Century Heating Wood Stoves?

[rowdy]

Hello all! We are in the market for a wood stove or insert (flexible at this point). After looking at a Quadra Fire 4100i insert for $2378(not inc. installation or liner), then a Dutchwest cast medium stove ($1100, not inc. install or liner), we saw a Century Heating model FW300010 stove for $750 (just the stove) at Lowes.

Issues realted to service at mass retailer vs. small store aside, does anyone have any experience or info on "Century Heating" stoves?

Could anyone give us a rundown on what type of maintenance is required on stoves vs. inserts (I read something about cast iron stoves needed maintenance on joints?).

Thanks much!

 

[Shane]

Century is owned by CFM. CFM is the parent co. of Vermont Castings, Ductwest, Majestic, Tempco, Century. Century used to be branded under Jacuzzi. They are not bad stoves. Very simple in construction the steel is lighter gauge than the higer end stoves, and efficiency is on the lower end. There are several Dutchwest models that are close to the same as the Century's.

 

[elkimmeg]

(

I read something about cast iron stoves needed maintenance on joints?

This is true, usually 12 to 15 years of burning some joints may need to be re cemented.
This year 10 or so members have sucessfully completed the task.

 

[Roospike]

There are:
"basic Ok stoves"~
"good stoves" ~
"mid range stoves" ~
"high end stoves"
& "fancy stoves"

Century would be in the "basic Ok stoves" category

Remember when buying a new stove its one of the things you can buy that will pay for its self and save you a lot of money in the long run.
Think long term when buying your self a new stove not just a few $$ saving right now today.

There is a reason a $500. stove is $500. and just as well as the reason a $2000. stove is $2000.

You can get a high quality , very well made , top of the line stove with out all the fancy gold and other options for around $1400.-$1600.
(stove size will vary in price too per how much house you have to/need to heat)

EDIT: There are some "good" quality stoves being made from around $800.-$1200. too
I even noticed "some" of the Century stoves are getting into a higher / better grade of stove and would be there top end for under $1000.
Make your choices per brand and models and do a lot of research on your choices.

 

[elkimmeg]

I have to agree with Roo: The centry stove will provide for basic heating but don't not expect cutting edge technology. Technologies like EVERburn or ETB
You are not going to get Cat combustor burning either what you will get is basic opperations and secondary combustion.

The next level up the Dutch West has, these same secondary combustion that VC top line stoves have.. Even Roo will tell you more mass produces and stores heat
heavier cast iron stoves do this as, for rebuilding the centry will probably never make it to 15 years old.. As noted here VC top line stoves treated correctly are worth the effort to rebuild them for another 15 years of usage.. Another forum member has just bought an Englander another economical choice found and in lot of hardware chains

 

[njtomatoguy]

CFM 240007 owner here.
$440. at lowes. chimney sysem from amazon.com/acehardwareoutlet.com for about $400.
self installed.

Basic stove, meets or excceds my expectations, heats my small, 2 br bungalow ranch with vaulted ceilings comfortably without cooking me out of the house.. all in all, a great value for dollars spent.

Bob

EDIT****
Be aware that you are totally on your own when it comes to warranty issues and install help**

 

[Michael6268]

CFM 240007 owner here.
$440. at lowes. chimney sysem from amazon.com/acehardwareoutlet.com for about $400.
self installed.

Basic stove, meets or excceds my expectations, heats my small, 2 br bungalow ranch with vaulted ceilings comfortably without cooking me out of the house.. all in all, a great value for dollars spent.

Bob

EDIT****
Be aware that you are totally on your own when it comes to warranty issues and install help**

I ditto Bob's comments. I own the same stove. I heat my house with coal and when I bought a coal stove I went "all out" with the extras. Bigger blower, hot water coil, bigger burner etc. When I wanted a smaller wood burner to heat a smaller area in another part of my house, I bought the same stove from Lowe's. 450.00 and it was money well spent in my opinion. This stove is well constructed and burns great. It has a great secondary burn too. It heats over 1200 sqf easily and looks great too. I was going to get the bigger one that you are considering but didn't want to "cook us out" of the room it is located in. I really like the "door design" on the larger unit you are looking at. I would say you would not have any regrets buying that stove. Also as Bob stated, you don't have the support of a dealer for parts service etc, but buying a stove at one of the "box stores" does offer one thing you wont get from a dealer- Three months to try it, use it and if for some reason it doesn't work to your expectations, you cant bring it back and get your money back. Also, with these types of wood stoves, there really isn't much in the way of parts to go wrong with them, except maybe a broken firebrick or bad door gasket.

 

[BrotherBart]

If you are looking at a stove in the Century price range I recommend that you also look at the Englander stoves from England Stove Works. In many areas, especially the midwest, they are available at places like Sutherland's Lumber company. They can be ordered through Lowes, HD or ACE Hardware but I didn't have much luck messing with those three places trying to buy one. HD and Lowes stock the Century products for wood but the England Stove pellet stoves under the TimberRidge brand. Go figure.

The Englander I bought has a 3.5 cubic foot fire box, just in case you want to heat a domed stadium, is made from a little thicker steel than Century stoves, is made in the U.S., and has EPA emissions numbers that would make most of the "big names" cry (1.6 grams per hour). Build quality on the stove is excellent. It has to be. If you sell in that price space ya don't wanna be getting a lot of warranty claims. They did some smart design things to make up for the thinner steel like using the primary and secondary air manifolds as reinforcing members of the stove body. The stove can be had at stocking locations that I have read ads for online for around eight hundred bucks. Sutherland's has just opened a online store that will ship you one anywhere in the country. If you happen to live in Casper, Wyoming (sorry Shane) drop by and pick up the 30-NCL like mine for $672 this week. I paid $1,200 and change for mine with optional blower and freight. They are nice people to deal with. I was their first online customer and what they do is arrange to ship a stove from one of their stores. (broken link removed to http://sutherlandswest.com/shop/) . If the software is having a little trouble it is because it is new. Click on the contact info and give Mick a call. Tell him I said hi.

Like Century, England has a 800 number for questions about the product, installation and warranty issues. No messing around with getting the dealerto call the manufacturer. I have called twice to ask questions and my hold time was less than 30 seconds both times. And my questions were answered in a very efficient and friendly manner. Of course me and the guys both have Southern accents so that didn't hurt things a bit. They also have a web site www.englanderstoves.com where you can register your warranty and buy parts for any of their stoves. Including ones they haven't made for a long time.

If you haven't noticed I am an Englander stove fan. I like this stove. Of course most of us on hearth.com own the best stove ever made.

You will probably like the Century stove too. And the Quad. It is a heck of a nice stove. Just won't fit my fireplace. And hold the massive load of wood I want a stove to hold.

 

[Roospike]

That $672.00 is one he(( of a price considering Southerlands on line price now is $1,039.00 on the 30-NCL model.

(broken link removed to http://sutherlandswest.com/shop/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&zenid=561372dc2bd1b23ffc7fc732e1178a89&keyword=30-NCL+)

 

[suematteva]

That $672.00 is one he(( of a price considering Southerlands on line price now is $1,039.00 on the 30-NCL model.

(broken link removed to http://sutherlandswest.com/shop/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&zenid=561372dc2bd1b23ffc7fc732e1178a89&keyword=30-NCL+)

At that price ""a stove in every house" ....smokin deal.

 

[BrotherBart]

That $672.00 is one he(( of a price considering Southerlands on line price now is $1,039.00 on the 30-NCL model.

(broken link removed to http://sutherlandswest.com/shop/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&zenid=561372dc2bd1b23ffc7fc732e1178a89&keyword=30-NCL+)

The $1,039 includes freight anywhere in the lower 48. For a shipping weight of 485 pounds that ain't bad. List price on the stove is a grand.

I went down to HD and Lowes the other day just to bug their butts about ordering the stoves, two days after I installed mine. HD wants $1,280 bucks for it. Lowes wants $1,180. They are both asking list price plus freight and sales tax. To have one shipped 146 miles. But only to their store so it has to be picked up there. The day I went to order one neither store could find the guy "that does that stuff". Mine came out of Boulder, CO the next day for the $1,039. The extra was the blower. It has been weeks and ACE still hasn't called back with a price yet.

What nobody was realizing that day was that I was going to buy THAT stove THAT day. I wasn't price shopping.

 

[MichaelS]

Rowdy, I just put a small video clip of my stove in the picture section. It is the exact model you are asking about. I have had the stove for about a month now and so far everything is perfect. I was a little worried at first about the secondary burn filling the firebox when dampered down, but have since found out that is a good thing. I know it is on the thin side for a plate steel stove but it keeps my L.R. at around 78 and the back of the house at 68 and I can put 5 splits in it at 11:00 P.M. shut the air down get a great secondary burn and have a bed of nice coals around 5:00 A.M. when I get up. I paid 750.00 plus 70.00 in taxes and I couldnt be happier with my decision. I do wish I would have known about this sight before my purchase because I would have looked into the Englander Stoves because of the great reviews and price range.

 

[Shane]

Damn Englander! Shakes his fist as he buys his pellets

 

[rowdy]

Thanks all! We are still in the researching stage, so I'm sure I'll be asking more questions! This is for a ranch (appx. 1000 sq. ft) with an existing fireplace; we are probably going with an insert are mullling over stoves just in case that makes sense.

Other choices we've considered - Quadra Fire 4100i insert for $2378(not inc. installation or liner) is what we've liked aesthetically best so far, but then the Dutchwest cast medium stove ($1100, not inc. install or liner) didn't look too bad for $1200 less!

It sounds like from what folks have said. in 10-15 years we'd have to re-up the joints on a stove; what does that usually run (cost-wise)? It sounds as if for a cheaper stove that rewelding isn't practical (de to wearig out of cheaper materials?)?