I haven't seen any reports from users/owners of the Pacific Energy Neo 1.6 Insert, so I thought I would chime in and provide a report of my experiences.
Here's a short video to give you an idea of what it looks like in action.
I've also included some images of the install preparation.
First of all, I'm new to wood stoves/inserts and have only had standard fireplace experiences up to now. I had the Neo 1.6 installed in the middle of March 2014, so I've had just about a month of burning -- and here in the Boston area it has certainly been a cold spring, so I've had some opportunity to gather some experience using the Neo 1.6!
I had two requirements for choosing a woodstove. First, it had to fit into my fireplace (not real deep ... 18") without any modifications to the fireplace itself, and I also didn't want to do any modifications to my mantel or to the hearth. And second, it also had to be able to heat a 1750 sq ft 2-level Cape style house. So, small enough to fit, large enough to heat.
And the Neo 1.6 has succeeded on both counts. Installer told me it "just fit", so clearly a bigger unit wouldn't have worked out. And it can heat the entire house on its own without help from our oil-fired furnace, keeping the main room in the mid 70s and rooms farthest away in the low 70s.
We also worked with our installers (great guys from Fireplace Connection in Weymouth MA) to have the unit raised up by first putting in two layers of matching brick across the bottom of the opening of the fireplace, and they did a good job of it. This helped us to not only raise the unit off the ground (and make it easier to load, to view, etc) but it also helped us avoid having to have an oversized surround (and then some) to seal the unit, since our fireplace opening was 31 inches high. By raising it 5 inches, the standard 28" surround fit perfectly. We did have to satisfy clearance requirements by including a small heat shield just under the mantel, but its appearance blends well with the unit and the mantel. And it's worry free.
It is a relatively smallish firebox (1.6 cu. ft, thus the name Neo 1.6), so you do have to keep it fed about every 2 - 3 hours or so (depending of course on the seasoned wood being burned and how dense it is -- my wood cord is mixed with some heavier and denser than others). I haven't yet tried an overnight burn (I just close the damper all the way when I go to bed @1am or so) , although even so, I've had enough of a coal bed on some mornings to just re-start it up by laying some smaller wood pieces on it.
I really wanted to go with Pacific Energy as I've read and heard so many great things about them and their stoves. I never even saw the Neo 1.6. in person (it was nowhere on display in Eastern MA), so I was really going out on faith. But that faith has certainly been rewarded thus far.
![[Hearth.com] Just installed a Pacific Energy Neo 1.6 Fireplace Insert](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/131/131799-9174e806c7717474e984b281039546ed.jpg?hash=spKNYC5zLd "[Hearth.com] Just installed a Pacific Energy Neo 1.6 Fireplace Insert")
![[Hearth.com] Just installed a Pacific Energy Neo 1.6 Fireplace Insert](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/131/131800-915ba872282ce9ecf1d0e481f481a153.jpg?hash=ujWykkMqDO "[Hearth.com] Just installed a Pacific Energy Neo 1.6 Fireplace Insert")
![[Hearth.com] Just installed a Pacific Energy Neo 1.6 Fireplace Insert](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/131/131801-29f42d19b79fa69289f279701f87a6eb.jpg?hash=gHBg2e1HTG "[Hearth.com] Just installed a Pacific Energy Neo 1.6 Fireplace Insert")
Here's a short video to give you an idea of what it looks like in action.
I've also included some images of the install preparation.
First of all, I'm new to wood stoves/inserts and have only had standard fireplace experiences up to now. I had the Neo 1.6 installed in the middle of March 2014, so I've had just about a month of burning -- and here in the Boston area it has certainly been a cold spring, so I've had some opportunity to gather some experience using the Neo 1.6!
I had two requirements for choosing a woodstove. First, it had to fit into my fireplace (not real deep ... 18") without any modifications to the fireplace itself, and I also didn't want to do any modifications to my mantel or to the hearth. And second, it also had to be able to heat a 1750 sq ft 2-level Cape style house. So, small enough to fit, large enough to heat.
And the Neo 1.6 has succeeded on both counts. Installer told me it "just fit", so clearly a bigger unit wouldn't have worked out. And it can heat the entire house on its own without help from our oil-fired furnace, keeping the main room in the mid 70s and rooms farthest away in the low 70s.
We also worked with our installers (great guys from Fireplace Connection in Weymouth MA) to have the unit raised up by first putting in two layers of matching brick across the bottom of the opening of the fireplace, and they did a good job of it. This helped us to not only raise the unit off the ground (and make it easier to load, to view, etc) but it also helped us avoid having to have an oversized surround (and then some) to seal the unit, since our fireplace opening was 31 inches high. By raising it 5 inches, the standard 28" surround fit perfectly. We did have to satisfy clearance requirements by including a small heat shield just under the mantel, but its appearance blends well with the unit and the mantel. And it's worry free.
It is a relatively smallish firebox (1.6 cu. ft, thus the name Neo 1.6), so you do have to keep it fed about every 2 - 3 hours or so (depending of course on the seasoned wood being burned and how dense it is -- my wood cord is mixed with some heavier and denser than others). I haven't yet tried an overnight burn (I just close the damper all the way when I go to bed @1am or so) , although even so, I've had enough of a coal bed on some mornings to just re-start it up by laying some smaller wood pieces on it.
I really wanted to go with Pacific Energy as I've read and heard so many great things about them and their stoves. I never even saw the Neo 1.6. in person (it was nowhere on display in Eastern MA), so I was really going out on faith. But that faith has certainly been rewarded thus far.
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Anyway, I am glad it is working out so well for you. Heating such a large home with that small insert is certainly an accomplishment. Enjoy! 
