Checked out stoves and leaning towards Kuma's

[zephyr0512]

After two weekends of running around from San Fran to Scaramento to areas east, towards Tahoe, my husband and I are 95% leaning towards a Kuma.
We have put our eyes and hands on at least these following brands:
1) Lopi - all models
2) Blaze King
3) Jotul - all models
4) PE - Alderlena, Traditional, Neo
5) Sierra
6) Vermont Casting
7) Osburn
8) Napoleon
9) Buck
10) Heartland
11) Kuma

And several others I can’t remember the names.

The stove brand that stands out the most impressive, to us, is the Kuma brand; it was a unanimous decision.

The most disappointing brand, Jotul. I say disappointing because, with all the hype about this brand stove, as soon as we opened the door, we saw how the glass is poorly set in (little tabs and screws, exposed glass edges), and immediately our expectaions were let down. Also, the handles for the vents are thin cut pieces of steel with very ruff edges; feels like they could bend easily, break even. We are very disappointed by the low quality of build on Jotul's. Of course many other brands fell into the same category, IMHO.

The runner up brands, Lopi and PE, but Lopi was the closets in comparison to Kuma, apples to apples. PE was one I really wanted to see and like, because I thought I would want a colored T5 or Traditional, even liked the Neo, but once I checked out their “spring loaded” ash handle, and how it opens only a small hole (maybe 3” dia) in the bottom (and other features), I knew right away that this was not going to be a good process for emptying ashes. It’s a pretty stove, but we want better.

It came down to three main factors for us, quality, durability and simplicity (ease of use). Pricing is important of course, but not the deal killer. The icing on the cake, for us, is being “made in USA” by a family onwed business that’s progressing. We want to p0ull the trigger and buy, but we have questions. My husband has reached out to them, but no response, yet. Great customer service is a big deal for us too. We shall see.

A working model:

 

[bikedennis]

Unusual, Kuma has great CS.

 

[Caw]

I have an Osburn and if good customer service is important to you it's hard to go wrong with an SBI product. I've had great experiences with their CS department. Most recently I wanted to get some OEM paint because my dog drooled on the stovetop in the summer. They are there, answer the phone, pleasant to talk to, and helpful each time.

It's obviously a large company so you'd lose the supporting a family business angle however they are made in semi locally in Canada (aka not China) and I think the workmanship is high quality. I've had mine for 3 years now with only minor dog induced paint issues .

Good luck!

 

[marty319]

I have an Osburn and if good customer service is important to you it's hard to go wrong with an SBI product. I've had great experiences with their CS department. Most recently I wanted to get some OEM paint because my dog drooled on the stovetop in the summer. They are there, answer the phone, pleasant to talk to, and helpful each time.

It's obviously a large company so you'd lose the supporting a family business angle however they are made in semi locally in Canada (aka not China) and I think the workmanship is high quality. I've had mine for 3 years now with only minor dog induced paint issues .

Good luck!

That's not a dog,that's a horse🤣🤣🤣

 

[zephyr0512]

I have an Osburn and if good customer service is important to you it's hard to go wrong with an SBI product. I've had great experiences with their CS department. Most recently I wanted to get some OEM paint because my dog drooled on the stovetop in the summer. They are there, answer the phone, pleasant to talk to, and helpful each time.

It's obviously a large company so you'd lose the supporting a family business angle however they are made in semi locally in Canada (aka not China) and I think the workmanship is high quality. I've had mine for 3 years now with only minor dog induced paint issues .

Good luck!

I’m sure the Osburn is a good stove. What I liked about the one, and we only saw one because only one dealer had one model, was the style and the size of logs we could use, at 20.” Aside from that, we feel the Kuma is better built, at least for what we’re looking for. As for the other SBI products, we can not compare these as there are no dealers with a selection of Osburn/SBI products, floor models, anywhere near us for hundreds of miles. That in of itself is a big concern for us, given that should any issue arise, we would be scrambling around looking for dealer support.

 

[wormser]

After two weekends of running around from San Fran to Scaramento to areas east, towards Tahoe, my husband and I are 95% leaning towards a Kuma.
We have put our eyes and hands on at least these following brands:
1) Lopi - all models
2) Blaze King
3) Jotul - all models
4) PE - Alderlena, Traditional, Neo
5) Sierra
6) Vermont Casting
7) Osburn
8) Napoleon
9) Buck
10) Heartland
11) Kuma

And several others I can’t remember the names.

The stove brand that stands out the most impressive, to us, is the Kuma brand; it was a unanimous decision.

The most disappointing brand, Jotul. I say disappointing because, with all the hype about this brand stove, as soon as we opened the door, we saw how the glass is poorly set in (little tabs and screws, exposed glass edges), and immediately our expectaions were let down. Also, the handles for the vents are thin cut pieces of steel with very ruff edges; feels like they could bend easily, break even. We are very disappointed by the low quality of build on Jotul's. Of course many other brands fell into the same category, IMHO.

The runner up brands, Lopi and PE, but Lopi was the closets in comparison to Kuma, apples to apples. PE was one I really wanted to see and like, because I thought I would want a colored T5 or Traditional, even liked the Neo, but once I checked out their “spring loaded” ash handle, and how it opens only a small hole (maybe 3” dia) in the bottom (and other features), I knew right away that this was not going to be a good process for emptying ashes. It’s a pretty stove, but we want better.

It came down to three main factors for us, quality, durability and simplicity (ease of use). Pricing is important of course, but not the deal killer. The icing on the cake, for us, is being “made in USA” by a family onwed business that’s progressing. We want to p0ull the trigger and buy, but we have questions. My husband has reached out to them, but no response, yet. Great customer service is a big deal for us too. We shall see.

A working model:

View attachment 307203

I got the Classic in Feb. 2020 and have zero complaints. They answered all my questions pre/post purchase in a timely and helpful manner.

 

[reaperman1]

I’m sure the Osburn is a good stove. What I liked about the one, and we only saw one because only one dealer had one model, was the style and the size of logs we could use, at 20.” Aside from that, we feel the Kuma is better built, at least for what we’re looking for. As for the other SBI products, we can not compare these as there are no dealers with a selection of Osburn/SBI products, floor models, anywhere near us for hundreds of miles. That in of itself is a big concern for us, given that should any issue arise, we would be scrambling around looking for dealer support.

Before purchasing a stove this fall I was leaning towards Kuma. I called their customer service and they were very helpful with questions I had that the dealer couldnt really address to my liking. I ended up getting a BK instead, only because of the price I was able to get on the stove. I wish wood stoves were like cars that we could try out before buying it would sure make things easier. Good luck, I dont think you could go wrong with a Kuma I havent heard any negative things said about the build quality.

 

[TomMcDonald]

That Kuma is nice. Go for it.

 

[zephyr0512]

Before purchasing a stove this fall I was leaning towards Kuma. I called their customer service and they were very helpful with questions I had that the dealer couldnt really address to my liking. I ended up getting a BK instead, only because of the price I was able to get on the stove. I wish wood stoves were like cars that we could try out before buying it would sure make things easier. Good luck, I dont think you could go wrong with a Kuma I havent heard any negative things said about the build quality.

How do you like your Boxer? It looks pretty large, nice front glass view. Did you have to assemble the top to the bottom? Was it difficult? How does the ash drawer work, easy?

 

[zephyr0512]

That Kuma is nice. Go for it.

Do you have one?

 

[TomMcDonald]

Do you have one?

No, I'm in the market for a new stove but they aren't available where I live. I went to their website and am impressed, and the one you show here is handsome. I would be considering one if I could.
Tom.

 

[zephyr0512]

We have made our choice, and it is the Kuma, Aberdeen LE! YAY

 

[bikedennis]

Good choice!

 

[reaperman1]

How do you like your Boxer? It looks pretty large, nice front glass view. Did you have to assemble the top to the bottom? Was it difficult? How does the ash drawer work, easy?

I like how tall the stove is with the wood storage under the stove, it makes things cleaner. The stove came assembled, however this model doesnt have a ash drawer. To me no ash drawer isnt a big deal. Overall, the stove works well, but it doesnt give much radiant heat like most stoves do. Being double walled, the blower fan needs to be run to push the heat from between the two walls which isnt ideal. I think BK should have cut some holes in the sides and the top to let some heat radiate on its own. If I ever loose power I'll find out how well it really heats without the blower fan. I like the big glass widow when the stove is in the "warm up mode" after the thermostat is shut down, the flames disappear. I like your choice on the Aberdeen, its a pretty stove and I'm sure your going to love the wood storage under the stove.

 

[Rickb]

How do you like your Boxer? It looks pretty large, nice front glass view. Did you have to assemble the top to the bottom? Was it difficult? How does the ash drawer work, easy?

I would not base any stove purchase on ash drawers. I added it to mine and have used it once....... I only have to shovel ash out like once every 2-3 weeks(takes like 30 seconds) so why bother.

 

[bholler]

I would not base any stove purchase on ash drawers. I added it to mine and have used it once....... I only have to shovel ash out like once every 2-3 weeks(takes like 30 seconds) so why bother.

2-3 weeks might be their entire heating season in Florida

 

[zephyr0512]

2-3 weeks might be their entire heating season in Florida

I wish our entire heating season was only two to three weeks, no, I don’t really. We like the cold weather, look forward to it, and especailly the cool mornings and evenings, with nice sunny days. Our winters are more like two to three months, with lows in single digits and upward swings into the 60’s; very erratic. We often experienece 40-50 degree swings from am to pm.

Mostly, in the panhandle of FL, we start running cooler days (as low as 30’s) by the end of Oct, dropping into the teens, even single digits, by Dec - January. By end of February, temps usually swing bck up into the high 30’s, low 40’s, but we do keep the cold into March, even had snow flurries on Easter Sunday a few times in the last decade. This will be the challenge, to find a sweet spot in the way we use the stove, keeping a good warmth when we need and want it, with a nice visual of flames, and then not getting too carried away. Fun to me!

Our stove will be well used, and enjoyed regularly. The challenge will be keeping the ash drawer cleaned out, and finding good wood. We have a lot of pulp wood around this area, long leaf pines mainly, and scrub oaks, a hard oak that thrives in the wet conditions of the SE. Getting this stuff seasoned will take a good two years. My husband keeps wood around for the fit pit, which we use every chance we get. He’ll have to get on it now, start building wood sheds and work on the inventory well ahead of time.

We pull the trigger next week for the stove next week. Hearth contractor comes out this Friday to access the plan, so Monday next week theorder goes in! We can hardly wait!

 

[begreen]

If you don't have a few cords of firewood, already split and stacked on palettes, under a top cover, or in a woodshed, do it now.

 

[Saburai]

We have made our choice, and it is the Kuma, Aberdeen LE! YAY

I'm Just wondering if the Kuma met with your expectations. We're in North Central Florida, so not as cold as the panhandle. We do drop to freezing and we definitely need heat for a few months. We're leaning towards a Kuma as well.

 

[Jnclem]

We bought a Kuma Wood Classic last summer and used it from September through mid-June here in western Colorado. Temperatures down to near -30 mid winter. It exceeded my expectations by quite a bit. I have had great customer service both on the phone and through email. The stove is simply excellent. I too appreciate the made in USA, from US sourced steel, and each stove built from beginning to end by one person. We have been heating with wood since the 1970’s and have used a number of different brands. This is by far the best built stove we’ve ever had. I know most on here like BK, and no doubt they are great stoves. We didn’t want a cat only stove. Our house isn’t well insulated, and at times the longest possible burn isn’t what we need. Anyway, good choice, and I expect you will love that stove.