I am thinking about buying this insert and would like to know from anyone who has one how they like it? thanks
Osburn 1800 insert
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Calling Warren please help this lady . Or dolores follow Warren's post ownes the very model you are inquiring about
I'm here Elk... 
Be glad to offer assistance. I did post a review on the review page, but it's under the "other" category since Osburn wasn't a choice for stove mfg (Hint Hint)
I like the stove.
Strengths:
Good heat output and good burn times from a small stove. Basically, if you look at the Lopi Answer, Quadrafire 2700i, Napoleon 1100, and other small inserts, they are all similar in size to the Osburn with the excepton that the Osburn has bit larger firebox due to the bay window design. The Osburn is a little shorter than some others in this same space, most notably the smallest Avalon and the Napoleon. That can help with install.
The bay window is REALLY the hilight of the stove. In the pictures I was afraid it looked a bit modern and sort of Breckwell pellet stove like, but now that I own it, anything else would seem like looking at a fire through a port hole. It takes a PE Summit or Large Lopi to not feel that I think. Hearth stones look good also.
If I load the stove with solid rounds of oak, ash or elm (oh, did I mention how much I hate elm?) at 11:00pm, at 6:30am I'll still have the blower running and warm heat output with glowing coals. Within 5 minutes the fire is ripping away and off it goes.
The coals can seem to acumulate, but I think all stoves of this design probably exhibit this. A little stirring and full air, and they'll burn down easily.
Weakness:
The glass doesn't stay super clean, so you have to wipe it off every day or two.
I still don't have my surround...Things are back ordered, but other's are in worse shape I think.
The blower on full make enough noise to make you want the TV a little louder, but it's no worse that the Honeywell hepa filters we have around. Think room air conditioner on medium sort of noise.
You should consider the other stoves I mentioned and if you have the cash and can get the stove, look at the Lopi Revere also. The Revere was my second choice since it's a bit larger (and it would fit), and my wife really likes it warm in the house...Just couldn't get one.
Pacific Energy inserts get good press also. Again...Hard to get these days.
Overall, I do like the stove a lot. It's easily been heating our 2100 sqft house keeping the entire downstairs at least 75 even with outside temps around 11, and that's not running full bore. (I have yet to do the 3:00 EJ loading of the stove)
(I live in Poughkeepsie, NY).
I believe my goals for the stove have been met. If the temp goes to -20 and It doesn't keep up, I'm o.k. with that, as long as at 11 it does.
Please feel free to get specific, but I'd ask that you do it here in the forum rather than using PM's since others will get to benefit from our exchange.
Hope I helped.
Be glad to offer assistance. I did post a review on the review page, but it's under the "other" category since Osburn wasn't a choice for stove mfg (Hint Hint)
I like the stove.
Strengths:
Good heat output and good burn times from a small stove. Basically, if you look at the Lopi Answer, Quadrafire 2700i, Napoleon 1100, and other small inserts, they are all similar in size to the Osburn with the excepton that the Osburn has bit larger firebox due to the bay window design. The Osburn is a little shorter than some others in this same space, most notably the smallest Avalon and the Napoleon. That can help with install.
The bay window is REALLY the hilight of the stove. In the pictures I was afraid it looked a bit modern and sort of Breckwell pellet stove like, but now that I own it, anything else would seem like looking at a fire through a port hole. It takes a PE Summit or Large Lopi to not feel that I think. Hearth stones look good also.
If I load the stove with solid rounds of oak, ash or elm (oh, did I mention how much I hate elm?) at 11:00pm, at 6:30am I'll still have the blower running and warm heat output with glowing coals. Within 5 minutes the fire is ripping away and off it goes.
The coals can seem to acumulate, but I think all stoves of this design probably exhibit this. A little stirring and full air, and they'll burn down easily.
Weakness:
The glass doesn't stay super clean, so you have to wipe it off every day or two.
I still don't have my surround...Things are back ordered, but other's are in worse shape I think.
The blower on full make enough noise to make you want the TV a little louder, but it's no worse that the Honeywell hepa filters we have around. Think room air conditioner on medium sort of noise.
You should consider the other stoves I mentioned and if you have the cash and can get the stove, look at the Lopi Revere also. The Revere was my second choice since it's a bit larger (and it would fit), and my wife really likes it warm in the house...Just couldn't get one.
Pacific Energy inserts get good press also. Again...Hard to get these days.
Overall, I do like the stove a lot. It's easily been heating our 2100 sqft house keeping the entire downstairs at least 75 even with outside temps around 11, and that's not running full bore. (I have yet to do the 3:00 EJ loading of the stove)
(I live in Poughkeepsie, NY).
I believe my goals for the stove have been met. If the temp goes to -20 and It doesn't keep up, I'm o.k. with that, as long as at 11 it does.
Please feel free to get specific, but I'd ask that you do it here in the forum rather than using PM's since others will get to benefit from our exchange.
Hope I helped.
One more comment. I know this has been debated some so I'll qualify this as my opinioin.
Get a stove with a blower or purchase one for any insert that doesn't have one. Maybe important in the small insert segment only, but I feel the 1800i performs much better with the blower running that with it off. You don't need it on high all the time, but if you get one...You'll see.
Get a stove with a blower or purchase one for any insert that doesn't have one. Maybe important in the small insert segment only, but I feel the 1800i performs much better with the blower running that with it off. You don't need it on high all the time, but if you get one...You'll see.
Thanks Warren It sounds really good. It was at the top of our list but its nice to hear from someone that is actually using it to heat a house in a cold climate. Sounds like its preforming beautifully. I assume we dont need to have ourside air intake since you did not mention it. Did you buy it online? d.
Hi Warren we are neighbors I work in Poughkeepsie and live in Hyde Park! Just thought I'd say hello Steve
dolores said:
I do not have an outside air intake, and I don't believe my house is so tight that I need it.
Online is sort of a strange term for purchasing a woodstove, but I did not purchase it locally.
The stove store is called Obadiah's. (www.woodstoves.net) They are a local stove store...as long as you live in Montana.
They are very willing to offer advise and counsel on the phone, and I probably spent more time on the phone with them than any local stove store, and they never made me feel like my questions were dumb. (one of the local dealers would respond often with "why would you want to do that? Or "well, here's why that stove sucks and our stoves don't"...literally they really said that... They acted like the stoves they sell were the only ones on the planet worth buying)
That said, Obadiah's has been o.k. so far after the sale...but you do have to bug them for info regarding the order. They provide it without a problem always. I believe they are exceedingly busy!
I also purchased a full liner kit from them, and I suspect since I bought the stove from them, they give a break on the liner kit since they were somethign like 100 dollars less than others, and 600 less than the local guys. Of course the local guy ALWAYS assumed they were doing the install and added install costs to the number.
My install, while a pain, was actually straightforward. Shoving a liner down a chimney just isn't any fun at all.
StovesDirect and Nevels also carry this stove, and offer pretty good pricing. (They guy from Nevels seems like a good guy too)
Ok Warren I am following in your footsteps without even knowing it........I had contacted Obediah's already and they have been very helpful. They are backordered until Jan so I am going to check out the others you posted. Thanks for getting me on the right track . When next I post it will be to ask for help or to send a picture of me relaxing in front of my new Osburn d
Hi Warren, One question about the osburn - how far out on the hearth does it stick out? I am seriously considering getting out of line waiting for my Lopi. Maybe in summer there will be better models to choose from, and the bay window on the osburn looks kind of nice. I was sold to the idea that I had only one choice of model that would fit, but I didn't know about the osburn then.
Well Delores, good luck.
January isn't too bad. I doubt many other suppliers will do much better.
Temp was 6 this morning out...72 in the dining room. Furnace set at 55!
January isn't too bad. I doubt many other suppliers will do much better.
Temp was 6 this morning out...72 in the dining room. Furnace set at 55!
HotFlame said:
10.46 inches according to the manual. The bay accounts for some, then the blower sticks out beyond that 5" or so.
The Osburn is nice since it's height is lower than most. Helpful for 0 clearance retrofits. There are some others. Oddly, in looking at the Quadrafire 2700, if you look at the firebox interior, it seems much shorter inside than the Osburn.
Lopi's seemed similar to the Osburn also. Not sure where all the space in the Quadrafire went, but it sure seemed like it would be hard to "stuff" for an overnight burn.
Wow I am not familiar with the cost of these SS liners but Obadiahs just quoated me a price of $750 for 15 ft of flex liner, flex wrap,fasteners collars clamps adapter cap and wire mesh . Is this high? What do I need the wire mesh for? If anyone knows of a good place on the internet to order let me know please. Warren you got your kit from them did you need all of this stuff? d
The wrap and mesh is what drives up the cost. In my install I did not insulate the liner. That adds a lot.
The Mesh is used to wrap the insulation wrap to keep it in place while your shoving it down the chimney.
If you think that's bad go price a full Stainless chimney.
The Mesh is used to wrap the insulation wrap to keep it in place while your shoving it down the chimney.
If you think that's bad go price a full Stainless chimney.
I just talked with Nevels and their kit is cheaper but it does not come with flex wrap. They have flex wrap if I decide to use it and it is cheaper than Obediahs. What does everyone think about the flex wrap. How important is it? Is the wire mesh the only way to attach it? Just checking to see if I have options. thankyou d
Just a point of note here...Osburn's stated max log size for the 1800 is way off. If I put a log in diagonal, I can get probably get a 19" log in vs the 16" stated max.
A slight update on my stove...
Last night was a true test of the stove. Outside temp was -4 degrees F. I "stuffed" the stove with some large splits of Ash, Apple and Cherry, got them chared and burning with air on high for 10 minutes or so, and damped down to a setting slightly more open than usual overnight setting. My son (2 years old) woke me up around 4 with his blankets kicked off, so I covered him and went to check on the stove. Still had large chunks of coal logs left so I put 2 more large splits of cherry and ash on, set the damper again for slightly higher than the usual overnight setting.
At 7:00 am, outside temp was -4 and temp in the livingroom was 72. Kitchen was about 65, and the oil heat had not kicked on in the downstairs zone since it was set at 55.
The upstairs zone was set at 68, so I'm sure the furnace helped a bit upstairs.
I'm a happy camper
Last night was a true test of the stove. Outside temp was -4 degrees F. I "stuffed" the stove with some large splits of Ash, Apple and Cherry, got them chared and burning with air on high for 10 minutes or so, and damped down to a setting slightly more open than usual overnight setting. My son (2 years old) woke me up around 4 with his blankets kicked off, so I covered him and went to check on the stove. Still had large chunks of coal logs left so I put 2 more large splits of cherry and ash on, set the damper again for slightly higher than the usual overnight setting.
At 7:00 am, outside temp was -4 and temp in the livingroom was 72. Kitchen was about 65, and the oil heat had not kicked on in the downstairs zone since it was set at 55.
The upstairs zone was set at 68, so I'm sure the furnace helped a bit upstairs.
I'm a happy camper
Warren that is great news since I just ordered my Osburn 1800! So I guess the fact that you did not insulate your SS liner is not having and adverse effect on the ability of the osburn to keep house warm. I am still trying to decide if I want to insulate or not. Congratulations on the performance of your Osburn. d
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