Harman vs Quadra-Fire

[Wilbursan]

I'm building a new house and my builder has given me a list of stoves and fireplaces to choose from. I want something as auxiliary and backup for when power is out and just hate a fireplace that doesn't produce much heat. The fireplace I had my eye on (Heatilator Constitution) is just too expensive and I'm not convinced the ducting will work well without power. So that leaves stoves, and the stoves are all Harman or Quadra-Fire. I've narrowed it down to three, in no particular order:

Quadra-Fire 3100 Millennium - I like the price of course, and fortunately I like the looks of the Millennium instead of the step-top which is more expensive. As near as I can tell most folks that own them seem to be pretty happy with them. One question - what is the purpose of the step-top? Is it just for looks?

Harman Oakwood: I saw this in a shop today and I liked the looks of it. But I've read on here that the Harmans can be hard to get operating at first light because the down-draft technology requires a bed of hot coals and are best used for 24/7 usage. Is this accurate? I will most likely be a night time and weekend burner, so going through half a load of wood more before it is operating at peak efficiency isn't appealing.

Lastly the Quadra-Fire Cumberland Gap. Naturally it's the most expensive and probably larger than I need but the Yosemite is only 1.7 cu ft and I'm afraid that may be too small. Haven't seen this in person yet but it looks good on the internet.

I know the steel stove will heat up and cool down faster than the cast iron stoves. I'm fine either way on that. Other than price and appearance, is there a reason I (or you) should consider one of these stoves above (or below) the other?

Also, I notice that all three of these stoves have an optional blower. Assuming for the moment that the BTU ratings on these stoves are accurate, how close to that rating am I going to get without the blower? In your experience how noisy are they?

 

[JA600L]

Spend the extra money and get the step top Model. The Millennium like I have has no ash pan . My Quadra Fire 4300 (big brother) burns excellent and I would definitely recommend it. I don't have a blower I just place a fan to the corner of it.

 

[branchburner]

Your take on the Oakwood is correct... a good stove but more potentially challenging WRT draft, wood quality, maintenance and user technique.

 

[bholler]

I would look at regency also they are similar stoves to the quads but are slightly cheaper and I think the new regencies are made better that the new quads. Don't get me wrong the quads are still good stoves but I think they have gone down in quality a bit in the last few years. And their changes to the way their tubes are mounted makes them a little bit of a pain to work on now. I have not worked on any new harmans but was not a big fan of their old ones but that doesn't mean much so I will defer to others as far as the harmans.

 

[Jags]

I know the steel stove will heat up and cool down faster than the cast iron stoves.

Negligible time difference between the two metals. If I want to race, I can get my cast stove to full operating temps in under 30 minutes - easy.

 

[Wilbursan]

Spend the extra money and get the step top Model. The Millennium like I have has no ash pan . My Quadra Fire 4300 (big brother) burns excellent and I would definitely recommend it. I don't have a blower I just place a fan to the corner of it.

I'm not particularly interested in using an ash pan. I think I'd prefer to just shovel it out. I'm used to doing that having used a fireplace, and I've heard ash pans are not very helpful unless they are pretty big.

So the blower is just for moving the air around, not for "extracting" a little more heat from the stove? I've got ceiling fans for that, and can install more if necessary.

 

[Jags]

not for "extracting" a little more heat from the stove?

It will on mine. I can drop the stove top temp by 200 degrees if I turn the fan on high. I believe that qualifies for your "extraction".

 

[Wilbursan]

I would look at regency also they are similar stoves to the quads but are slightly cheaper and I think the new regencies are made better that the new quads. Don't get me wrong the quads are still good stoves but I think they have gone down in quality a bit in the last few years. And their changes to the way their tubes are mounted makes them a little bit of a pain to work on now. I have not worked on any new harmans but was not a big fan of their old ones but that doesn't mean much so I will defer to others as far as the harmans.

I think I'm tied to the stoves they offer without incurring an upgrade charge. I'm sure I can get anything I want, but it will cost me extra and probably eat up any difference I saved by buying a Regency. So unless there is something specific about Quadra-Fire I think I'll stay with that.

Having said that, what do you mean by "made better"?

 

[bholler]

the last few quads we have put in and worked on seemed like some of the internal parts were made from a little lighter metal and I really don't like how they changed the tube mounting. But like I said they are still good stoves and I would not be afraid to get one. There was a time when I thought quads were a little better than regencies but now it seems to (at least in my opinion) to have shifted the other way a little.

 

[begreen]

Of those choices, I have a fondness for the Cumberland Gap. It is one of the original jacketed stoves and a great heater. It's a simple and strong performer, plus a very good looker.

 

[richg]

Spend the extra money and get the step top Model. The Millennium like I have has no ash pan . My Quadra Fire 4300 (big brother) burns excellent and I would definitely recommend it. I don't have a blower I just place a fan to the corner of it.

Your ACT is very different from the ACC they are making today. A tree guy who does all my work cautioned me against buying a Quad 4300 in December of 2009....he said they had cheaped the stove out. I disregarded his advice as it was a Quad, what could go wrong? Fast forward to today where I have an Ikea stove that cost six times what you paid for yours and mine squeals, rattles and rusts. You haven't mentioned that you added a damper to control your stove. I met and did business with Dane Harman. Dane's stoves put Quad to shame.

 

[pfettig77]

I have been heating my house with a Cumberland Gap for 9 winters. 7 of those winters it was my only heat source and it was run 24/7 (northern Wisconsin with frequent temps well below 0). I haven't had any big issues with it. It burns clean and looks pretty.

 

[Wilbursan]

Looks like I should take a better look at the Cumberland Gap. I thought I'd like the steel stove's appearance better than the cast iron. I planned to put tile behind it that very much resembles slate and thought it would be more modern looking. I've got the builder pricing out stacked stone for me so maybe I'll get a Cumberland Gap priced too and see what the difference is. If it's not too much difference, maybe I'll get the Cumberland.

 

[begreen]

If you are wanting a contemporary look maybe check out the PE Fusion and the Osburn Matrix.
(broken link removed to http://pacificenergy.net/products/wood/stoves/fusion/)
(broken link removed to http://www.osburn-mfg.com/en/heaters/wood-stoves)

 

[JA600L]

So you are saying that my 2006 ACT quad is made better than the ones sold today?

 

[mfetcho]

I ran a Cumberland Gap for 6 years. Great stove and a good heater. It has excellent burn control. I wouldn't consider the Yosemite. Too small. I run the Yosemite in my small cabin and it heats well, but it won't get you through the night on a load.

 

[richg]

So you are saying that my 2006 ACT quad is made better than the ones sold today?

Yes, the ACT models are very different from the ACC .You got the Mother of All Deals with a 2006 4300 ACT for only $400.00; new paint, firebricks and gaskets and you're all set. The ACC models, as mentioned above, have lighter-grade metal as well as a needlessly complicated draft system. It's a solution in search of a problem. I should have listened to the tree guy and gone in a different direction but didn't. Yey. It's water over the dam now and this stove is in its final weeks in my house. Kind of bites that I paid over $2400.00 for it and will get back less than half of that, but it's my own fault.