Hello,
I've narrowed my stove search down to either a princess or an Ashford 30.2. I've read a lot of threads and gotten some feedback, but I'm struggling to understand the specific advantages and disadvantages between these two stoves.
Location: Northern Vermont. Usually 2 weeks below 0 F, Usually 10-14 weeks around freezing.
Area heated: ~2400 sqf
Specie burned: mix of maple, cherry, and poplar. Some pine for kindling / fire starting
Volume burned: About 6 cord / year. Goal is to keep stove running all winter with few relights.
Biggest challenge: Cooking ourselves out in the shoulder season / having to light the stove more often.
Current Stove: Manchester 8362. Maintenance issues driving search. Stove is a good performer, but we're constantly tinkering with the firebox.
Heating: Stove is primary for highlighted areas except kitchen. House also has propane rinnais and a heat pump. We aren't SOL without the stove, but it's our main heat source.
My feeling from reading these forums is that the Princess is the better selling stove, and probably for a reason. While I think the Ashford could suit our needs a little better, I'm curious what people here think.
This was a quote from another thread, I'm wondering if others here agree. I asked for a follow up from this user on that thread
Princess Pros:
I've narrowed my stove search down to either a princess or an Ashford 30.2. I've read a lot of threads and gotten some feedback, but I'm struggling to understand the specific advantages and disadvantages between these two stoves.
Location: Northern Vermont. Usually 2 weeks below 0 F, Usually 10-14 weeks around freezing.
Area heated: ~2400 sqf
Specie burned: mix of maple, cherry, and poplar. Some pine for kindling / fire starting
Volume burned: About 6 cord / year. Goal is to keep stove running all winter with few relights.
Biggest challenge: Cooking ourselves out in the shoulder season / having to light the stove more often.
Current Stove: Manchester 8362. Maintenance issues driving search. Stove is a good performer, but we're constantly tinkering with the firebox.
Heating: Stove is primary for highlighted areas except kitchen. House also has propane rinnais and a heat pump. We aren't SOL without the stove, but it's our main heat source.
My feeling from reading these forums is that the Princess is the better selling stove, and probably for a reason. While I think the Ashford could suit our needs a little better, I'm curious what people here think.
This was a quote from another thread, I'm wondering if others here agree. I asked for a follow up from this user on that thread
With good or better air seals and reasonable insulation blanket, I personally would be looking at either a BK Princess (very common 6 inch chimney pipe) or a BK King (less common 8 inch chimney pipe required) to minimize my oil bill. The Ashford 30 (we had a 30.0 in the old house) is 'prettier' than a Princess to many people, but the A30, when all is said and done, is a little bit smaller draught horse than a Princess. Think of an grass fed Clydesdale standing next to an oat fed Percheron. These are both, on a global scale, big big stove
Princess Pros:
- Princess design is more tried and true and has not seen changes as recently as the Ashford. I feel like part of the reason I'm having issues with my Manchester is that it was an early edition of the redesign for 2020 EPA standards.
- A lot of comments I've seen harp on the deeper 'belly' of firebox for the Princess. What benefit does this add beyond ash spillage? We would be getting the parlor legs if we got the princess, would that negate that benefit of thisLocation: Northern VermontArea heated: ~2400 sqf
Specie burned: mix of maple, cherry, and poplar. Some pine for kindling / fire starting
Volume burned: About 6 cord / year. Goal is to keep stove running all winter with few relights.
Biggest challenge: Cooking ourselves out in the shoulder season / having to light the stove more often.
Current Stove: Manchester 8362. Maintenance issues driving search. - Slightly higher maximum BTUs than Ashford on high, 100 sqf higher maximum heating capacity
- Lower g/h emissions
- People note the fire view is not always great. I recognize this is a sign of efficiency
- Not as pretty to my wife (and to some extent me) even with parlor legs
- Steel gets hotter faster, more likely to cook us out of the sitting room if we turn it up for a nice fire view
- I prefer the cast iron look
- Cast iron heats and cools slower, less likely to cook us out, longer lasting heat on longer burn times.
- Door is slightly larger. The majority of my wood is 18 inch log cuts that would load easier through the Ashford
- I don't want to make my decision off this, but it is a benefit for the next season or two
- Ash drawer included
- Slightly higher EPA tested BTU on high
- Better fire view, easier to clean glass by burning
- Newer design, not as 'tried and true'
- More shallow fire box, more frequent cleanouts