Hampton H200 wood stove review.

[tfdchief]

BEWARE OF LONG WINDED POST. If not interested in the H200, move on.

Original thread asking for help picking the stove. https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/64965/

When we settled on the H200 for the install in our kitchen, I found that there was not much info on the forum about this little stove, unlike many others that were suggested and recommended. My wife really liked the looks of the Hampton, so I did all the research I could and I did not find anything that turned me off, and a lot of things I really liked. So, now we have it.

Install thread - https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/71926/

Several of you ask for feedback after I got it installed and running. I only burned it the end of February and March last winter and been experimenting with it a lot this fall. However, since I have never had and EPA stove before and already find it very easy to operate, I am very pleased with this stove.

Here goes.

It is of course a small stove, 1.34 cu ft firebox, 16 in max log length. You would want to cut shorter than that, as that is tight. It is a cast iron stove put together with gaskets, except for the top, which looks to be 1/4 in plate steel installed with a gasket......so that it can be easily removed to access and replace the stainless steel secondary baffle. Then that is covered with a cast iron hob forming the convection heat exchange area and the decorative top on the stove. The primary air and the glass air wash are controlled by one lever at the front, lower right, and the secondary air is fed continuously, I believe, from another inlet at the lower back of the stove.

It has a very easy to use door handle and latch, adjustable. I did not get the ash pan, which is used by lifting a cast gasketed plug in the bottom of the stove and letting ashes fall. I did get the 2 speed, thermostatically controlled fan that mounts on the back, sends air up the back, over the top of the stove, and under the cast top hob, out the top front. Works very well. Side shelves are also available as well as 2 different finishes, charcoal gray and brown enamel.

I have burned wood for 40 years in about everything. This being my first EPA stove, I have nothing to compare it with other than reviews of other stoves here. However, I found it very easy to operate. It lights easily, comes up to operating temperature very quickly. The secondary’s start very early as well. I shut the air down in stages. Once I have the stove up to temperature, I can shut the air down all the way and it cruises nicely and throws a lot of heat for its size. Care must be taken with the firebricks which are fairly soft.....I think they are vermiculite. The welded, all one piece, stainless steel secondary baffle is very simple and seems to work very well.

Of course being small it does not hold a fire as long as the bigger stoves. The manual says 6 hours and I would agree with that. The kitchen/dinning/den area we wanted to heat is not that big and we could not put a very big stove there. It is a second stove, so all it has to do is back up the main stove insert in the fireplace.

Mine was a corner install and clearances are good, 9 inches with double wall stove pipe.

Couple of things I will note. The glass seems to get a bit dirty in the bottom corners. The air wash seems to miss these areas. If you burn hot enough, that pretty much burns off, but I always get some on cold starts.
The only thing I really have bad to say about this stove is that the floor protection requirements are very confusing, if not contradictory.
The Testing/Safety label on the back says “non-combustibleâ€, nothing more. An inspector would probably stop right there. The manual, page 8, under RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATION, 8) says “....non-combustible material.....and......However, when installing the unit with the short leg option there is a requirement of 0.84K of floor protector beneath the non-combustible floor.†So far it seems that if you use the regular legs that non-combustible protection is all that is required. Then on page 11, however, it says that “a minimum 1/2 in, thick thermal floor protector with a 0.84 K factor is required when installing the standard or optional short legs.†The product specification sheet, http://www.regency-fire.com/Files/Specifications/H-H200.aspx also just says non-combustible floor protection. I called Regency/Hampton and was told that page 11 was correct. When I ask why it said what it did or didn’t say on the label, and on page 8, and in the spec sheet, I simply got a repeat of the first statement. That said, my experience has been that the floor under the stove barely gets warm. There is a Regency/Hampton dealer on this forum that I have PMed with that agrees, the floor barely gets warm underneath and that the only protection needed for the standard legs, is ember protection.

All in all, it is a very well built, beautiful stove, easy to operate, and we really like it so far. Oh yeah, it may be small, but it weighs 416 lbs.!

 

[tfdchief]

I am bumping my own thread since I have now burned the little Hampton for a good while. I love this stove! The only thing I will add is that it holds coals forever. Being a small fire box, burn times are not that great, but it will hold enough coals to reload and start the fire for 10 hours, if not more, depending on the load of wood the coals came from. The blower is still on and putting out warm air as well. 416 pounds of stove holds the heat well. This winter has been mild and I still have not really let her rip, but I like what I have so far.

 

[begreen]

Good to know that it's working out well for you chief. We don't hear enough about this nice little heater or its big brother. I'll bet that kitchen is a popular place for hanging out now.

 

[tfdchief]

Good to know that it's working out well for you chief. We don't hear enough about this nice little heater or its big brother. I'll bet that kitchen is a popular place for hanging out now.

No, it doesn't seem to be a very popular stove.....I am not sure why. It is really solid, nice looking, and easy to run. I suppose because of the small fire box. But it really fit the bill for us. And yes, the kitchen is even more popular than it was before. The Hampton topped off our complete kitchen remodel last year and my wife couldn't be happier. During Christmas, when the kids and grandkids were all home, the kitchen was where everyone wanted to be. Here is a pic of 2 of my grandkids in the morning. The caption reads "Papa, we are cold, will you get the fire going?" And my dog Oggie sure likes it! ;-P

 

[billkline]

OK, now, Chief, you might ought to start thinking about replacing the Buck Stove smoke-breathing dragon in your fireplace with a new Hampton HI300! If your Buck Stove doesn't have a 8" ss liner to the top, you would need a 6" liner to the top with any new stove. May be 1 or 2 out there that require 8", but none I would recommend!

Bill Kline
Founder, Chim Cheree, the Chimney Speciaists
Greer, SC.
Now in our 37th year!

 

[prezes13]

I almost got HI300 when I went to get a a stove that's what I was set on. HI300 in brown enamel. My dealer talked me out of it and I ended up with a cape cod. His argument was that cape cod was a more solid built stove, I don't know if it's true or not but I know that HI 300 is a beauty.

 

[pcampbell]

tfdchief, thanks for review and pics - it helped sealed the deal for us purchasing a few year old but unfired H205 with the brown enamel for the price I would have otherwise bought a new matte black Jotul F100. Seems like we should get the blower too. Where is your blower plugged in?

 

[pcampbell]

Hey folks
I have my H200 installed but had a question about these sort of "loose" side bricks. I wonder if they are installed in the wrong spot, or are just supposed to be taken out? It's only 14" across when they are installed. The bricks are just sort of wedged under a little shelf or lip, and don't seem to want to stay there.

 

[pcampbell]

By the way, here is the far away view just for fun

 

[pcampbell]

by the way - if i remove these bricks, there's still more bricks on the side behind them. A little confusing. The manual doesn't say anything about this.

 

[spirilis]

416lb for such a small stove is very nice. That should complement the short burn cycles... as the mass helps even out the heat a bit. Like a really tiny masonry heater of sorts.

 

[begreen]

Hey folks
I have my H200 installed but had a question about these sort of "loose" side bricks. I wonder if they are installed in the wrong spot, or are just supposed to be taken out? It's only 14" across when they are installed. The bricks are just sort of wedged under a little shelf or lip, and don't seem to want to stay there.

It looks like the fire brick is just for the floor, not the sides. Maybe they included a spare set. The sides already have vermiculite panels.

 

[pcampbell]

You are right I bet. Duh! I'll take them out and take another look. I believe they do match up with the floor. Thanks

I bet the installers were confused by the extra pieces and stuck them in there.

#14 and #15 is what I see when I take out those side firebricks.

 

[begreen]

Yes, #14 & 15 are the vermiculite insulation panels. Load the stove gently, don't slam logs in and they will last a long time.

 

[pcampbell]

Yes it is super dense. With all of the bricks out , top, doors, legs, and trim, all disassembled, we could JUST barely move it!!

 

[pcampbell]

One more question - has anyone installed the outside air kit adapter? What does it look like?

I think local code is going to require one in my home. I can't go back behind the stove so I'll have to go through the hearth.

They will allow proximity air but want it within 2 ft of the stove!

 

[apsweeps]

I could not find any other place on the internet that was appropriate to post a review on this stove (Regency H200), so if it's helpful to anyone, here it is.

I was a chimney sweep for over 20 years, so I've seen at least a thousand different stoves, from dozens of manufacturers over that time. Unfortunately, nearly no Regency stoves that I can recall. But when I was looking for a stove for a new home, I did have that knowledge of all the faults of the other stoves I've serviced. Shortfalls in engineering, manufacturing, and materials are locked into my mind forever.

I looked hard at the H200 as far as fit & finish, design and serviceability. After that, I took the chance and ordered one with the side shelves, ash pan and fan, with the red-brown enamel finish. It is a beautiful stove with a classic style, much like the small Vermont Castings, without all the problems of the innards burning out and plugged or shattered cat-converters.

Mine will hold coals for up to 8 hrs if I'm able to load it smartly. This stove burns really cleanly with the baffle system it uses. I'm not crazy about the ash pan design, so when the stove cools down, I just scoop ashes out with a coffee can. Not a big deal for me. The blower on high can be heard in adjoining rooms, but it's essential for efficiency.

The door handle stays cool and locks the door securely with conviction. The manufacturer states 16" logs, but an inch shorter is a lot easier to load, and the wood needs to split down quite small to get it past the good looking cast iron andirons. I feel that the window on my stove stays fairly clean, even though I don't run it flat out open very much at all.

Overall, I'd recommend this model and manufacturer over any other stove on the market, but I think if I was using this as my primary whole house heat, I'd want to go up a size on this.

 

[bmedeiros678]

Hey folks
I have my H200 installed but had a question about these sort of "loose" side bricks. I wonder if they are installed in the wrong spot, or are just supposed to be taken out? It's only 14" across when they are installed. The bricks are just sort of wedged under a little shelf or lip, and don't seem to want to stay there.

View attachment 164794

After seeing this pic I realized that my stove does not have the vermiculite sides. Looking into getting them. How do they attach?

 

[bjkjoseph]

I had the Hampton insert and liked it a lot.I used it 24/7,seems like the only issue is,they are steel and the top part of the stove by the door is all rotted out.