cat stoves

[salmonhunter]

Im thinking about getting a cat stove for my basement. The only company's I know of that sells cat stoves are Blaze King and Woodstock. What other companies are making cat stoves these days? I would like to get a Blaze king but there too expensive in this neck of the woods.

 

[rdust]

I made a thread asking this back in April of 2010 so I dug these up from that. https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/cat-stove-manufactures.50004/

Buck
VC
Energy King
Country Flame
Appalachian
Kuma

I always get a good laugh when I read that thread. I said *If I was heating from my basement I'd have a king and never look back.* I said this since I didn't like the looks of the BK stoves, well a couple years later I own a BK stove but I'm not heating from my basement. A BK Princess is front and center in my family room, has wife approval and we love it.

 

[BrowningBAR]

What size stove do you need and what type of burn times are you looking for?

 

[Hardrockmaple]

Head over to your nearest Home Hardware, check one of these out. I've had mine for 16 years now. Still working fine.

(broken link removed to http://www.homehardware.ca/en/rec/index.htm/Heating-Ventilation-Cooling-Home-Comfort/Heating/Stoves-Fireplaces/Wood-Burning/Dutchwest-EPA-Catalytic-Cast-Iron-Wood-Stove/_/N-2pqfZ67l/Ne-67n/Ntk-All_EN/R-I5530994?Ntt=dutchwest)

 

[geoxman]

Another Dutchwest fan here but I prefer the older ones without the refractory

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Do you have enough dried cats put up for the winter. Sometimes they can be hard to get mid winter.

Matt

 

[raybonz]

Another Dutchwest fan here but I prefer the older ones without the refractory

The refractory is under the top and out of harms way. I did look at them when I bought the T-5. I would think the refractory would hold up very well and it would be easy to replace if you managed to break it. I still like the looks of the VC stoves but decided on the T-5 and have been pleased with it so far..

Ray

 

[Hardrockmaple]

One refractory, 3 catalysts, a few dozen feet of gasket rope and 1 small container of stove cement in 16 years. It runs 24/7 whenever I'm home from late Dec. to mid March. It has been a great little stove.

 

[raybonz]

HRM I agree they are good stoves for a good price and very attractive as well. I always thought the lack of exposed refractory material in those stoves was a big plus. The cats are inexpensive on the Dutchwest stoves and easy to find too. This time I wanted a secondary burn stove as I came home too often to a smoking chimney due to the bypass being closed too early. It simply wasn't worth the fight and the fire show is great on this stove plus long burn times and a clean chimney with no fights Money well spent in my situation! Cat stoves tend to backpuff on occasion but so far I haven't seen this happen with the T-5. I still feel the DW stoves offer the best value in an attractive and rugged cast iron cat stove..

Ray

 

[salmonhunter]

What size stove do you need and what type of burn times are you looking for?

I just put in my first insert in our upstairs living room this year however the biggest we could fit in the opening was a 1.4cu ft regency I1200. Im thinking a cat stove with long burn times in the basement will help keep the house warm overnight as well I spend most of my time down there anyways. I have also been thinking about going the heat pump rout. Still undecided I just really want to get away from oil.

 

[Hardrockmaple]

HRM I agree they are good stoves for a good price and very attractive as well. I always thought the lack of exposed refractory material in those stoves was a big plus. The cats are inexpensive on the Dutchwest stoves and easy to find too. This time I wanted a secondary burn stove as I came home too often to a smoking chimney due to the bypass being closed too early. It simply wasn't worth the fight and the fire show is great on this stove plus long burn times and a clean chimney with no fights Money well spent in my situation! Cat stoves tend to backpuff on occasion but so far I haven't seen this happen with the T-5. I still feel the DW stoves offer the best value in an attractive and rugged cast iron cat stove..

Ray

If I were going to buy a tube stove and it would fit my hearth requirements it would be a T-5. But, it just wouldn't fit, I need a rear vent stove.

The DW 2461 at Home Hardware is $1299.00 regular and can be had on sale for $999.00 at times. Heckuva deal IMHO.

 

[HotCoals]

I just put in my first insert in our upstairs living room this year however the biggest we could fit in the opening was a 1.4cu ft regency I1200. Im thinking a cat stove with long burn times in the basement will help keep the house warm overnight as well I spend most of my time down there anyways. I have also been thinking about going the heat pump rout. Still undecided I just really want to get away from oil.

This house has a heat pump/air con put in when the house was new..1986.
Never has been serviced..still works good.
They do a good job till about 30 degrees f then they struggle some.
All that said we hardly ever use it unless we are away or very early in the shoulder.
If that won't get the job done the electric furnace kicks in..I don't like that..lol.
Our house is total electric.

 

[BrowningBAR]

I just put in my first insert in our upstairs living room this year however the biggest we could fit in the opening was a 1.4cu ft regency I1200. Im thinking a cat stove with long burn times in the basement will help keep the house warm overnight as well I spend most of my time down there anyways. I have also been thinking about going the heat pump rout. Still undecided I just really want to get away from oil.

Right, so, What size stove do you need and what type of burn times are you looking for?

Are you in a 3,000 sq ft home? Are you in a drafty home? How long of a burn time do you need? Howe much heat do you need?

Burning a cat stove at a low temp for long burn times will not keep you warm if the stove is too small.

 

[Hardrockmaple]

I just put in my first insert in our upstairs living room this year however the biggest we could fit in the opening was a 1.4cu ft regency I1200. Im thinking a cat stove with long burn times in the basement will help keep the house warm overnight as well I spend most of my time down there anyways. I have also been thinking about going the heat pump rout. Still undecided I just really want to get away from oil.

Is the basement finished? How big?

I tried heating my house with a wood stove in the basement for a few years with uninsulated walls, found it to a waste of time and money. Insulated the basement walls, installed a new basement door and the same stove is now doing a half decent job of keeping the basement and first floor livable in the shoulder seasons.

I also installed a mini ductless heat pump system 3 years ago on the main floor, this cut way back on wood fires during the shoulder seasons.

 

[raybonz]

If I were going to buy a tube stove and it would fit my hearth requirements it would be a T-5. But, it just wouldn't fit, I need a rear vent stove.

The DW 2461 at Home Hardware is $1299.00 regular and can be had on sale for $999.00 at times. Heckuva deal IMHO.

Yes that's an excellent deal! BTW the T-5 has a heavy S/S baffle not tubes..

Ray

 

[salmonhunter]

house is 1200 sq ft. the basement is finished except for the laundry room but I would close the door going in there. As for insulation im not sure but seems to be good the house is 25 yrs old. Im gonna have to go look at homehardware here in canada to see if they have those stoves. I know I paid $3700 for the upstairs insert with parts and instalation. Im hoping I can get the basement done cheaper if not I heard heat pumps are only $2000 or so. still undecided

 

[Hardrockmaple]

house is 1200 sq ft. the basement is finished except for the laundry room but I would close the door going in there. As for insulation im not sure but seems to be good the house is 25 yrs old. Im gonna have to go look at homehardware here in canada to see if they have those stoves. I know I paid $3700 for the upstairs insert with parts and instalation. Im hoping I can get the basement done cheaper if not I heard heat pumps are only $2000 or so. still undecided

While at your local Home Hardware I'd ask 'em if they could get you the XL model (DW 2462).
http://majesticproducts.com/family/Stoves/Catalytic/DutchWest/

Also, the install of my Ductless mini split system cost as much as the unit itself. Money well spent though IMHO. (closer to $3,000.00 than two in total).