Hearthstone soapstone steamers - anyone like em?

[atomichawg]

Does anyone here like the Hearthstone soapstone steamers? Are they more prone to breakage than a cast iron steamer? Pros, cons, etc.
thanks

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

They look cool, sold them since they released them a few years back. No returns, no complaints, and the display worked great on our hearthstone burn display.

 

[edthedawg]

Heard nothin' but good things about 'em. Woodstove Wifey is likely gonna get one for xmas this year... (cue images of Homer buying Marge a shiny new bowling ball for her birthday. or that "Whale of a Wife" Carvel cake...)

 

[Highbeam]

I have one and really think it works well with the soapstone stove. Note that the finish is coarse and does not match the polished stone of hearthstone's stoves. I spent a lot of time with steel wool trying to polish mine but I only slightly improved the kettle, here I had listened to woodstock owners that you can repair a stone with steel wool well it turns out that woodstock doesn't polish their stoves. This kettle is not shiny.

I like it because unless there is grit beneath it, it shouldn't scratch my stove. I fill the kettle with a tea kettle from the stove so that no dirt gets beneath it. It is THICK walled.

I also own a soapstone beer stein that didn't work out so well.

 

[BJN644]

Look nice, but aren't they around 100 bucks?

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

decent enamled cast iron ones are $70, and they cant run dry. You can run that puppy dry all day long.. and it just adds thermal mass

 

[DAKSY]

Hey, Highbeam...

I spent a lot of time with steel wool trying to polish mine but I only slightly improved the kettle,

You'd probably hafta chuck it on a turning lathe or a potter's wheel & try wet emery paper to get it to shine up...
Start with a coarse grit (60?) & work - in steps - up to a 400 or 600...
It's amazing what RPMs can do to polish a rounded object...

Machinist in a former life...

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

i used to polish wood to about 2000 grit on a lathe. So much fun, once you go through all the cuts the wood looks like its varnished before you varnish it

 

[Highbeam]

Look nice, but aren't they around 100 bucks?

Here's a source for 135$ shipped. Also a photo of one bathed in oil

(broken link removed to http://www.chimneysweeponline.com/steamer.htm)

 

[wendell]

or here for $113.90 shipped.

(broken link removed to http://www.lehmans.com/store/Stoves___Hearth_Accessories___HearthStone_Soapstone_Steamer___7627)

 

[CarbonNeutral]

or here for $113.90 shipped.

(broken link removed to http://www.lehmans.com/store/Stoves___Hearth_Accessories___HearthStone_Soapstone_Steamer___7627)

Interesting that link says to use a trivet with non-hearthstone stoves

 

[wendell]

Yes, i guess Hearthstone thinks they are the only ones who make soapstone stoves. ;-P

 

[CarbonNeutral]

But is the implication that they are porous so will leave stains on cast iron? I'm guessing enamel would be fine

 

[wendell]

I would think that you would get some staining on cast iron from the moisture trapped between the stone and metal. You would think enamel would be OK.

 

[summit]

we managed to crack ours (there was a natural seam in the stone, and it seperated) but i have not been impressed with the cast steamer we got as a replacement (it runs dry quickly, and the enamel gets coated quickly on the inside from minerals in the h20)...

 

[wetkri]

Very nice. The pictures look so good.


wetkri
(broken link removed)

 

[jbrown56]

We have had ours for two years on an enameled stove. It sets on a trivet. Looks great and functions well too. It gets filled once a day and once it's filled with water, it darkens up dramaticaly. We payed around $70 at a local shop in our area.

Jim

 

[Highbeam]

The hearthstone one does not change color at all when water is added. It isn't any more porous than the stove since they are made of the same material. It doesn't boil or run dry very quickly at all, maybe fill every other day. This is most likely due to the cooler running stone stoves.

 

[jbrown56]

Highbeam,

Ours is a Hearth Stone and it changes color. Maybe this is due to the scentend oil my wife puts in the water.

Jim