Q&A Wood Stoves- cast iron, steel or Soapstone

Question:

We are looking to purchase a wood stove primarily to heat a fairly open area house that is about 2,000 sq ft. We have gone to three different places and each dealer is trying to sell us something else. One is trying to sell us a steel stove, the next a cast iron then the next a soapstove.

We are not sure what we should do? The stove will be in a living area so we do not want it to get uncomfortably hot. The soap stove sounds the best because it will retain the heat for up to three hours once the heat is gone. But I guess that is the same for any stove that is convectional. We are so confused and do not know what to do? Please help.



Answer:

There are always as many different sales points as there are stoves. If your home is fairly open, you probably do not have to worry about overheating the room. You should take these points into consideration when looking for your stove.

1. Budget - you can buy a good stove from $900-$3000
2. Style - You want something that looks good in the room
3. Log Length, capacity, ease of loading
4. Reputation of dealer and brand

Don't get caught up in the cast vs steel vs soapstone debate. Find something you like, and that fits your needs, and go for it.