Ironstrike Tahoma 2100 ?

[Yavne]

Hello guys,

We're planning to create a living room in our basement, and would like to install a wood stove (the size of basement is about 300 sq. ft + additional back room about 200 sq. ft). Planning to leave upstairs door open (to living room/kitchen) so some of this heat will go to the main floor.

One company gave us a quote to install Ironstrike Tahoma 2100, I'm doing my homework, was able to find just two comparisons between Ironstrike and other brand (I think it was Pacific Energy 27). Looks like no one has any review / experience with Ironstrike Tahoma 2100...
Anyone can say anything good / bad about Tahoma 2100? Or Ironstrike in general?

Another question, I came across Drolet 1800 wood stove, it's a bit cheaper than Tahoma 2100, and for me it looks pretty identical stoves. Can someone comment on this?

Thank you!

 

[Mech e]

I went through the same exercise. Bought the 1800 for much less and it works great.

 

[weatherguy]

The 1800 is a solid stove and you can probably find a lot of reviews. The other one I'm not familiar with

 

[begreen]

They are all decent stoves. One main difference is that the firebox depth increases from the shallowest Drolet 1800, to the Tahoma 2100, to the PE Super 27. The PE has a regulated secondary supply and stainless firebox parts including the baffle.

 

[SpaceBus]

Super 27 for sure.

 

[Yavne]

Thanks guys. What is the difference between these three? Reliability? Ease of use? Heating?
What will be the reason to choose one over the other?
Thanks

 

[SpaceBus]

Thanks guys. What is the difference between these three? Reliability? Ease of use? Heating?
What will be the reason to choose one over the other?
Thanks

All of the above in regards to the PE S27. It will unfortunately be more expensive, but you get what you pay for.

 

[Mech e]

All of the above in regards to the PE S27. It will unfortunately be more expensive, but you get what you pay for.

Got to disagree wth this statement. Have you ever owned an SBI product?? The 1800 has the same basic construction as my 32 year-old Osburn. We just installed the Osburn at my SIL and daughter's home and it is still running strong. The only thing I did in 32 years and 70+ cords of wood replace the window and door gasket once at about 29 years. No experience with the Ironstrike but it looks well made.

 

[blacktail]

All of the above in regards to the PE S27. It will unfortunately be more expensive, but you get what you pay for.

Haven't we seen some posts lately about quality control issues on some new PE's? I specifically remember someone from BC saying the PE production facility always has a help wanted sign out, which spun into discussion about their quality and employee turnover.

 

[Yavne]

Thanks guys. I will check prices with other companies, I think it will help me to decide.

Have another question please. Ironstrike and PE heating capacity 1,200-2,000 sq ft, Drolet 500-2,100 sq ft, but our basement room is only about 300 sq ft. and I would like to move some of the hot air to the living room. From sizing perspective, will these stoves be a proper fit for us? Don't want to install too small or too big one.

Thanks!

 

[begreen]

I think a medium (~2 cu ft) stove is sized right. Sizing is relative, especially when you are scavenging heat to feed another area (upstairs). The basement room will be warmer. How well the stove will heat the living room will depend on how easy it is for heat to convect upstairs. If the stairwell is wide open and reasonably close by it will do a decent job.

 

[Yavne]

I think a medium (~2 cu ft) stove is sized right. Sizing is relative, especially when you are scavenging heat to feed another area (upstairs). The basement room will be warmer. How well the stove will heat the living room will depend on how easy it is for heat to convect upstairs. If the stairwell is wide open and reasonably close by it will do a decent job.

Sounds good.
Stairwell is about 10 ft from the place where we’re going to place wood stove, and it’s pretty open.
Should we return the cold air from living room to basement?

 

[begreen]

Try it without any modifications first. What you will find is that hot air will flow out into upstairs at the top of the door opening and cold air will return back to the basement at the bottom of the door opening. You can take a strip of toilet paper and actually see this happening. If you want to increase the flow you could try using a table fan on the floor, in the door opening, pointed downstairs. Running it on low speed should suffice.

 

[Yavne]

That’s cool, thanks for the advice!

 

[Newburnerwisconsin]

That’s cool, thanks for the advice!

So did you go with the Iron Strike? I have not heard of this brand but it looks like a well built stove in the company’s brochure.

 

[Yavne]

So did you go with the Iron Strike? I have not heard of this brand but it looks like a well built stove in the company’s brochure.

Yes, it looks good, but there is no info on the web about the company/stove. Tried to contact the company, didn't get any answer. Talked a few times to Drolet, they've answered all my questions. Probably I will go with Drolet Escape.

 

[Mech e]

It's too bad that some of these companies rely completely on their dealer network. I think insulating yourself from your end customers is a mistake.

 

[Newburnerwisconsin]

Yes, it looks good, but there is no info on the web about the company/stove. Tried to contact the company, didn't get any answer. Talked a few times to Drolet, they've answered all my questions. Probably I will go with Drolet Escape.

I don’t blame you. When I saw that on the company’s website, that was a red flag for me as well. SBI (Drolet, Enerzone) has great customer service. I won’t consider a manufacturer that does not have a direct phone number and customer service department. I hope you enjoy your new stove.

 

[begreen]

Yes, it looks good, but there is no info on the web about the company/stove. Tried to contact the company, didn't get any answer. Talked a few times to Drolet, they've answered all my questions. Probably I will go with Drolet Escape.

Most of the IronStrike stove are made by Country, in Auburn, WA. Country was bought up by Lennox and then Lennox sold out the stove line to IHP which created the IronStrike line for the stoves. Country has been around for a long time. They build stout stoves.