Ideal Steel 210 by Woodstock Stove Combustor Issues

[Mikeswoodstove]

Hi all. So I have an Ideal Steel 210 by Woodstock Stove company and I am having Catalytic Combustor issues for the 2nd time. I bought this house in 2022, Stove was installed in 2018, last November the original catalytic combustor failed so I ordered a new one. I started running it in December, ran it until March 2025. After the burning season I have a company come clean and inspect the entire system, Stove and pipe. They literally take the stove apart and clean it. I fired it up first week of November 2025, the combustor wasn't functioning correctly. After a burn, to reload I open the cat, rake the coals to the front, open air damper to fully open, once coals get hot, I spread them out evenly, load Stove with oak and ash all below 15% on moisture meter. (I find that burns best in my stove).

Once pipe gets up to 250-275, front of stove by probe temp is 500-525, top of stove by pipe fitting us 450 ish (on infrared thermometer), i lower the air control down to 1/4 open, close the combustor, and the fire slowly dies out. Pipe temp drops to around 150, top of stove down to around 280-300 and front of stove by probe down to 350-300. I then have to re ignite the fire by repeating the process or just leave the combustor closed and open the air to half way or 3/4s until stove comes back up to temp, then I lower the air again to 1/4 position and then the combustor will do what it's supposed to. Mind you, I just cleaned the whole stove and combustor last weekend according to their instructions.

I called Woodstock stove company, explained this to the woman st least 6 times and she's telling me it can't be the combustor because it's working the second time, it has to be an air flow issue. I explained to her it's not an air flow issue because when ignite the stove the 2nd time, I put the air control in the same exact spot (1/4 open) and then the stove gets way too hot and I have to lower the air flow below 1/4 and it will burn fine all night. I told her the combustor only has 4 months burning on it. She says, u can buy a new combustor if u want. I said well, isn't this one under warranty. She said no, there's no warranty on combustors, only the original one that comes with the stove. I said so what am I supposed to buy a new combustor every year pr other year, she said I sure hope not.

So my question is, does anyone else have this issue of the combustor not igniting the first time and you have to reignite the stove a 2nd time and then the combustor works. According to the rep I spoke to I must be a complete idiot which I am not but that's exactly what she made me out to be. I love the stove but there's definitely a combustor issue on a few month old combustor and they are not standing by their product or even offering a replacement. Instead they r trying to come up with something that is my fault instead of saying, hey, maybe you got a bad combustor, that shouldn't happen. Let me send you out a replacement this time and u can send the old one back so we can inspect it. Instead they say well, u have to be doing something wrong because it works the 2nd time lol. I've had wood stove literally my entire life, I mean u don't need an engineering degree to run a wood stove but yet it has to be my fault. Anyone else have an issue like this?

 

[Mikeswoodstove]

I also forgot to add the Selkirk class A system was newly installed in 2018, same year as the stove. Complete new install in 2018 on both stove n Selkirk.

 

[Todd]

How do your combustor and bypass gaskets look like? If they are original they may need replacement. Also check for any warpage around the combustor and bypass area?

It’s highly doubtful your cat is bad but it is possible. I would buy another and if it does solve your problem send the old one to Woodstock so they can check it out. If it’s bad maybe they will reimburse you.

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

I also forgot to add the Selkirk class A system was newly installed in 2018, same year as the stove. Complete new install in 2018 on both stove n Selkirk.

If it was working fine in March and then it was cleaned and then it wasn't working that would make me believe that the guys cleaning the stove might have done something. Since it was cleaned after the burning season, it's possible a critter or "something" is restricting the airflow up the chimney. Also possible that you air intake is clogged or isn't working properly. If that all checks ok then it's time to take a look at the Cat.

Do you have the instructions from woodstock on how to inspect and clean your cat? I would recommend you follow their directions and even on the old cat if you still have it. And @Todd makes a good point about those gaskets.

 

[John Lehet]

IDK, but it seems to me as well it’s unlikely to be the cat itself but something about the way the stove got put back together. I’m guessing it’s an uncommon enough stove that the guys who took it apart are probably not seasoned experts on that particular stove.

Or, as above, something changed in the chimney. The cat won’t go bad sitting around over the summer.

 

[Mikeswoodstove]

How do your combustor and bypass gaskets look like? If they are original they may need replacement. Also check for any warpage around the combustor and bypass area?

It’s highly doubtful your cat is bad but it is possible. I would buy another and if it does solve your problem send the old one to Woodstock so they can check it out. If it’s bad maybe they will reimburse you.

Combustor gasket was replaced last December and is in good condition so is the bypass gasket. There is no warfare at all. The stove was inspected and cleaned by a certified company the end of September and everything is good. I just find it very weird the combustor doesn't ignite the first time it's engaged but it does the second time. That tells me something is wrong with the combustor because if anything else was wrong, not enough air flow, warped parts, bad gaskets, it wouldn't work the second time either. Especially since the stove was just cleaned and inspected 1 month before before I started burning.

 

[Mikeswoodstove]

If it was working fine in March and then it was cleaned and then it wasn't working that would make me believe that the guys cleaning the stove might have done something. Since it was cleaned after the burning season, it's possible a critter or "something" is restricting the airflow up the chimney. Also possible that you air intake is clogged or isn't working properly. If that all checks ok then it's time to take a look at the Cat.

Do you have the instructions from woodstock on how to inspect and clean your cat? I would recommend you follow their directions and even on the old cat if you still have it. And @Todd makes a good point about those gaskets.

I understand what everyone is saying however, the stove company is very experienced with my stove. There are quite a few around here that they service. What gets me is works totally fine after I ignite the cobustor the 2nd time but not the first time. Keeping the air on the same setting the first time, the stove dies. Ignite the combustor n keep the air on the same setting, 1/4 open the 2nd time, the stove gets way too hot and I have to lower down the air control under 1/4. Thats what makes me think its the combustor, how can it be the first time the combustor dont ignite but the 2md time it does and everything is the same? Its throwing me for a loop here and I have read on other threads ppl getting bad combustors and combustors going bad quickly. Im just wondering if I have a bad one. They r on back order now so ill just put an order in and when the new one comes, switch it out n see what happenes.

 

[Mikeswoodstove]

If it was working fine in March and then it was cleaned and then it wasn't working that would make me believe that the guys cleaning the stove might have done something. Since it was cleaned after the burning season, it's possible a critter or "something" is restricting the airflow up the chimney. Also possible that you air intake is clogged or isn't working properly. If that all checks ok then it's time to take a look at the Cat.

Do you have the instructions from woodstock on how to inspect and clean your cat? I would recommend you follow their directions and even on the old cat if you still have it. And @Todd makes a good point about those gaskets.

It was working totally fine the first week I statted burning in November and then it went to poop so I dont think the stove company did anything wrong. They've been servicing the stove since 2019.

 

[Mikeswoodstove]

If it was working fine in March and then it was cleaned and then it wasn't working that would make me believe that the guys cleaning the stove might have done something. Since it was cleaned after the burning season, it's possible a critter or "something" is restricting the airflow up the chimney. Also possible that you air intake is clogged or isn't working properly. If that all checks ok then it's time to take a look at the Cat.

Do you have the instructions from woodstock on how to inspect and clean your cat? I would recommend you follow their directions and even on the old cat if you still have it. And @Todd makes a good point about those gaskets.

So this is what I do. Open combustor, I rake coals to the front, open the air all the way, let's coals get hot, spread them out, load stove with wood, bring stove up to temp as stated in book, lower air setting to 1/4, close combustor, stove slowly dies out. Then I open combostor, open air to 3/4, bring stove back up to temp, lower air to 1/4, close combustor, stove works fine and eventually on 1/4 open on the air the stove gets too hot and I have to lower it under 1/4. So with all the settings the same, if everything is working the 2nd time no problem but not the first time, it seems like 1) there's not enough smoke the first time to keep combustor going or 2) some reason combustor isnt igniting the first time. I dont know what to think at this point. Im just gonna put in an order for another combustor, it's on back order and when it comes, put the new one in n see what happens. This is what happened with the original combustor before I replaced it with this one last year but the original one was 5 years old. This one literally has 4 months of burning through it.

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

It very well could be a defective cat. I can't explain why it is doing what it is doing but there are certain steps you can take to help this process along.

I think your assuming too much with regards to the people who service your stove. No one here is saying they're incompetent but even professionals make mistakes. Ultimately, you're responsible for the operation of your stove and you need to be able to trust the people that work on it, but verify. Inspect their work and make sure they didn't make a mistake. All it takes is a twisted gasket, a loose screw/bolt/ fastening device to cause problems. An incorrect adjustment, a gap that shouldn't be there and on and on. We've even seen people that have installed a cat upside down in a stove that requires it to be positioned a certain way and they managed to force it in upside down.

When you removed the original old cat, did you inspect it, clean it according to your manual to see if that would help? Have you done that with the current cat? Woodstock has very good directions on specifically to clean and inspect the cat in your stove. When you need something the first place to look is back at the manual.

Post a pic of your cat. Let's take a look at it and see what's going on.

Have you verified the air control for your stove is working properly and that you stovepipe and chimney aren't obstructed?

I just spent approx. $30k on roofing siding and windows for my house. The company that did the work is one of the most reputable roofing companies around here. They made mistakes. I made them come back and make it right and they did. That doesn't mean they aren't trustworthy or incompetent it just means they needed to tweak the job they did.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

How did you measure the moisture content in the wood?

How long has it been up and drying? Is the oak and ash the same age?

 

[Todd]

What are you using to know when it’s up to temp? Could the thermometer be off and you just need more time before engaging the cat?

 

[Mikeswoodstove]

It very well could be a defective cat. I can't explain why it is doing what it is doing but there are certain steps you can take to help this process along.

I think your assuming too much with regards to the people who service your stove. No one here is saying they're incompetent but even professionals make mistakes. Ultimately, you're responsible for the operation of your stove and you need to be able to trust the people that work on it, but verify. Inspect their work and make sure they didn't make a mistake. All it takes is a twisted gasket, a loose screw/bolt/ fastening device to cause problems. An incorrect adjustment, a gap that shouldn't be there and on and on. We've even seen people that have installed a cat upside down in a stove that requires it to be positioned a certain way and they managed to force it in upside down.

When you removed the original old cat, did you inspect it, clean it according to your manual to see if that would help? Have you done that with the current cat? Woodstock has very good directions on specifically to clean and inspect the cat in your stove. When you need something the first place to look is back at the manual.

Post a pic of your cat. Let's take a look at it and see what's going on.

Have you verified the air control for your stove is working properly and that you stovepipe and chimney aren't obstructed?

I just spent approx. $30k on roofing siding and windows for my house. The company that did the work is one of the most reputable roofing companies around here. They made mistakes. I made them come back and make it right and they did. That doesn't mean they aren't trustworthy or incompetent it just means they needed to tweak the job they did.

When the people were done cleaning the stove, I fired it up a few weeks later and the first week and a half there were absolutely no issues. Then the next week and a half it started where I would have to do everything twice to get the cat to burn. The Sunday after Thanksgiving I cleaned the stove because I was having the issue. I held the cat up to the light and can clearly see through, no blockages. So I used a soft bristle paint brush to brush both sides of the cat and vacuumed it just like the book says. Held the cat up to the light again, and it was still clear. Being the stove worked totally fine for the first week and a half and then it started giving me issues, I doubt it was something the stove cleaner did because I would've had issues from the start. This is my 3rd year with the stove, so it's not like I dont know what to look for. Like I said, I've read the manual so many times I can basically recite it. As far as a blockage or ait flow issue. Before I load the stove for a burn, I tilt the andirons out, use a scraper and pull any ash under the andirons away from where the air comes in the stove. However, if it was an air blockage, I dont think the cat would work totally fine the 2md time I ignite it with the air control in the same exact position. First time, I load the stove, bring the stove and pipe up to recommended temp, lower air to 1/4 open position n drop the cat. The stove slowly dies off within an hour. I then open the cat, open the air to full open, bring the stove back up to temp, lower the air to 1/4 open, lower cat and stove totally works fine. Then eventually 1/4 open on the air become too much and I have to lower the air setting to the 3rd or 4th notch and that keeps the stove running great all day or all night. So I know there isnt any blockage because if there was, the stove would just die out again the 2nd time. Thats what leads me to believe it's the cat. All the gaskets are good. The cat gasket was replaced last year with the new cat. The big gasket when you lift the cat up is totally fine, still looks really good. Ash bin gasket is still good and tight, im not getting any extra air in through there because the coals would be white hot. I accidently it the handle with a Broome one day and barely turned the handle open and notices the coals were way hotter then they ever been, checked the handle and it was a little loose, tighted the handle n problem was no more. When I clean the stove once a month, I take the cat out, and the assembly that lowers and raises the cat and I vacuum all the ash out so I know the cat is sitting correctly because I can feel when there is ash under the mechanisms that lowers the cat and you can even see it because the cat handle doesn't go all the way down. As soon as I see the handle not going all the way down I know it's time yo shut it down and give it a cleaning. This is my 3rd year with this stove but I've had wood stove over 30 years in our upstate house, so I am quite familiar with wood stove. Im not expert but u really dont need an engineering degree to operate one lol. Also, the first time I lower the cat and look outside, white smoke is still coming out of the pipe, the 2nd time I engage the cat, u dont see any smoke coming out which leads me to believe the cat isnt igniting the first time. This is the same thing that happened last November before I replaced the cat. When I got the new cat, I took the old one, soaked it in half white vinegar and half distilled water, took it out, let it air dry, cleaned it with a soft bristle paint brush and vacuumed it. Next time I shut the stove down, put the original cat in and it wouldn't ignite at all, so I tossed it and been using the new one I got last December. I burned from December to mid March, shut it down, cleaned the stove, company came in October and inspected and cleaned the stove, the pipe and everything else. Showed me pics of before and after everything was taken apart, cleaned and put back together. I used the stove first first 2 weeks maybe 2 1/2 weeks of November and it was perfect. After that this started happening.

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

When the people were done cleaning the stove, I fired it up a few weeks later and the first week and a half there were absolutely no issues. Then the next week and a half it started where I would have to do everything twice to get the cat to burn. The Sunday after Thanksgiving I cleaned the stove because I was having the issue. I held the cat up to the light and can clearly see through, no blockages. So I used a soft bristle paint brush to brush both sides of the cat and vacuumed it just like the book says. Held the cat up to the light again, and it was still clear. Being the stove worked totally fine for the first week and a half and then it started giving me issues, I doubt it was something the stove cleaner did because I would've had issues from the start. This is my 3rd year with the stove, so it's not like I dont know what to look for. Like I said, I've read the manual so many times I can basically recite it. As far as a blockage or ait flow issue. Before I load the stove for a burn, I tilt the andirons out, use a scraper and pull any ash under the andirons away from where the air comes in the stove. However, if it was an air blockage, I dont think the cat would work totally fine the 2md time I ignite it with the air control in the same exact position. First time, I load the stove, bring the stove and pipe up to recommended temp, lower air to 1/4 open position n drop the cat. The stove slowly dies off within an hour. I then open the cat, open the air to full open, bring the stove back up to temp, lower the air to 1/4 open, lower cat and stove totally works fine. Then eventually 1/4 open on the air become too much and I have to lower the air setting to the 3rd or 4th notch and that keeps the stove running great all day or all night. So I know there isnt any blockage because if there was, the stove would just die out again the 2nd time. Thats what leads me to believe it's the cat. All the gaskets are good. The cat gasket was replaced last year with the new cat. The big gasket when you lift the cat up is totally fine, still looks really good. Ash bin gasket is still good and tight, im not getting any extra air in through there because the coals would be white hot. I accidently it the handle with a Broome one day and barely turned the handle open and notices the coals were way hotter then they ever been, checked the handle and it was a little loose, tighted the handle n problem was no more. When I clean the stove once a month, I take the cat out, and the assembly that lowers and raises the cat and I vacuum all the ash out so I know the cat is sitting correctly because I can feel when there is ash under the mechanisms that lowers the cat and you can even see it because the cat handle doesn't go all the way down. As soon as I see the handle not going all the way down I know it's time yo shut it down and give it a cleaning. This is my 3rd year with this stove but I've had wood stove over 30 years in our upstate house, so I am quite familiar with wood stove. Im not expert but u really dont need an engineering degree to operate one lol. Also, the first time I lower the cat and look outside, white smoke is still coming out of the pipe, the 2nd time I engage the cat, u dont see any smoke coming out which leads me to believe the cat isnt igniting the first time. This is the same thing that happened last November before I replaced the cat. When I got the new cat, I took the old one, soaked it in half white vinegar and half distilled water, took it out, let it air dry, cleaned it with a soft bristle paint brush and vacuumed it. Next time I shut the stove down, put the original cat in and it wouldn't ignite at all, so I tossed it and been using the new one I got last December. I burned from December to mid March, shut it down, cleaned the stove, company came in October and inspected and cleaned the stove, the pipe and everything else. Showed me pics of before and after everything was taken apart, cleaned and put back together. I used the stove first first 2 weeks maybe 2 1/2 weeks of November and it was perfect. After that this started happening.

I guess you'll have to wait for the new cat and see? Did they give you an eta as to when the cat would be available? The site still shows backordered.

12.50in x 7.50in x 2.75in

I'm glad to hear of your previous experience with woodstoves. May people that come looking for help don't know much about their setup.

Any clue on who makes their combustors?

 

[Rearscreen]

and vacuumed it.

I was taught to gently blow the cells out with the vac hose on exhaust port. I keep the hose about a foot away from the combustor. Someone had posted that they use a compressor and the reply was that it's way too forceful as the platinum coating is fragile.
I don't know but you certainly have an odd issue occurring. If you get to the bottom of it let us know. Good luck.

 

[NunYaBusiness]

I have an Ideal Steel that came with a house I purchased in 2022, so I've been running it for a few years now, and have a couple decades of wood heating experience prior to that.

To me, it sounds like you are being too aggressive with turning down the intake air, and like you are engaging the catalyst too soon. On reloads, I never dial the air below 1/2-2/3 of full open before I engage the catalyst, unless it's like -10F and windy (i.e. conditions that would generate an anomalously strong draft). Also, I never engage my catalyst before the stove front probe thermometer reads below 600F.

Stop choking your fire with the air control, and wait longer to engage your catalyst.

The Ideal Steel is a phenomenal heater, and I love how it performs. It's a delightful stove to operate: the air control is precise and allows for consistent, easily reproducible burn times. That being said, I am concerned that Woodstock has realized flaws in the design and is slowly but surely discontinuing support for this stove so that they will be rendered obsolete and will be impossible to keep in working order in the next 5 years or so.

I have found that, even with regular (every 2 weeks) brushing and a vinegar bath annually, I can only get 2-2.5 burning seasons out of a catalyst before it is useless. Woodstock has not had replacement catalysts in stock for the Ideal Steel in at least 9 months, as I started watching their website to order a replacement for my current cat, which is fading fast, and they have been backordered/out of stock for basically all of 2025. Very disconcerting.

I also have to say that Woodstock's "renowned" customer service is an absolute lie. The folks raving about it must be enjoying their paycheck from Woodstock, because I have sent many emails over many months and have never gotten a response. And if your response to that is to say "why don't you give them a call," then please go back to the 1950's. It is 2026, there is no valid reason to ever call a business. Email is the only valid means of communication, and has been for 10-15 years. With email, both parties have a record of what was said, by whom, and when. Phone calls are riddled with issues when it comes to accountability, unless you live in a one party state and go to the trouble of recording every single phone call you have.

The stove is a great heater, despite the ugly welds, finish quality that makes it look like a high school shop project and not a $4000 heater, Woodstock's extremely poor customer service, and their inability to support their products.

I have zero confidence in the long term viability of this stove, but it's a great heater that I'll enjoy until it fails. Won't ever disgrace my hearth with a Blaze King, so I guess I'll be searching for something else.

Good luck, you have an awesome stove that is backed by a mediocre company. It's a shame, because I love the stove and wouldn't ever have another one on my hearth for the rest of my life, but I have major reservations about Woodstock as a company.

 

[bsw]

+1 to all of NunYaBusiness. The stove and cat are both probably much hotter the second time you're engaging and it's either pulling a better draft (indicating maybe there IS an airflow issue) or it just never achieved operating temp the first time you engage.

 

[Rearscreen]

I basically agree with NunYa and bsw. Sometimes my cat takes off, sometimes not. I do have an outside air intake which may
be a variable temp wise. As mentioned the second go around everything is hotter.
I'm not sure if NunYa has ever been to Woodstock Stoves. and some of what was said in the post I kind of agree with. However, it's a tiny facility for what they produce. Pretty amazing actually that they can pull this off in such a tiny space.
My Progress has always exceed my expectations and only fell short with 2 design flaws. One of which corrected with a MUCH better air control kit. I have owned many many wood stoves in my life and this is by far the best.
I know little about the Ideal. My friend owns the Absolute and once she actually understood how a cat stove works, she loves it.
Customer support? From what I see is that employees wear several hats. No real devoted customer service representative. Just a guess. I have always loved the company after kicking and screaming that I DID NOT WANT a cat stove (but it was the only one that would fit the fireplace opening) I really had no options (I wanted soapstone), but once I installed it I was amazed.
I miss the September open factory picnic they used to have for any Woodstock stove owner.
Sad if they go the way Vermont Castings went selling to a conglomerate. Tom and his old friend the flow designer guy really created
some unique stoves. But in some ways, their product popularity may have outgrown the facility and resources which compromised
their ability to function efficiently, both in customer service and product reliability.
I think adding steel to their cast iron products was a bigger leap than they may have anticipated.

 

[Todd]

I have an Ideal Steel that came with a house I purchased in 2022, so I've been running it for a few years now, and have a couple decades of wood heating experience prior to that.

To me, it sounds like you are being too aggressive with turning down the intake air, and like you are engaging the catalyst too soon. On reloads, I never dial the air below 1/2-2/3 of full open before I engage the catalyst, unless it's like -10F and windy (i.e. conditions that would generate an anomalously strong draft). Also, I never engage my catalyst before the stove front probe thermometer reads below 600F.

Stop choking your fire with the air control, and wait longer to engage your catalyst.

The Ideal Steel is a phenomenal heater, and I love how it performs. It's a delightful stove to operate: the air control is precise and allows for consistent, easily reproducible burn times. That being said, I am concerned that Woodstock has realized flaws in the design and is slowly but surely discontinuing support for this stove so that they will be rendered obsolete and will be impossible to keep in working order in the next 5 years or so.

I have found that, even with regular (every 2 weeks) brushing and a vinegar bath annually, I can only get 2-2.5 burning seasons out of a catalyst before it is useless. Woodstock has not had replacement catalysts in stock for the Ideal Steel in at least 9 months, as I started watching their website to order a replacement for my current cat, which is fading fast, and they have been backordered/out of stock for basically all of 2025. Very disconcerting.

I also have to say that Woodstock's "renowned" customer service is an absolute lie. The folks raving about it must be enjoying their paycheck from Woodstock, because I have sent many emails over many months and have never gotten a response. And if your response to that is to say "why don't you give them a call," then please go back to the 1950's. It is 2026, there is no valid reason to ever call a business. Email is the only valid means of communication, and has been for 10-15 years. With email, both parties have a record of what was said, by whom, and when. Phone calls are riddled with issues when it comes to accountability, unless you live in a one party state and go to the trouble of recording every single phone call you have.

The stove is a great heater, despite the ugly welds, finish quality that makes it look like a high school shop project and not a $4000 heater, Woodstock's extremely poor customer service, and their inability to support their products.

I have zero confidence in the long term viability of this stove, but it's a great heater that I'll enjoy until it fails. Won't ever disgrace my hearth with a Blaze King, so I guess I'll be searching for something else.

Good luck, you have an awesome stove that is backed by a mediocre company. It's a shame, because I love the stove and wouldn't ever have another one on my hearth for the rest of my life, but I have major reservations about Woodstock as a company.

I’ve never had a problem with Woodstock customer service but I have heard of others not receiving replies back. If I missed out on a Woodstock check someone tell me how to receive one lol.

It seems they have had cat supply problems ever since they went the steel route. Eventually they started making them in house but shipped them to a company in Georgia for the coatings then they have them shipped back then canned in house before selling. They were also dealing with tariffs and the Gov shutdown. They may have even done some layoffs from what I’ve heard. Sounds like they are having a rough year. Hopefully they will figure things out and things will get better.

 

[Mikeswoodstove]

I have an Ideal Steel that came with a house I purchased in 2022, so I've been running it for a few years now, and have a couple decades of wood heating experience prior to that.

To me, it sounds like you are being too aggressive with turning down the intake air, and like you are engaging the catalyst too soon. On reloads, I never dial the air below 1/2-2/3 of full open before I engage the catalyst, unless it's like -10F and windy (i.e. conditions that would generate an anomalously strong draft). Also, I never engage my catalyst before the stove front probe thermometer reads below 600F.

Stop choking your fire with the air control, and wait longer to engage your catalyst.

The Ideal Steel is a phenomenal heater, and I love how it performs. It's a delightful stove to operate: the air control is precise and allows for consistent, easily reproducible burn times. That being said, I am concerned that Woodstock has realized flaws in the design and is slowly but surely discontinuing support for this stove so that they will be rendered obsolete and will be impossible to keep in working order in the next 5 years or so.

I have found that, even with regular (every 2 weeks) brushing and a vinegar bath annually, I can only get 2-2.5 burning seasons out of a catalyst before it is useless. Woodstock has not had replacement catalysts in stock for the Ideal Steel in at least 9 months, as I started watching their website to order a replacement for my current cat, which is fading fast, and they have been backordered/out of stock for basically all of 2025. Very disconcerting.

I also have to say that Woodstock's "renowned" customer service is an absolute lie. The folks raving about it must be enjoying their paycheck from Woodstock, because I have sent many emails over many months and have never gotten a response. And if your response to that is to say "why don't you give them a call," then please go back to the 1950's. It is 2026, there is no valid reason to ever call a business. Email is the only valid means of communication, and has been for 10-15 years. With email, both parties have a record of what was said, by whom, and when. Phone calls are riddled with issues when it comes to accountability, unless you live in a one party state and go to the trouble of recording every single phone call you have.

The stove is a great heater, despite the ugly welds, finish quality that makes it look like a high school shop project and not a $4000 heater, Woodstock's extremely poor customer service, and their inability to support their products.

I have zero confidence in the long term viability of this stove, but it's a great heater that I'll enjoy until it fails. Won't ever disgrace my hearth with a Blaze King, so I guess I'll be searching for something else.

Good luck, you have an awesome stove that is backed by a mediocre company. It's a shame, because I love the stove and wouldn't ever have another one on my hearth for the rest of my life, but I have major reservations about Woodstock as a company.

You know, I used to engage the cat the same exact way you described. Let stop top get to 500, front probe 600, engage cat. Back air down to 3/4, the 1/2, then 1/4 and it worked fine. Then when the old cat went they asked how I was engaging it, I explained it to them n they told me I was over firing the cat and basically cooking it. How u can cook it is beyond me. So I started doing what the book said and had nothing but problems. You are absolutely right about their customer service, completely useless. Any other company would've told me to send the cat back and if it was faulty they would send a new one. I even told them, send me a new one, ill pay for it n send this one back, if u inspect it and see it's faulty, refund my money. We can't do that and it's on back order anyway, but u can put a order in and when it comes in it'll ship according to order dates. Like you've said it's been out of stock all damn year. I love this stove, it heats all 3 floors in my house when it works right. Basement is way to hot but its a finished basement and when my parents visit dad is on blood thinners so he loves it down here. My 2nd floor, main floor, gets 74 75 degrees and the 3rd floor, my bedrooms, right at 68 70. Perfect when it works . Its not that I dont like the stove, I love the efficiency of it and how much less wood used compared to an older stove, but come on, u make a product and dont stand behind it or blame everything else but the product. Basically say im a moron and dont know how to work the stove. Meanwhile, the girl on the phone was maybe in her late 20s, so I've been burning longer than she been alive but she knows best and it has to be user error. Can't be they r selling so many cats cause they fail so much they can't keep them in stock. Last time I went to order this one it was back ordered also. That tells me the product isnt working if it's constantly out of stock from ppl having to buy new ones. And they won't replace one for free cause then they have to do it for everyone n it'll cost way too much since apparently they dont last long at all. The one that comes with the stove is guaranteed 4 to 6 years, there's no guarantee on a replacement? That tells me it's not guaranteed to work lol. Like I said, I don't mind buying a new one, it's not about the money, buy 4 months burning through a new one and it's shot, what do I have to do buy one every winter? Stand behind your product wood stock, it's supposed to be the best stove out there, the most efficient stove, with the least efficient, most important part!

 

[Mikeswoodstove]

I’ve never had a problem with Woodstock customer service but I have heard of others not receiving replies back. If I missed out on a Woodstock check someone tell me how to receive one lol.

It seems they have had cat supply problems ever since they went the steel route. Eventually they started making them in house but shipped them to a company in Georgia for the coatings then they have them shipped back then canned in house before selling. They were also dealing with tariffs and the Gov shutdown. They may have even done some layoffs from what I’ve heard. Sounds like they are having a rough year. Hopefully they will figure things out and things will get better.

Ok how does the govt shut down effect them? They have government workers making stoves? Tariffs? They r making the stuff in the USA and supposedly all material is supplied by the USA so tariffs wouldn't effect them being in the northeast, using American raw materials, and shipping cats to Georgia. So I dont know how any of that would effect them. Personally, I think they out grew their limits, which is a good thing for a company to grow as long as the company grows with the demand and doest lose quality but most companies lose quality when they grow too fast.

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

Something clearly isn't right at Woodstock. Lots of excuses/ reasons that they're FUBAR and have been this whole year. I was going to buy a Woodstock, but no one could tell me when/if they'd have the stove I wanted back in stock. Lets be real though. 2025 has been crunch time for any company that sells stoves that are eligible for the tax credit. The real push is on. They have lots to lose on anything they can't ship before the tax credit ends on 12-31-2025. I imagine that the first few months of 2026 might be real tough for stove companies. I can see a real slow down in business.

I'm under the gun too. I've got a Hearthstone Shelburne on order and my dealer told me in October he could get it installed by the end of December. Tic Tok.

 

[bsw]

Good points about the tax credit expiration creating additional demand through 25 and especially, I would assume, in Q4. Though there are also good points out there that they run out of catalyst stock for basically every model, every year. A lot of their apparent issues seem like things that should be very easy to get ahead of and permanently rectify.

Regardless of my mediocre experiences dealing with Woodstock, I want to reiterate the point that I've made in other posts that I would probably still purchase another Progress if I were in the market for a new or additional stove right now. In my opinion it's one of the best looking stoves on the market and is capable of very good performance. Hopefully they can stay afloat and improve some areas of their business over the coming years.