harman pc45, to buy or not to buy (tonight)

[mattyG]

so i have found a good deal on a new harmon pc45
im told this is the best corn stove on the market, however there seem to be conflicting reviews of this unit out there.
im supposed to pick the unit up tonight.
i thought id ask about the stove here before i drop the cash.
i just want to make sure im making the right decision.
this will e my primary heat for the house
corn consumption is a concern
heat transfer and efficiency is to
low maintenance is too
looks not so much
any comments or advice would be great
Thx

 

[mattyG]

anyone?
i could really use some input from pc45 owners
Thx

 

[Bkins]

You might take a look over at iburncorn.com.

Bkins

 

[trylon]

I'm a PC45 owner. Only have 1 years experience and really like it so far. I mostly burn pellets with it but will be shifting to corn later this year. Its amazing how much better built this unit is than other corn/pellet stoves i looked at- but you're gonna pay up front for it. Its a little noisy and squeaky at times but you get used to it. The electronics so far are very reliable and convenient. You'll want to tinker a bit with the knob settings until its perfect. Easy adjustments must be made when switching fuels. The glass gets pretty dirty and yellow after several days but who cares really. I can burn for almost a month or more without emptying ash. I do clean the firebox/grate every other day though. I heat about 1200 sq feet and its way more than enough. Just set the thermostat at 68 or so and the igniter fires right up. It will run on a very low flame setting after a while as long as possible to prevent the re-ignition cycle but eventually the computer turns the stove off until its time to re-ignite. Then a new cycle starts. Kind of noisy when you're sleeping but its better than being cold. The top door is flimsy and the stop broke but I fixed it (kind of). All in all a nice stove thats very heavy duty. I'd recommend a pro install it though in case there are problems. My dealer was a bit rushed but its a good install. Just go for it- you wont be sorry. Just make sure its one that was made in the last few years because I understand the older ones had issues. post pics and your review when you get it. Regards.

 

[mattyG]

any more comments?
im leaning towards picking it up tonight

 

[rona]

I had one for 1 1/2 seasons but got a Bixby from E-Bay and replaced the Harman. The harman is ok but for the money a Bixby is a much better top of the line stove. A stirrer type of stove puts out more ash and requires the owner to do more maintenence then a Bixby. The Harman is simpler but still that esp probe can be agravating as they can last a long time and it seems they can go bad quick with no reason. The 45 is tried and true and parts are cheaper but if your dealer goes out of business you are in trouble because the factory won't talk to you.
A lot of dealers in Minn quit selling harmans.

 

[Fsappo]

Certainly not the best corn burning stove on the market. Harman is a good company that makes a good product. The suggestions to check the forums on Iburncorn.com is a good one. Going to hawk my own wares again even though your not in my sales territory. If cost is not the primary concern, you should go to your local Paromax dealer and watch a Europa burn corn. It's quieter than a Harman, will use 40% or so less corn, the heat exchanger allows 260-300 degree air to flow out of the air tubes. Its ash management system means you can burn corn with virtually no clinkers when using the corn pot. 12 volt system means it uses a lot less electricity, built in battery backup. It will hands down heat the same as a 50k+ btu stove while using only 34K btus worth of pellets.

It also retails for about $5K. So, is the Harman the "best" corn burner out there? I can so not at all, and say it with a clear conscience. Is it one of the best for the money..I'd say sure.

 

[mattyG]

I heard bixby were not making stoves anymore and there customer sevice was non existent. and u can't get warranty on a 2g ebay unit.
i have heard nothing but bad things about bixby??

 

[mattyG]

I was considering a refurbed englander, but this harman has come up for $1900 out the door.

 

[hossthehermit]

I was considering a refurbed englander, but this harman has come up for $1900 out the door.

At that price, I'd check the police reports before I bought. BUT, that's just MY opinion

 

[Fsappo]

I heard bixby were not making stoves anymore and there customer sevice was non existent. and u can't get warranty on a 2g ebay unit.
i have heard nothing but bad things about bixby??

Yeah, Bixbys are a long sad story. Fortunatley for us we ebay'd off the last of ours over a year ago. Man, those stoves sure looked good on paper. Dang shame

 

[Fsappo]

I was considering a refurbed englander, but this harman has come up for $1900 out the door.

Thats an unsually good price. Like I said, it aint the best corn burner out there, but at that price it's hard to go wrong. Did the dealer give you a good impression about his follow up service?

 

[Tom Pencil]

My parents have one and burned corn for 2 years. They switched out the auger and now burn pellets. They have had the stove for 5 years now with no problems. Great unit and puts out lots of heat burning corn or pellets.

They have the option of putting the auger back in if they decide to go back corn.