We started with an '84 Englander cigar-burn step-top that my wife's grandma got her at a local stove shop. It was still able to provide some heat, even though I was trying to burn wet Oak. Dead Oaks are most of what's close to the house, and I had heard that "Oak is good wood."
I picked up a used Dutchwest 2460 cat stove in 2000, about the same time my SIL got the identical stove for her newly-constructed house. I still didn't realize how long it took Oak to dry, and didn't know about moisture meters, so we crumbled a few ceramic cats along the way. One time I stumbled into some White Ash that a neighbor cut down, and thought "Gee, this stuff really burns hot!" Still didn't make the connection that it was the result of the Ash being drier.
I had stumbled across this forum a couple times in internet searches, but the home page at the time wasn't real intuitive for a non-computer nerd like I was then. Finally, I delved into it and heard from Dennis that I needed dry wood. I finished drying some small White Ash splits in the house with a fan on it, and wow, what a difference!
The Dutchwest still struggled to keep up in cold weather so I took advantage of the federal tax rebate at the time, which was 30% of the stove price.
In 2011 I got me the Keystone, one of the stoves begreen suggested in my "What stove?" thread. I had checked out my SIL's used Fireview and was impressed by the build quality and the design of the internals.
Great stove, the Keystone, which had increased output over the Dutchwest, but I started think "More powah would be even better, wouldn't it?"
I snapped up a Fireview, although my rebate for buying a low-emission stove had already been used. I still got a decent deal on one of their sales. After using the Fv a while, I realized that after I went to the Dutchwest, I'd been spoiled by having its ash grate, and the one in the Keystone. That, and the bigger Keystone window got me thinking I'd be OK with the Keystone if I could tighten up the envelope a bit. With a few more air-leak fixes, the Ks should handle even windy, single-digit weather quite well. Sold the Fv to my BIL, and it's working great over there, on less that 14' of stack.
Check this air leak I found when I moved some stuff during a current bathroom remodel. Good grief!!
Cold air pouring under the bathroom door, into the main room! It was still above 30 outside when I shot this gap in the corner.
I'm thinking about putting a bigger stove in here, as we'll need more firepower yet if we add a room or two onto this place. I want a stove that rear-vents into the fireplace..options are somewhat limited but I can still put a variety of stoves in here, both cat and non-cat.