helping a friend get a wood pellet stove

[splash]

My friends need a wood pellet stove for a 1000 sq ft ranch. They are putting this in the living room. The ranch is a rectangle so I've advise them that it may not heat the bedrooms. Please suggest pellet stoves that are good choices for them in Springfield, MA. Also I am wondering which is better: cast iron or steel. I've been burning a Breckwell P23 for 8 winters and I'm satisfied with it but the service in this area sucks so I'm advising them on getting another brand. Thank you.

 

[TimfromMA]

I heat my 1600 sqft upper level of my house (including our bedrooms) with a St Croix Hastings. You just have to leave the doors open.

 

[Mr. Spock]

Any stove is good for the Springfield MA area. It's more about the house and choosing the right BTU output.How are the windows and is it well insulated? If you got one of the ranches that went up around 1974 , they can be a little drafty around the original windows. My Harman XXV heats my 1000sqft ranch no issues. My windows are new and the house was wrapped in tyvex and pink panther when the siding was installed. I have to open the windows if I want to give the XXV a good long hot burn. I could have easily purchased a lower BTU unit and it would have done fine. Putting the stove in the living room is about the only option. Most folks with the smaller ranches open up the wall between the living room and the kitchen. Other wise I could see the heat getting trapped mostly in that space without some ventilation assistance. We set the XXV around 72 deg and the back bedrooms run around 62 deg. Good sleeping temp IMO.
In your travels see what Squire Lumber in Monson has to offer. Good folks up there. Whatever model you choose keep in mind this site has a lot experienced folks that are always eager to help out fellow pellet burners.