Hello Hearth.com
After this season, I'm retiring my Vermont Castings Defiant 1945 making it 20 years of heavy use. I burn about five cords per season (November through April), and the stove essentially runs 24/7. Overall, it's been a great investment. My setup drafts exceptionally well thanks to an interior Selkirk chimney, and I've almost exclusively used the top-loading feature, which has been one of my favorite aspects of the stove.
Over the years, maintenance could be tedious because of the fragile refractory assembly and catalyst, but I learned the system and have access to local Vermont Castings dealers. As parts gradually warped from use, I was able to replace them as needed and keep the stove running.
Now that I'm shopping for a replacement, I'm strongly considering the Defiant 1975. The refractory design appears far more robust, the catalyst is only 1 inch thick instead of 2 inches (making replacement significantly less expensive), and after two decades of service I feel it's time for a complete reset with fresh gaskets and new components.
Several people have suggested looking beyond Vermont Castings, saying there are "simpler" and "more reliable" stoves that require less maintenance. I've also heard comments that the Defiant is "a good stove but not a good furnace." However, when I compare options, I find very few stoves that offer top loading. For me, that feature may be enough reason to stay with the Defiant. While the Defiant can be loaded through the front door, I've probably loaded from the top 99% of the time because it's simply easier and cleaner.
My experience with the Defiant has largely been "set it and forget it." Once the stove is brought up to temperature properly and the thermostat is set, it can run for weeks with nothing more than minor adjustments to the thermostat, and reloading every 6-8 hours. Looking back, I likely overfired it more than I realized by waiting too long to close the damper, which probably contributed to some of the warped components over the years.
For those who recommend other brands, how much simpler and more reliable are they in real-world use? Would the benefits be significant enough that I wouldn't miss the convenience of top loading?
I also see a lot of criticism of Vermont Castings, with comments about declining quality and a poor reputation. Can anyone point to specific issues? My Defiant 1945 lasted 20 years under heavy use, and the 1975's interior design looks considerably more durable than the refractory box in my current stove. Beyond that they both appear to be the same cast iron and glass, same upper damper, same ash tray, griddle and air controls?
I did search and read previous posts that I thought would be relevant, but feel free to respond with a link to a relevant post if you think this is captured elsewhere, thanks.
After this season, I'm retiring my Vermont Castings Defiant 1945 making it 20 years of heavy use. I burn about five cords per season (November through April), and the stove essentially runs 24/7. Overall, it's been a great investment. My setup drafts exceptionally well thanks to an interior Selkirk chimney, and I've almost exclusively used the top-loading feature, which has been one of my favorite aspects of the stove.
Over the years, maintenance could be tedious because of the fragile refractory assembly and catalyst, but I learned the system and have access to local Vermont Castings dealers. As parts gradually warped from use, I was able to replace them as needed and keep the stove running.
Now that I'm shopping for a replacement, I'm strongly considering the Defiant 1975. The refractory design appears far more robust, the catalyst is only 1 inch thick instead of 2 inches (making replacement significantly less expensive), and after two decades of service I feel it's time for a complete reset with fresh gaskets and new components.
Several people have suggested looking beyond Vermont Castings, saying there are "simpler" and "more reliable" stoves that require less maintenance. I've also heard comments that the Defiant is "a good stove but not a good furnace." However, when I compare options, I find very few stoves that offer top loading. For me, that feature may be enough reason to stay with the Defiant. While the Defiant can be loaded through the front door, I've probably loaded from the top 99% of the time because it's simply easier and cleaner.
My experience with the Defiant has largely been "set it and forget it." Once the stove is brought up to temperature properly and the thermostat is set, it can run for weeks with nothing more than minor adjustments to the thermostat, and reloading every 6-8 hours. Looking back, I likely overfired it more than I realized by waiting too long to close the damper, which probably contributed to some of the warped components over the years.
For those who recommend other brands, how much simpler and more reliable are they in real-world use? Would the benefits be significant enough that I wouldn't miss the convenience of top loading?
I also see a lot of criticism of Vermont Castings, with comments about declining quality and a poor reputation. Can anyone point to specific issues? My Defiant 1945 lasted 20 years under heavy use, and the 1975's interior design looks considerably more durable than the refractory box in my current stove. Beyond that they both appear to be the same cast iron and glass, same upper damper, same ash tray, griddle and air controls?
I did search and read previous posts that I thought would be relevant, but feel free to respond with a link to a relevant post if you think this is captured elsewhere, thanks.
