I've eliminated the VC and the Harmon, I looked at an Encore today, looks nice but it is the exact same combustion chamber thats on my dutchwest, and I'm not such of fan of how that works. The oakwood looks like a really nice stove but unlike previous years, my dealer says the new ones do not have the option of enameling, just hi temp paint... such a pretty stove, I don't understand why they wouldn't offer it enameled...wifes got to have it enameled... so there goes my ideas of a long handled spatula, my lazy boy, steaks, beer and football all at the same time in the living room.... I'm going to go look at the Leyden tomarrow but if the burn technolgy is similar to the VC and Dutchwest...I'll probabily get the IR. Thanks for the posts guys. Anyone with alot of experience burning both the VCs and Lopis? Is there a notable difference in the way the encore and the leyden burn through the combustors?
Choice of 4 top loaders, which is best?
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Now that you've ruled out the Harman, I'll put in my two cents: for downdraft stoves, Harman and Lopi have far fewer reported problems here than VC. That goes for the stove itself as well as for the company and its warranty/parts/service. (This leaves out the variable of the individual dealer, of course.) So between Lopi and VC I would choose Lopi hands down (and I'd put them on par with Harman).
I won't say it is a better stove, but the burn tube technology of the Quad IR is going to make that stove easier to learn, burn, and maintain than a downdraft model.
I won't say it is a better stove, but the burn tube technology of the Quad IR is going to make that stove easier to learn, burn, and maintain than a downdraft model.
Jags said:
It's a sentence.
I'll Roy Al.
Roy him real good. You come up with your own definition for the verb "Roy" in this case.
I'm in the same selection process and this thread is VERY helpful.
Questions for those of you who have the IR:
Can the ash pan be emptied while the fire proceedeth?
Does IR make a cooking grill insert for the top load port (a la the Oakwood)?
Any idea of the approximate sq. footage this unit can heat at 70% operational level?
What is the realistic log length it can accomodate?
What's the closest place to Lubbock (Texas) that might have one I can go see--either dealer or owner? (Already tried the dealer in Clovis (New Mexico)--negative! They could get it, but didn't have it on the floor as of Saturday when we stopped by.)
Approximate price of unit?
'Preciate it!
Questions for those of you who have the IR:
Can the ash pan be emptied while the fire proceedeth?
Does IR make a cooking grill insert for the top load port (a la the Oakwood)?
Any idea of the approximate sq. footage this unit can heat at 70% operational level?
What is the realistic log length it can accomodate?
What's the closest place to Lubbock (Texas) that might have one I can go see--either dealer or owner? (Already tried the dealer in Clovis (New Mexico)--negative! They could get it, but didn't have it on the floor as of Saturday when we stopped by.)
Approximate price of unit?
'Preciate it!
Texas boy said:
Yes.
No.
2000 sqft if insulation is average
21"
Dunno
Lots of bean pods. (I bought mine so long ago, that I am sure the prices have changed)
Well, I ended up buying the Leyden. I was actually heartset on getting a IR, after doing some research here and owing a Dutchwest Downdraft type stove, I was concerned that the downdrafts weren't for me hence the reason for leaning to the IR. But now lets factor in the dealers.....The local dealer for the Isle was also the dealer for Jotul, and after an hour of talking to him he basically infered that I was idiot to want a Isle Royal over a Jotul...In fact, because he didn't have a Royal(e) in stock or set up (or experience burning them i think), and he had a million Jotuls, this was driving his motive to sell me a Jotul. I'm sure the Jotuls are fine stoves, BUT THEY DONT MAKE AN ENAMELED CAST TOP LOADER! thats why I never entertained them to begin with. They should, but they don't. They only quads this guy had were the ones out of plate steel, again fine stoves, but not what I wanted. The Jotul F-500 and F-600 where the models he insisted were far superior than the Isle but neither had a top load. He said that any topload type stove was going to be the downdraft type with combustion chambers and if I didn't want that then the Jotuls were the best cast stove made. So I left, without even seeing an IR, and then I looked online again to make sure I was not mistaken about the Isle....ALAS! indeed, it has the upper tubes "baffles" just like the Jotuls, yet it is a top load!...Anyways, after my experience with him, I drove 70 miles to my Lopi dealer....What a totally different story...This guy didn't try to push anything on me, he had almost the entire line of VCs, a few Lopis and alot of Harmons set-up and burning... Right off the bat he told me he didn't have any experience with the Jotuls or the Quads but knew they were fine stoves. He also told me that based on warranty only, between the VCs, Lopis, and Harmons, that he personally would buy a Harmon first, then Lopi, then a VC. (Although he admitted that he didn't have much experiece with the Lopi warrantys and that was probably a good thing) I respected his opinions and I felt they were not driven by the sale. After a two hours of talking I simply wanted to give my business to him, so I bought the Leyden. I still think that the Isle Royale was probaly the perfect stove for me becase it had all my wish list items, yet is wasn't a downdraft type. But I liked him, and he earned my business. I suppose now I'm going to find out how well my new Leyden burns in contrast to my medium Dutchwest which has always givin me problems. For the last three years I've believed my Dutchwest as problematic and it was due to the manufacture. Now that I have Leyden with the same type of burn technolgy I'll finally find out if its me and my installation or the manufacture... Boy, the Leyden is a pretty stove...
A dealer makes a big difference. I may end up buying a new stove for the house we're moving into next year. While I love my
Isle Royale and may end up buying another one, I also would consider the Alderlea T6 and a couple of other stoves. But talking
to the local PE dealer so far is like getting a tooth pulled. Doesn't know what price it is. Doesn't know when he can get one.
Never has sold one. Congrats on your Leyden. It is a pretty stove.
Isle Royale and may end up buying another one, I also would consider the Alderlea T6 and a couple of other stoves. But talking
to the local PE dealer so far is like getting a tooth pulled. Doesn't know what price it is. Doesn't know when he can get one.
Never has sold one. Congrats on your Leyden. It is a pretty stove.
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