Harman P68 or Vistaflame VF170 (decisions, decisions)

[waywardzombie]

Have a bit of a dilemma, hoping for some feedback. I currently have an enviro empress which is not keeping my house warm. House is approximately 2300 sf. I'm looking to replace it, and to hopefully sell the old stove.

I'm around the Rochester area of NH.

In my area it looks like I am going to pay around $3400 from a reputable stove shop for a harman P68.

There's also another shop in the area selling the VF170 for $2100. They're a new business and not a lot of feedback on the web about them.

My current setup for the empress has a 3" exhaust pipe 10" on center. The P68 requires 3" exhaust 10" on center. The VF170 requires 3" exhaust 14" on center.

I'd need to raise my exhaust pipe up by a few inches to accommodate VF170, which could be challenging. I don't want the outside of the house to look awful.

$1300 is a lot of money, but I'm leaning towards paying more for the proven stove shop and not having to adjust the height of the exhaust. I am also thinking the P68 is the better stove, but I'm not sure if I'm just buying into the Harman hype.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? Any opinions?

 

[farmboy57]

I have the vistaflame 170 and the pipe is 4 inches not 3 they changed it a few years ago,and i am on my third year,heating a 1800 square two story 1870's farm house and we love it. puts out tons of heat most of the time on settings 2 or 3. i hope this helps. By the way the furnace has not been on in the three years , i love these pellet stoves

 

[pell it]

I am contemplating the same thing. Which big stove to install come springtime. P61, P68, VF170, ECO-65, Euromax, or Hydroflex 60.

My 48K btu US Stove is topped out in our new house heating both floors of a raised ranch. I have to say it has held up better than I thought with no Dino juice yet. We'll see later this week with the single digits forecasted.

Just starting the serious research. Good luck with your decision!!

 

[oliveone]

I have the Enviro Maxx. Great stove easy to clean puts out loads of heat, uses 4 inch pipe. I would buy again. Heats raised ranch with no issues. Can use off the shelf parts. Cost $3000 out the door

 

[Hoot23]

There's some used Harmans on Craig's list. A 61 and a 68. Both refurbished.

 

[Hoot23]

Found it. Don't know if it's still available.

Harman p68 pellet stove With trim package - $2900 (Hampton falls NH)
(broken image removed)

 

[waywardzombie]

Found it. Don't know if it's still available.

Thanks for looking Hoot...I found the listing on CL. I'd rather pay the extra $$$ to get it new for warranty and dealer service. I also came across some reviews today (may have been here?) about a guy named Bob who refurbs these in hampton falls and isn't super reliable.

I have the vistaflame 170 and the pipe is 4 inches not 3 they changed it a few years ago,and i am on my third year,heating a 1800 square two story 1870's farm house and we love it. puts out tons of heat most of the time on settings 2 or 3. i hope this helps. By the way the furnace has not been on in the three years , i love these pellet stoves

I have the Enviro Maxx. Great stove easy to clean puts out loads of heat, uses 4 inch pipe

I verified in the "technical manual", 4" is required. When I looked today before posting it must have been at an old manual, it said either 3" or 4". Thanks for bringing this up guys.

So, to add ~$500 to the VF170 price, since I'd have to buy a whole new 4" exhaust pipe setup.

P61, P68, VF170, ECO-65, Euromax, or Hydroflex 60.

I'll check some of these others out, hadn't considered anything but harman/vistaflame.

 

[Hoot23]

That's good to know about Hampton Falls. My father-in-law is looking for a stove and we were gonna take a ride down there.

 

[waywardzombie]

Found the thread, looks like "Bob" is on here. I don't know for sure if the craiglist ad is one of his...
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/consumer-alert-hampton-falls-nh.112433/

 

[waywardzombie]

P61, P68, VF170, ECO-65, Euromax, or Hydroflex 60

What sort of difference does the higher cfm fan make in the real world, besides being louder? Just push the hot air further?

 

[pell it]

What sort of difference does the higher cfm fan make in the real world, besides being louder? Just push the hot air further?

Faster whole house turn over and a couple of those stoves have the ability to use duct work to put the heat where you want it. ( useful to me as the stove will be in the lower level )

 

[Enigma869]

Found it. Don't know if it's still available.

Harman p68 pellet stove With trim package - $2900 (Hampton falls NH)
(broken image removed)

I'm surprised the seller actually believes this to be a good deal. Like the OP stated, for just slightly more money, you can purchase a brand new P68 with a full warranty. I would certainly consider purchasing a used Harman, but like everything else, the price MUST be right. Wayward...I can't comment on the VF170 you're asking about, because I don't know much about Vistaflame. I installed a P68 in October of this year, and couldn't be more pleased. As you know, we've already had some VERY cold days and nights in New England this Winter, and the P68 has had zero issue keeping up. I'm heating a home that is about 3200 square feet, and my furnace hasn't even been turned on (I shut it off when I moved into the house in August) yet this Winter, and I suspect that it won't be. As an FYI, I see that you're in NH. I purchased my P68 from Hearth Designs in Hooksett, NH and couldn't recommend them more. I dealt with John Labbe, who is the owner of the shop. Very nice guy who even came out to my house, before the sale, to decide what the optimal placement would be, given my floor plan. Good luck with your decision.

 

[waywardzombie]

I purchased my P68 from Hearth Designs in Hooksett, NH

Unfortunately they're a ways away from me and there are some dealers closer, but I'll check them out. It's definitely been quite cold. What's your install like? I assume you've got a 2 (or 3) story house, how are you getting the heat to the upper floors? About what did it cost you?

I went and checked out a local (expensive!) enviro dealer and got a look at the enviro maxx (VF170). The thing is HUGE. It wasn't hooked up, but the dealer warned me against putting it anywhere hearing is a priority. Given the additional exhaust piping and work required to move the hole, the P68 is looking better and better.

 

[boo boo]

Not sure about the VF170 but the P68 will hold its value for years to come.
I also bought my P43 in Hooksett at hearth design and was going with the P61. I drew a floor layout of my 1800 sq. ft. Colonial home and he actually talked me into the less expensive P43 stove. And he was right It heats the whole place

 

[Enigma869]

Unfortunately they're a ways away from me and there are some dealers closer, but I'll check them out. It's definitely been quite cold. What's your install like? I assume you've got a 2 (or 3) story house, how are you getting the heat to the upper floors? About what did it cost you?

I live in a two story house (built 2005). The floor plan is fairly open, so the heat circulates well. My install was pretty straight-forward. The stove is sitting on a hearth pad in the corner of my family room, and the stove is vented directly from the back of the stove through the wall (not up high...right down on the stove...probably only about 3 feet of pipe) outside with an OAK. I really didn't want to see any pipe, so a nice, clean installation was a priority for me. The only way that I can see any pipe is if I actually go through the trouble of looking in back of my stove. I paid just under $5K for the P68, with the nickel trim kit, decorative tile, hearth pad, and the installation. I have the Harman OAK thimble, which I'm told is quite pricy. I believe for just that one part, it was several hundred dollars. Overall, I'm very pleased with the purchase. My Harman Accentra insert costs me almost as much money three years ago, and the P68 is a SIGNIFICANTLY more capable stove!

As for the temperatures, because my family room (where the stove is) is open to the staircase going to the second floor, the second level usually stays about 2 degrees warmer than the main floor. I do have 20 foot ceilings in the family room, so I keep my ceiling fan (I don't reverse the blades) on to force all that rising heat back down into the room and the first floor. Right now, it's 15 degrees outside. My first floor is 71 degrees and my second floor is 73 degrees. My son's room, which is down the hall...and around the corner on the second floor (furthest point from the stove) is always the coldest room in the house, and that room is 68 degrees right now. I currently have the stove set to "stove temp" mode and level 4 with a feed rate of about 3.5. Hope that helps.

John