i kind of like the look (used to vermont castings). jotul seems to have had stable ownership. does that mean excellent customer serve and parts availability? i see a gotham me location. is the NA headquarters? can you buy direct? have they had to make this into a cat stove with 2020 regulations? i hear it likes dry wood best (like most stoves i suppose). non-cat vs cat versions pros and cons. pictures!
Tell me about the Jotul f500 Oslo!
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jumped over to Jotl site. saw a short video. 20 year cat warranty, no damper/by-pass gate. looks nice.
I have owned a 500 Oslo since the winter of 2015. This is a solid and well built stove. What I like the best about the stove is the side load door. On the coldest nights here in Central Texas, it has been 25 outside and with the main circulating fan we have held 74 in the hallway. To prevent the wood from falling into the glass we had cut a piece of quarter inch steel which fits around the primary air "doghouse" in the front. The photo shows the addition to the stove.
I would not hesitate to purchase another Oslo 500.
I would not hesitate to purchase another Oslo 500.
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firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
Well I call her Sue and she likes long walks on the beach in the moonlight . . .
Ok, on the serious side . . . Back in 2008 when the heating oil prices were $4 plus I was looking for alternative heating and after realizing the chances of getting a pellet stove that year -- or even that winter -- were slim to none I opted for a woodstove and the Jotul Oslo soon made the top of my list since a) reliability is one of the things I highly prize whether it be in a car, ATV, sled or even a toaster oven and b) while there are more inexpensive woodstoves I was willing to pay a little extra as a woodstove is kinda like a piece of furniture in the living room and is a focal point.
After a decade plus I can say I am very happy with my purchase. The Oslo has proven itself to be very reliable (only had to replace a couple of gaskets and a baffle blanket in all that time), looks good in my opinion and most importantly has kept me warm.
There are a few drawbacks that folks have noted over the years. Using the front door as the primary means of loading the stove often results in ash spillage vs. using the side door. The air control lever can stick if not cleaned occasionally and graphite is not applied -- I do this once a year at the start of the season and it usually is good for the entire winter.
It is also perhaps not the best choice if one was looking for a stove for a cabin say where you need quick, hot heat. Rather, the Oslo is like a locomotive that slowly builds up momentum (or heat in this case), but once up and cruising it does a fine job of radiating heat into the home.
My only regret in all these years is that I did not opt for the blue black finish and instead cheaped out by going with the plain Jane black matte paint. I mean the stove still looks good after all these years, but that blue black finish is the cat's meow.
Yes . . . you are correct. Jotul's North American headquarters is in Gorham, Maine. Last I knew the parts were being shipped over from Norway and the stove was assembled here in Maine. Jotul incidentally is reportedly one of the oldest stove manufacturers.
Yes . . . at least around here I find you can easily find several Jotul dealers. I haven't had to purchase any parts so I cannot speak to that question, but the time I needed gaskets and the baffle blanket the local dealership had it all in stock. I did find however that when purchasing the stove at the time back in 2008 that there was not much of a difference in pricing between the dealerships -- I think the best difference was $100-$200. That said, it may have been due to the time and high demand.
I do not think you can buy a Jotul direct.
Yes . . . all modern woodstoves need truly dry wood. Then again, one could argue that all woodstoves period do better burning dry wood vs. wood laden with moisture since last I knew water does not burn very well.
Finally . . . in the last year or two Jotul did change up the Oslo to Version 3 with the addition of the cat. Many of us long time Oslo fans are eagerly awaiting reports from buyers and users to see how well (or not well) the revised Oslo works. I know some folks have some concerns over the cat and cat longevity based on its location in the stove, but to date I have not seen many reports -- good or bad -- on the new stove.
Ok, on the serious side . . . Back in 2008 when the heating oil prices were $4 plus I was looking for alternative heating and after realizing the chances of getting a pellet stove that year -- or even that winter -- were slim to none I opted for a woodstove and the Jotul Oslo soon made the top of my list since a) reliability is one of the things I highly prize whether it be in a car, ATV, sled or even a toaster oven and b) while there are more inexpensive woodstoves I was willing to pay a little extra as a woodstove is kinda like a piece of furniture in the living room and is a focal point.
After a decade plus I can say I am very happy with my purchase. The Oslo has proven itself to be very reliable (only had to replace a couple of gaskets and a baffle blanket in all that time), looks good in my opinion and most importantly has kept me warm.
There are a few drawbacks that folks have noted over the years. Using the front door as the primary means of loading the stove often results in ash spillage vs. using the side door. The air control lever can stick if not cleaned occasionally and graphite is not applied -- I do this once a year at the start of the season and it usually is good for the entire winter.
It is also perhaps not the best choice if one was looking for a stove for a cabin say where you need quick, hot heat. Rather, the Oslo is like a locomotive that slowly builds up momentum (or heat in this case), but once up and cruising it does a fine job of radiating heat into the home.
My only regret in all these years is that I did not opt for the blue black finish and instead cheaped out by going with the plain Jane black matte paint. I mean the stove still looks good after all these years, but that blue black finish is the cat's meow.
Yes . . . you are correct. Jotul's North American headquarters is in Gorham, Maine. Last I knew the parts were being shipped over from Norway and the stove was assembled here in Maine. Jotul incidentally is reportedly one of the oldest stove manufacturers.
Yes . . . at least around here I find you can easily find several Jotul dealers. I haven't had to purchase any parts so I cannot speak to that question, but the time I needed gaskets and the baffle blanket the local dealership had it all in stock. I did find however that when purchasing the stove at the time back in 2008 that there was not much of a difference in pricing between the dealerships -- I think the best difference was $100-$200. That said, it may have been due to the time and high demand.
I do not think you can buy a Jotul direct.
Yes . . . all modern woodstoves need truly dry wood. Then again, one could argue that all woodstoves period do better burning dry wood vs. wood laden with moisture since last I knew water does not burn very well.
Finally . . . in the last year or two Jotul did change up the Oslo to Version 3 with the addition of the cat. Many of us long time Oslo fans are eagerly awaiting reports from buyers and users to see how well (or not well) the revised Oslo works. I know some folks have some concerns over the cat and cat longevity based on its location in the stove, but to date I have not seen many reports -- good or bad -- on the new stove.
Simonkenton
Minister of Fire
interesting - do you burn 24/7? Any reason you're not using the side load door?
Simonkenton
Minister of Fire
We will burn the stove for a couple days straight and then let it go out for a day.
I found it to be a hassle to use the side door I just cut the wood a little shorter, maybe 16 or 17 inches and we use the front door.
Also we don't use the ash pan. Dump it out once a year, May 1.
I found it to be a hassle to use the side door I just cut the wood a little shorter, maybe 16 or 17 inches and we use the front door.
Also we don't use the ash pan. Dump it out once a year, May 1.
We have been running a Jotul Oslo for 6 years. Our first wood burner, it’s what we learned on. It has been wonderful; zero problems. We have not turned the house electric heat on so far this winter. That said, we are in Virginia, not Canada.
A big contributing factor to our success is our excellent wood supply. Plenty available, plus I’ve got plenty of time, and like to harvest and process it. The result being I’m years ahead of my 2.5 cord per year requirement, which in turn means plenty of drying time for red & white oak, ash, maple, elm. Lots of excellent hardwood at 14-16% moisture content.
Just bought a V3 for the other end of the house. One could call it stove overkill. But mrs. likes to be warm, and awkward house design with master suite/home office down a long hallway calls for creative use of fans or maybe an odd ductwork install. Would have gone for a smaller Jotul but none available. So far very happy. One difference is the V3 will send a little smoke into the room during the first minute or two of fire starting unless you pay closer attention than I need to with the 6-year old.
We use front and side doors on both. Side door for long 20”+ pieces. Also leave side door open for first 5 min or so when starting the V3. Less problem with smoke coming out.
We get long overnight burns on both, when we want. Filling the firebox, or not, seems to be the biggest factor. If you paid for an Oslo, take advantage of the size, especially length of pieces of wood it will take. Also, having thick blanket of ash built up helps maintain coals. We don’t damp it down too much. We let it burn. In the morning the house is comfortable, and we’ve got 1-2 quarts of coals for restarting.
Hope this is useful to someone. Regards to all. C
A big contributing factor to our success is our excellent wood supply. Plenty available, plus I’ve got plenty of time, and like to harvest and process it. The result being I’m years ahead of my 2.5 cord per year requirement, which in turn means plenty of drying time for red & white oak, ash, maple, elm. Lots of excellent hardwood at 14-16% moisture content.
Just bought a V3 for the other end of the house. One could call it stove overkill. But mrs. likes to be warm, and awkward house design with master suite/home office down a long hallway calls for creative use of fans or maybe an odd ductwork install. Would have gone for a smaller Jotul but none available. So far very happy. One difference is the V3 will send a little smoke into the room during the first minute or two of fire starting unless you pay closer attention than I need to with the 6-year old.
We use front and side doors on both. Side door for long 20”+ pieces. Also leave side door open for first 5 min or so when starting the V3. Less problem with smoke coming out.
We get long overnight burns on both, when we want. Filling the firebox, or not, seems to be the biggest factor. If you paid for an Oslo, take advantage of the size, especially length of pieces of wood it will take. Also, having thick blanket of ash built up helps maintain coals. We don’t damp it down too much. We let it burn. In the morning the house is comfortable, and we’ve got 1-2 quarts of coals for restarting.
Hope this is useful to someone. Regards to all. C
You’re getting overnight burns w/out cutting the air flow much? It’s great to hear folks getting burns outta the V3
I usually set it at just a tad less than halfway, maybe 40 %. That’s after loading the box pretty full, and running it at max air for a few minutes to make sure it has caught.
discounting the EPA 2020 models, how similar are the f500 models over the years. i've inquired about one that might be from around 2004. looks lightly used. wondering about its quality and value.
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So besides possible smoke at start up, is there very little noticable difference between the cat and non cat? Interesting. Does that suggest the tubes on this hybrid are doing the vast majority of the work? Or is it that you keep the air supply very adequate?
The Oslo is a venerable workhorse heating many homes in the US. It's a classic stove and good heater. The new one looks pretty good too so far. Did you catch this review?
www.hearth.com
One Month Review using JOTUL F500 v3
Hello all, I have been using my 2020 Jotul F500 now for over a month and want to provide a review for anyone looking to purchase this stove. I also wanted to provide this review because I based my decisions off of the reviews I read and wanted to contribute to any others looking at this stove...
www.hearth.com
Love them in the blue-black enamel. If it has been treated well and no cracks (especially around the base) then it could be a nice find if the price is good.
was informed that it sold. was asking $950, not sure what it sold for. not searching hard, but does here that there are fans of this stove/company (though i believe customer service is not good).
xman23
Minister of Fire
I've been burning in an Oslo since 2000. My problem back then was to find a stove, I wanted, better looking than that big stone fireplace my wife wanted. We found the Oslo forest green enamel, and never looked back.
Like all have said, it's a quality stove. It requires normal maintenance, door rope gaskets and the insulation blanket. These original Jotul parts from stove store are pricey, but I've found them from other sources.
Like all have said, it's a quality stove. It requires normal maintenance, door rope gaskets and the insulation blanket. These original Jotul parts from stove store are pricey, but I've found them from other sources.
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
Honestly ...based on those pics it looks like it was very lightly used and at a little under $1,000 I would wager someone got a decent deal on it. Haven't really had any issues with customer service . . . mainly because the only time I had to go back to a dealer was to purchase a gasket or two and baffle blanket and it was pretty much a no-drama experience.
i notice that there are firebricks in it. does it produce heat more like a soapstone stove rather than all cast iron?
xman23
Minister of Fire
The fire bricks line the back wall. Why, don't know, there design. I think 5 of them standard size, that slide in a track. I forgot, I changed one or two due to a crack 15 years ago. There's cast iron burn plates on the inside, side walls. I think it's to keep the fire box hot for cleaner burning. This stove, is not like the steel stoves. It takes a lot to get it hot.
I believe mine is a V1, It has two cast iron burn plates that sit on top of the secondary burn tubes. There's a 1/2 insulation blanket on top of the plates. Some say they get these plates to warp from the heat. Mine after 20 years are about perfect. I wonder if the people that warped these were running without the blanket or just to hot. The blanket gets a bit ragged in 3-4 years. I keep it in nice shape and don't need to run the stove hard. I have posted a inexpensive source for the blanket.
In the V2 the cast iron plates were changed to a synthitic material. It looked fragile to me. but I don't here about people replacing it. Others with this version can comment.
The V3 now has a cat. One of the reasons I bought the V1 Oslo, because it didn't have a cat. That said there's a lot of cat fan boys here. Curious about the 20 year warranty. Is it prorated for the 20 years? Whats the Jotul cost to replace it.
I believe mine is a V1, It has two cast iron burn plates that sit on top of the secondary burn tubes. There's a 1/2 insulation blanket on top of the plates. Some say they get these plates to warp from the heat. Mine after 20 years are about perfect. I wonder if the people that warped these were running without the blanket or just to hot. The blanket gets a bit ragged in 3-4 years. I keep it in nice shape and don't need to run the stove hard. I have posted a inexpensive source for the blanket.
In the V2 the cast iron plates were changed to a synthitic material. It looked fragile to me. but I don't here about people replacing it. Others with this version can comment.
The V3 now has a cat. One of the reasons I bought the V1 Oslo, because it didn't have a cat. That said there's a lot of cat fan boys here. Curious about the 20 year warranty. Is it prorated for the 20 years? Whats the Jotul cost to replace it.
Well, a normal cat costs ~$200, the Jotul Oslo F500 v3 cat is 3 times the size of a normal cat. It probably needs 3x the amount of prescious metals. 3x $200 it's $600
xman23
Minister of Fire
Is the cat was prorated over the 20 year warranty period. So it's bad at year 10 and it cost you $300. For me it was the reason I didn't want a cat stove. I kept hearing about a short life and a expansive repair.
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