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dylskee

Feeling the Heat
Sep 28, 2008
349
Central MA
Hello again,

Last time I posted I was considering moving the woodstove but have changed my mind, but we are considering a new stove this year. ( Okay, I finally talked my wife into it :) )

My current stove is an Efel Harmony Catalytic Model # 386.75, about 25 years old now. This stove was in the house when we bought it 11 years ago, we only used the stove on weekends in the winter, more as ambience than a heat source. But now with heating oil through the roof the last 5 years or so I've been burning 4 cord a year through the winter and using it as my main heat source.

A little info to better help you guide me to the perfect stove........
I live in New England so the burning season for me would be about 5~6 months or so, the house is about a 1400 sf cape and the stove sits in the living room. I would like an 8 hour burn time so I can keep the stove burning all winter without restarting it from scratch. I would like to stay under $2000. as my budget but I also don't want to buy a cheap stove. Something that doesn't need a lot of clearance because the living room is on the small side. I am in the process of removing the existing brick hearth right now because it's huge and takes up a lot of the room. I'm going to be putting it on a hearth pad which I will buy with my stove. Thanks for any input and guidance you can provide a GREEN stove buyer....... <=====Pun intended! ;lol
 
I have a similar situation - replacing an old Fisher Mama Bear that has stress cracks in the rear panel. I am looking at Jotul Oslo but it does exceed the $2K budget you set for yourself. I like the side load of the Oslo and the fact it can take longer splits. I have not purchased it yet, still ruminating about it as it may be larger than we need for our space. Also thinking about the medium Dutchwest stove as it is side load as well and can accept longer lenghth. The dutchwest less costlier than the Oslo, but perhaps does not get as good reviews - I am researching these more.
 
VC Encore #2550, if you can find a used or rebuilt one.
 
Thanks for the replies! I have been looking at the woodstock stoves the past couple of days, they seem to get pretty good reviews and are priced decent. The Jotul Oslo stoves are awesome, I love the look of the stove and they are highly recommended. What are the price ranges for a medium sized stove? It's difficult to find accurate prices online.
 
The Oslo is going for around $2400 last I checked, but that was a while ago.
 
Thanks for the replies! I have been looking at the woodstock stoves the past couple of days, they seem to get pretty good reviews and are priced decent. The Jotul Oslo stoves are awesome, I love the look of the stove and they are highly recommended. What are the price ranges for a medium sized stove? It's difficult to find accurate prices online.

Indeed the Woodstock stoves are great. There are many on this forum who own a Woodstock stove. They are a top notch company and even offer a six month trial with the stove with a full refund if you are not happy.
 
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woodstove fireview. I own one and it will keep a good eight hour burn and there a top of the line stove, and it also fits your budget check out all the stove reviews on the fireview.
 
Should be plenty of options for you that would meet your needs . . . many of the larger stoves (and of course the cat stoves) should be able to provide you with enough coals to easily relight a fire after 8 hours.

Just a plug for Oslo since they were mentioned . . . I've been very happy with my Oslo as it is my full time heating system for my 1,800 square foot Cape here in Maine. It's been near bullet proof so far with four years of burning under my proverbial belt. Depending of course on how much and what wood you load you can get a decent "burn time." My normal SOP in the winter is to load it up one final time at 9:30 p.m. or so and then I'm up at 5 a.m. and have enough decent sized coals to get the fire going again by tossing on some kindling (although my infinitely more patient wife often can do the same with some small splits.) The temp will drop a bit during the night of course as the fire runs through the cycle, but since a) I have my oil boiler to kick on if the temps go below 60 degrees F and b) I am lazy and would not care to wake up during the night to reload the stove I am happy with those burn times.
 
You should drive to their place in NH. Once you see their stoves in person, who the people are and the attention to detail, you won't leave without putting down a deposit:)! And what a quiet, peaceful ,environment it is. You'll love being there, as you'll be able to sense the beautiful craftsmanship that's around you. I felt no one sells you a stove, the stoves sell themselves! Looking forward to getting my off it's pallet in another month.
 
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Charly, did anyone have any dogs there when you visited?
 
I'll bet everyone liked him because many times they will have dogs in the offices.
 
Yes they are so it was great that you took yours with you.
 
Yes they are so it was great that you took yours with you.
He'll be coming to the open house, he's only going to be 8 pounds full grown. Got his first mouse today. He was jumping at my free range chickens like he was high fiving them after the mouse catch. He was working the wood pile today as I was moving wood to stack. He's learning quick at 11 weeks. I can tell he's going to love the wood stove.
 
Gotta love a terrier, Charly !!

To the OP .. have you checked out Englander stoves?
 
As a PE guy I want to go to Woodstock just for a nice time...Do they feed every guest also...jk...
 
As a PE guy I want to go to Woodstock just for a nice time...Do they feed every guest also...jk...

I don't know about every guest . . . but I ate very well at their Open House . . . and I was thrilled to see a keg of Woodchuck Cider while my buddy Aaron was happy to find the keg of beer.
 
As a PE guy I want to go to Woodstock just for a nice time...Do they feed every guest also...jk...

We'll be looking for you James. Food and drink for all.
 
We seem to have lost the OP in the banter. dylskee have you decided on the stove?
 
We seem to have lost the OP in the banter. dylskee have you decided on the stove?

HAhahaha, no worries man! Banter is good and I'm a dog lover as well....... :)

I really really really love the Oslo stove but I think it's going to be a hard sell to the wife. I'm in the middle of some remodeling projects right now and the stove can't go in until I'm done so that will give me a little more time to sway her. It will probably be a woodstock if I can't get the Oslo but I'm still researching, I will definitely post my decision when I get it.
 
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I don't know if you have ever seen one but the harman oakwood is a nice stove (oak leaf) i dont remember which one we had as a burn unit but you could load it from the top and the top also has a grate that fits in it and is used for cooking.....Not sure if i remember the exact numbers on burn time but i want to say well ovcer 10 hours
 
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