Looking for affordable options

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.

FunkDaddyG

Member
Dec 20, 2018
24
Blueridge Mountains
I know that this is probably an old question asked and rehashed many times, but we need affordable stove options. We’re currently using wood but need something that will reliably run all night without the need to to refill.

The favored brands around here is Harman, with a dealer in the town down the road, but they are far too expensive and we’re not having success finding decent used options.

There’s also a couple of tractor supply stores in a few near by towns and they seem to offer several brands, including pelpro.

In the past, considered adding new wood stoves but we need an option for keeping heat better regulated overnight.

We’ve looked into heat pumps, splits, and even adding propane, but they’re all more expensive than we can afford.

Now we’re looking into adding two pellet stoves, one on either end of the house.

It’s an old drafty house. After a bit of research, I initially thought adding a harman p68 on the north end (but 6k is too expensive) with a slightly smaller stove on the south end.

Given the cost of the Harman and lack of viable used options, I’ve started researching. I see that multiple brands are made by the same company from pelpro to quad fire to harman.

I like the idea of being able to easily do my own maintenance, repairs, etc.

I would like units that can be regulated, turned down lower than full blast, and that will reliably run all night.

Anyone willing to offer advice, input, etc.? Thanks
 
First thing to remember, a pellet stove is a space heater, not a whole-house furnace.
Yes, some people have been able to keep their homes warm with the stove, just be aware
Next, buy the biggest output stove you can find . It is much easier to turn up a
big BTU stove than get more heat from a maxed-out stove.
I do not think it matters what stove you buy . Harman is very expensive and, to me,
very finicky. I have an Old Enviro. Whatever you buy, READ and REREAD the manual
Learn your stove inside and out. Keep it clean . Ash is a pellet stove's worst enemy.
So follow the Manual instructions on maintenance. Any way that's my nickel's worth
 
Pretty much any pellet stove on the market will be able to regulate itself as well as turn on/off as needed. I don't beleive any of them run full blast all the time. Even huge stoves will go down to a "simmer". So, @johneh is right - get one of the biggest BTU stove you can for the one end. I think you are probably correct in getting a smaller stove for the other end.

You should probably get stoves that have a hopper that will hold at least 40 pounds.

Some stoves don't have an ash bin underneath, it all just falls within the firebox so you would need to clean out every day or few days. Even some with ash bins may have very small drawers so they need to be cleaned weekly. Some stoves have complicated air paths that are a pain to keep clean. You would need to look in the manuals of those you are interested in to determine if the stove is for you.
 
  • Like
Reactions: johneh