Comparing 3 new stoves would like ur opinions

[kwikrp]

I have a 20 foot 8 X 8 clay flue chimney. I have a 2500+ sq ft home I would like to heat. I live in a raised ranch and the stove would be located on the upper floor. That is the main living space and the area I am looking to heat. The 3 stoves I have looked at are the Avalon Olympic, the Pacific Energy Summit, and the Harman Oak? tl300. I would like to know pros and cons? and any other recommendation for a stove. I dont think I would like a stove with a cat. I live in SE Ma.

Thank You

 

[CarbonNeutral]

Don't know about the stoves, but (assuming all three of those are 6" flues) plan on installing an insulated 6" flex liner...

 

[kwikrp]

dont really want to would rather find a stove that would fit my application

 

[Todd]

I like the TL300, it's got the top loading grill option, but has that troublesome downdraft burning system which tends to be finicky without a less than perfect chimney. The other two should work fine with your current chimney, but you may have to run them a little hotter and may not be able to turn them all the way down with the larger chimney. Too bad you aren't looking at cat stoves, the Blaze King King seems to be one of the most popular stoves here so far this year and it takes an 8" chimney.

 

[branchburner]

As Todd says, the Harman may not do well without a liner. Not sure about the other two, but the idea of a stove designed for 8" pipe makes sense.
Is the chimney interior or exterior?
I ruled out cat stoves early in my search, but I now believe my downdraft stove will end up requiring much more effort and expense than a cat. But if the cat's out, considered a Jotul?

 

[Wet1]

Sounds to me like a perfect fit for the BK King as well.

 

[kwikrp]

it is an interior chimney. Maybe I am incorrect but you need to change a cat between every 2-6 years depending on useage. It is costly for a cat. And will I still be able to get a cat for the stove let say in 10 0r 15 years ?

 

[savageactor7]

Also if it's an interior chimney in good shape you may not need a liner. No opinion of the stoves ...

 

[Todd]

it is an interior chimney. Maybe I am incorrect but you need to change a cat between every 2-6 years depending on useage. It is costly for a cat. And will I still be able to get a cat for the stove let say in 10 0r 15 years ?

It may seem costly, but the savings in firewood usage over a non cat will pay for it in one year and with burning properly with dry wood it should last 6 years+ depending on how often you burn. Catalysts have been around for a long time and are being improved with the new stainless steel versions, I think you will be safe 15 years down the road.

 

[Wet1]

I agree with Todd. The benefits outweigh the cost IMO and the ROI is quick. Cats generally last much longer than 2 years with proper care, I'd guess 4 to 8 years is pretty typical with care. BK has been making cat stoves for a loooong time, you can still get cats for their earliest stoves from many places w/o any issues. I see no reason to believe there will be any issue finding a cat for a BK stove 15 years from now.

 

[Wet1]

BTW, the BK King stoves now ship with the newer/improved SS cat.

 

[MovingOffGrid]

Hi ... I have a Summit Pedestal Freestanding stove on my 6x10, 30' central Masonry Chimney and it sucks well ;-)

Put the Summit in last year and it has taken me, someone who has burned wood stoves for over 30 years, till now to get it to stop backpuffing on occasion.

The problem seems to have been a very slight bend in the first 90 atop the stove. Once I recently straightened the pipe and slightly increased the rise on my 1.5' horizontal into the thimble, I no longer have any back puffing issues, except on severe downdraft days. it seems the efficiency of these new stoves demands everything to be as straight up and unobstructed as possible for peak operation. Never would have dreamed that straightening a very slight bend in my 90 elbow and exaggerating the slope of my horizontal would cause the Summit to fix all my minor draft issues. And this Strove is reported to be one of the more forgiving EPA stoves that is one reason why I chose it for my chimney setup.

The summit gets my chimney into the sweet spot secondary burn strong draft in about 15-20 minutes from dead cold.

Love the easy way it starts up - top down burn - even with my oversize' large chimney.

I put in 2, 1/4 splits North South
- then place a few thin pieces of very dry wood split pallette east west
- bit of newspaper under the sticks between the splits
- then build a bit of a loose log house with dry 1/8" splits over the top with more paper in it
- open air vent full
- light it
shut door and come back in 10 minutes to big flames and gradually reduce to medium heat when in good temperature range

Amazing stove that pushes big consistent heat, BUT, I am being extra watchful on running temps now that so many seem to have some weld issues cropping up.