Rate the best woodstoves?

[woodjack]

Which stove is the Cadillac of woodstoves. . . and the Porche, and the Mack truck?
I know this is subjective question with no one answer, but what is your dream firebox?

 

[Todd]

It doesn't exist yet, but I'd like to see a 3.5 cu ft firebox, catalytic, soapstone, top loader. Do you hear me Woodstock?

 

[Hanko]

your gonna start a war with that one.

 

[myzamboni]

 

[titan]

I'd like a Sedore stove with a large window; and attractive enough to put in the living room.In their current configuration,they are the Mack trucks.....function ahead of fashion.

 

[Dill]

See I'd give the mack truck award to the old Fisher's. Not pretty, completely utilitarian, they suck fuel. But man oh man they work hard.

 

[titan]

Sure,but the Sedore gets better MPG.

 

[Hanko]

Barrel stove, Edsel

 

[burntime]

The one you like for the least amount of money that will heat your home well. Mine is a hampton...that and a buck will get you a coffee!

 

[BrotherBart]

The best wood stove is any wood stove I happen to own.

"The real question is when you get your wood stove hot, does it return the favor."

 

[Hanko]

The best wood stove is any wood stove I happen to own.

"The real question is when you get your wood stove hot, does it return the favor."

mine are much better bart

 

[johnnywarm]

the best stove is the one i have

 

[MarcM]

The best woodstove is location and use dependent, IMHO.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Pretty subjective. Do gasification boilers count? How about them giant masonry stoves? I like my kiln.

 

[Chettt]

The one's Lowes sell for $400 in the spring sale are the best and I'll stand on your $3000 soapbox and tell you so.

 

[Easyellis8]

I've seen some of the older and newer Buck stoves that look like "Mack" trucks

 

[woodjack]

Let me try asking this another way.

Everyone likes getting value for their money but suppose someone was willing to spend up to $3000 to buy a new woodstove for their 2500 sf house. What are the best brands/models out there? Do the big name brands fit into categories like BMW, Chevy, and Hundei? Or, are all widely available brands somewhat similar in functional quality?

I know the brand names (ESW, PE, Lopi, Vermont Castings, Jotul, Quadrafire, Regency, Morso, etc.) but I'm less familiar with their reputations.

I think it would be helpful for any of us that were looking to upgrade at some point, and to the many people that just read this forum looking for info on what to buy.

What would you put in your new house with a free woodstove gift certificate?

 

[Marty]

Can I design the house around the stove or does the house already exist?

 

[Marty]

More generally, I under considered Pacific Energy (though the T6 did not yet exist), and other stoves, designed to self regulate the air through the burn. That is a feature that I would like to have.

P.S. If you hadn't imposed a 3,000 dollar limit I would have proposed an infernal Mason Stove... {ducks}

 

[downeast]

%-P STIHL

 

[titan]

woodjack, I can only speak for Regency stoves from your list.....I'd buy another in a heartbeat.I just hope they will build one with a 3.5 cu.ft. firebox all dressesd up in a cast iron suit like a P.E. Alderlea.....only purdier.

 

[Chris D]

Englander 13!! easy and simple!! Its the dodge dart of stoves. Simple, reliable ,not the prettiest means,but it will still get you there. :lol:

 

[RedRanger]

It would have to be the Drolet. Take this advice with a grain of salt, cause the last one I owned was from 1982-1988. But using nothing but softwood, was a "no sweat" 12 hour burn. Pre-epa though--and lots of cresote to clean every 6 weeks.

 

[BrotherBart]

There is so much in the eyes of the beholder and the particular installation that you are not going to fine a caste system in wood stoves. I could afford any wood stove on the market and I bought a $1,000 Englander 30-NC. Bought it on its ability to fit where it needed to fit, looked like I think a wood stove should look in our house, builder's long reputation and the size of firebox. I didn't know the cost until I saw the credit card receipt.

You can go looking for inch thick steel or cast iron, gold doors and legs, porcelain this and that and say to yourself "Ah, the best wood stove in the world.". If it doesn't suit what you want it to do it is a very heavy pig with a ton of lipstick on.

And just about the time you think you have found the ultimate wood heater Marty S will come along and tell you all of the reasons that masonry heaters are the only good heaters in the world and that wood stoves are all crap. :lol:

 

[jpl1nh]

There is so much in the eyes of the beholder and the particular installation that you are not going to fine a caste system in wood stoves. I could afford any wood stove on the market and I bought a $1,000 Englander 30-NC. Bought it on its ability to fit where it needed to fit, looked like I think a wood stove should look in our house, builder's long reputation and the size of firebox. I didn't know the cost until I saw the credit card receipt.

You can go looking for inch thick steel or cast iron, gold doors and legs, porcelain this and that and say to yourself "Ah, the best wood stove in the world.". If it doesn't suit what you want it to do it is a very heavy pig with a ton of lipstick on.

And just about the time you think you have found the ultimate wood heater Marty S will come along and tell you all of the reasons that masonry heaters are the only good heaters in the world and that wood stoves are all crap. :lol:

Jeez BB, you're spoiling a potentially great pissin match with reasonableness. (Woodstock..sshhhsshh) :cheese: