Best Customer Service?

[30WCF]

Who has the best customer service?
I just bought a new stove this year, and I like it so far, but on principal, I won’t buy another Vermont Castings stove. Either I get no reply to emails with questions, or if I do, they are snotty replies which I don’t care for.
I imagine I’ll need to save up for a higher end stove next go around. A stove is a weekend hobby for me. It’s fun, and it’s a luxury, so being a nonessential, I purchased it with a price cap in mind. But, if I plan ahead, a few years down the road I may replace it. I will highly value some customer service over price and visual preferences.
So how do they all rank and what do the best ones do to provide service. Is there a tech or engineer on the phone, or do they all have automated phone systems that have you put in your zip, and it auto-redirects you to a local random dealer’s phone?

 

[EbS-P]

Judging by the forum Blaze king and SBI are tops. I feel like regency is up there. I don’t recall many comments about Pacific Energy.

The dealer only customer support only works as good as the dealer and then only as good as the company supports the dealer. Not having any direct customer support is a real turn off for me. But I still bought a jotul. And haven’t needed any so… I guess it their system works some or most of the time.

 

[bikedennis]

Woodstock and Kuma, great CS.

 

[kennyp2339]

I can tell you that I had an issue years back with my BK, the VP called me, confirmed what I was questioning about, then had their product manager Fransico call me and trouble shoot, amazing service.
Now to add context, my dealer went out of business, and no one picked up the old accounts, so I was left on my own to figure out and decide if I had a legit warrantee issue or not.
Now I also heard really good things about Kuma & Woodstock.

 

[30WCF]

Woodstock and Kuma, great CS.

Can you elaborate on that?

 

[30WCF]

Judging by the forum Blaze king and SBI are tops. I feel like regency is up there. I don’t recall many comments about Pacific Energy.

The dealer only customer support only works as good as the dealer and then only as good as the company supports the dealer. Not having any direct customer support is a real turn off for me. But I still bought a jotul. And haven’t needed any so… I guess it their system works some or most of the time.

I can tell you that I had an issue years back with my BK, the VP called me, confirmed what I was questioning about, then had their product manager Fransico call me and trouble shoot, amazing service.
Now to add context, my dealer went out of business, and no one picked up the old accounts, so I was left on my own to figure out and decide if I had a legit warrantee issue or not.
Now I also heard really good things about Kuma & Woodstock.

I figured BK would be up there for some reason.

 

[30WCF]

I’m here for the heart warming stories.

 

[VintageGal]

Use the search function and you'll read some stories

 

[xman23]

What were your issues with a new stove? They shouldn't require anything..

 

[CentralVAWoodHeat]

I haven’t dealt with SBI directly but I can say our local Osburn dealer is awesome. When we ordered our 3500 wood stove, it arrived at the dealer exactly when they said it would along with all the in stock spare parts I ordered.

 

[30WCF]

What were your issues with a new stove? They shouldn't require anything..

No real issues at all, but a company should still be able to pick up the phone or reply to a consumer question email with some tact.

 

[tebenhoh]

I’ve had good experiences with Buck Stove. Granted our stove is long out of warranty, but parts have been readily available and a real person has answered the phone. Also, my only emailed question to them was addressed and answered. I wasn't impressed with one of their dealers I contacted, but another (even though out of town) was more than helpful.

 

[marty319]

I have had great experiences with sbi.

 

[Newbie78]

So have I. Exemplary.

 

[3650]

I’ve only dealt with Woodstock. They are extremely friendly and genuinely eager to help. This is something I never see anywhere anymore.

 

[KDubU]

We have owned several brands in our lives and way back Vermont Castings was the go to but not any longer. Our whole family used to have the brand but it has faded. Our last two stoves have been Jotul and Hearthstone and found both great. The last was the Hearthstone and our favourite and we’re planning another in the house we recently purchased.

Bottom line is do your own research as everyone has their brand they like or dislike. There are many factors going into buying a stove.

 

[peakbagger]

Woodstock has gotten a black eye on occasion as they are typically backed up on orders for months and folks get anxious to get their new stove. They are not a huge shop and things like Covid or inability to get materials from outside suppliers has pushed back deliveries, folks think that if they can throw a tantrum all over the web that they will get their quicker, it doesnt work although on occasion they may be able to substitute for another model, no tantrum required . They have no distributors to lie to their customers on delviery time as they sell direct. I also have heard people blame Woodstock for shipping damages, they do not run their own fleet of dedicated trucks and heavy LTL loads on standard freight gets beat up no matter the manufacturer. Woodstock encourages folks to drive to the factory in VT and pick them up and get a tour while they are at it. They are super-efficient stoves which means they have to be installed correctly which means adequate draft and folks who dont have it will have a tough time running it. I have never heard of them not making good on a manufacturing defect. I think they will even rebuild stoves for customers.

 

[tiva]

Woodstock has been great--they answer the phone, they have clear answers to questions, and they shipped my stove exactly when they said they would. When my catalytic combustor began to fail a year earlier than the EPA said it should, they replaced it without any charge.

 

[Queequeg From Rokovoko]

SBI, Meh.

Here are some of the responses I got from them;

You need to shorten your stove pipe from the top of the stove to where it exist the wall

(lifted stove, cut stove pipe)

You need to remove the damper.

( removed damper)

You need to install a damper.

(re insatalled a damper)

Your fire wood may be too dry.

( took hose to fire wood (no I didn't))

 

[bholler]

SBI, Meh.

Here are some of the responses I got from them;

You need to shorten your stove pipe from the top of the stove to where it exist the wall

(lifted stove, cut stove pipe)

You need to remove the damper.

( removed damper)

You need to install a damper.

(re insatalled a damper)

Your fire wood may be too dry.

( took hose to fire wood (no I didn't))

You honestly are one of the few people I have heard of to complain about sbi customer service. Have you tested your draft? Have you had a pro out to go over everything and run a load or two through the stove?

Honestly most of the time most customer issues can be taken care of by me running a load of wood through the stove and showing them how and when to react. And not to mess with it to much. The customers who give me the most issues are the ones that fiddle with constantly.

 

[Queequeg From Rokovoko]

The Legend III has a 5/8ths inch hole in the air inlet for a minimum air inlet. They told me my chimney drafted too much. First time I ever heard that and that my wood was too dry. Made me think "More Ons" . I placed a magnet over the air inlet hole and reinstalled a damper. Have control over it now. Ran away on me twice. Had two different stoves connected to this chimney before this Lengend with no issues.

Goind to JB Weld a 50 cent piece over that air inlet hole this spring so I have complete control over how much air it gets. I can adjust it myself for minimum air. Can't shut it down with that hole there.

 

[bholler]

The Legend III has a 5/8ths inch hole in the air inlet for a minimum air inlet. They told me my chimney drafted too much. First time I ever heard that and that my wood was too dry. Made me think "More Ons" . I placed a magnet over the air inlet hole and reinstalled a damper. Have control over it now. Ran away on me twice. Had two different stoves connected to this chimney before this Lengend with no issues.

Goind to JB Weld a 50 cent piece over that air inlet hole this spring so I have complete control over how much air it gets. I can adjust it myself for minimum air. Can't shut it down with that hole there.

Again have you tested your draft? Have you had any pro look at it. What moisture content is your wood at?

Their advice may very well be correct.

Do you know if the hole you covered is the secondary air hole? If so you are just turning you stove into an old smoke dragon

 

[Queequeg From Rokovoko]

Ultimately it was correct, sort of. We only got there after seventy/eleven different emails, texts and phone calls.... I'm a Professional Electric Engineer (Ret). 40 years in the electric utility industry. I've run everything from 1,500 megawat Nuke plants to 300 Kw hydro plants and everthing in between, including coal boilers. I know a thing or two about how to run a stove. Didn't think I would have to make modifications to a commercial product. Twas my idea to shut down the air intake hole. SBI reluctantly agreed.

"Take the damper out" "Put the damer in" "Wood is too dry" shows me they don't know what they are doing.

 

[bholler]

Ultimately it was correct, sort of. We only got there after seventy/eleven different emials, texts and phone calls.... I'm a Professional Electric Engineer (Ret). 40 years in the electric utility industry. I've run everything from 1,500 megawat Nuke plants to 300 Kw hydro plants and everthing in between, including coal boilers. I know a thing or two about how to run a stove. Didn't think I would have to make modifications to a commercial product. Twas my idea to shut down the air intake hole. SBI reluctantly agreed.

What was your draft measurement?

I really prefer to control the draft and bring it within spec before modifying the stove as an absolute last resort.

They didn't suggest doing that because legally they cannot suggest it

 

[Queequeg From Rokovoko]

Well I figured it out. Stove is running great now. Never got a "draft measurement". Never, ever had one done in my life.