Enviro Empress vs. Harman Accentra insert

[kilarney]

We are debating between two inserts - the Enviro Empress and the Harman Accentra.

We like the looks of the Empress better, but my main concern is heat output. I want the one that puts out the most heat.

The Empress USED to say it was 40,000 BTU input. (I have last year's brochure.) Now they claim 34,000 versus the Harman's 42,000.

The weird thing is that the Harman claims to heat about the same square feet as the Empress.

So a couple of questions...
1) I assume that the square foot figure isn't reliable at all. Different manufacturers make different assumptions. Is this true?
2) Why did Enviro reduce the BTUs of the Empress? Was it calculated wrong to being with?
3) Which stove is the most efficient. Incoming BTUs mean little. It's outgoing that matter. Is there a more efficient insert than either the Empress of the Harman?
4) What is the advantage of a gravity feed system? I know the advantage of Harman's push-type auger, but I haven't heard what the advantages are of dropping the pellets into the combustion area.

Thanks!

 

[davevassar]

I have the Empress insert and I love it. I have a 2300 sq ft home, open floor plan, and the room we have it in has 18 ft ceilings. Days/nights that are between 20-40 degrees outside, my house averages about 73 degrees, as high as 75. When it's colder outside, singles to teens, it dips to around 70 or so, once in a great while 69 degrees.

So far this year, I have only purchased 100 gallons of oil, compared to about 700 last year.

 

[jezbo33]

dave how tight is your home, my empress keeps the house between 64-67

 

[davevassar]

My house is almost 8 years old. Keep in mind that the 18ft ceilings in the great room where the stove is installed are open to a balcony where the upstairs bedrooms are. the doors to the bedrooms look out to the great room. The ceiling fan circulates the heat throughout the room which is central to the house.

what kind of pellets are you burning. I burn barefoots, and the heat output is great.

 

[sparkydog00]

My Harmen Accentra keeps my 1600 sft house between 73 and 76 F all winter. I am running solely (much to the chagrin of my Electric Company...Electric forced hot air sucks) 24/7.
No complaints except for the buffeting from the stove at higher speeds (a common problem as I have read on this board)

 

[jezbo33]

My house is almost 8 years old. Keep in mind that the 18ft ceilings in the great room where the stove is installed are open to a balcony where the upstairs bedrooms are. the doors to the bedrooms look out to the great room. The ceiling fan circulates the heat throughout the room which is central to the house.

what kind of pellets are you burning. I burn barefoots, and the heat output is great.

My house is about 60 years old. I don't think it is the stove as much as it is a drafty old house.

 

[nanama72]

Dave,

How many tons are you going through per winter? We have a very similar house and are considering an empress.

Thanks so much

 

[davevassar]

From October through today, I have burned about 3-3.5 tons.

About 2.75 of them have been Barefoot pellets. They burn the hottest, but I go through 2 bags per day with the stove on medium. Other pellets I go through about 1.5, but they don't burn as hot as Barefoots.