Budget vs Expensive Stove

[notgunner]

Greetings. I'm a wood stove novice who is in the market for a new stove to heat my 2200 SqFt two story home, and I don't fully understand the pros and cons of the budget-friendly stoves that I have seen versus more expensive brands.

For example, I saw Lowes offer the 2400 SqFt heating area Summers Heat (which I think I read in another thread is the same as the Englander stove), for about $1,000. Whereas, my local dealer was offering stoves with similar heating areas, such as the Osburn 3300 and the Lopi Evergreen, for $3,000+. I'm trying to understand the functional differences. Are they really providing comparable heat? Is there a meaningful difference in the longevity of the stoves? Or is it just better aesthetics and frills?

Much appreciated

 

[NickW]

I would say it varies manufacturer to manufacturer... There are some budget stoves that are not well constructed and others that are. Name brands you pay a premium for the name and sometimes don't get any better construction or performance, but sometimes you do.

My Summers Heat 50-SNC30 has been a great experience for the price. The Osburn Strattford II zc fireplace we installed at the cabin I am still learning and heats well, but is definitely much more finicky; but I think a lot of that is due to the outside air intake. I installed the Summers Heat with new stovepipe and an insulated liner for less than the Osburn not including the Class A chimney.

 

[EbS-P]

Look at the Drolet line. Same manufacturer as Osborn. I got one this fall I think it’s a great value.

Evan

 

[snobuilder]

I burn wood to save money, period. I went with a so called cheap stove. It is controllable and puts out a lot of heat.
While there are some beautiful stoves that I can understand ppl wanting, it's not a priority with me. I have to see a real payback or else why go through all the work it takes to harvest and heat with wood. JMO

 

[begreen]

There are many different reasons behind a stove purchase that determine the eventual selection. Features such as durability, ease of operation, construction, aesthetics, cost, dealer support, fitment, efficiency, parts support and cost, size, availability, etc. all come into play for stove decisions.

 

[bholler]

I burn wood to save money, period. I went with a so called cheap stove. It is controllable and puts out a lot of heat.
While there are some beautiful stoves that I can understand ppl wanting, it's not a priority with me. I have to see a real payback or else why go through all the work it takes to harvest and heat with wood. JMO

Get back to us in a couple years about how that stove held up. I doubt you will still think it was worth it. Like others said there are some very good budget stoves available. US Stove company stoves are not one of them.

 

[EbS-P]

Greetings. I'm a wood stove novice who is in the market for a new stove to heat my 2200 SqFt two story home, and I don't fully understand the pros and cons of the budget-friendly stoves that I have seen versus more expensive brands.

For example, I saw Lowes offer the 2400 SqFt heating area Summers Heat (which I think I read in another thread is the same as the Englander stove), for about $1,000. Whereas, my local dealer was offering stoves with similar heating areas, such as the Osburn 3300 and the Lopi Evergreen, for $3,000+. I'm trying to understand the functional differences. Are they really providing comparable heat? Is there a meaningful difference in the longevity of the stoves? Or is it just better aesthetics and frills?

Much appreciated

So I have a very nice enamel cast iron Jotul. 4 years ago it cost 3,600$. I just installed a 1300$ Drolet insert. The looks are the biggest difference. Cheap stove has vermiculite baffle nice one stainless steel. The action of the door handle and air control feels better on the more expensive stove. They both burn wood well. Both will need gaskets replaced firebricks maybe. I think both will last 20 years. The cast stove has replaceable cast burn plates that means the stove could run 100 years if you could get parts. But it’s cast and will need rebuilt at some point. Where the welded steel box has a shorter lifespan but if cared well for probably longer than you will be burning wood.

Hyundai vs Lexus pay for the features you want. Stove purchased on the internet or big box stores may not have the service after the sale you desire. There are models and brands that might be more prone to problems and paying more doesn’t always guarantee a problem free experience. Research helps.

Just some thoughts
Evan

 

[jalmondale]

I've heard that Englander and Drolet are solid budget options (the Hondas of the wood stove world), and that US Stove Company (and the various names they sell under) are *not* good budget options (dare I call them the Jeeps of the stove world).

For me, I wanted a soapstone stove to act as a thermal flywheel, which isn't available on any budget stoves. I've wound up really happy with how easy my stove is to use and maintain, and the company (Woodstock) has a track record of continuing to offer parts and info for decades on stoves they sell, so hopefully I won't need to buy another stove for a very long time. Their Ideal Steel might be worth a look, as it's on the cheaper end of their stoves but still seems very well built.

One thing that might also factor in is the current 26% federal tax credit on both the stove and the installation for stoves with an HHV of greater than or equal to 75% (I believe it goes down to 23% next year). The EPA has a database of qualifying stoves here: https://cfpub.epa.gov/oarweb/woodstove/index.cfm?fuseaction=app.searchResults - a quick glance says the cheaper stoves tend not to qualify for that. How much of a difference that will make for you depends a lot on your installation costs, but it will certainly offset a chunk of the higher price tag. In terms of day-to-day experience, the difference between something that's 80% efficient vs 70% probably isn't huge, though - if you burn 3 cords at 70%, you might be able to drop down to just over 2.5 at 80% over the whole season.

 

[snobuilder]

Get back to us in a couple years about how that stove held up. I doubt you will still think it was worth it. Like others said there are some very good budget stoves available. US Stove company stoves are not one of them.

who is "us"? ...Me personally,.... I only speak for myself. I'm not a fathead. 3/16" steel plate and a cast door with square and flat surfaces I will enjoy this stove for as long as I need it. And 85% efficient rebate qualified as well.

• 2.4 cubic foot firebox - EPA-certified (NSPS Phase 1 Approved), non-catalytic, high-efficiency wood-burning stove
• Heats up to 2,200 square feet - 77,000 BTU's
• 20-inch log capacity
• 85% efficiency - Emissions - 1.48 grams/hr.
• Includes variable speed blower (PBAR-2427) heat distribution
• Front-loading solid cast iron door with large ceramic glass viewing area
• Air wash system - maintains cleanliness of glass window
• Brick lined firebox, chrome handles, ash drawer for quick easy cleanup
• Fits 6-inch stove pipe
• WA state standard emissions approved

$950...lol

 

[bholler]

who is "us"? ...Me personally,.... I only speak for myself. I'm not a fathead. 3/16" steel plate and a cast door with square and flat surfaces I will enjoy this stove for as long as I need it. And 78% efficient rebate qualified as well.

Ok I have seen many many of them with major cracks after only a couple years. And btw they are being investigated for falsifying test results to get that rebate.

 

[snobuilder]

Ok I have seen many many of them with major cracks after only a couple years. And btw they are being investigated for falsifying test results to get that rebate.

I'd be careful about throwing around such allegations. Either they were certified or they weren't. There is no fudging numbers. Not their numbers, it is the test numbers.

With my modifications I am closer to 90% based on my secondary air control system.

 

[bholler]

I'd be careful about throwing around such allegations. Either they were certified or they weren't. There is no fudging numbers. Not their numbers, it is the test numbers.

I am not throwing around the allegations. Irregularities we're found when Alaska started digging into test results.

 

[bholler]

Listen the question was asked. With my experience working on hundreds of stoves a year us stove company stoves do not hold up very long in most cases. This is what I have seen how long have you been running your us stove co stove? There are other stoves at a similar price point that hold up much better.

 

[snobuilder]

I am not throwing around the allegations. Irregularities we're found when Alaska started digging into test results.

The stoves get tested by an agency. If the agency was corrupt then EVERY stove is suspect. $500 or $5000

 

[snobuilder]

Listen the question was asked. With my experience working on hundreds of stoves a year us stove company stoves do not hold up very long in most cases. This is what I have seen how long have you been running your us stove co stove? There are other stoves at a similar price point that hold up much better.

Your anti low cost stove anecdotal evidence is worth what?

 

[bholler]

The stoves get tested by an agency. If the agency was corrupt then EVERY stove is suspect. $500 or $5000

Who does the testing?

 

[bholler]

Your anti low cost stove anecdotal evidence is worth what?

I have absolutely nothing against low cost stoves that are durable. Englander and sbi make great stoves at the same price point.

 

[brenndatomu]

USSC has a looong history of making cheap crap...nothing new there at all. But even a blind squirrel can find a nut once in a while, so maybe they aren't all complete turds? The ones I had were so so...customer service stunk for sure!
To the OP, I'd really look at the Drolet line...Englander (and all its various lines/names) seems to have quality control issues in recent years...too bad, USA made.

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[bholler]

USSC has a looong history of making cheap crap...nothing new there at all. But even a blind squirrel can find a nut once in a while, so maybe they aren't all complete turds? The ones I had were so so...customer service stunk for sure!
To the OP, I'd really look at the Drolet line...Englander (and all its various lines/names) seems to have quality control issues in recent years...too bad, USA made.

Heating Appliances

Discover our wide selection of heating appliances - freestanding or insert stoves, outdoor fireplaces, furnaces, and much more! Free shipping to most regions.

myfireplaceproducts.com

Yeah Englander has had issues with some recent stoves. I havnt really heard complaints about the newest stuff. But they may be coming

 

[jalmondale]

85% efficiency - Emissions - 1.48 grams/hr.

I'm assuming that's LHV? The HHV in the EPA database for Pleasant Hearth is 75%. I think it's worth being precise about that because I know of at least one person who thought they were getting a tax-credit qualified stove because "the efficiency" was over 75%, but didn't realize they were being told the (more impressive sounding) LHV number, not the relevant-for-the-tax-credit HHV number.

 

[kennyp2339]

I took both routes, started off as an entry level burner and bought a US stove 2500 from tractor supply, it was a great heater for my space, did the job very well and for $899 I thought I made out well, that was until the end of year 2, midseason of burning I cleaned the chimney, before cleaning I had to remove the baffle board, they are sensitive and it is required to remove at least 2 of the secondary reburn tubes, well my luck was that that sheet metal screws that hold the tubes all snapped, had to re-tap them all which was a big pia, then the sensitive baffle board eroded from the center out, about the size of a golf ball, after carefully removing it, it basically eroded in my hands outside the stove. Normal wear and tear was my thinking, until I priced a new one, even better, tried to order one. Then the door gasket needed to be replaced, unfortunately for me the standard size gaskets did not fit the groove of the door, this was due to poor craftsmanship overseas, while near the door area looking at the gasket I noticed cracks in the steel at the top 2 corners, again as luck would have it, the cracks traveled past the door gasket seal area so no simple drill the end of the crack to stop it from spreading. I kinda knew that the stove was shot after 3 years, but the final nail in the coffin was while asking questions on this message board a person that claimed to be a rep from US stove became agitated reading my posts and turned me off to even trying to get the stove fixed, repaired, or replaced.
My next venture was going top of the line with a Blaze King princess, it was way more expensive, but you get what you paid for, quality, customer satisfaction and customer service. Now there are a lot of other premium stove companies out there, and they will more then likely provide a great product, if I was starting over again, I would def skip the entry level junk, do your research, read tons of threads and try to go with the best that you can afford with longevity / investment in mind, my BK was purchased / installed in the being of 2014, and other then a door gasket and 2 cats, its running like the day it was installed with no firebox, craftsmanship issues, better yet the stove has paid for itself now 3x and with the price of fossil fuels going up the cost savings is even more every year.

 

[snobuilder]

Made in the USA.
(broken link removed)

 

[bholler]

Made in the USA.
(broken link removed)

You do realize the stove is not made in the USA right?

And even if it's determined the testing was done properly and it really does burn that clean that doesn't mean it is a good stove or a durable one. It just means it passed an emissions test

 

[snobuilder]

You do realize the stove is not made in the USA right?

It certainly is.

 

[brenndatomu]

Made in the USA.
(broken link removed)

Which model? You linked the tax credit cert...