want to recommend a pellet stove to a friend but which one ???? all have some bad reviews, quadra fire ?? BIG E ??? help me
what kind of stove to recommend
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rona
Minister of Fire
Do you want a pellet stove only or do you want a multi fuel stove - There is a difference.
Are your friends mechanically inclined or are they the type that calls a dealer if anything goes wrong?
Do your friends stay home a lot or are they on the go a lot? Some stoves dump the pot automatically and you don't have to empty the ash bucket other then 3 days or even up to burning a ton of good pellets. Versus other stoves that require the owner to dump the pot manually twice a day
Would they like automatic ignition and using a thermostat rather then lighting it by hand and running on stove temp.
What fuel is available in their area?
Lots of questions and lots of choices out there. It all depends on the people buying it and their expertise. Some people want to buy a piece of furniture while others want heat.
Are your friends mechanically inclined or are they the type that calls a dealer if anything goes wrong?
Do your friends stay home a lot or are they on the go a lot? Some stoves dump the pot automatically and you don't have to empty the ash bucket other then 3 days or even up to burning a ton of good pellets. Versus other stoves that require the owner to dump the pot manually twice a day
Would they like automatic ignition and using a thermostat rather then lighting it by hand and running on stove temp.
What fuel is available in their area?
Lots of questions and lots of choices out there. It all depends on the people buying it and their expertise. Some people want to buy a piece of furniture while others want heat.
SmokeyTheBear
Minister of Fire
You haven't provided any information to even size one.
Every single pellet stove will have a bad review frequently because the owner didn't do their homework, then they go talk to a sales person.
So lets first screen the person who wants the stove.
1: Can they read and follow directions?
2: Can they work with their hands and handle minor electrical and mechanical tasks?
Pellet stoves require regular maintenance if you can't or won't perform it is likely there isn't a match between the person and any pellet stove.
If the owner can't handle this there is another gotcha, you can't count on service if you are planning on using the pellet stove as primary heat.
Every single pellet stove will have a bad review frequently because the owner didn't do their homework, then they go talk to a sales person.
So lets first screen the person who wants the stove.
1: Can they read and follow directions?
2: Can they work with their hands and handle minor electrical and mechanical tasks?
Pellet stoves require regular maintenance if you can't or won't perform it is likely there isn't a match between the person and any pellet stove.
If the owner can't handle this there is another gotcha, you can't count on service if you are planning on using the pellet stove as primary heat.
SmokeyTheBear
Minister of Fire
Ok,
At least these folks know about working with their hands that is a big part of it.
Now how about what they want want to heat and is this going to be primary heat for them (and yes it makes a big difference)? (I'm looking for enough information about the structure in order to properly size the heating device).
At least these folks know about working with their hands that is a big part of it.
Now how about what they want want to heat and is this going to be primary heat for them (and yes it makes a big difference)? (I'm looking for enough information about the structure in order to properly size the heating device).
rona
Minister of Fire
Do they raise corn ,other grains Sometimes grain is cheaper then pellets. If they raise corn I would surely recommend a muliti fuel type stove.
There is many types of multifuel stoves on the market. Nearly everyone will have a fault or something that somebody doesn't like. But maybe the fault will mean nothing to the next person.
I have owned a Harman PC45, A Quadra Fire Mt Vernan AE, and A Bixby 115. All are multi fuel stoves and each has good points and bad points. All are auto ignition, self dumping pot, and will burn several different sources of fuel.
There is other brand stoves that also are multi fuel that I am not familar with.
The unspoken question will come up and that is how much do they want to spend?
There is many types of multifuel stoves on the market. Nearly everyone will have a fault or something that somebody doesn't like. But maybe the fault will mean nothing to the next person.
I have owned a Harman PC45, A Quadra Fire Mt Vernan AE, and A Bixby 115. All are multi fuel stoves and each has good points and bad points. All are auto ignition, self dumping pot, and will burn several different sources of fuel.
There is other brand stoves that also are multi fuel that I am not familar with.
The unspoken question will come up and that is how much do they want to spend?
it's a big house, but the kids are gone so alot of the br's are not used. it will be prim. heat but have back up if needed.
they ask about corn burning, so how do you like your quadra fire . that's one i was thinging about??
rona
Minister of Fire
If you are satisfied burning pellets the AE is ok. I live in Minn where it gets COLD and my main complaint with the AE was the fact it has to slow down the flame before it shuts off to dump the ash or clinker. Then it has to restart and slowly start producing heat again. This happens approx every three hours. Granted there is a heavy airfoil type cast iron heat saver that will give off heat while the stove is doing its thing but still I got more heat from the Harman that just keeps running not having to shut down to dump the pot. For some people this isn't a issue but it was for me. Also sometimes when burning corn it will fail to do a clean dump and then it wouldn't reignite like it should.
It uses a lot of igniters. It also is a stove that is very high tech and if the control board goes bad you are at the mercy of your dealer.
It uses a lot of igniters. It also is a stove that is very high tech and if the control board goes bad you are at the mercy of your dealer.
Defiant
Vermont Castings Geek
SmokeyTheBear
Minister of Fire
Exactly how big is this house and how is it constructed?
If the house is currently headed by a hot air furnace or a boiler it may actually pay to install a pellet boiler or furnace.
Most pellet stoves have problems recovering temperature in a large house mainly do to relatively small convection blowers (to this I'll add that this is also why some pellet stoves can't be run on their highest setting for extended periods).
I'm not saying that a stove won't do the job just that a new owner can be really disappointed if what you recommend isn't up to the job.
Since this is going to be primary heat it should also be easy to maintain by the owner and likely several parts should be acquired as on site spares at the same time.
If the house is currently headed by a hot air furnace or a boiler it may actually pay to install a pellet boiler or furnace.
Most pellet stoves have problems recovering temperature in a large house mainly do to relatively small convection blowers (to this I'll add that this is also why some pellet stoves can't be run on their highest setting for extended periods).
I'm not saying that a stove won't do the job just that a new owner can be really disappointed if what you recommend isn't up to the job.
Since this is going to be primary heat it should also be easy to maintain by the owner and likely several parts should be acquired as on site spares at the same time.
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