Cat vs non-cat Lopi vs Blaze King

[luv2byte]

We currently have a Lopi Freedom insert, non-cat stove - we love it but it has SHORT burn times but heats well. We had our yearly cleaning today and many of the welds for the 2ndary burn bars are cracked & our door has issues, which they are working on. So we are starting to think of just replacing it for a new efficiency unit.

Is cat better than a non cat? What are your opinions between the Lopi Freedom & Blaze King Princess 1010A? Other recommendations?

Ellie

 

[Saw-dust]

I'll ask the guys at the shop, but i think your stove can be fixed up rather cheap comparied to replacing it.

Going from memory, I think the Lopi burn bars are easy replaceable and not very expensive. I'm all but sure of that because the guys at the shop actualy made some for a stove of some sort. They sell Lopi at that shop along with buck, Pacific Energy and and other stuff i can't spell.

Is the door issues have to do with gasket seals? Seals are easy to do and that might explain the short burn times.

As for cat or dog (non cat) stove, all you will get is opinions. both have pros and cons and you have to take your pick. I vote for non cat myself.

 

[luv2byte]

We are going to go down to our local lopi dealer tomorrow to see what they give as options - fix or replace. We do like the lopi but those long burn times on the Blaze King and efficient use of wood is impressive but we are not familiar with cats. We are just trying to look at all options as to if we should change stoves or fix for reasonable price. Sometimes it is cheaper in the long run to replace vs repair (over and over and over....).

I know what I will get is opinions with cat vs dog (grin) but that is what I am looking for - true user, experienced user opinions on cat/non cat and the 2 stoves. One big feature I love with my lopi is I can cook on it if I need to - it isn't uncomon for our power to go our for a couple hours in the winter with the wind storms; since we live in the country we are the last to be fixed after the bigger storms.

As for the door, the gasket needed replacing so we had our chimney cleaner company replace the gaskets today (Door and window) but there was a big problem getting some of the screws and the handle off the door. They took the door with them to take care of it at the shop - it was getting late & we'll pick it up sometime this next week - and we can go see their new shop.

 

[wolfkiller]

I purchased a blaze king clasic this year. We love the way it heats and the long burn times. The glass door is kind of a joke as there is usually no flame. It is not a good stove for the visual fire. I have ben 10 years without a wood stove and boy have they improved.

 

[North of 60]

I purchased a blaze king clasic this year. We love the way it heats and the long burn times. The glass door is kind of a joke as there is usually no flame. It is not a good stove for the visual fire. I have ben 10 years without a wood stove and boy have they improved.

The farther we get into winter and the colder it gets the more flames you will see as the thermostat will start allowing more combustion air into the stove to maintain the heat setting. Congrats on your purchase neighbor.
N of 60

 

[luv2byte]

I'll ask the guys at the shop, but i think your stove can be fixed up rather cheap comparied to replacing it.

Going from memory, I think the Lopi burn bars are easy replaceable and not very expensive. I'm all but sure of that because the guys at the shop actualy made some for a stove of some sort. They sell Lopi at that shop along with buck, Pacific Energy and and other stuff i can't spell.

Is the door issues have to do with gasket seals? Seals are easy to do and that might explain the short burn times.

As for cat or dog (non cat) stove, all you will get is opinions. both have pros and cons and you have to take your pick. I vote for non cat myself.

$1100 total for it to be refurbished - the guy at the shop said it cant be sent for repair until spring- slow season. so we can use it an have time to decide too repair or replace.

 

[Saw-dust]

$1100 total for it to be refurbished - the guy at the shop said it cant be sent for repair until spring- slow season. so we can use it an have time to decide too repair or replace.

Gee whiz! :ahhh:

How did you do that?

Ok, sent in for repair, so shipping is a big chunk of that. If part of this is the door issue, who hit the stove with the Mack truck? :ahhh:

 

[downeast]

Time for a new, "improved" stove Ellie. $1100. will go a long way toward a better heater. The added cost will be amortized over a short period.
From our experience heating 24/7 and no full time furnace or backup heat, with both cat and non-cat wood stoves, the cat ( 2001 VC Encore and Jotul Oslo ), the cat gives a much longer, even burn than the Oslo with the same wood, similar loads. It comes out to a wood savings of at least 20% for the same BTU output over an average days' heating.
Cats do need attention--cleaning and multi year replacement. It is not a big deal or cost in terms of what we find is a wash for efficiency and ease of heating. You'll get many opinions here--look for real heating experience with the products. We do like the non-cat Oslo for simplicity and easier maintenance. Your choice. Look around the dealers, ask questions about their customers' experiences, search this and other hearth sites. ( Sorry Craig et al ;-) )

 

[luv2byte]

The door is because when the previous owners put new seals on the glass they cross threaded 1/2 the screws and bent part of the handle. Now as for the $1100 that is shipping, pick up, deliver & install and a bare bones estimate so it could, and probably would, cost us more. So because of this we are thinking along the lines of replace because the new improved stoves out there (so far we know we like the Blaze King Princess 1010a) we could save in the long run with warrenty, burn efficiency which means we save on wood and better heating. Now the Lopi Freedom we have heats VERY well but has crappy burn times and once the stove cools to a certain point it no longer really heats though it is still way too hot to touch - with the cat stoves I know they would still use that heat efficently.

So we are to "buy or not to buy" b ecause the Lopi has done us well & it can be made to look and work like new and since we are considering new it is now also "cat vs non cat". I haven't looked at the Encore series yet but will take a look at those as well since it sounds like they serve you well.

 

[Highbeam]

I like the cat stoves too, just be sure and stay far away from any Vermont Castings product. Especially if you value a warranty.