Choosing a durable, economical wood stove

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Pilgrim91

New Member
Feb 3, 2021
61
Arkansas, USA
Hi! I'm new to the forum. I have questions about choosing a wood stove for our home.

We bought an old 16x76 mobile home last spring, moved it onto a piece of land in western Arkansas (near the southern border of the Ozarks), and started renovating it. We are living in it with our six children while continuing to fix it up. It did not have a working furnace in it, and all the ductwork was useless as well. So, we decided we would just use a wood stove as our primary heating source. Being on a tight budget and not having a clue what to look for, we went ahead and bought a used DIY shop stove. After attempting to heat our long, skinny trailer house with it for a few months, it's become obvious we really need a better-built, much more efficient stove. We will soon add on to the house so we'll need to heat about 1400 sq ft.

Now, soon tax returns will make it possible to buy a new stove, BUT it will still need to fit into a budget of under $2,000 with everything--including tax, shipping, any extra stovepipe (we already have stovepipe and a chimney installed but may have to make alterations for a different stove), heat-activated (non-electric) blower, fresh air intake kit, etc. Yet, because it's our main heat source, and even in Arkansas we will need to run it almost constantly for about 3-4 months & occasionally in the shoulder season, we need something economical but durable enough for continual use, that will last many years with reasonable care.

I have read that the $800-$1000 economy sheet metal models (your basic Ashley, US Stove types) are only suitable for occasional use because the metal is not very thick. Then there is "welded steel" that is made of thicker metal and supposedly more durable, but there are few of these supposedly mid-priced models. I see a big price gap. And then there is cast iron, soapstone, etc. Premium models run $3500 and up to over $10K. Blaze Kings, Regency, Woodstock Soapstone, and the ones from Unforgettable Fire look awesome but are simply out of my budget range. I really love the Vermont Bun Baker! But, it's way too expensive and not mobile home approved. Here is my main question:

Is there a not a middle-of-the-road model that is better than the cheapest but not a status symbol of wealth?

Some people say the economy ones are just as good as the expensive ones; others say there is a world of difference. Since a premium model is not an option for my budget, is it worth paying a little extra for the few that run $1200 or $1600, or are they the same as a Vogelzang, Ashley, or Englander that I can get for $800? One website said if you want a high-quality but economical stove, check out the Englander 13-NC. But I can't find that model now, only parts; is it discontinued? The closest I could find was the Englander 2000 sq ft (Model 15-W03). It's $899 through Home Depot. Any recommendations?
 
Hi! I'm new to the forum. I have questions about choosing a wood stove for our home.

We bought an old 16x76 mobile home last spring, moved it onto a piece of land in western Arkansas (near the southern border of the Ozarks), and started renovating it. We are living in it with our six children while continuing to fix it up. It did not have a working furnace in it, and all the ductwork was useless as well. So, we decided we would just use a wood stove as our primary heating source. Being on a tight budget and not having a clue what to look for, we went ahead and bought a used DIY shop stove. After attempting to heat our long, skinny trailer house with it for a few months, it's become obvious we really need a better-built, much more efficient stove. We will soon add on to the house so we'll need to heat about 1400 sq ft.

Now, soon tax returns will make it possible to buy a new stove, BUT it will still need to fit into a budget of under $2,000 with everything--including tax, shipping, any extra stovepipe (we already have stovepipe and a chimney installed but may have to make alterations for a different stove), heat-activated (non-electric) blower, fresh air intake kit, etc. Yet, because it's our main heat source, and even in Arkansas we will need to run it almost constantly for about 3-4 months & occasionally in the shoulder season, we need something economical but durable enough for continual use, that will last many years with reasonable care.

I have read that the $800-$1000 economy sheet metal models (your basic Ashley, US Stove types) are only suitable for occasional use because the metal is not very thick. Then there is "welded steel" that is made of thicker metal and supposedly more durable, but there are few of these supposedly mid-priced models. I see a big price gap. And then there is cast iron, soapstone, etc. Premium models run $3500 and up to over $10K. Blaze Kings, Regency, Woodstock Soapstone, and the ones from Unforgettable Fire look awesome but are simply out of my budget range. I really love the Vermont Bun Baker! But, it's way too expensive and not mobile home approved. Here is my main question:

Is there a not a middle-of-the-road model that is better than the cheapest but not a status symbol of wealth?

Some people say the economy ones are just as good as the expensive ones; others say there is a world of difference. Since a premium model is not an option for my budget, is it worth paying a little extra for the few that run $1200 or $1600, or are they the same as a Vogelzang, Ashley, or Englander that I can get for $800? One website said if you want a high-quality but economical stove, check out the Englander 13-NC. But I can't find that model now, only parts; is it discontinued? The closest I could find was the Englander 2000 sq ft (Model 15-W03). It's $899 through Home Depot. Any recommendations?
Look at Englander and drolet I would avoid vogelzang or the other lines sold by us stove Co. They are generally poorly built stoves imported from overseas
 
Welcome to Hearth. Drolet and Englander would be my first brand consideration's in that price range. Check each potential model of interest for mobile home compatibility. A few pics of your current setup might get some helpful opinions.
 
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Here’s my Englander nc30, current model is nc32. I also own one of those “status symbol of wealth” stoves in my home. I have never regretted the 800$ Englander for a straight up heater with no frills.

There is bottom of the barrel junk from China, then there are the Englander/drolets, then a big price jump for no apparent reason to the name brand dealer only stoves.

image.jpg
 
Keep in mind that a wood stove is really just a space heater. It is not designed to heat a whole house, but many of us try... In a long, skinny mobile home an install in one end will really struggle to heat the other end. As centrally located as possible will heat best.

I installed an NC30 last year with all new pipe, chimney liner and accessories for about $2500.
 
Here’s my Englander nc30, current model is nc32. I also own one of those “status symbol of wealth” stoves in my home. I have never regretted the 800$ Englander for a straight up heater with no frills.

There is bottom of the barrel junk from China, then there are the Englander/drolets, then a big price jump for no apparent reason to the name brand dealer only stoves.

View attachment 274064
Working with and running many different stoves there is a big difference between most buget stoves and most mid level stoves like regency quad lopi etc.
 
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Keep in mind that a wood stove is really just a space heater. It is not designed to heat a whole house, but many of us try... In a long, skinny mobile home an install in one end will really struggle to heat the other end. As centrally located as possible will heat best.

I installed an NC30 last year with all new pipe, chimney liner and accessories for about $2500.
Mine heats my entire house. 1800 square feet rancher w no problem
 
Working with and running many different stoves there is a big difference between most buget stoves and most mid level stoves like regency quad lopi etc.
I agree. My first wood stove was an economy stove. My current stove is a regency. A world of difference.
 
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Mine heats my entire house. 1800 square feet rancher w no problem
Mine heats my whole house too. It's 80-82 in the stove room, 70 upstairs, 66 in the bedrooms... maybe not quite with our current temps...
 
Mine does as well, 1952 sq ft usually 68-74 in living room/kitchen and 68-72 in bedrooms (minus the master which sits behind the stove that room is typically 64-70). Although I think they were just making the point that the stoves are designed as a space heater etc.
 
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I agree. My first wood stove was an economy stove. My current stove is a regency. A world of difference.
Yes it is pretty clear with the new 2020 stoves the higher end companies redesigned the stove to maximise heat transfer after increasing firebox temps to clean them up while the cheaper ones simply gave them more air.
 
Welcome to Hearth. Drolet and Englander would be my first brand consideration's in that price range. Check each potential model of interest for mobile home compatibility. A few pics of your current setup might get some helpful opinions.
Here is a picture of my current setup.
 

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Keep in mind that a wood stove is really just a space heater. It is not designed to heat a whole house, but many of us try... In a long, skinny mobile home an install in one end will really struggle to heat the other end. As centrally located as possible will heat best.

I installed an NC30 last year with all new pipe, chimney liner and accessories for about $2500.
Yes, that's true. It's quite a challenge to get heat all the way back to the bedrooms on each end. We positioned ours in probably the best, most centrally located spot in the house, and if we did have a more efficient stove that would radiate heat more efficiently, with a heat-actuated blower (maybe one blowing toward EACH end), I think it would be better than what we have currently. Maybe one day we can build a cabin that is more open and square.
 
Yes it is pretty clear with the new 2020 stoves the higher end companies redesigned the stove to maximise heat transfer after increasing firebox temps to clean them up while the cheaper ones simply gave them more air.
Oh, my! I sure do wish I could go with a higher end stove. But if I spent $3000-5000 or more on a stove, which I technically could do with my tax return, then I wouldn't have enough $$ for our much needed addition to the front (long) side of the mobile home.
 
Mine heats my whole house too. It's 80-82 in the stove room, 70 upstairs, 66 in the bedrooms... maybe not quite with our current temps...
Working with and running many different stoves there is a big difference between most buget stoves and most mid level stoves like regency quad lopi etc.
Regency, Quad & Lopi are mid-level? I guess they are; there are some I really like that are even more. There is a dealer nearby that sells Regency, but I was not too impressed by the level of friendliness in their salespeople. But worse, they were not very knowledgeable. They knew nothing about budget models and so couldn't even tell me why theirs were a cut above or why they'd be worth the extra investment!
 
I agree. My first wood stove was an economy stove. My current stove is a regency. A world of difference.
So, can you elaborate a little on what the differences are that you have found? Even the Regency dealer here could not tell me. She knew nothing about budget stoves but claimed to know a lot about the ones she sold--yet couldn't tell me why I ought to spend the extra money on a higher end model.
 
Yes it is pretty clear with the new 2020 stoves the higher end companies redesigned the stove to maximise heat transfer after increasing firebox temps to clean them up while the cheaper ones simply gave them more air.
So...are the cheaper ones really as clean and efficient as they claim? They claim to burn just as clean as most of the expensive models.
 
Here’s my Englander nc30, current model is nc32. I also own one of those “status symbol of wealth” stoves in my home. I have never regretted the 800$ Englander for a straight up heater with no frills.

There is bottom of the barrel junk from China, then there are the Englander/drolets, then a big price jump for no apparent reason to the name brand dealer only stoves.

View attachment 274064
A note about the Blaze King "status symbol of wealth": My husband and I started looking into the Blaze King models and began to fall in love...and then called a dealer to get prices and were kind of crushed. A little exaggeration, haha! But yeah, sigh...maybe one day... :)
 
Those of you who have a Summer's Heat by England's Wood Stove: Do you like it? How would it be different from the other Englander models?
My "NC30" is the Summers Heat 50SNC30. It kicks out serious BTU's quick, but the coaling phase is sometimes inadequate to keep the heat up in the house (like now with temps below 0F). I'm going to start playing with some softwood burns in the afternoon and evening to burn down the coals and kick out good, quick heat; then full hardwood load for overnight.

You being down in Arkansas may end up with the entire family running around in your skivvy's. They really aren't designed for a long slow burn. That's catalyst stove territory (from what I've seen in posts). You might get decent results with smaller loads, but make sure you get up to a temp where the secondaries are firing and your not creating creosote. Secondary tube stoves tend to have a yo-yo effect on house temps.
 
So, can you elaborate a little on what the differences are that you have found? Even the Regency dealer here could not tell me. She knew nothing about budget stoves but claimed to know a lot about the ones she sold--yet couldn't tell me why I ought to spend the extra money on a higher end model.

Oh good, you noticed. Keep asking for what the actual reasons are for the up charge. Best I can tell is dealer service which is of zero value to me but maybe you value it. How often have you called the dealer for your old stove?

The EPA list was partially created just so that consumers can compare actual tested efficiencies (which includes heat transfer), emissions rates, and output rates among all new stoves. The list is available at the top of this forum in the stickies. Spoiler, they’re all good.
 
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I should also mention that I am looking for a wood stove with a nice, big flat top that I can cook on if I want to. I may even buy a soapstone slab that I can lay on top for a cooking surface, if I can afford it. We have a large family, so I do need to be able to fit a 12-inch cast iron pot on it. I even have a 15-in cast iron skillet, and from my measurements, the Englander I'm looking at would even hold the huge skillet. It would also fit on my hearth with about 12 inches to the wall and about 16 inches in front of the stove. (The hearth is 56"W x 53"D. Englander 15-W03 is 22"W x27"D.)
 
Just a side note.
To help move your heat around your home try putting fans blowing the cooler ground level air back towards the stove room. It is more effecient to move cooler denser air then warmer air.
 
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