New Member Looking for help on Pellet Stove for Our Family

[Gman12]

Hey Everyone! I am new to the site and wanted to first say how much I really enjoy it here. Before I joined, I have been reading up on multiple posts and immediately noticed how great you guys are. You have so much valuable information here and are willing to help out anyone on anything and everything. Glad to see I found an awesome forum.

Well, I am in the market to buy my first pellet stove within the next few weeks. I was originally thinking of getting an Englander 25-PDV, but believe I have finally narrowed it down to the following two freestanding pellet stoves: Quadra-Fire Classic Bay 1200 and the Enviro M55(non cast iron). I'd like to get everyone's opinion's on what they would recommend and any positive or negative feedback regarding both models based on my information given below. I've heard they are both great, but want to make sure I'm getting the best for my money. I'm leaning towards the M55 but it's almost $1000 more. My wife and I just built a new 1600 sq ft. one story ranch house last September. It's a very open floor plan. I wanted to install the stove in one corner of the house closer to where where my 2 little ones sleep and then let the heat travel down the rest of the house since it's so open. My whole house is run on electric and our electric bill was through the roof last winter since my wife is home all the time with our two little ones and we need to keep house warm constantly. So this stove will be our main source of heat. I'd like the stove to be easy to use and maintain and the quieter the better. Also, what pellets do you find to work best in each of these models. Thanks in advance for any info and help you can give me.

 

[nayslayer]

I looked at both of those and I ended up with the Harmon xxv. I'm really a newb at this, but I can say that you get a good amount of btu's from the classic bay for the price. We liked the look of the m55 cast better though, but thats up to you. As far as the price goes, my feeling is that this thing will be saving you much more than you will ever spend on it, and, staring at it for many years. Don't let the price make you get a stove that you will not like in a few years. I'd rethink the placement of stove as well. God forbid there was a fire issue with stove, you wouldn't want it that close to your little one's. But thats my 2 cents

 

[DexterDay]

The Quad wouldnt have a problem heating your space and $ per BTU, is hands down a winner....

But the M55 has more adjustability and the multi fuel feature can make it run longer between cleanings. This is because of the agitator in the burn pot. It can burn a very low grade pellet with ease (along with corn, cherry pits, etc)

My Quad heats 2,180 sq ft Ran h without a problem. Its the easist stove to operate on the market. 3 heat settings makes it a no brainer to learn.

Now having said that. I have used this stove 3 seasons going on 4. This will more than likely be my last with the Quad. I am looking to get rid of it, so I can get a multi fuel stove (Englander 10-CPM, M-55, Maxx-M) so I have more flexibility with fuels and also more user input. I am a person who likes to "tinker" with everything.

What has made you decide on these 2? This is a night and day difference in stoves. Are they from the same dealer? Dealer support should have some consideration in the sale.

Both will get uou by. But the agitator and the ability to do High/Low and On/Off (instead of On/Off like the Quad) is what has me sold. But the Quad has its place in the market too. Good solid stove. Easy to clean and operate.

Just wondering why you are only up for suggestions on these 2 units? Many other good stoves out there.

 

[JBiBBs5]

I just has a cast iron M55 installed and I absolutely love it. It's very powerful and would have no problem heating your home. I have forced air (natural gas) in my home and I'd be surprised if it kicks on at all this winter.

Not really sure if there is a price difference between the regular M55 and the cast but I do think the cast is a better looking stove and is worth a few extra bucks. It's going to save you a ton of money either way.

As far as pellets go, you should be able to burn any pellet you can find. Obviously some will burn better than others but this stove is designed to burn anything. Try calling your local box stores to see what they have available then just search this forum to see what others have to say about them.

 

[save$]

Make sure to go online and ck the installation manual for each unit. In another post, someone was quoted that the Englander had to be 4 feet from any window that can open. Most others have a two foot off set. Might have an influence on which unit you select or plan to run the installation. Properly installed and maintained, pellet burners are very safe. As heaters go, these require a lot of attention. However, they are a very affordable source of heat.

 

[Gman12]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I have been reading more on pellet stoves reviews today and not sure if Quadra Fire CB 1200 would be better now for me rather than the Enviro M55? I am open to people recommending some brands. My mom has a Avalon and really likes hers. Does anyone know anything on Avalon and if those are any good? Thanks. I mainly want something easy to use, that's gonna do the job, and less maintenance. If I go with the Quadrafire should I buy new at around $2500 and have a full warranty or buy from a guy selling a Classic Bay 1200 w/ piping, hearth and 10 bags of pellets for $2100 and maybe get it for less than that?

 

[imacman]

......I am open to people recommending some brands. My mom has a Avalon and really likes hers. Does anyone know anything on Avalon and if those are any good?.....

The Avalon/Lopi brands (Travis Industries) are quality stoves, and I would not hesitate recommending them to you....I had an Avalon Astoria and loved it. That said, the Enviro brand is very good too.

I'll throw the Englander line-up into the mix too.....quality stoves at an affordable price, especially the factory re-furbs from this company.....great people to do business with, and they come with full fact. warranty, free shipping, and will save you some serious $$:

www.amfmenergy.com/55trpep--epa-certified-pellet-stove--2000552000.html

www.amfmenergy.com/49trcpm--multifuel-stove--2200492200.html

 

[FyreBug]

Enviro, Quad, Harman are great brands and you cant go wrong with any of them. If you heat with electricity it means you probably don't have duct work in your house. The main thing will be to distribute the heat from your unit throughout the house.

You may want to look at the following unit.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200442427_200442427

This is a 65K BTU unit, bottom feed. Will hold 125 Lbs pellets. Designed for 'bark' or industrial pellet. So it will burn just about the worst pellets you can throw at it. BTU setting can be adjusted for your house. You can put it on a thermostat and program it to go on a 'pilot' or the least amount of pellet feed rather than a full shutdown. This saves the ignitor and provides a softer heat curve for the house. If there is no heat demand after 45 min it shuts down completely until the thermostat calls for heat again.

It is one of the only pellet heater on the market that I know of that will turn into a miniature furnace. If you get the $99 distribution kit http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200442427_200442427 you can then have 2 runs of 20 ft with 5" flexible insulated duct to run to a floor of head register. You will still have about 25% of the heat coming in where the heater is, and the rest is routed to the registers. 500CFM distribution Blower.

Disclaimer: I work for the MFG.

 

[smoke show]

nice info Bert!!

and admittingly working for the MFG.

 

[FyreBug]

nice info Bert!!

and admittingly working for the MFG.

If I get out of hand, let me know. I try not to use words like the 'best' etc... but rather use verifiable specs. That way it doesn't come across to 'sales-y'.

 

[jtakeman]

nice info Bert!!

and admittingly working for the MFG.

If I get out of hand, let me know. I try not to use words like the 'best' etc... but rather use verifiable specs. That way it doesn't come across to 'sales-y'.

The info you bring is something I feel is very useful. I might have considered this unit if it were available when I purchased my unit.

Now if this unit had a self-cleaning burn pot(multifueler)? I would think you'd have a real winner!

 

[vinny11950]

can't speak for the other stove brands, as i have never used, but from what i have read they are also excellent brands. this are my views on the Enviro

i bought the m55 steel last year for my parents house, as they were heating with electric and it was way too expensive. it ate any pellet brand that we threw at it, even Infernos!

it was installed direct vent in the livingroom of a ranch. with a fan pointing to the main hall way, we had no problem keeping the bedrooms at the opposite end between 64 and 68 degrees on the coldest days (20 degrees in Eastern Long Island NY). mind you, i have my doubt on the insulation of the house.

one time i couldn't get out there for 2 weeks, so the stove went uncleaned for 14 days, of constant use, and it just kept burning.

on the m55 steel, you get to dunk 2 bag in the hopper, which makes refilling intervals a little longer.

also, if you do get the m55, make sure to get the newest built models, as they have worked out some kinks, like putting in a more powerful convection blower motor, which was a compliant of many users like me! you can tell the date of its creation by looking at the label under the hopper lid. getting the latest model built might be tough though, as the distributor might just send the retailer whatever they have in stock. but if you put your foot down and call the distributor and coordinate with them and the retailer you should be able to pull it off.

below are some of my posts with pics

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/76074/

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/71908/

 

[FyreBug]

nice info Bert!!

and admittingly working for the MFG.

If I get out of hand, let me know. I try not to use words like the 'best' etc... but rather use verifiable specs. That way it doesn't come across to 'sales-y'.

The info you bring is something I feel is very useful. I might have considered this unit if it were available when I purchased my unit.

Now if this unit had a self-cleaning burn pot(multifueler)? I would think you'd have a real winner!

I've been after our engineers to certify our bottom feeders for Multi fuel. Even sent them bags of vArious grains. Some users burn corn & other grains mixed with pellets. All it may take is program longer ignition time and adjust combustion blower & auger speed for various fuels. Shouldn't be too hard, some programming changes. Cant crab them too much, they've got a bunch of projects on their plate.

When you say self cleaning, you mean an agitator? I can't swear on it but if the burn pot is designed properly you may not need a mechanical device to clean it.

 

[jtakeman]

nice info Bert!!

and admittingly working for the MFG.

If I get out of hand, let me know. I try not to use words like the 'best' etc... but rather use verifiable specs. That way it doesn't come across to 'sales-y'.

The info you bring is something I feel is very useful. I might have considered this unit if it were available when I purchased my unit.

Now if this unit had a self-cleaning burn pot(multifueler)? I would think you'd have a real winner!

I've been after our engineers to certify our bottom feeders for Multi fuel. Even sent them bags of vArious grains. Some users burn corn & other grains mixed with pellets. All it may take is program longer ignition time and adjust combustion blower & auger speed for various fuels. Shouldn't be too hard, some programming changes. Cant crab them too much, they've got a bunch of projects on their plate.

When you say self cleaning, you mean an agitator? I can't swear on it but if the burn pot is designed properly you may not need a mechanical device to clean it.

Yes, The agitator is what I was referring to. Harman has has one in there PC45 which also burns corn and grains. I feel they offer longer burns before pot scrapping and cleaning of the air holes. Makes a pellet stove burn for weeks with the low ash fuels without touching anything. Just a little more user friendly and more like a furnace that only needs tending when the user has time. Yes theres more moving parts but the other pellet furnaces are using some sort of self cleaning device, Self dumping or rotating burnpot. I just think the agitator method is the least trouble some of whats out there.

I personally love my stove and now that I have the heat ducted to where I want it. Seeing its a self cleaner. I have the best of both without the sticker shock of a pellet furnace. Only clean it on once a week(Sunday mornings). I have no issues heating my 2k sqft home with my unit set on the medium heat setting even in the bitter cold. Approx 30K BTU when its calling for heat, Far less when its just idling. I use hi/lo mode and I feel this helps save the igniter during the cold months. So this would be another feature you might think of fitting in sometime.

Just trying to pass along some key points that might help build a better mouse trap!

If you have to have the stove in the basement, Ducting the heat where its really needed is as close as your gonna get to a furnace. Might even eat less fuel doing it!

 

[fullfatboy]

You may want to look at Harman's as well. I can't find many people who have anything negative to say about them. Check Craigs list for some good deals when folks move south and sell them.
Good Luck!

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

If you are all thumbs in the fixing/cleaning arena what you really need to research is the folks you are going to buy the stove from and you'll really want to have an option if the folks you buy from go belly up.

 

[Vinelife]

Love my Quad ...

 

[Gman12]

Thanks guys. I am pretty set on picking up the Quadrafire Classic Bay 1200 this week. Any help w/ pellet recommendations for this stove? From reading here I've noticed good reviews on Green Supremes from lowes (NEWP rebagged), Green Teams, Somersets, Lignetics, and Agway Brand (which are hammers or new england brand). Curious what people have used specifically with the Quad Classic Bay 1200 Pellet Stove? Not sure if it uses soft or hard better. Thanks!

 

[Gman12]

I've also read that buying a Quadrafire stove you can get a ton of pellets free. Anyone else hear about this? Suppose to run until 9/30/11 I thought I read on there site.

 

[DexterDay]

The Quads will burn any pellet easily. I have ran about 11 different brands through it. Heat and Ash are the only big variables. The amount of air coming through the burn pot ejects any ash. I have had the best luck with Pro Pellets, Greenways, Lignetic Green label and Presto Logs, Tidy Timber (lower heat), Natures choice (worst pellet ever made), and Somersets (Best Pellet I have burned) I am limited to my pellet brands because of my area. Cant get GT's, Okies, Energex, Hamers, Etc. Have burned a few others Easy Heats and AWF's. Will burn it all.

Always best to try a few bags of something before taking the plunge on a large order. Would love to be able to try some of the brands available locally around you.

 

[RiddleMasterMorgon]

Since you mentioned two little ones in the house, here some thoughts maybe worthwhile entertaining for a second:

a) noise of the blower. I am pretty noise sensitive and checking out the actual noise the stove makes at a dealer might be a good start - just make sure they put it to maximum and check if you can still talk to each other standing in front of it....not sure how your kids like a turned on vaccum cleaner at night ?

b) If you want to avoid a gate, see if the front pieces get too hot to touch at max setting. Stove can differ a lot in this category. Mine is fairly cool to the touch, so we never needed extra security for the little one (and yes it does put out enough heat, but its output is higher up so no burns to expect)

And on other thought: Although I am usually all for quality, I think it does make sense going with a cheaper brand for the first stove you install. The installation cost (if you dont do it yourself) are quite hefty already and eat a chunk of money. Your savings in a couple of seasons might not bring the invested money back as soon as you would like t if you also go with a pricey stove. And since the tax credit is now only a fraction of what it was...for your 1700 sqf I would guesstimate a saving of 500-800 USD electric vs pellet.

I settled on BOSCA, which is a less known brand, but I am pretty impressed with the quality and performance I got. I would agree it might be more important to find someone good to install and service the stove than the actual reputation of the stove manufacturer...

 

[stubdoo]

American Harvest 6041. Going on 3rd season absolutely zero problems. I clean it once a week which takes about 1/2 hr from the time I hit the off button until its glowing with fire again. I run about 3 1/2 tons per season of whatever is on sale. It runs 24-7 through the entire heating season. House temp stays about 73-76 degrees. With that being said......KNOCK ON WOOD

 

[schoondog]

American Harvest 6041. Going on 3rd season absolutely zero problems. I clean it once a week which takes about 1/2 hr from the time I hit the off button until its glowing with fire again. I run about 3 1/2 tons per season of whatever is on sale. It runs 24-7 through the entire heating season. House temp stays about 73-76 degrees. With that being said......KNOCK ON WOOD

Nice!! Going into my 4th year with my 6039i US Stove,and I love mine too.

Schoondog

 

[Gman12]

One more question for everyone who'd like to answer. The more feedback the better. I have someone who is selling a 2 year old Quadra Fire Classic Bay 1200, all the piping, a hearth, and 10 bags of pellets for $2100. He is selling because he got central air/heat in house and stove is in great condition. My question is if you think if I went to him with cash in hand if I could get it for anywhere from $1500-1800. You think he'd go for it? What would everyone else try to offer. Thanks for your replies. Also would I be ok using his piping or would you suggest buy a new set?

 

[Gman12]

Anyone know what a good starting offer to go for the stove I wrote above this post?