Enviro Wood Stoves

[illini81]

I just bought an Enviro Boston 1700. It’s my first wood stove, so I am a complete newbie. Despite being new to wood stoves, our wood stove experiment has been going well so far, due to the help we’ve received on this forum.

While I was researching different stoves, I found several running threads on specific stoves that I found to be really helpful. I would like to start a similar thread with information specific to Enviro Kodiak and Boston wood stoves (as well as other Enviro stoves, I’m not sure how many models there are?). Hopefully it can be a helpful resource to all of the Enviro owners on hearth.com, as well as to prospective buyers of Enviro stoves.

It doesn’t seem like Enviro stoves are as common as BK’s, PE’s, Jotuls, etc, but hopefully there are enough to support a dedicated forum thread. Who knows, maybe this thread will result in the Enviro tribe increasing!

A few questions for you experienced Enviro burners:

1. How many square feet are you heating?
   
2. How many years have you had your stove?
   
3. Have you had to replace any parts?
   
4. What is your typical maintenance routine for your stove/chimney?
   

 

[illini81]

Oh, and if you have any pics, please share! I’m holding off until we finish our set up.

 

[NoGoodAtScreenNames]

I’m going into my 4th year with my Boston 1700. Been happy with it so far, but this is my first stove so I don’t have much perspective other than that.

Enviro seems like a well respected but less common brand around here. Everyone seems to like the way they look, especially the Boston. I like the Venice as well while the Kodiak has a simple more functional look to it. They all have the same firebox from what I understand so you’re really choosing which stove you like the looks of and how much you’re willing to pay. People seem to go with the Kodiak or the Boston, I don’t remember ever seeing someone around here that has the Venice.

Enviro seems more prevalent in the pellet forum (not that I go there often).

There’s a few of us on this forum and there’s at least one Enviro dealer on here as well. We’ll see if there’s enough of us to keep a quorum and not get pushed down into obscurity by all the darn BlazeKing threads. Their long burn times are only matched by their owners’ willingness to tell you about them [emoji14].

 

[illini81]

Yeah, it might be wishful thinking, but I’m hoping there are enough of us. Who knows, maybe if we follow their lead and start claiming inflated burn times, our tribe will grow too… ?

Just kidding! Blaze King stoves do sound like great products. Maybe someday I’ll buy one. For now though, I’m a proud owner of an Enviro stove, and couldn’t be happier.

 

[Squisher]

Ha ha ha. You guys keep poking at the nest and you're bound to get stung.

 

[Woody Stover]

Enviro seems like a well respected but less common brand around here.

@begreen recommends them, so that tells me they must be a pretty good stove. He mentioned the Keystone in my early "what stove" thread..

maybe if we follow their lead and start claiming inflated burn times, our tribe will grow too… ?
Just kidding! Blaze King stoves do sound like great products.

Yep, the key is to accentuate the positives, and don't talk about the shortcomings. Seriously, BK negatives are occasionally mentioned but they are so deeply buried in the hype that I wonder how newbies are going to make an informed decision.

Ha ha ha. You guys keep poking at the nest and you're bound to get stung.

It's still fun to do..

 

[lml999]

Very happy with mine...as I learned how to burn, I got longer burn times with it...up to a good 5-6 hours at this point. We moved in 2016 and the insert is still sitting in the garage, waiting to be installed.

We brought 3 cords of seasoned hardwood with us, took down some trees, and so I now have a pretty good wood bank. Once we get a couple of other things taken care of, the stove will be installed. I miss it!

 

[saewoody]

I’m pretty excited about this thread. Nice job illini81! I have the Kodiak 1700. Wife wanted the Boston, but we needed an extra inch in the fireplace that we just didn’t have. We have had it for 4-5 years I think. It is also our first stove. We burn 24/7 once the winter really hits. We burn about 5 cords per year. It’s been a good stove and we have not had to replace any parts. On occasion, the blower fan makes some noise; not like a bearing noise, but like a slightly off vibration/pitch within the blower. I did replace a several of the fire bricks prior to this winter. Oddly, it seemed that the most damaged ones were the ones on the left side of the stove. We are heating a little over 2,000 sq ft. We have the chimney swept once a year in the off season. The sweep always says it looks great.


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[illini81]

I’m pretty excited about this thread. Nice job illini81! I have the Kodiak 1700. Wife wanted the Boston, but we needed an extra inch in the fireplace that we just didn’t have. We have had it for 4-5 years I think. It is also our first stove. We burn 24/7 once the winter really hits. We burn about 5 cords per year. It’s been a good stove and we have not had to replace any parts. On occasion, the blower fan makes some noise; not like a bearing noise, but like a slightly off vibration/pitch within the blower. I did replace a several of the fire bricks prior to this winter. Oddly, it seemed that the most damaged ones were the ones on the left side of the stove. We are heating a little over 2,000 sq ft. We have the chimney swept once a year in the off season. The sweep always says it looks great.


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Thanks! I'm excited too. Good to know that you haven't had to replace anything other than fire bricks.

I've heard people with other inserts talk about blower noise, so that's something I was concerned about. When our blower is on low or medium, I can't hear it unless I'm within a few feet of the stove. For the first few days I kept thinking it had shut off b/c I couldn't hear it. I would walk over and have to stick my head next to the blower to tell that it was still humming. So I think a lot of the concerns people have with insert blowers are... overblown?

Since you're in CT too, I'm curious - have you started 24/7 burning yet?

 

[saewoody]

Thanks! I'm excited too. Good to know that you haven't had to replace anything other than fire bricks.

I've heard people with other inserts talk about blower noise, so that's something I was concerned about. When our blower is on low or medium, I can't hear it unless I'm within a few feet of the stove. For the first few days I kept thinking it had shut off b/c I couldn't hear it. I would walk over and have to stick my head next to the blower to tell that it was still humming. So I think a lot of the concerns people have with insert blowers are... overblown?

Since you're in CT too, I'm curious - have you started 24/7 burning yet?

Not quite. The last week or so has been some late afternoon/evening fires that we roll into the overnight when necessary, and possibly a partial reload in the morning if needed.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

I’m going into my 4th year with my Boston 1700. Been happy with it so far, but this is my first stove so I don’t have much perspective other than that.

Enviro seems like a well respected but less common brand around here. Everyone seems to like the way they look, especially the Boston. I like the Venice as well while the Kodiak has a simple more functional look to it. They all have the same firebox from what I understand so you’re really choosing which stove you like the looks of and how much you’re willing to pay. People seem to go with the Kodiak or the Boston, I don’t remember ever seeing someone around here that has the Venice.

Enviro seems more prevalent in the pellet forum (not that I go there often).

There’s a few of us on this forum and there’s at least one Enviro dealer on here as well. We’ll see if there’s enough of us to keep a quorum and not get pushed down into obscurity by all the darn BlazeKing threads. Their long burn times are only matched by their owners’ willingness to tell you about them [emoji14].

Hilarious and very accurate Bk/owner description

 

[SculptureOfSound]

The closest dealer is a bit of a hike - just curious does anyone know what a Boston 1700 insert should cost? I'm still undecided but am really liking the looks and dimensions of the Boston, and only ever seem to hear good things about Enviro

 

[illini81]

I paid $1995 for mine. The dealer was retiring and selling all his inventory though, so I don't think that's a typical price in my area. The two other dealers I contacted near me came in at $3100 and $3200.

 

[illini81]

Based on my experience with it so far though, it absolutely would have been worth paying another thousand. Good burn times, easy to control, comfortable heat (this "jacketed stove" concept is making more and more sense to me), and pretty good looking too

 

[NoGoodAtScreenNames]

A bit over 3k is probably about right and that’s just for the stove. Doesn’t include liner or installation.

I️ had a certain budget for a stove and a certain budget for redecorating the room. Going with the Boston vs another stove pulled a little from the decorating bucket.

Only thing I️ would do different is to hire a legit sweep to install it instead of who the shop set me up with and get a better liner instead of getting talked into a cheap and uninsulated liner. It’s not that I’m having any problems now but it’s always in the back of my mind. I️ skimped in the wrong area.

 

[Stubblefire]

We installed an enviro Venice 1700 last winter and did a facelift to the fireplace this summer while renovating. The insert has been flawless and has provided all the heat for about 1500 sq ft. Been burning a bit of everything from poplar, pine,fir, maple even some ash it all burns and makes good heat. Burn times are 6hrs and always enough coal and embers to start up in morning.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

I forgot about the enviro Boston until this thread popped up. Talk about a beautiful cast iron stove. Are enviro guys really only getting 6hr burn times? That seems low to me. I do run a cat stove so maybe this is normal?

 

[Stubblefire]

Can't speak for other enviro owners but for us in southern Alberta with mostly poplar and pine we are pretty happy for a small to mid size firebox.

 

[BrotherBart]

Were it not for an idiot dealer in this area denying he was an Enviro dealer, he was pushing his Buck Stove inventory, I would have bought one in 2006. I have never heard a disparaging word about one of their stoves. A week after I Installed the Englander 30-NC I got a call from the dealer telling me he would be happy to sell me an Enviro. I had emailed Enviro about him and asking if anybody else around here would sell me one of their stoves.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Were it not for an idiot dealer in this area denying he was an Enviro dealer, he was pushing his Buck Stove inventory, I would have bought one in 2006. I have never heard a disparaging word about one of their stoves. A week after I Installed the Englander 30-NC I got a call from the dealer telling me he would be happy to sell me an Enviro. I had emailed Enviro about him and asking if anybody else around here would sell me one of their stoves.

That's a pretty bum deal. I love the detail in the casts. I've been looking for something as good looking as my VC stoves and I think the enviro is right up there with them.

 

[NoGoodAtScreenNames]

I forgot about the enviro Boston until this thread popped up. Talk about a beautiful cast iron stove. Are enviro guys really only getting 6hr burn times? That seems low to me. I do run a cat stove so maybe this is normal?

Not to start another “how to measure burn time” thread but I️ think most people get pretty good burn times with the 1700 models. 6 hours would be on the low side for me. That’s about when the coaling stage starts on a medium load but still getting plenty of heat.

 

[illini81]

I forgot about the enviro Boston until this thread popped up. Talk about a beautiful cast iron stove. Are enviro guys really only getting 6hr burn times? That seems low to me. I do run a cat stove so maybe this is normal?

Attached is a pic of my coals this AM after a little over 11 hrs. Probably could have gone another hour and still gotten an easy relight. Stove room was 73 and upstairs bedrooms were 68. Outside temp was 35. I am burning oak and maple.

For me, burn times are just the time between when I load the stove, and when I can get an easy relight.

 

[illini81]

We installed an enviro Venice 1700 last winter and did a facelift to the fireplace this summer while renovating. The insert has been flawless and has provided all the heat for about 1500 sq ft. Been burning a bit of everything from poplar, pine,fir, maple even some ash it all burns and makes good heat. Burn times are 6hrs and always enough coal and embers to start up in morning.

Your hearth is beautiful! I'm hoping to do something similar in the next few years. What species of wood is the mantel?

 

[Stubblefire]

The mantel is a live edge slab of fir, I used a red mahogany base stain followed by a dark walnut stain to finish it, lastly a couple coats of clear coat

 

[illini81]

The mantel is a live edge slab of fir, I used a red mahogany base stain followed by a dark walnut stain to finish it, lastly a couple coats of clear coat

Beautiful stain job, and I love the live edge. It looks amazing.