Avalon Large Flush Hybrid: Owner's Input/Opinion Wanted

[CT125]

Hey everyone. The wife and I are looking at inserts for a new (to us) house. Approx 2900 sq Ft, 9ft ceilings and a foyer. Not expecting to heat the entire house but with high ceilings and a foyer I'd love to cut our propane costs and have flexibility to run up temp at no cost during winter (we have plenty of free wood). Looking at flush, modern inserts and want big with the biggest viewing window preferred.

All of this said, I am looking very seriously at the Avalon Large Flush Hybrid. I am in CT and visited a local store with them on display. Sales guy seemed to say they sell well but I'd love to hear from some current owners what they like, don't like and if they would buy it again.

Also, any insight on costs for stove & install would be fantastic to give me an idea of what a good price would be as I start to shop if in fact this is the stove we go with. These don't seem cheap so getting a good price will be important and I plan to check with multiple providers.

Much appreciated!

 

[prezes13]

I assume you went to deans stove and spa. They push Lopi products. I bought a cape cod insert from them about 4-5 years ago. When I was looking for a stove I knew nothing about stoves. If I knew then what I know now I would buy a different stove. But over all I am happy with my cape cod. Basic install was $600 which I think is a ripoff and I ended up doing it myself. There is few guys from ct who have large hybrid from lopi seems that they are happy with them.

 

[CT125]

Thanks. Yes, Deans is on the list to look at but they don't seem to have great Yelp reviews so I'm hesitant.

Why do you think the $600 was a ripoff? I'm really hesitant to do it myself. Was that $600 including anything or just labor?

Hopefully some of the locals can chime in with experience and costs.

 

[begreen]

Look up threads on the Lopi and FPX large flush hybrids for comparison. These are all made by Travis Industries. You might also want to look at the long threads on the Regency CI2600. It had some early issues when it first came out, but Regency quickly addressed them. Folks seem pretty happy now.

 

[prezes13]

$600 was just a labor. I have roughly of 15' if uninsulated liner. I did it with three budddies. Hardest part was to bring that 500 pounds stove into my living room. Dean has a nice showroom. It's worth going in and checking it out. They have Blaze King stoves there too. If you can get away with a freestanding stove that's what I would go for.

 

[CT125]

Thanks for this info. I'm hesitant to install myself. I have a friend who inspects arsons for the state police and he recommended a professional install (and also a non-cat insert too btw). I've also heard of folks getting a certified chimney company to install better at lower cost instead of the seller? I'm afraid I wouldn't even know what I would need (I.e. Insulated liner or not, etc).

I like the Large flush and the wife seems to like the Vermont Castings Montpelier as well. It's q bit shocking to see the costs of the large flush so far.

 

[begreen]

A big, semi-flush non cat is the Hearthstone Clydesdale.

 

[prezes13]

Clyde is nice too. Insulated liner is recommended. Block of plate is another recommendation. I have none. Deans wanted $3500 for the hybrid when I was looking at it. Shop around and compare. Ask as many question as you can think of. There is a lot of very knowledgeable people here. They will answer your questions better than the sales people at a stove shop. I liked the look of Montpelier myself in fact it was my number one choice. Newer Vermont castings stoves don't have a good reputation around here.

 

[CT125]

We are definitely digging around, visiting shops and seeing what we like more now. Head is starting to spin at all these options, lol.

 

[begreen]

I liked the look of Montpelier myself in fact it was my number one choice. Newer Vermont castings stoves don't have a good reputation around here.

The Montpelier is a conventional design, non-cat with secondary tubes. It should have a much lower frequency of repair and maintenance as compared to the freestanding models. Take a look at the Enviro Boston 1700 and Hampton HI400 inserts while poking about.

 

[BKVP]

$600 was just a labor. I have roughly of 15' if uninsulated liner. I did it with three budddies. Hardest part was to bring that 500 pounds stove into my living room. Dean has a nice showroom. It's worth going in and checking it out. They have Blaze King stoves there too. If you can get away with a freestanding stove that's what I would go for.

Dean's is no longer a representative dealer for our Blaze King products.

 

[BKVP]

Fireplace Etc. in Milford is our dealer in the region.

 

[CT125]

I looked into the Montpelier, the rep at the store I went to said if mounted flush it needs something like 42 or 47 inches to combustible mantle? My mantle bottom is 38.5 from the bottom.

Still looking at options.

 

[prezes13]

I think you want somethig with a 3cf fire box. I heat one floor of my house 1200sf raised ranch with 2.2cf fire box it gets the job done but you have twice as much of square footage. Does it have to be a flushed insert? They look nicer but are less practical.

 

[BKVP]

As far as mantles are considered, check out Magrahearth. They are all concrete and do not have clearances. I've seen them all over the US and they are amazingly real.

 

[CT125]

yes we want flush, not a stand alone stove. Flush would work best in our space in a lot of ways.

 

[prezes13]

You can get a nice insert which is not flushed and they are more practical because of their deeper fire boxes. Plus they don't rely on fans so much. Reagency makes nice inserts which are great heaters, also pacific energy makes great inserts. On the other note my mentle is roughly 25" from the top of my insert and I have Christmas socks hanging of of it. Flushed inserts don't radiate a lot of heat. At least mine doesn't.

 

[barf]

There is a used Fireplace Xtrordinair version of this on Craigslist - located in Watertown. The seller said he would take $1200. He purchased new in 2012 so depending on use may need new blowers and catalytic at some point. I looked at these a few years ago but was more money then I wanted to spend especially for my first stove.

 

[CT125]

There is a used Fireplace Xtrordinair version of this on Craigslist - located in Watertown. The seller said he would take $1200. He purchased new in 2012 so depending on use may need new blowers and catalytic at some point. I looked at these a few years ago but was more money then I wanted to spend especially for my first stove.

Thanks for the heads up on this. I'd be hesitant to buy a used unit but I will inquire, at the right price it might make sense. Anyone with advice if I am considering a used stove like that? I buy and sell on craigslist regularly but I'm a rookie at all this so I wouldn't want to get stuck with something bad.

 

[stovelark]

Hey CT- Lots of nice flush inserts. BG mentioned Enviro, their Cabello is a nice unit, needs a deep fireplace to fit the larger 1700 model. The HS Clydesdale is a nice stove too. If you're in the SE part of Ct, visiting Preston Trading Post would be a good idea. I did note though, a 38.5 in mantle if combustible is going to be an obstacle to contend with.....

 

[CT125]

stovelark- thanks for the info. I'm not in southeast CT but I will look into Preston Trading Post, thanks. And yes, I ran into an issue on the Vermont castings requiring more than 38.5 to combustibles. The breast plate of the mantle is 38.5 and according the Avalon their large flush needs 37 so it looks like we could be ok there at least.

 

[stovelark]

CT- Yeah realized where you were, I just meant if you were ever in SE CT, would be a good trip. Lopi has always made quality stoves, I think you'll be happy with whatever choice you make as long as your wood is seasoned. It's July, we all are thinking of the upcoming season already! There are so many nice stoves out there, you mentioned VC, did you see the Merrimack? Beautiful non cat burning large insert, much more powerful than the Montpelier, a competent heater as well. We had a few issues with noisy blowers with them, but they were very attractive, nice burning inserts. Good luck.

 

[CT125]

looking more into the Avalon (all the versions from Travis), and I'm not sure if I am ignorant or if I'm missing something. From the medium these places are coming in around $4600 and $5k for the large (installed, 35' liner).
That's a whole lot of dough (and propane) especially when there's no $1500 tax credit to back these things up.
getting tough to justify those numbers.

 

[prezes13]

If it's including material I want to say it is kind of cheap. Figure $3500 for a stove, at least $500 for a liner. Taxes. Stoves are expensive. I want to put a freestanding BK ashford in my rec room downstairs but I figure it will be at least $6000 and this is me installing it myself.

 

[CT125]

Hey CT- Lots of nice flush inserts. BG mentioned Enviro, their Cabello is a nice unit, needs a deep fireplace to fit the larger 1700 model. The HS Clydesdale is a nice stove too. If you're in the SE part of Ct, visiting Preston Trading Post would be a good idea. I did note though, a 38.5 in mantle if combustible is going to be an obstacle to contend with.....

hey Stovelark, do you have experience with the cabello 1700? They look nice, seem to have some benefits and the cost so far sure seems better.