Escape 1500/Osburn 1700Stove Loading?

[Toolslinger]

In the process of shopping for a replacement stove, I'm coming across all the SBI options. I see the Drolet Escape 1500, and the Osburn 1700 have a 13.5" deep firebox. My splits are 12". Does anyone have any experience loading N/S on these stoves? That would give me a nice tight load so it wouldn't run away, but it is kinda close. I'm not really a fan of E/W loading, plus I've already got a couple years worth of 12" stacked up.

Toying with the next size up as well, and that would go N/S in a 16.5" deep firebox for sure... Just don't need the extra BTU potential, though a longer burn would be nice. (don't need it, wood isn't my primary heat, and I'm only there 3-4 days in a row at most.)

Just looking for more fuel for the fire of which stove to go with... There's only 20 in the spreadsheet I'm working up now... Who knew a steel box with a fire inside could get complicated...

 

[EbS-P]

I have an 1800i. The measurements given are firebrick to glass. So you can close the door but the first splits might have to lay on the front bottom metal not flat on the floor.

I like loading NS with shorter splits but the fire really burns from the center out and on low output the back corners can be left as partially consumed charcoal. Solution is higher burn rate. No complaints from me. Good stove at a good price point.

As to what you get from the bigger size… what stove do you have now?

 

[Toolslinger]

We've had a VC Resolute Acclaim for the last 30+ years. It finally developed a crack in the side plate, and warped the fireback, so it has to go. While I really like the VC look, I'm not a fan of what I'm reading about their current offerings (or their price for that matter). Mostly I'm not looking for a cat stove because I just don't burn consistently, and would prefer to avoid the business of maintaining the cat. If it was a primary heat source, I'd be all over a cat stove.

That was my concern in terms of firebrick to glass measurement. It really struck me as kinda tight. Probably have a ton of ash falling out the door on me as well. I have a coworker that has an 1800 that I need to go take a look at.