PE Pacific insert vs. Jotul C550 insert - First stove purchase

[gibson]

Trying to decide between the PE pacific and the Jotul 550. We live in a 2800ft colonial in RI. Not uncommon to see 0-10*F in Dec-Jan. We need to heat 900 downstairs and 1400 up, as there is a closed off formal LR/ DR on the downstairs that is zoned off and we can keep at 60*. Not a wide open floor plan, but well insulated with new windows and doors and 8' ceilings. Installation with full SS liner runs about $3100 for the PE and $3500 for the Jotul. The chimney runs through the attached garage (is this interior or exterior?). The room that the insert will be installed is our family room on the first floor, where we watch TV, so the room needs to be inhabitable. Other factors are that I am a rookie burner, so ease of use is a factor. My goal is to significantly reduce my oil bill, not completely eliminate it - although that would be nice. The Jotul is a beautiful piece but the PE is not bad looking either. However the end goal is the right stove for me and my house. The fireplace is big enough to hold either. Reports on this site are superb for both.

HELP! I am suffering from analysis paralysis!

 

[begreen]

If you can post a simple picture of the floorplan that would help. We'll need to understand how the rooms are placed and whether there is a chance for good heat circulation. What is the size of the family room? Is there a door or a large opening connecting it to the other rooms?

To compare like-sized stoves I would consider the Summit insert. The Classic insert is closer to the Jotul C450 in size. If the room is isolated at one corner of the house, then perhaps this is a good size to look at for area heating. But if the goal is to heat more area and the floorplan is conducive to good heat flow, then consider the Summit.

 

[gibson]

This is not what I would call an open floor plan. The room is about 15X25. There are two regular size doorways across from the fireplace. One to the kitchen, the other to a foyer that goes up to the bedrooms. We spend the majority of our free time in the family room and kitchen. I am fearful of having to burn the Summit too low when we are in the room, thereby creating creasote and dirty glass, although it would be loaded up and burned hot every "overnight". Also, the PE pacific and Jotul 550 match up pretty close in terms of BTU (app 65-70,000), firebox around 2.0 cf. Jotul is much heavier.

 

[begreen]

Agreed you will probably not be heating the whole house given that arrangement. By putting a fan low on the floor in the doorway, blowing into the family room from the kitchen, you may be able to circulate some heat there.

The C550 is a 3 cu ft stove like the Summit insert and probably too large for an area heater in the family room as described. The C450 is the match for the Pacific D1, both are approximately 2 cu ft inserts. Both are excellent heaters.

 

[jadm]

In Jan. I had a Jotul 550 installed into our family room/kitchen/dining room area. Room it sits in is 12x17 and it is open to the other two rooms that are 13x15 and 8x10. A doorway that is not as open leads into the foyer and back of the house.

I don't have a lot of experience with this unit yet and it took me awhile to get the hang of it because of how it operated differently than my previous insert. More of an un-learning process than a learning process but it has not heated us out of the room it sits in and I typically burn at approx. 600*.

The room stays at about 72*-74*.

On warmer days - 40* and up - one hot fire in the morning keeps the room warm the rest of the day with maybe another fire built in the evening if needed.

I use the blowers and whole area stays warm but back of the house does not warm up a whole lot which is okay since it is bedrooms and we like it cool when we are asleep anyway.

You might check out threads by people who have the 450 because they have a lot more experience and they seem to be great heaters too.

 

[stoveguy13]

I dont think you can go wrong with the 550 the 450 is is a nice unti but may have some trouble at anything over 1400 squaer my guess is that you will have a hard time heating the house even witht the 550 but the price diffrent is not much either one would work but only the 550 will give you a chance at the house.

 

[begreen]

What's the size of the family room? What's the size of the doorway connecting it to the rest of the house?

 

[gibson]

What's the size of the family room? What's the size of the doorway connecting it to the rest of the house?

Here is a crude depiction of the layout.

 

[RedRanger]

What's the size of the family room? What's the size of the doorway connecting it to the rest of the house?

Here is a crude depiction of the layout.

Want 5/16" steel on the top and 1/4 on the sides and tonnes of heat? check out enviro kodiak -And quickly dismiss that stupid pic on their website, rather take a look at my avatar. and I don`t even have the gold surround or door. It is truly a heating beast!!

Oh, and ya, they do make a stove with a 3.1 cu.ft firebox as well.

my insert has a 2.5 cu.ft firebox

 

[begreen]

That helps. Are the FR doors all standard 3 ft?

This is not as bad a some layouts and the family room is large. Also the FR is central which helps. A bigger stove may work after all with some fan assistance to get the heat circulating into the other spaces. It won't be ideal, but you don't need to make massive fires all the time. Do compare the Summit if you are looking at the C550. It's a well behaved stove. You can run smaller fires in it and still get good secondary burns.

 

[gibson]

Thanks. I am pretty confident about heating the kitchen and family room and getting some residual upstairs on normal winter nights. As I said earlier the house is tight and has relatively low ceilings (8") throughout. PE is well represented on this site and it is a nice stove.

 

[gibson]

Felt it was worthy to add this on, since I am sure there are many like me, trying to feel their way around their initiation into wood burning. Stopped in to the Jotul dealer in RI. Well established shop, been around for many years. Told him I was narrowed down to the PE summit or the Jotul 550. Prices are literally identical. His reply was "Why the hell would you pay the same $ for a steel insert as a cast iron, I can sell you a steel insert for $1100" (Osburn I think). The Jotul, construction wise, is like an armored tank compared to anything else I have looked at behind the faceplate. What are your thoughts?

Lastly, and most importantly, I showed my wife the PE summit and the Jotul 550 and she picked the Jotul immediately. It is a nice looking unit. My only reservation, as a rookie, is that the Summit may be easier to operate based on the posts read on this site.

Another observation is that all stove dealers "bash" the brands that they do not sell. These guys are on a par with car salesmen. Thank god for hearth.com. I would be screwed without the help that I have received from this site. I had one dealer tell me, "Don't believe what you hear, no one is selling stoves right now" Literally every stove shop that I have been to has people with their credit cards out, buying stoves... in May

My plan is to buy the insert soon, then shop the installers with the same intensity as I did with the insert. The whole "package deal" thing makes me feel like I am getting screwed somewhere along the way. Don't need to fire it up for real until mid Oct. I don't expect to get a resolution on this since there are loyalists to PE and Jotul on this site, and I likely will not go wrong with either. Hopefully though, there are others like me going through the same experience with their purchase.

 

[begreen]

The Jotul is a fine insert. You would be very happy with it and I agree with your wife, it's better looking. But basically, the C550 is a pretty face with a steel behind. That is a steel box behind the cast iron front. That shouldn't deter you. Jotul makes good stoves and whatever you choose, it should look good in your home. Just don't let a salesperson blow smoke up your flue. If he's offering a 3 cu ft Osburn insert for $1100, call him on it and say you'll take it. The Osburn 2400 insert goes for about $1700+. Somehow I think he'll backpedal pretty quickly.

However, I disagree that all stove sales people are like this. There are good shops out there that care about their customers and their reputation. The stove sells itself. They are there to help you make good decisions and get it safely installed.