Morso 2b Classic review?

[AlM]

Hi all,

Does anyone have any opinions on this stove? For a 1200 square foot house (800 on the main level), used as supplementary heating, temperature of 0 - neg 10 celsius generally in the winter (though sometimes colder).

Looking for something easy to light and run, throws heat well (it's in a corner out of the way between the kitchen and the living room), can cook on if power is out, and aesthetically pleasing. I know it takes longer logs, but does wood tend to have to be split into quite narrow pieces in this?

Was also looking at the PC Alderlea, though it's more $$.

Appreciate any insight / input / guidance.

 

[nortcan]

Hi AIM, I don't know about the 2B-Classic but I got the very small 1410, 3 weeks ago and that Squirrel is just amazing. The house has 2100 sqf total, 3 floors and very well insulated with central air circulation and more: BUT the small Morso can keep the house warm, not hot but confortable. In very cold temp. like the one we got the past weeks the house was still confortable every where on the 3 floors and that with the Squirrel only. I didn't even light the Heritage just to see what the Squirrel would do. Needs small **logs** but the burn time is impressive for a so small fire box. Very easy to light it , I use the top down method and never get smoke in the house. All in all, we love the stove , can get a lot of heat or just an ambiance fire...the cast iron finish is also very well done.
The 2B-Classic is a very nice stove and very stlish, SaceBus on the forum has one and could tell much more than me about the 2B, but I just wanted to give my opinion about a Morso product we love.

 

[begreen]

Calling SpaceBus to the front desk.
The 2b is a capable small stove and well built. Here is a brief review.

Stove Reviews

www.hearth.com

In this style of box stove there is also the Jotul F602 v2 and the VC Aspen C3.

 

[SpaceBus]

How well insulated is your house? We have a 2x6 framed 1200 sqft saltbox south of you and heat the whole house with a 2b Classic. It's a bit colder where you are, so it may be undersized unless you have killer insulation. When we have single digit temps I am reloading every six hours to keep the house above 72 df. We still have some gaps in our insulation as our house was mid renovation when the pandemic started, so it's still in that state right now. When the renovation is completed I expect to go at least eight hours per load even in below zero temps. In milder weather I go an easy twelve hours between fires. I've never cooked on it, but it looks frustrating. It's hard to get a kettle on the hot spot without hitting the castings when the stove is hot. If you expect to do a lot of cooking the VC Aspen or Dauntless are better choices and not much higher output.

As far as wood for the Morso we split down to no larger than 6" on any "side" of the split. We added another stove that takes a 16" split, but I was cutting everything 18" plus or minus one inch. I find with 16" wood the stove is much easier to load and can usually fit more volume of wood despite the shorter length. With good hardwoods I can let the stove go overnight without needing to load it. Since we have a wood cookstove now I don't mind letting the house get a bit cooler since I can light both stoves and heat the house back up very quickly. With just the Morso I was getting up at night on cold nights. Now that we have livestock I get up so early that the house never cools below 65 overnight without getting up to reload.

This is definitely a ramble, but there is a point. If you are home most of the time, it may work. Otherwise I would be looking at a cat stove.

 

[clancey]

Jøtul F 602 V2 Wood Stove | EPA Certified Wood Stoves

Our oldest and best selling wood stove, the Jøtul F 602 V2 is now EPA 2020 certified. Utilizing Jøtul Turbulator™ non-catalytic technology.

www.jotul.com

(broken link removed)

They are both real nice wood stoves but I leaned towards a Morso 1410 but have not got it just yet and I am waiting for it..The size was the selling point for me and the clear glass window as well for I am a first learner and first buyer so we will see how this goes also one good suggestion that the above poster made if you are home most of the time this stove would be nice to have and that would be a big factor in a decision making and I am home a lot and this is my first stove and intend to use it only in emergencies. Disappointed in the cooking design but know this factor a head of time so I am ready for this Morso. Maybe I can make do with a smaller cooking container or something and don't know for I need to get my stove here first. Begreen and SpaceBus are just excellent and very knowing as well...I would sure have faith in all their suggestions and they have helped me out in my decision making and welcome to the wood burning stove world. Gosh you have been a member since 2014 and I am the new one...lol lol...Mrs, Clancey..

 

[nortcan]

Jøtul F 602 V2 Wood Stove | EPA Certified Wood Stoves

Our oldest and best selling wood stove, the Jøtul F 602 V2 is now EPA 2020 certified. Utilizing Jøtul Turbulator™ non-catalytic technology.

www.jotul.com

(broken link removed)

They are both real nice wood stoves but I leaned towards a Morso 1410 but have not got it just yet and I am waiting for it..The size was the selling point for me and the clear glass window as well for I am a first learner and first buyer so we will see how this goes also one good suggestion that the above poster made if you are home most of the time this stove would be nice to have and that would be a big factor in a decision making and I am home a lot and this is my first stove and intend to use it only in emergencies. Disappointed in the cooking design but know this factor a head of time so I am ready for this Morso. Maybe I can make do with a smaller cooking container or something and don't know for I need to get my stove here first. Begreen and SpaceBus are just excellent and very knowing as well...I would sure have faith in all their suggestions and they have helped me out in my decision making and welcome to the wood burning stove world. Gosh you have been a member since 2014 and I am the new one...lol lol...Mrs, Clancey..

There are some sort of cast iron cooking plate you can put on the stove's top so you gain space when using the top of the small Squirrel. I got one for the soapstone stoves but never used it, I will put it on the Squirrel and send photo. Photos speak English better than me LOL.

 

[AlM]

Thank you all! Appreciate the input.

My house is moderately okay for insulation (read: older home that has been piecemeal re-insulated). I'm looking for something that I will use days I'm home all day, or in the evening if I'm going to be up and around a few hours, but not during normal work days as I'm usually out of the house 10+ hours. I can't really imagine heating the upstairs of my house (except the room above if the vent is left open), and the downstairs is around 850 square feet.

I do have a pellet stove now which a part of me thinks I should keep (it's so easy), but I have always been drawn to wood (ambience and noise and aesthetics being the big reasons). I might try to move it to the garage / soon to be workshop.

Will look into some of the other recommendations. The stoves I've seen in the thread all look beautiful.

 

[AlM]

I guess it would be worthwhile to mention that the pellet stove I have is the Enviro EF3, rated at 40,000 BTU I believe, similar to the 2b 35,000 BTU, and I never run it on high (usually middle temp to 3/4).

 

[SpaceBus]

The Pellet stove output is not the same as wood stove output. Pellet stoves burn at a consistent rate and can turn on and off unlike a wood stove. The wood stoves are also 75% or so efficient and is more like 26250 BTU. If you only plan to burn when you are home I think the 2b Classic could keep your house warm, especially if you have the pellet stove to help out. I find my upstairs is always warmer than downstairs, so you may be suprised.

 

[AlM]

thank you @SpaceBus and all . I feel like I've narrowed it down between the 2b and the Aspen - it would be nice to have something that I could add to 8 hours later and still get a fire started. Have you had any luck with the 2b with that or do you find the firebox too small? I see in your original response you say every 6 hours, and with renos hope it to be 8. Is that still quite warm or just barely coals?

I don't think NS is too much colder than you folks (we have the temperate ocean, I'm right next to the harbour). Lots of gray rainy days though so wood feels nice in this climate.

I see the aspen is rated at 10 hrs burn time in ideal conditions, but most folks I have heard from say 6-ish.

 

[SpaceBus]

thank you @SpaceBus and all . I feel like I've narrowed it down between the 2b and the Aspen - it would be nice to have something that I could add to 8 hours later and still get a fire started. Have you had any luck with the 2b with that or do you find the firebox too small? I see in your original response you say every 6 hours, and with renos hope it to be 8. Is that still quite warm or just barely coals?

I don't think NS is too much colder than you folks (we have the temperate ocean, I'm right next to the harbour). Lots of gray rainy days though so wood feels nice in this climate.

I see the aspen is rated at 10 hrs burn time in ideal conditions, but most folks I have heard from say 6-ish.

I can get an easy relight after eight hours with hardwoods, just a warm stove with softwoods. I think the Aspen is probably a nice choice as well. With the auto air adjust you could just light and walk away which is nice. With the Morso I have to hang around and make adjustments, which is fine in my situation, I spend this time making coffee, getting livestock feed ready, etc. If my wood is at 20% water then I can get the stove going and settled in 45-60 minutes from cold. With wood at less than 20% I can get the stove lit and ready to walk away in 30 minutes or less. We don't have a lot of hardwoods on our property, but I really don't mind. With the softwoods I can really avoid overheating the house in milder weather or cold sunny days.

 

[begreen]

I see the aspen is rated at 10 hrs burn time in ideal conditions, but most folks I have heard from say 6-ish.

Burn time is relative. Variables like the house heat loss, firebox size, desired room temp, wood species, and the stove operator are all going to affect burn times. Even a stove rated at 24 hrs burn time is only going to burn for 8hr before needing a reload if pushed for heat. Our stove is on a 12 hr reload cycle now that we are shoulder season burning, but that drops down to 8hrs in winter and in a very cold snap that might be 6 hrs. And a stove in an older 2x4 constructed house is going to lose heat faster than a more modern 2x6 construction house, assuming that each is built well.

 

[SpaceBus]

Burn time is relative. Variables like the house heat loss, firebox size, desired room temp, wood species, and the stove operator are all going to affect burn times. Even a stove rated at 24 hrs burn time is only going to burn for 8hr before needing a reload if pushed for heat. Our stove is on a 12 hr reload cycle now that we are shoulder season burning, but that drops down to 8hrs in winter and in a very cold snap that might be 6 hrs. And a stove in an older 2x4 constructed house is going to lose heat faster than a more modern 2x6 construction house, assuming that each is built well.

For what it's worth we are on a similar routine now as well. Today seems to mark the first real day of spring here in Downeast Maine. I think the OP would be just fine with a 602, 2b Classic, or Aspen. I think the Dauntless could also be a good fit as well.