Pelpro PP130 or TSC90 vs Comfortbilt HP22-N

[brecchi]

Hello, I'm trying to choose between one of these 3 stoves. I was set on the Comfortbilt but now looking at Pelpro because of the price. I've done my research and any of these should be fine for my application - secondary heat source for our main floor, 1200 sqft. We have HVAC and a wood stove in the basement.

I was set on the Comfortbilt, I really like the 3 window setup. Is there anything you guys know about any of these 3 models that I should consider? Thanks for any advice.

 

[brecchi]

Anybody have experience with these models?

 

[Clarkbug]

Im about to start with a PP70, which I believe is similar to a PP130 with a lower pellet hopper capacity. I dont know anything about the other two stoves, unfortunately.

 

[brecchi]

Im about to start with a PP70, which I believe is similar to a PP130 with a lower pellet hopper capacity. I dont know anything about the other two stoves, unfortunately.

Thanks for the reply. What made you choose the the PP70?

 

[Clarkbug]

Thanks for the reply. What made you choose the the PP70?

Well, it was a mixture of a few things.

We were looking to just heat a portion of the house, so were originally looking for a smaller unit. Were thinking about one of the Cleveland Iron Works units, but then saw the clearances listed on it are pretty big for a pellet stove. So while the stove itself was small (and the output, rated for only 800 SF), it takes up an area much larger. So I started looking around a bit, and saw the Castle Serenity. Lots of posts about it, many happy users, seems like a pretty simple, reliable stove that was fairly cost effective. I found one locally to me and looked at it, and I did like it. Fairly compact, and didnt feel as "tinny" as some of the other stoves. That one though didnt qualify for the tax credit that came out this year.

So we started looking at other stoves that were around us and could actually see. The PelPro units were on display at Tractor Supply, and so it was nice to be able see and feel them, and I really liked the fact that they have all of their information pretty readily available online. You can get all of the service manuals including good troubleshooting charts, and there are some decent videos of most of the major maintenance. I know its a bit of a potential issue that there isnt a dealer network, but that also seems like its why they give all of the info for you to figure out the problems and fix it yourself. Appeals to the nerd/tinkerer in me I guess.... The dial control is pretty simple to use it seems, and if it turns out I need more control, the Pellet Miser would let me use a wall t-stat on it to help with that. Plus its efficient enough to get the tax credit which helps.

I also liked that their parent company makes some nicer units (Harman, QuadraFire), so they probably arent going out of business any time soon, and have a presence here in the US. The Cleveland Stove Works units are just a re-badged Chinese unit. While it may be a great performer, I was a little nervous about parts availability or someone who knew the stove enough to help fix a problem.

We were also looking for a pellet stove that wasnt trying to look like a fancy wood stove. Its not going directly in our living room, and its not intended to be a forever solution, so we were OK with something with a little more utility than style.

Hope that helps!

 

[brecchi]

Appreciate the detailed desription. I didn't know about the lack of a thermostat with these, its nice to know there is a workaround with the Pellet Miser. I will likely look into the PP130.

I would very much like to hear any real world Comfortbilt experiences as well, if anyone out there has any.

 

[Jeremy6500]

I chose a PP130 because it was already installed in the house i purchased.

This is my 3rd winter with it and overall I am happy with its performance. It puts out plenty of heat and is simple to use/fix.

Like with any pellet stove, keeping it clean is important.

The biggest annoyance that I have found is that if it cycles off and on quite a bit the ash in the burn pot can build up and make it so it insulates the new pellets from the igniter. This causes a failed ignition. Emptying the burn pot every 1-2 days makes this a non-issue.

During the cold part of the winter mine uses about a bag a day. The hopper will hold 3 bags. Depending on your use case you may want to add the extended hopper they sell to it.

 

[brecchi]

I chose a PP130 because it was already installed in the house i purchased.

This is my 3rd winter with it and overall I am happy with its performance. It puts out plenty of heat and is simple to use/fix.

Like with any pellet stove, keeping it clean is important.

The biggest annoyance that I have found is that if it cycles off and on quite a bit the ash in the burn pot can build up and make it so it insulates the new pellets from the igniter. This causes a failed ignition. Emptying the burn pot every 1-2 days makes this a non-issue.

During the cold part of the winter mine uses about a bag a day. The hopper will hold 3 bags. Depending on your use case you may want to add the extended hopper they sell to it.

Thanks Jeremy - its very tempting to get one because of the much lower price. I'm torn between this and the HP-22N but I think the Comfortbilt may win out due to the large viewing area and thermostat, along with the large hopper.

 

[Jeremy6500]

Thanks Jeremy - its very tempting to get one because of the much lower price. I'm torn between this and the HP-22N but I think the Comfortbilt may win out due to the large viewing area and thermostat, along with the large hopper.

I haven't looked at prices at all, so I don't know how they compare. As far as the hopper and thermostat thing......

1. For the PP130 you can get a 200lb hopper extension for about $300. If the PP130 was going to continue as my primary heat source I would purchase one.

2. The comfort mode adjustable dial on the PP130 works pretty well, but there is the option of getting a Pellet Miser ($45) that would allow you to hook up a regular thermostat to it. I am contemplating this.

Just some thoughts. I would say go with whatever one you will look at and be happy with.