Help Comparing a Harman TL300 and a BlazeKing

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I've read maybe a dozen stories here of damaged or broken reburn tubes in non-cat stoves, but I can think of only one example of a damaged cat during the same time period. While advertised otherwise, stories posted here seem to indicate the non-cat stoves are the ones with added (and unexpected) additional cost and maintenance.
A dozen posts on damaged or broken reburn tubes?
 
I've read maybe a dozen stories here of damaged or broken reburn tubes in non-cat stoves, but I can think of only one example of a damaged cat during the same time period. While advertised otherwise, stories posted here seem to indicate the non-cat stoves are the ones with added (and unexpected) additional cost and maintenance.
The T-5 has a heavy S/S baffle that doesn't employ burn tubes and has a lifetime warranty so I do not expect any costs in this regard. I owned a cat stove for 20+ years and yes I had to buy cats generally every 6 yrs. or so.

Ray
 
I've always wanted to try out a Harman top loader with that very cool grill option. I can see where top loading would be an advantage for folks with bad knees or backs. I wonder if their fire dome technology really does even out the burn similar to a cat stove? Throw in a t-stat and it could be a real winner.
 
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I've always wanted to try out a Harman top loader with that very cool grill option. I can see where top loading would be an advantage for folks with bad knees or backs. I wonder if their fire dome technology really does even out the burn similar to a cat stove? Throw in a t-stat and it could be a real winner.
Hmm do I see a new stove in out future Todd?

Ray
 
I've always wanted to try out a Harman top loader with that very cool grill option. I can see where top loading would be an advantage for folks with bad knees or backs. I wonder if their fire dome technology really does even out the burn similar to a cat stove? Throw in a t-stat and it could be a real winner.
Hmm do I see a new stove in out future Todd?

Ray

I do have a bad knee and my back isn't getting any younger. ;) I'm still a little leary with those down draft stoves and I'd hate to go from set and forget to constantly tweaking with the air to keep that secondary burn in control.
 
I do have a bad knee and my back isn't getting any younger. ;) I'm still a little leary with those down draft stoves and I'd hate to go from set and forget to constantly tweaking with the air to keep that secondary burn in control.
Just had my knee repaired so I can understand that..

Ray
 
I do have a bad knee and my back isn't getting any younger. ;) I'm still a little leary with those down draft stoves and I'd hate to go from set and forget to constantly tweaking with the air to keep that secondary burn in control.
Moving stoves around keeps you young!:)
 
Even if the harmann does what Seasoned Oak reports, it is still nowhere near as functional as the BK. I don't think Todd will switch for performance reasons.
 
Even if the harmann does what Seasoned Oak reports, it is still nowhere near as functional as the BK. I don't think Todd will switch for performance reasons.
Dunno sounds pretty darn functional to me! HB I think you know that secondary burn does quite well and pretty darn fast.. No tweaking needed..

Ray
 
Ok Randy (seasoned oak) is the guy to talk to for sure !

From my experience Harman can work extreamly well and I suspect as good if not better than Blaze King ( Here comes the war ;lol ) We had a tl300 top load and honestly I would have kept it and tried to figure the draft out and been able to fix the combuster gasket and back plate customer service is important to me ! Leaving those issues aside the stove had some real and amazing attributes I could see even with our issues. We had one burn that the temps and weather outside stayed the same for the coals lasted 3 days ( No joke ) I had so much left that when we got home 3 days later I literally put some kindling on and 5 minutes latter loaded it up ! Granted this only happened once but we did not have optimal draft at the time either because of surrounding buildings and trees. I ended up getting rid of it due to horrible customer service but I would say that not all dealers are the same and not all situations are the same.

Pete
 
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I do have a bad knee and my back isn't getting any younger. ;) I'm still a little leary with those down draft stoves and I'd hate to go from set and forget to constantly tweaking with the air to keep that secondary burn in control.
I dont have to tweak the air at all,the secondary burn is dependent on 2 things, enough draft and internal stove temp. it really dont matter what you do with the air setting. Although shutting it down BEFORE you are in afterburn will have an effect.
 
I dont have to tweak the air at all,the secondary burn is dependent on 2 things enough draft and internal stove temp. it really dont matter what you do with the air setting. Although shutting it down BEFORE you are in afterburn will have an effect.
Does the TL-300 have an option for legs or just the commie pedestal? ;lol

I kid of course about the commie remark, but I a curious about the legs option.
 
I cant stress enough how nice the top loading is. Plus i can load the stove tight and with the andirons in front of the wood nothing touches the glass or rolls out of the stove.Stove gives a heck of a fire show as well.
 
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Does the TL-300 have an option for legs or just the commie pedestal? ;lol

I kid of course about the commie remark, but I a curious about the legs option.
Its a pedestal cuz it has a huge ash pan and it takes quite a while to fill up. I also like the ash pan and separate ash door on start up cuz you can open it and the fire roars like crazy with the air rushing in from below.
 
Im not knocking the BK at all, heck if they weren't so damn ugly id probably have one by now. I guess its like a (not so beautiful woman)
not much to look at but superior service.
 
Something magical must be happening to get such long burn times and even more magical to do it without a cat. Good for Harman.

Commie Pedestal! They take a while to get used to but some stoves have some ugly legs.
 
Going through the Harman site and I ran across the "The Super Magnum Stoker."
More than 100 hours of burn time from each load of coal.

Oh my!

 
Something magical must be happening to get such long burn times and even more magical to do it without a cat. Good for Harman.

Commie Pedestal! They take a while to get used to but some stoves have some ugly legs.
For every pedestal that is installed it is a victory for the communists!
 
Going through the Harman site and I ran across the "The Super Magnum Stoker."


Oh my!
My stokers burn time is 8 months,(its auto feed) You do have to remove the ashes periodically. But no loading required.
 
Something magical must be happening to get such long burn times and even more magical to do it without a cat. Good for Harman.

Commie Pedestal! They take a while to get used to but some stoves have some ugly legs.
One way to long burn times is packing the stove tight ,which you can really pack to the gills with a top loader. Another is efficiently burning the wood gas.I think my harman burns 100% of the wood gas but my englander does smoke from time to time so apparently its not 100%
 
MY typical burn time with the harman with hardwood is about 15 hours, so far iv never got near that with the NC-30. Just my experience with it.
 
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Something magical must be happening to get such long burn times and even more magical to do it without a cat. Good for Harman.

Commie Pedestal! They take a while to get used to but some stoves have some ugly legs.
I used to think you need a cat stove for a long burn but found that is not the case.. Aside from extremely long extremely low BTU burns achieved by some cat stoves it isn't a true test for when you need serious "normal" btu's for colder weather burning. In this respect secondary burn stoves are on par for btu's and efficiency..

Ray
 
Another consideration is stove height. I have all 3 of my other stoves on platforms 16" high and i still cant see the secondaries well. No platform needed with the harman a huge viewing window and the secondaries are all over the place.
 
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I used to think you need a cat stove for a long burn but found that is not the case.. Aside from extremely long extremely low BTU burns achieved by some cat stoves it isn't a true test for when you need serious "normal" btu's for colder weather burning. In this respect secondary burn stoves are on par for btu's and efficiency..

Ray

That's confusing, you do need a cat for the really long burns, and if you need more heat you can always turn them up. The cat stoves offer those extremely long and low burns but they also are able to run hard, whatever you want!

True, when you need to run a stove hard the non-cats are quite efficient. That's their specialty but unfortunately it is also the only thing that most of them are good at. This Harman technology, at least in Oak's case, is exceptional.
 
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