat. Another dealer (who has the Enviro and I have worked with before and trust) told me that they used to carry the non-blower Morso (actually they said another company made the exact same stove without a blower) and that it would not put out even close to the same heat as the Enviro. Now, the question: I know there are some Morso 5660 owners out there - how much heat does this thing throw off, especially compared to the Enviro? I'm sure the 50,000 BTU's of the Morso and the 74,000 BTU's of the Enviro are best conditions, marketing crap. I just want to know if I have the Morso will it provide enough heat to justify the expense? Also, would I be better off with a cast iron insert like the Rockland or the Vermont Castings than the Steel Enviro? I know its ultimately my decision, I just need a push one way or the other (something like: "I have the Morso and it's the greatest thing since sliced bread", or "the Enviro is the way to go, lots of heat, looks good..."
Thanks

 

[cycloxer]

I'd spend the extra and get the Jotul or the Morso. Why? Well you like the look of them and you are going to have to look at it for many years. Also I think you will do better with the quality of the Jotul or the Morso. I also like the styling from both companies. VC is definitely doing better with their newer inserts and they have huge glass, but their biggest insert is still pretty small. If you are really going to try to heat 3,300 sq. ft. you need to buy the biggest insert they make. If it is only a secondary room heater, you can get whatever you want. I do think the Morso's have a pretty schnazzy modern, simplistic, scandinavian look, if you are into that sort of thing.

 

[begreen]

Greetings Eric. First off, although it is a top notch insert, the Jotul is a steel insert with a castiron front. Most inserts are steel stoves at heart.

More important than mfg. claims, is the firebox size. The choices being looked at are very different sized units. The Jotul C550's 3 cu ft firebox is twice the size as the Morso at 1.5 cu ft..

How large an area will this stove be heating? Just a large room or are you hoping for more than that? If more, I would focus on a 3 cu ft insert that fits the location. The Jotul C550 is a 3 cu ft stove. There are a lot of good steel stoves out there that fit the bill. If you like the clean style of the Morso, but want larger look at the Hearthstone Clydesdale at 2.4 cu ft.. If Enviro, I would be looking at their Kodiak if it will fit. While shopping around, you might also look at the Pacific Energy Summit insert and the Hampton i300 for more choices.

 

[morrisericd]

I'm hoping to actually generate some heat, not just use it for aesthetics. I haven't looked at the Hearthstone insert, although we had a freestanding Hearthstone that worked well. My local fireplace shop said he doesn't like the Hearthstone insert - I'll look at it now. As for the Enviro, it does seem like a no frill stove but one that is made to put out some heat. I was told that the Venice is just the Kodiak with a newer face. I really like the Morso but hear what you're saying. It probably won't put out the heat that I'm looking for. Thanks for the input.

 

[cycloxer]

How big is the room in which you are putting the insert? The problem with the larger inserts is that they have the potential to blow you out of that room unless you have fans to get the heat out of there and into the rest of the house. I think you have to define what you want to accomplish with the insert and then you can line up the proper candidates.

The VT Castings Montpelier is nice, but you could only realistically expect it to heat the room and a portion of your house. I do think they did a good job with the aesthetics and the large front glass size.

Hearthstones are made in VT, btw. A Hearthstone Clydesdale would work and they are decent quality.

My top pick is still the Jotul C 550 Rockland due to quality, aesthetics, and firebox size.

You can't buy a Pacific Energy if you live in VT - that is blasphemy. ;^)

 

[morrisericd]

I hadn't thought of that. The room it will be in is 15 x 15 or so but is connected directly to most of the first floor (either totally open or with large openings). If I have a 74,000 BTU stove in there it's going to be uncomfortably hot but the larger stove will provide more heat to the rest of the house. With all of the cutting, splitting, stacking, burning, ash removal issues of burning wood, I want it to be for heat not just to look pretty. Great, now I really have no idea what to do! I did like the Jotel and will probably end up going with that. I think the Morso would look better but not provide what I'm looking for.

 

[cycloxer]

A 15 x 15 room is pretty small. How tall are your ceilings? You will definitely need fans to move the heat to the rest of the house. It does help that the inserts all have built in fans to help throw the air into the room. The trick is going to be getting the air out of the room.

 

[begreen]

Eric, it all depends on the floor plan. Technically our big stove sits in a 15 x 17 living room, but it's an open floorplan with large openings to the DR/Kitch. and to the Hall + open staircase. We're never overheated. In VT, get a 2.5-3 cu ft stove if you want it for heating. As for the Clydesdale, we have several happy owners here. Do a search.

PS: Correct on the Venice. I see now that they have both models in both sizes of firebox. Thanks for noting that.

 

[morrisericd]

Well, the search is over. Got a pretty good deal on the Jotul Rockland. Install is next week and 2 cords of kiln-dried wood ($275/cord) is on the way. Ultimately I thought it was the best stove for our house. Will post some results after the new year. Thanks again for the help and the insight. It's proven invaluable.

 

[cycloxer]

That's a really nice insert. I was on the fence between an insert and a free-standing stove. I really liked the Jotul inserts. I really liked the glass size of the VC, but I think Jotul has much better build quality. You'd be hard pressed to find somebody who says their Jotul stove sucks, let's put it that way.

Oh and that is a great price on kiln dried firewood.

 

[begreen]

Sounds good Eric. I think you'll be a happy camper. That's a beautiful insert and a serious heater.