So, I'm Waiting At The Stove Shop With A 17" Split In My Hand...

...and I'm really surprised at the small number of inserts and stoves I could fit it in front-to-back. My insert had room to spare, but even the biggie clone of the Quad 7100 (Heat n Glo?), couldn't handle it. Plus, my insert has a square like size to it - no tapers.

Not really bragging, but I was surprised.

My Avalon Ranier can handle 14 inches N/S, so we mostly go E/W, not much is cut to 14 inches, but it gets the job done

Tape measure mighta' been a little easier to carry.

Most stoves aren't set up for n/s loading.

N/S only? How's that?

Most was an overstatement, but:

The majority of Hearthstone stoves.
The majority of VC stoves.
The majority of Dutchwest.
All Woodstock stoves.
The majority of Jotul stoves.
I think many of the Lopi stoves.

Based on what I can tell from Enviro stove, most seem to be more apt at e/w vs n/s loading.

I would have guessed that most stoves are E/W also. Certainly the modern ones.

I bet e/w out numbers n/s stoves.

Which would mean my 'most' comment was correct!

Most likely.

I need this stove so my wife can actually split the wood. then I also need a new chainsaw because I'll be cutting more. stacking will be an issue, though.

Can you imagine how long it would take to process a years worth of wood @ 6" splits?
My head, hands, arms, legs, back, and bank account hurt just thinking about it.

I don't understand why someone would want to load a stove e/w? I tried it a few times when I first got my Blaze King and it was a pain to get wood in there without getting your hands or arms cooked!

Well, in five of the six stoves I've owned, n/s was not an option.

I agree. My old stove (an airtight fuego) was an E/W loader and I have more than one scar on my forearms and hands from rotating wood to put it in the firebox. When I was shopping for a new stove (see the sig.) N/S loading and greater than 3 c.f. firebox were tied for priority #1.

That's what I'm saying though, why do stove companies even make them like that? The firebox in my Blaze King is more or less square.

I wonder if they figure people start with a cold stove on every reload? There's almost no safe way of loading e/w with a nice hot bed of coals in the stove. Even n/s sometimes it gets pretty hot on the hands and that's more or less "tossing" the wood in!

When I looked at stoves if I couldn't load n/s I moved along. I tried loading my Endeavor e/w a time or two and it was way too hot for my taste. I've also tried it a time or two with the BK when I had some longer wood and I've not been impressed. I'd hate to have to load that way every time!

IDK, I could load my stove E/W if I wanted. But... it sucks, why would I?

They squeezed my insert into a zero clearance fireplace. Just saying, why couldn't they all have N/S capability? Stoves & Inserts I recall not fitting the 17" piece included the Clydesdale insert and the Heat N Glo North Star. I mean, those are pretty big units.

My last stove was E/W for the most part, and it wasn't all that hard to load, but it wasn't a very big stove, either. My new stove would have me reaching into about armpit depth to place that back split in there

Armpit depth? Sounds like me top loading the Defiant.

I'm 6'2" with arms like a little girl in length and build.