Advice needed for wood stove purchase

[pumpkinhill]

We are looking to purchase a cast iron wood stove for our barn home. We are looking at a new Vermont Castings Defiant but I have read through a number of posts and do not see a lot of love for this brand. We currently have a Vermont Castings Encore and have been extremely happy with it. And the only part we have had to replace in the 10 years we have had it is the front door gasket. We like the top load feature and the stainless steel plate. We will unfortunately be an all-electric home so we are looking to this stove to help offset having to use electric heat and as a possible backup cooking option if the electricity goes out. We are in Indiana so it has the potential to get extremely cold. We had also looked at the Hearthstone Manchester but it doesn't seem to be a good option for cooking on top. I welcome the advice of those with more experience. We want to stick with a matte black cast iron stove.

 

[stoveliker]

While others are better suited to point at suitable options, a few question will help kickstart their help:

-why are you wanting to change stoves? The 10 year old one should not be at retirement age?

-how big is your home? Stove room? Lay-out (sketch)?

-is the Encore doing ok in heating needs?

 

[pumpkinhill]

Fair questions and I should have been more detailed. We are moving and the Encore is staying in the house we are selling. This is basically new construction as we are converting a pole barn. The entire square ft. is approx. 1,800. The great room ceiling vaults to 12 ft. and the room is open to the kitchen. All other rooms (including kitchen) will have 8 ft. ceilings. The front of the home is where the barn door opening was so is all windows (10 x 12).

Here is a rough sketch of the layout.

 

[all night moe]

I would choose the Hearthstone Manchester and get your self an LP fired stove for cooking.
I am a bit biassed when it comes to those soapstone stoves ......

 

[tadmaz]

With that layout and vaulted ceiling, I think you will want a big stove, whether it be cast iron, steel, soapstone.

 

[stoveliker]

it will be hard to heat the back rooms as there is only one doorway, and then a bunch of corners to go around to go there.
So be aware that a big stove could be too big - as you'll be mostly heating your great room. Yes, vaulted ceilings, but still.
Make sure you have a ceiling fan to push down the heat that collects up there.

 

[begreen]

Yes, without some sort of convective assistance, the stove will mostly be heating the great room/kitchen area.

What will the primary heating system be? Is there a basement?

 

[all night moe]

Yes, without some sort of convective assistance, the stove will mostly be heating the great room/kitchen area.

What will the primary heating system be? Is there a basement?

OP stated it's a converted pole barn, so .... no basement?
He mentioned electric heat. I did not see a utility room so I'm assuming electric baseboard?

 

[ABMax24]

Here's the stove's I'm aware of that might suit your needs:

Pacific Energy Alderlea T4, T5, or T6 (jacketed steel stove)
BlazeKing Ashford 30.2 or 20.2 (Jacked steel stove, catalyitic)
Jotul, pretty much any of their stoves
Hearthstone Craftsbury, Shelburne, or Manachester

 

[kennyp2339]

take a look at woodstock progress hybrid.
Just a couple questions regarding the converted barn, are the walls going to be spray foamed? If the construction is going to be air tight and if you dont have a crawl space, you might want to consider moving the stove to an outside wall or closer to a outside wall to install a fresh air intake, kit or oak.

 

[begreen]

OP stated it's a converted pole barn, so .... no basement?
He mentioned electric heat. I did not see a utility room so I'm assuming electric baseboard?

That means hiding a duct system to move the air will be harder.