Stove Opinions

[gfreek]

Looking for opinions on Hudson River "Saratoga" ,
Enviro "Mini", & Bosca "Spirit 500". Was considering US Stove "Forester" but took it off the list. Thanks

 

[jtakeman]

I vote for the mini. Pretty dependable and for its size, It can throw heat!

I would be interested in what other say on the Bosca. As for the Hudson River. They were a mess for a bit there. Not sure if they got that all worked out or not. But they must have there still in business anyway. I had 2 local dealers just drop them and they heavily discounted the stoves in stock to make them fly.

 

[LI-Mini-Owner]

Hi gf and welcome- I'm satisfied with my Mini. It's sized right for the top floor of my not so big house. It provides 100% of the heat to the 6 rooms. It's positioned in the LR with a straight shot down the hallway. Cooler in the beadrooms like we like it.

I bought mine the first year they came out, and they had a couple of design issues relative to burn pot size and control board functions that were fixed in the newer models. I've since upgraded these components in mine. This won't be an issue if you are buying new, send me a PM if you are considering a used one, and I'll tell you what to look out for.

The consensus on this forum is that dealer selection can be more important then brand selection. I'm a doit-yourself-er, so that was not a consideration for me. The closest Enviro dealer was 70 mile away, but I had no choice since the Mini is what fit my needs. But if you are not willing to do troubleshooting/repairs yourself then you really need to choose a dealer based on their service record.

Good Luck - Carl

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Look closely at the dealers in your area that carry the stove(s) you are interested in, talk to people who bought stoves from them. Otherwise you may find yourself on your own when it comes to any service work, even warranty work.

To further what j-takeman had to say about the Hudson River units, they had problems with their blowers, an issue with their burn pots, and a design issue on one of the models that aggravated the blower situation.

Make certain that any stove you buy has been around for a few years and that it is up to date on any manufacturer upgrades.

I'm a patient sort, I lived through the issues with my Hudson River stove and it is doing just fine.

The dealers are not, as a group, patient and will drop any stove line that causes them a good number of service calls.

 

[Snowy Rivers]

I agree

If you need the assistance of the dealer, make sure they have a good reputation and know what they are doing.

Some dealers are just "Sales outlets" and have no clue about installing and or fixing any issues.

Personally I am a DIYS er and deal with every issue that comes along, from the initial install right up through any problems and or repairs.

I usually buy used, and try sto stick with stuff that generally has a good reputation but that has fallen into disrepair due to lack of owner care or ?? but that is still overall good and can be had CHEAP..

If you need the installation and such all done for you, then the dealer is the best shot.

I too have heard some of the issues with the Hudson River stuff but can't comment beyond "Scuttlebutt"

Read consumer reports or Epinions online.

You just have to sort thorugh the whiners and ferrett out the real story. It does however allow you to see particular trends as far as major issues, if the particular stove has any.


The troopers here at the Forum are a great bunch and will offer good advice.

Snowy

 

[gfreek]

Just looked at the Rika Integra II, very impressed, price $2999. Abit more than I want to spend. Lopi Pioneer seemed OK, but priced more than Rika, which surprised me. Again looked at St Croix multi fuel corn burners,"Lancaster & Greenfield" , I get different info from different dealers about the multi fuel aspect, burning wood pellets, one says I have to buy a kit, another says not. Stove pipe install, one says just go horizontal another says have a 3-5ft vertical run. I can do most trouble shooting myself, be it mechanical or electrical.
Shopping gets confusing . I need to make decision soon.......

 

[Rooscooter]

I vote for the mini. Pretty dependable and for its size, It can throw heat!

I would be interested in what other say on the Bosca. As for the Hudson River. They were a mess for a bit there. Not sure if they got that all worked out or not. But they must have there still in business anyway. I had 2 local dealers just drop them and they heavily discounted the stoves in stock to make them fly.

Two years ago I decided to purchase two stoves for my 4800+ sf home. I researched brands/stoves for almost 2 months and decided to get quotes on the Bosca Spirit 500 and the Enviro Omega as these were the two that met most of my requirements (40,000 btus, highly efficient, easily repairable and clean designs). The deciding factor was the price for me as I purchased 2 of the Bosca's for $150 more than ONE of the Enviro Omega's!! The Bosca's have a very good warranty and the US importer is in my home town so I decided to jump.

It was a great decision. Nothing against the Enviro Omega (a very good stove I understand), but I couldn't be happier with my Bosca's. They are efficient, easy to clean( the sides are hinged and it opens like a butterfly to easily access all component for cleaning) and look great to boot (I opted for the stainless steel sides to add a more contemporary look).

 

[jtakeman]

I vote for the mini. Pretty dependable and for its size, It can throw heat!

I would be interested in what other say on the Bosca. As for the Hudson River. They were a mess for a bit there. Not sure if they got that all worked out or not. But they must have there still in business anyway. I had 2 local dealers just drop them and they heavily discounted the stoves in stock to make them fly.

Two years ago I decided to purchase two stoves for my 4800+ sf home. I researched brands/stoves for almost 2 months and decided to get quotes on the Bosca Spirit 500 and the Enviro Omega as these were the two that met most of my requirements (40,000 btus, highly efficient, easily repairable and clean designs). The deciding factor was the price for me as I purchased 2 of the Bosca's for $150 more than ONE of the Enviro Omega's!! The Bosca's have a very good warranty and the US importer is in my home town so I decided to jump.

It was a great decision. Nothing against the Enviro Omega (a very good stove I understand), but I couldn't be happier with my Bosca's. They are efficient, easy to clean( the sides are hinged and it opens like a butterfly to easily access all component for cleaning) and look great to boot (I opted for the stainless steel sides to add a more contemporary look).

My Omega has done well for me and easily heats my home. I haven't had to run it any higher than the medium heat setting. Beast of a heat thrower. Burns anything I have tossed in so far! But If I didn't steal if for way less than $3K shipped to my door step? I probably would have bought something else too.

No dealers for the Bosca brand near me, But I have seen them on the net for less than $1300 plus shipping. I get a lot of people asking me about stove brands so I try to stay up on it. But in todays market its pretty tough with all the new comers and such.

Thanks for sharing the Bosca info with us!

 

[Rooscooter]

I vote for the mini. Pretty dependable and for its size, It can throw heat!

I would be interested in what other say on the Bosca. As for the Hudson River. They were a mess for a bit there. Not sure if they got that all worked out or not. But they must have there still in business anyway. I had 2 local dealers just drop them and they heavily discounted the stoves in stock to make them fly.

Two years ago I decided to purchase two stoves for my 4800+ sf home. I researched brands/stoves for almost 2 months and decided to get quotes on the Bosca Spirit 500 and the Enviro Omega as these were the two that met most of my requirements (40,000 btus, highly efficient, easily repairable and clean designs). The deciding factor was the price for me as I purchased 2 of the Bosca's for $150 more than ONE of the Enviro Omega's!! The Bosca's have a very good warranty and the US importer is in my home town so I decided to jump.

It was a great decision. Nothing against the Enviro Omega (a very good stove I understand), but I couldn't be happier with my Bosca's. They are efficient, easy to clean( the sides are hinged and it opens like a butterfly to easily access all component for cleaning) and look great to boot (I opted for the stainless steel sides to add a more contemporary look).

My Omega has done well for me and easily heats my home. I haven't had to run it any higher than the medium heat setting. Beast of a heat thrower. Burns anything I have tossed in so far! But If I didn't steal if for way less than $3K shipped to my door step? I probably would have bought something else too.

No dealers for the Bosca brand near me, But I have seen them on the net for less than $1300 plus shipping. I get a lot of people asking me about stove brands so I try to stay up on it. But in todays market its pretty tough with all the new comers and such.

Thanks for sharing the Bosca info with us!

The dealer for the Enviro was not the same for the Bosca's. The Bosca dealer was trying to get some traction in the area so I got a very good deal (around $1500 with $380.00 install for each stove). The dealer for the Enviro was not willing to deal at all and wanted $3150.00 a pop and nearly $1000.00 for install for each. Keep in mind that this was in 2008.....a very different economy to say the least.

The Bosca's have been pretty bullet proof to this point. My friend has a Enviro Maxx that has served him well for a couple of years as well. Now there's a HOT stove!!