Hearthstone Heritage OR Pacific Energy Spectrum Classic

[TacMed Samaritan]

I am about to pull the trigger on either a Heartstone Heritage soapstone or regular cast iron PE Spectrum Classic for use in Texas.

Got a question........

The Heartstone Heritage says it warms slowly, retains heat, and lasts longer. Im new here so to me that sounds like it allows a lot of heat to escape up the chimney by not conveying the heat out of the box into the room in contrast to a cast iron that conveys the heat fast and hard.

HH literature shows temps 350 at 1 hour, 450 at 2 hours, capping at 500 at about 3 hours.

Then HH shows cast iron temps 550 at 1 hour, and 750 at 2 hours where it caps.

So almost TWICE the heat out of a cast iron stove??

I can get a PE Spectrum Classic for slightly less money but I just want to make the right decision and want to be sure im not looking at horsepower numbers when I should be looking at torque, so to speak.

 

[begreen]

The Heritage is prettier, but the Spectrum is easier to maintain and a good heater. If you want the heat-sink quality of soapstone, but like the PE design, look at the Alderlea T5.

 

[Highbeam]

The regular PE spectrum is not cast iron. It’s a good stove but plate steel. If you want cast iron then the alderlea series is the same spectrum firebox with cast iron plates bolted to the sides.

I pushed 30 cords through a modern hearthstone heritage. I now own two plate steel stoves. The whole “heat life” and high thermal mass is actually a negative thing in my experience. It sucked when you were cold and trying to get warm. Took hours!