Stove price and quality questions

[kingston73]

At some point before next winter the wife and I need to get a new stove to heat our 1100 sq ft ranch house. Part of that process is going to involve removing the current thimble and installing another one higher up the wall, which I am not able to do myself so we are going with a new stove and an installer. The local store has a couple steel Dutchwest 1500's on closeout for $999 and they estimated they could deliver and install (including the new thimble) for about $800. Two other installers gave me similar estimates but didn't have any equivalent sized stoves for an equal price. The closest stove pricing the other 2 places gave me was a napoleon for around $1200 and a steel stove (timberland? timberwold? I forget the make) for $1000, but with a smaller firebox than the DW.

Do these seem like reasonable prices? AND...is the Dutchwest a decent stove? I couldn't find any reviews online, and apparently they are changing the model number.

 

[BrotherBart]

The DW stove is a good "value" stove. Not said negatively because I heat this house with a Englander stove that is considered a value stove and wouldn't do it any other way. The DW 1500 is the stove that was sold by CFM Corporation before their bankruptcy liquidation in numerous guises. How the new owner Monessen Hearth Products is selling it or supporting it is anybody's guess. Talk to the dealer on that one. It is a good little heater. Plate steel and proven design.

If you are buying it from a reputable dealer that knows where he stands with the new owners of the company then it is a good stove and heater. If not, there are about twenty steel stoves on the market that will do the job just as well.

Frankly, a bigger stove than that one is a good idea no matter what you are heating.

 

[leeave96]

You might ought to look at the Englander stoves. You might find a better price and get a known product and good warranty/phone support.

The DW is a 1.5 cu ft box and the Englander 30 is a 3.0 cu ft box.

You can get an Englander 30 for around $1,000 including shipping from overstockstoves.com

Good luck,
Bill

 

[Shane]

I would put my 1,000 down on an englander before that dutchwest.

 

[kingston73]

You don't think the englander 30 would be overkill for a 1100 sq ft house? I won't be burning 24/7, mainly just from after I get home from work until the next morning.

 

[tnt8281]

I bought the Englander to heat my 1200 sq ft home. You learn to adapt for the size of the house to the stove. Better to big than to small.

 

[leeave96]

You don't think the englander 30 would be overkill for a 1100 sq ft house? I won't be burning 24/7, mainly just from after I get home from work until the next morning.

It is likely overkill, but I think others have installed in a small house. Having said that, there is also an Englander 13 that might be a better fit and is lower cost with shipping too - around $700-ish. Lots of great reviews on them too.

The 30 will have a goodly foot print, the 13 will take-up less space. If your house is drafty like mine, you will need more stove than one rated for just 1100-ish sq ft. I don't know that I'd recommned the 30 - except that is a better deal than the DW 1500, but the 13 would probably be a good stove for your needs.

Good luck,
Bill

 

[begreen]

You don't think the englander 30 would be overkill for a 1100 sq ft house? I won't be burning 24/7, mainly just from after I get home from work until the next morning.

Good stove, but it could be overkill, especially if the house is tight and doesn't have an open floor plan. If so, a mid-sized Napoleon might be a better fit. If the house is leaky as a sieve, with an open floor plan, then it might work out.

 

[kingston73]

I've updated my original title, after calling several different installers and getting quotes and also looking at new stove prices, the best I've found is an install (cleaning and moving the thimble higher, using double wall pipe inside) for $300 and an Archgard 1600 for $800.

I've looked high and low and have only found a single review for Archgard, anybody know anything about them? It seems similar to the Englanders and other steel medium size stoves I've looked at, with a slightly smaller firebox than the Dutchwest I was considering but otherwise pretty much the same as far as I can tell. Opinions? Basically I'll be getting a new stove installed and my chimney cleaned, with a new thimble, for about $1100 total.

 

[Fsappo]

If I was going for a "value" stove, I would probably go with Englander instead of DW, CDW, VC/CFM/Majestic/ whoever the heck else has owned them recently.

 

[cmonSTART]

If I was going for a "value" stove, I would probably go with Englander instead of DW, CDW, VC/CFM/Majestic/ whoever the heck else has owned them recently.

Who DOES own them now?

Check out a Napoleon 1450. It's probably just what the doctor ordered IMO.

 

[BrotherBart]

Info on Archguard the company.

http://www.fireplacesmagazine.com/brands/archguard.html

 

[Danno77]

At some point before next winter the wife and I need to get a new stove to heat our 1100 sq ft ranch house. Part of that process is going to involve removing the current thimble and installing another one higher up the wall, which I am not able to do myself so we are going with a new stove and an installer. The local store has a couple steel Dutchwest 1500's on closeout for $999 and they estimated they could deliver and install (including the new thimble) for about $800. Two other installers gave me similar estimates but didn't have any equivalent sized stoves for an equal price. The closest stove pricing the other 2 places gave me was a napoleon for around $1200 and a steel stove (timberland? timberwold? I forget the make) for $1000, but with a smaller firebox than the DW.

Do these seem like reasonable prices? AND...is the Dutchwest a decent stove? I couldn't find any reviews online, and apparently they are changing the model number.

Could that other stove be a timber ridge stove? That would be the same as a summers heat or what the other guys are calling Englander...

If so, I wonder what model it is. At that price probably is the 13...

 

[kingston73]

After a LOT of thought and research I pulled the trigger and bought an Archgard 1600. The englander 30 would have been just too much, overkill for my small ranch. This 1600 has a 1.7 cu ft box and takes 18 inch logs, not as big as some but bigger than others so hopefully it's going to work. I'll probably have to trim a few of my cut wood, some pieces measure 19 or 20 inches so maybe I'll use some ends for kindling or something along those lines. It was the absolute best deal I could find for somebody to deliver and put it into place, I paid a total of $896 for the stove, and the installation estimate will be about $400 total. I'm not going to put in a liner as of now, mainly due to two different chimney sweeps telling me my current setup is good as-is. Here's what I bought, once it's all set up and installed I'll post some pics.
http://www.noutilitybills.com/Heaters/Wood/Archgard/Chalet1600.html

 

[BrotherBart]

Looks like a nice stove. Keep us updated on the progress and hit us with pics of the install.

Congrats on your new heater.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

You don't think the englander 30 would be overkill for a 1100 sq ft house? I won't be burning 24/7, mainly just from after I get home from work until the next morning.

Why not full time burning? You very well may change your mind once you start burning. While you are away at work the air temperature is warmer plus once in a while we get to see the sun shine during the winter months. So filling the stove before going to work would save you a whole lot of dollars. Get the stove and use that thing to your benefit.

 

[raybonz]

You don't think the englander 30 would be overkill for a 1100 sq ft house? I won't be burning 24/7, mainly just from after I get home from work until the next morning.

Hey neighbor I feel that is too much stove for that small house.. I suppose if you burn smaller loads it may be OK.. My house is 1632 sq. ft. and I heat with a medium sized stove and could use a larger one if I desired..

Ray

 

[raybonz]

After a LOT of thought and research I pulled the trigger and bought an Archgard 1600. The englander 30 would have been just too much, overkill for my small ranch. This 1600 has a 1.7 cu ft box and takes 18 inch logs, not as big as some but bigger than others so hopefully it's going to work. I'll probably have to trim a few of my cut wood, some pieces measure 19 or 20 inches so maybe I'll use some ends for kindling or something along those lines. It was the absolute best deal I could find for somebody to deliver and put it into place, I paid a total of $896 for the stove, and the installation estimate will be about $400 total. I'm not going to put in a liner as of now, mainly due to two different chimney sweeps telling me my current setup is good as-is. Here's what I bought, once it's all set up and installed I'll post some pics.
http://www.noutilitybills.com/Heaters/Wood/Archgard/Chalet1600.html

That sounds like a good deal to me and that stove should easily heat that size home with room to spare.. Don't forget the pics and congrats!

Ray