In dire need of recommendations for 1st time user.

[BKSinAZ]

The wife and I just bought a new single floor 1800 sq. ft. house and we are in need of a pellet stove, our very first.

I nothing about the mechanics of a pellet stove and therefore know nothing about what makes one pellet stove mechanically better than another. I know nothing about secondary pipes etc.
At this point, we only know our "wish list". I am asking for some recommendations.

• We have about a $2000 dollar budget for stove (not including installation)
• Free standing (not fireplace insert)
• We would like an black antique look and hopefully cast iron (not important for cast iron, just a wish)
• Efficient
• Good stong blower motor
• We would like the fire to be seen like a fire place. Yea, we like the aesthetics of a real fire.
• I am mechanically adapt, but would like a stove that does not need to be dissected for maintanance.

Being a newbee, are we being unreasonable?


How are the stoves at Lowe's and Home Depot?... or for the $2000 budget we have should we be setting our sights some place else?

We went to a local dealer, who attempted to sell us a "Avalon Arbor" stove for $2000. He stated that he only used the stove as a demo and only lighted the stove about ten times. I don't know if I was getting a good deal or if I can do better. How would the Arbor stand up to our wish list?

 

[bcarton]

I strongly believe that the installation is at least as important, probably more important than the stove. A basic stove in a solid installation will serve you well and keep you safe. A top-notch stove in a compromised installation will either cause the stove to perform poorly, or be a threat to your home and safety.

So, start by figuring out where you want that stove, and maybe post a floor plan here for feedback. Then find out how much a high-quality, maintainable vent and hearth/pad will cost, and you'll have a better idea of your total cost. That'll narrow things down for you.

And $2,000 for a used stove could snag you a great machine, if you're willing to invest the time and effort to learn what to look for.

 

[Big papa]

The wife and I just bought a new single floor 1800 sq. ft. house and we are in need of a pellet stove, our very first.

I nothing about the mechanics of a pellet stove and therefore know nothing about what makes one pellet stove mechanically better than another. I know nothing about secondary pipes etc.
At this point, we only know our "wish list". I am asking for some recommendations.

• We have about a $2000 dollar budget for stove (not including installation)
• We would like an black antique look and hopefully cast iron (not important for cast iron, just a wish)
• Efficient
• Good stong blower motor
• We would like the fire to be seen like a fire place. Yea, we like the aesthetics of a real fire.
• I am mechanically adapt, but would like a stove that does not need to be dissected for maintanance.

Being a newbee, are we being unreasonable?


How are the stoves at Lowe's and Home Depot?... or for the $2000 budget we have should we be setting our sights some place else?

We went to a local dealer, who attempted to sell us a "Avalon Arbor" stove for $2000. He stated that he only used the stove as a demo and only lighted the stove about ten times. I don't know if I was getting a good deal or if I can do better. How would the Arbor stand up to our wish list?

Hi and welcome to the forum.before purchasing my first pellet stove,I did a lot of reasearch hope you will too. You sure don't want a 400lb paper weight in your home. A lot of info can be gained from this site to help you choose a stove,if the members on this site don't have your answer then there isn't one. Make sure you look up the rating on each stove you are looking at and also download the manuals to see what the maitenence schedule requires.each stove is different so do your homework. If your new to pellet stoves I would choose one that comes with warranty help from a dealer. Buying a Home Depot or lowes stove won't come with dealer help,something to keep in mind.good luck let me know what ya find.

 

[BKSinAZ]

I strongly believe that the installation is at least as important, probably more important than the stove. A basic stove in a solid installation will serve you well and keep you safe. A top-notch stove in a compromised installation will either cause the stove to perform poorly, or be a threat to your home and safety.

So, start by figuring out where you want that stove, and maybe post a floor plan here for feedback. Then find out how much a high-quality, maintainable vent and hearth/pad will cost, and you'll have a better idea of your total cost. That'll narrow things down for you.

And $2,000 for a used stove could snag you a great machine, if you're willing to invest the time and effort to learn what to look for.

We already know where we would like it located and the $2000 budget does not include installation. We will get and spend the proper amount of money for a good install. Looking for brand and model recommendations.

 

[Big papa]

We already know where we would like it located and the $2000 budget does not include installation. We will get and spend the proper amount of money for a good install. Looking for brand and model recommendations.

Well if you asking for my favorite stove company you got it,that would be a harman stove. The cheapest harman before the price of install $2979 and that would be a harman p43. This stove is ironclad will heat up to 2400sqf check out the reviews on it see what you think. This stove will come with a dealer warranty.

 

[Caleb Joens]

USSC 6041. Good price and highly flexible. Multifuel to keep options open and excellent customer service. You will have to decide on the looks.

 

[BKSinAZ]

USSC 6041. Good price and highly flexible. Multifuel to keep options open and excellent customer service. You will have to decide on the looks.

This appears to be a fireplace insert.... I don't have a fireplace.

 

[Caleb Joens]

This appears to be a fireplace insert.... I don't have a fireplace.

There are three options. 6041hf which has four cast iron legs. 6041tp which is a pedestal. 6041I which is an insert like the one I have.

 

[BKSinAZ]

There are three options. 6041hf which has four cast iron legs. 6041tp which is a pedestal. 6041I which is an insert like the one I have.

Very interesting... Home depot sells this model. Might have to check it out. I also am looking at Lopi.

 

[Old Spartan]

After a ton of research we selected a Castle Serenity.

It is literally idiot proof, simple to clean and keep clean, tosses alot of heat, and looks decent. The customer service at the distributor is second to none I have ever experienced. It is also far less than 2000.

It does not have many of the bells and whistles of some better known stoves but it does what it is designed to do and does it well.

Good luck in your hunt.

 

[bogieb]

Before choosing a stove, think about other things too besides a budget, where you want it, and how you want it to look.

• How long do you need it to run, at a reasonable rate, between pellet fillings? If no one is home for 16 hour stretches, that means you need a larger hopper than if someone is around all day. My St. Croix has a "40 pound" hopper (trust me, it doesn't hold 40 pounds) and if it is working medium hard (setting 3 - then idling when it reaches temp) in single digits, it barely makes 13-14 hours and it is running out of pellets.
• How often do you reasonably want to have to shut it down? Some stoves are weekly, some 3-4 weeks, some a matter of days.
• How often can you empty the ash bin? Some stoves don't even have an ash bin, others have a large enough bin to go several weeks.

I got my first stove, a Harman, because I was away from home for 16-18 hours daily, needed something that I didn't need to do more than 30 seconds maintenance daily, and I didn't have to empty ashes but every 2-4 weeks (depending on pellet quality). It did very well at what I asked it to do and is easy for a first time owner to maintain. It heats my unfinished basement, and can keep 2-3 of my rooms upstairs at a livable temp (60's) by itself.

My second stove, the St. Croix, is more demanding with more constant feedings, more daily maintenance (not a lot - but several minutes more), and an ash drawer that HAS to be emptied every week. It also does the job I need it to do; supplemental heat to the Harman - it keeps the upstairs temps warm, (70's) - which includes the other 3 rooms that the heat from the Harman couldn't reach. Plus, it looks really nice.

Neither of these stoves are in your stated price range (new - used, probably) - however, my point is to get you thinking of what else you need from the stove that you finally choose. There are plenty of stoves out there that will fit the bill, once you get requirements down and there are very few stoves out there that don't have a fan base.

 

[farmgirl1985]

Definitely look at the recommended maintenance schedule for whatever stove you r looking at. Depending on the pellets we r burning, our englander stove had to be shut down every day for cleaning-the book said that, but not the dealer. We seem to have found a better pellet so now I shut it down every other day for a relatively good cleaning. Burn pot gets dumped, scraped, heat exchanger tubes are swept, I bang the back of the firebox to get more flyash out. Idk about other stoves but my Englander 25 Pah requires a lot of daily & weekly maintenance . If I had it to do over I would not have bought this model. It's not only the work of the cleaning it's shutting the heat off, allowing the stove to cool and then the house cools down too. Good luck on your search

 

[SESZOO]

Do your research , Unless your real handy I'd go with a dealer as it's easier if you have any warranty problems or the like .where as you have no one to go too at the big box places . Research them to as there's good and bad ones . I installed everything myself and saved a lot . ,just follow All codes . Check in here on site ,a lot of friendly people and helping info and insights on what's good and what's not , We've been warmer this year than ever and a lot less mess than all the wood throughout the years .

 

[the cug]

do u have gas in your area. not sure if u posted that. if u do , get a gas furnace or fireplace. its the cheapest and a lot less maintenance and hassles. what is your primary source of heat right now?

 

[Bkins]

There is no such thing as a no maintance stove. There are light cleanings that need to be done a couple times a week and then tear apart deep cleanings that should be done every ton or so. A dirty stove is a reoccurring problem on this site and ends up being the cause of a lot of the calls for help.

Have you figured out where you would like to keep your pellets? They take up a bunch of space especially if you buy your winters supply in advance which most of use do because of price and availability.

As you are going to find it will be hard to get all your looking for for the amount you are looking to spend. In many ways you get what you pay for in a stove. This is my opinion so other members don't jump on the bandwagon slamming me for this comment. There is a reason that a lot of named brand new stoves are in the $3-4,000 range, or more

You might also consider the amount of noise the stoves making while running and where the stove is going to be located and where you are going to be while it's running. Some stoves make way more noise then others.

Next comes the issue of stove size. You sent to buy a stove that is larger then you think you need. There are two reasons for this. 1. When the temps really drop low you want to have the extra heat that will be needed. 2. You don't really want to run the stove on its highest setting all the time because it will wear things out faster and again the noise of running it on a high setting. There is also the issue of input and output btu ratings of the stoves. I don't remember exactly but just because a stove is rated at say 40,000 btu doesn't mean the output will be the same number.

And last read the sticky about buying your first pellet stove on the header of the pellet forum page. Lots of info on all the stickys that are there. Look at the sticky links and read the one posted by Smokey The Bear and written by Snowny Rivers. Lots, and lots of good practical info in her post. She is a longtime member and can and does build, or highly modify her stoves to do what she wants them to do. Very smart person.

The best thing to do is try to zero in on a stove brand and model and then come back and ask about your picks. You can also do a search on the site to see what comes up.

There is also a company that sells refurbished stoves that you might want to look at call AMPM I believe. If I named the name wrong I hope a member will correct me. Lots of members have been very happy with there purchases and some not so much but with the amount you have to spend its a option.

And last there are to many names and model stoves out there to give you a list. A lot comes down to what is sold in your area. As for buying a floor demo model I would be asking what a new, unused stove of the same model costs from at least 2 places to determine if you are getting a deal or not. First the stove needs to fit your needs and desires.

Good luck on your learning and search and don't forget that there is no such thing as a maintance free pellet stove.

 

[Bioburner]

To bad did not know of your wants a month or so ago. Sent off three Uncles down to AZ before Christmas. Could have sent a nice use stove or two down. Still a Mt.Vernon available, and couple Harmans and several versions of St.Croix for under $1500 in the area. Stove sales have went down some as the heating fuel and propain has stabilized for now. You now only have a good month or so of serious heating there. Wish that was true here.

 

[railfanron]

Yes the Harman P43 is more than you want to spend but if you can afford it you won't be disappointed. It is one of the easiest if not the easiest stove to clean. It has automatic temperature control built in and can maintain a set temperature within a couple of degrees. They can burn just about any quality pellet without complaining and get the most heat available out of them.
Ron

 

[BKSinAZ]

I decided to up the budget to the mid 3k and decided on the Enviro M55. I "think", for the money, it might be the right choice.
I keep seeing people referring to M55CI and M55FS.... what is the difference?

 

[tjnamtiw]

Why are you in 'DIRE' need of a pellet stove? What is your primary heating source? (asked by someone else) Do you realize that pellet stoves are 'space heaters' and unless you have a very open floor plan, you will have fairly large variations in temperatures throughout your home. As others have said, no matter how much you decide to spend on a stove, you WILL have daily, weekly, monthly, and end of season chores that MUST be done to keep the stove running properly. There is no such thing as a 'set and forget' pellet stove, PERIOD.
I say all this up front because more than one poster a week comes on here wondering why his stove doesn't work and most times it's because of lack of cleaning or a lack of understanding what a stove is supposed to do. I don't mean to frighten you off but this is the reality of stove ownership.

Use this calculator to figure out if a pellet stove makes sense money-wise over your other heating alternatives and weigh in the uneven heating possibility to keep your wife happy. http://www.buildinggreen.com/calc/fuel_cost.cfm

 

[SidecarFlip]

Personally speaking, I don't believe anyone is in dire need of a pellet stove unless they have no central heat. Solid fuel heating is alternative heating, not necessary heating.

 

[ohbix]

M55 FS is the free standing steel model. Has a large ash bin. The CI is the cast insert. They also make a M55 cast freestanding, but that one has a smaller ash bin. I am on season 2 w/ the M55 FS.

 

[BKSinAZ]

Just got a quote (stove only) M55 cast free standing Black for 3225. before taxes
I think this is a good price, what does everyone here think??

 

[BKSinAZ]

Personally speaking, I don't believe anyone is in dire need of a pellet stove unless they have no central heat. Solid fuel heating is alternative heating, not necessary heating.

I do have central heat, but it is fueled by propane. The fuel prices are 2.40 per gallon and the funace has about a 79 percent efficientcy rating.

 

[twodogs02]

Just got a quote (stove only) M55 cast free standing Black for 3225. before taxes
I think this is a good price, what does everyone here think??

For that price, you are close to the Harman XXV, better stove IMO. Since you moved $1300, I'd at least talk to a few dealers about the XXV. They may part with their floor model as the rush to purchase stoves is all over.

 

[the cug]

u may as well wait and see if u can get a better price during the off season. it sounded like your not in a very cold area compared to where I am. is your home well insulated?