Kitchen Queen 550

[a_patriots_farm]

New member here- wondering if anyone else here is running a Kitchen Queen 550? My wife and I are homesteading and restoring an 18th century farmhouse, so in the market for a wood cook stove, a UL listing became necessary due to insurance. (It was hard enough to get insurance regardless).

Hearing great things about the Kitchen Queen 380, we tried to buy one, but were told they’re discontinued and being replaced by the 550. However, everything we liked and heard was great about the 380 has been changed. We received the stove last November, and have yet to successful cook with it-can’t sear meat, and can’t bake bread (oven is 350 tops). It is a great heater- keeps the kitchen plenty toasty. To get the oven to a baking temp (350ish) brings the kitchen into the upper 80’s.
Wondering if anyone else has experience.
Cheers!

 

[Tractordude]

Hello,
Were you able to increase the performance of your 550? We are considering the same stove and would like your input.

 

[a_patriots_farm]

Hello,
Were you able to increase the performance of your 550? We are considering the same stove and would like your input.

We were not. After much back and forth with the guy who designed the stove, as well as folks using the 380, we finally pulled the baffle out, removed the firebricks on the oven side of the firebox, and drilled holes in the lower part of the firebox on the oven side, and it’s now usable. We can get the oven to 400 within a half hour, but struggle to get it any hotter. Holding a temp is also quite a challenge. Having used a 380, this stove is a huge disappointment. While I can’t recommend it, I’m not sure what else is out there that I’d buy for the money.

 

[bholler]

We were not. After much back and forth with the guy who designed the stove, as well as folks using the 380, we finally pulled the baffle out, removed the firebricks on the oven side of the firebox, and drilled holes in the lower part of the firebox on the oven side, and it’s now usable. We can get the oven to 400 within a half hour, but struggle to get it any hotter. Holding a temp is also quite a challenge. Having used a 380, this stove is a huge disappointment. While I can’t recommend it, I’m not sure what else is out there that I’d buy for the money.

How tall is your chimney? How dry is your wood?

 

[a_patriots_farm]

How tall is your chimney? How dry is your wood?

Chimney is roughly 15’ and drafts perfectly. The wood is 18-20 month dried (less than 10%) cherry, ash, and maple. Ideal conditions.

 

[bholler]

Chimney is roughly 15’ and drafts perfectly. The wood is 18-20 month dried (less than 10%) cherry, ash, and maple. Ideal conditions.

Your wood is not less than 10% unless it is kiln dried.

And how do you know it drafts perfectly. It really sounds like weak draft that cannot pull the heat around the oven properly

 

[a_patriots_farm]

Your wood is not less than 10% unless it is kiln dried.

And how do you know it drafts perfectly. It really sounds like weak draft that cannot pull the heat around the oven properly

Two moisture meters are wrong then? I assume it drafts properly as the wood stove that used to occupy the space the cook stove now sits worked like a charm. As did the cook stove that sat there before (1912 Glenwood), and the one before that (1867 Home Comfort.

 

[begreen]

Two moisture meters are wrong then

The meter may be ok, but how is the wood being tested? on the end grain?

 

[bholler]

Two moisture meters are wrong then? I assume it drafts properly as the wood stove that used to occupy the space the cook stove now sits worked like a charm. As did the cook stove that sat there before (1912 Glenwood), and the one before that (1867 Home Comfort.

As begreen said it is probably the testing procedure. It simply is not possible with the average relative humidity of nh to get wood that dry by air drying. The chimney may have had enough draft for older stoves but new ones require more draft. What type of chimney is it?