Pellet stove comparison?

[trektravel]

I am trying to decide between a Kozi 100 freestanding pellet stove and a Quadrafire Castille freestanding stove.
I am liking the Kozi price a little better, but am wondering it I would end up paying more in the long run for service issues?
Please let me know your experiences with these stoves and if I should lean towards one instead of the other.
Thanks!

 

[begreen]

Are these units being sold by the same dealer? Good dealer support should also influence your choice. I can speak about Quads in general. Quadrafire makes a very reliable unit with good parts for the long term. Service is pretty straight-forward. If ease of use is an issue, this is where the Quads shine. They're pretty much automatic and as long as it's burning good quality pellets, it should only need cleaning about once every week or two.

 

[The Patriot]

For the price you'd pay for the Castille, I'd also look at a Harman, perhaps an Advance or Accentra. I'm not sure about the price on these, but they should be comparable or less than the Castille. Even the P-61 could be comparable, although you may not need the extra BTU's.

I'm just basing that on the fact I got a P-68 for just over $2600 (base stove price). I would think the Advance or Accentra would be significantly less. I believe the P-61 would have cost me a couple hundred less if I'm remembering correctly.

If the look is important, then the Harman XXV is an option. Although, you're paying for look over output. I got quotes from 2 stores on the XXV which were about the same as the quotes for the P-68 even though the P-68 throws out 68,000 BTU's and the XXV throws out 50,000.

 

[trektravel]

No.
These stoves are offered by 2 different dealers.
The Kozi is at the local Home depot for about $800

The Quad is at one of the big name privetly owned hardware stores in boulder, co and is actually a floor model that they are clearancing for about $1350.

I know that the hardware store will stand behind the Quad and has their own tech in the event of problems.
When I asked Home Depot about any warranty issued the sales people all looked at eachother and told me that this was the 1st year they have ever sold the stoves and know little / nothing about them.

I have heard the Quad and it is pretty quiet....... anyone heard a Kozi while it has been running?

Thanks for the info!
p.s. It is snowing AGAIN in Denver, Co!!

 

[GVA]

For the price you'd pay for the Castille, I'd also look at a Harman, perhaps an Advance or Accentra. I'm not sure about the price on these, but they should be comparable or less than the Castille. Even the P-61 could be comparable, although you may not need the extra BTU's.

I'm just basing that on the fact I got a P-68 for just over $2600 (base stove price). I would think the Advance or Accentra would be significantly less. I believe the P-61 would have cost me a couple hundred less if I'm remembering correctly.

If the look is important, then the Harman XXV is an option. Although, you're paying for look over output. I got quotes from 2 stores on the XXV which were about the same as the quotes for the P-68 even though the P-68 throws out 68,000 BTU's and the XXV throws out 50,000.

Nope the advance and the accentra I believe are more than the P-61.... The dealers can tell you more, but 4 years ago My Advance cost me $2400 and now the price is probably closer to 3k.
My Brother in law has the Accentra FS and a Castille.... He likes the Castille better as far as ease of operation and maintenance...
BUT the Harmans can burn High ash crappy pellets and not skip a beat... Last year thats all he could get for 2 months the quad was off and the Accentra was the only one running, because of this..
Depends of your dealer and your pellet type and supply, Theres many factors in the decision..

 

[The Patriot]

Nope the advance and the accentra I believe are more than the P-61.... The dealers can tell you more, but 4 years ago My Advance cost me $2400 and now the price is probably closer to 3k.
My Brother in law has the Accentra FS and a Castille.... He likes the Castille better as far as ease of operation and maintenance...
BUT the Harmans can burn High ash crappy pellets and not skip a beat... Last year thats all he could get for 2 months the quad was off and the Accentra was the only one running, because of this..
Depends of your dealer and your pellet type and supply, Theres many factors in the decision..

Surprising about the price. I would have thought you would save a good amount of money over a P-68.

But, it looks like the point is moot. Trek is getting a price of $1350 for the Quad. For that price difference, I'd go with the Quad too.

 

[GVA]

I'd take the Quad from a dealertoo but he needs to check to see if his dealer will truely support him after the sale.

 

[The Patriot]

The Quad is at one of the big name privetly owned hardware stores in boulder, co and is actually a floor model that they are clearancing for about $1350.

I know that the hardware store will stand behind the Quad and has their own tech in the event of problems.
When I asked Home Depot about any warranty issued the sales people all looked at eachother and told me that this was the 1st year they have ever sold the stoves and know little / nothing about them.

For that price and your confidence in the hardware store, go with the Quad. Looks like a great deal to me.

 

[mgambuzza]

WOW!! $1350 for a Castile?? I paid $2200 for a floor model last year (white powdercoat). Is it the black, powder coat, or Porcelain coat? If the warranty and support is there - I'd buy it in an instant!!

My Castile was able to burn any and everything last year - from good pellets (Dry Creek), poor fuell (Freedom Fuel - dried pine pellets), to corn (mix or pellelts to start, then could run 100% - when corn was a reasonable price).

I'm even kicking myself as for the same price, I could have purchased a Mount Vernon which is now selling locally for $3200 (again another floor model).

Harmons in Syracuse typically run high - $2700 for Accentras, to $3200 for P61A (base model).

 

[mgambuzza]

BTW - where are you located? I think it is great that someone is "dealing" on stoves. I know of some that wouldn't sell demos for greater than 5% discount.

 

[stovemanken]

Since MSG works at the "hardware store", maybe he'd like to repond about after sale support?

 

[GVA]

Since MSG works at the "hardware store", maybe he'd like to repond about after sale support?

But it's not an HD.. ;-)

 

[begreen]

Almost a no-brainer. What is the Boulder hardware store's name? Sounds like this is the place to go, especially if the person you're dealing with is named Ryan.

 

[The Patriot]

I'm even kicking myself as for the same price, I could have purchased a Mount Vernon which is now selling locally for $3200 (again another floor model).

Harmons in Syracuse typically run high - $2700 for Accentras, to $3200 for P61A (base model).

FYI, when I bought my stove, besides going to a couple Harman dealers, I also went to a Quad dealer. The salesperson told me they weren't pushing the Mount Vernons because they were having so many service calls on them. So, maybe that will ease the blow a little.

Wow, those Harman prices are high. $3200 for a P-61 is almost $600 more than I paid for a P-68.

 

[stovemanken]

Allow me to make a few comments:

You can buy a good pellet stove; you can buy a cheap pellet stove, what you can't do is buy a good, cheap pellet stove.

Pellet stoves contain a computer, 3 (and sometimes 4) motors, a feed system, and various safety mechanisms. These are complicated machines, making a pellet stove far from a "set it and forget it" appliance.

My freind John says: "90% of our service calls on pellet stoves (and he services all brands) are due to the owner failing to adequately clean the stove." I believe Harry & others would agree to that statement.

On the safety issue: We learn as children 2 things about fire: it comforts and it is dangerous. Who hasn't enjoyed warming themselves at a fire? Who hasn't been burned by fire? Who hasn't seen a house fire?

Now you are going to bring a box into your house, where your familiy sleeps, and this box contains fire. Is this the best place to economize?

On the safety issue: Elk has pointed out that some manufacturers play games stating that their stoves are "tested" by organizations like UL, but may be omitting the fact that they failed the test! (mostly imported wood stoves)

There are at least a half dozen manufacturers who jumped on last years' frenzy and brought out pellet stoves. How long are they going to be around? Try finding parts for a Martin or a Pelletmaster, two casualties of the last boom and bust, and there are others.

How many folks, even within the industry, know that nearly 80% of the market share in pellet stoves is confined to 2 manufacturers? If you add #3 that number would push 90%, not leaving much room for the rest of the pack.

Morning news flash: Gasoline is going up; New England heating oil is in demand; refinery fire in Texas; our good friends at OPEC at considering cutting back supplies to raise prices on crude.

W mentioned Iran almost as many times in the State of the Union address as he did Iraq. On 30 Nov 2001, Richard Perle, and advisor to the Bush White House and former Asst. Secretary of State in the Reagan Administration said, refrerring to Iran "Your're next." A war with Iran would make $3 gasoline look cheap and $400 a ton pellets look like a bargain.

SMK

 

[trektravel]

WOW!! $1350 for a Castile?? I paid $2200 for a floor model last year (white powdercoat). Is it the black, powder coat, or Porcelain coat? If the warranty and support is there - I'd buy it in an instant!!

My Castile was able to burn any and everything last year - from good pellets (Dry Creek), poor fuell (Freedom Fuel - dried pine pellets), to corn (mix or pellelts to start, then could run 100% - when corn was a reasonable price).

I'm even kicking myself as for the same price, I could have purchased a Mount Vernon which is now selling locally for $3200 (again another floor model).

Harmons in Syracuse typically run high - $2700 for Accentras, to $3200 for P61A (base model).

No, this is a matte black stove. Glad to hear that they have the versatility to burn just about everything!
Thanks to all for the info!

 

[elkimmeg]

the difference is for a major brand and a home Cheapo clearance sale item. That $500 difference, means nothing when your stove breakes down.
Ask Home Cheapo who comes to your home to honor warranty work? Ask them if they have parts support and inventory? Ask them who attends training to repair their stoves?

Are you sure that Home Cheapo will carry this line again? Who ever they award the next year's contract will be on the shelves.
What's the chance of Home Cheapo support next year, if they do not sell that manufactures stove? What good is the Warranty with that stove, other than to recycle that paper it is written on?

There are times in life, that one ask, if I had only spent for quality, than loosing on a compromise junk. That additional $500 looks mighty good when the home cheapo stove craps out.

Now if Home cheapo cared about you and a better quality, those pellet stoves would be Englanders, like in my area. It has been proven here on the Hearth ,Emglander does support their products.

But Kozie or what ever brand. placed a bid in to be Cheaper than Englander to win floor space. I agree with everbody here. Why talk about it?
That deal will soon be gone, you know the one that got away,, will always have you wondering what if?

 

[hearthtools]

$800 stove?
WOW must be using $1.99 components

What Im saying is that any good pellet stove will have $500 just in blowers and auger motors

I thinkg you answerered you own question when you said the prices.

 

[drizler]

Whatever you buy do yourself a favor and make sure its multifuel. With the price of pellets and even corn for that matter its nice to be able to flip back and forth. You aren't all that far from corn country .

 

[begreen]

Driz, how much has the price of corn gone up this winter?

 

[mIstabone]

I second the multi fuel capability. In my area cord started at 6.00 per 100# last sept and now is at 9.50 per 100# pellets have stayed at a steady 210/Ton. Corns still cheaper but probably wont be if it keeps going at the pace that it has been.

 

[Bob512]

The Quad is the better stove. The Kozy is not a home cheapo. They are a good company and make the best gas stoves and fire places second to none. They are new at pellet stoves, but give them another year and lookout. quick