Vermont Castings "Stardance" input please...

[dawgfvr]

Merry Xmas all: Michael, a new guy here to your forum and I request input. My 2000 Whitfield Profile 30 pellet stove needs to be replaced...which was way too warm, problematic and messy for my liking anyway. I am now considering going to the Propane Gas route. Winter living in the Northwest rarely gets into freezing weather but my tiny 1500 ft home is frequented by power outages. Gas seems a better deal in this respect. The pellet stove is a back up to my electric base heating, which in turn, is backed up by electric oil-radiator heaters. My only large room has a cathedral ceiling with an overhead fan distributing heat up the staircase to overhead bedrooms.

A local contractor gave me a $3761 installation proposal for a Vermont Castings "stardance". I guess I would have to make arrangements with the local gas comany for pruchase/rent of a gas cylinder and service on top of that. I decided to peruse your forum and found that there were a few comments on the viability of Vermont Castings since the owner went bankrupt back in 2008. Goodness...I do not want to go through that again...when Whitfield sold to Lennox, I had problems with parts and services. Not sure I want to go that route.

So...is Vermont Castings the way to go...or should I go with a more solid company? I thougt the JOTUL Lillehammer might be a nice stove as well. I'm looking for a smaller, dependable stove with a viable company of quality. Suggestions?

 

[Wood Heat Stoves]

avalon/lopi is solid, and made in your neck of the woods. buy local!

avalonfiresytles.com
lopistoves.com(??)(

hearthstone is solid
jotul is solid
harman is solid

 

[DAKSY]

If you're gonna go with a Jotul gas unit, DON'T go with the Lillehamer.
It has no heat exchanger & if your vent is too long/tall, you'll lose ALL the heat.
Start with the Allagash & consider the Sebago or the Firelight as 1500 SF isn't exactly "tiny."

 

[dawgfvr]

Dave...Yes...I do like the idea of buying local. I just did not know much about LOPI to be honest. They have a dealer very close by. What stove would you recommend? I was looking at the Sturbridge...since I have such a small house, but, noticed that LOPI is getting new Green-Smart technology with the new Northfield gas stove. Hmmm, that migt be spendy. What would you suggest? Thanks for both of your inputs.

 

[Install fire 1]

The Jotul Allagash is a great stove. Have had great success over the years with this model, and heats very nicely for it's size.

The Hampton H27 is a good heater as well. The jotul cast is much nicer as far as details go, but both solid choices.

We used to deal VC and what a nightmare when they went bankrupt. I have found a handful of these stoves rott out, especially in propane. The pilot assemblies seize up and have found a bunch of brackets to burn off that support the logs.
The thermocouples seem to fail quite often. Tips burn off of them.


The whole cement thing they used to do to seal them made me weary. It would fall out of the units out of the box brand new. I think gasketed product is far superior in longevity.

The enviro westport is another stove that is well built and heats nicely. The antique chestnut enamel is easy on the eyes as well.