"Pretty" pellet stove recommendations

[motochris]

My 75 yr old mom wants a pellet stove to replace her wood stove. She's old enough now she doesn't want to mess with hauling wood and wants something a bit simpler in operation..... but it has to look nice. She doesn't want something boxy.
I've shown her a few online, her favorite so far is the Enviro M55 Cast, though she likes the Harmon XXV too. She'll spend the money if she has to... but if she can find something that will look nice but cost less, she'de prefer it.
I found a goo deal on a Lennox Bella ($2200) at a store that's going out of business, but I can't find reviews on those.

I'll be doing the regualr maintenence, just need something easy for her to do the regular cleaning and operation day to day.

Any recommendations on what I've listed or anything else that might fit the bill? Any info appreciated...

 

[smwilliamson]

I like the Bella and it has a pretty good track record. It doesn't hold as much fuel as the m55. Slapping some granite into the sides is a really nice cosmetic touch...I would advise you though not to buy anything from a place going out of business; you will be orphaned from service everywhere else unless you can find an independent....which is hard in most places. How about a quad Castile? Perhaps the simplest stove in the world to operate and take care of. I'm a big fan of the enviro empress too, though a bit more work to maintain.

I will admit the xxv from Harman is perhaps my favorite from every standpoint but there is a large $ on that one. Lastly, check out the lopi Leyden or a Avalon arbor (same stove) maybe the most reliable cast stove made but it requires 4" venting so the install may be slightly more.

Lastly, if your mom is up to the price tag... Check out the hearthstone heritage. Perhaps the most beautiful cast design ever, though ill admit the controls need to be set up by a professional and tinkering homeowners that like to push buttons may induce service calls to save the stove from error programming

 

[motochris]

I like the Bella and it has a pretty good track record. ...I would advise you though not to buy anything from a place going out of business; you will be orphaned from service everywhere else unless you can find an independent....which is hard in most places. .

Our issue is there is really NO dealers around here for anything other than Englander. This dealer that's closing is 50 miles away. Literally no dealers within 100 miles for any quality stove. We'll be on our own regardless what we get. Just hope the manufacturer is helpful if needed.

 

[smwilliamson]

Correction... That stove from hearthstone is the Manchester. Put yer location in yer sig so we know where to send help.

 

[smwilliamson]

Heck... For a simple cast stove look at the breckwell classic cast

 

[The Village Idiot]

Show your Mom some pics of the HearthStone Heritage. I'm personally vouching for it.

 

[smwilliamson]

Show your Mom some pics of the HearthStone Heritage. I'm personally vouching for it.

More than your stove, I like your style man. You seem like a someone who knows the value of good things, thoughtful design and and creative problem solving and thus enjoy life. I look forward to anything you post....especially those with pictures!

 

[stoaf88]

That hearthstone heritage sure does look nice!

Must be nice, id like to feel the difference in heat of the soapstone compared to cast iron im used to.

If price was no object id say go with the xxv

You cant go wrong with a harman and the xxv looks awesome.

If you want to go cheaper pick up a used castile.
.
They look real nice and if you check cl for a while you can prolly get one for less than 1k

 

[Cowdogz]

I wanted the classic cast iron wood stove look, too. I settled on the Santa Fe, though, and here's why: Aesthetically, the Santa Fe has all the works integrated into the housing, the lines are smooth and it looks like one unit. The Castile, the Leyden, the Empress, they all look like a wood stove with a blower bolted on the back of it. I didn't think it was worth the extra money if that was what you were getting. It would be fine if it were going into a corner or an alcove, but not on a hearth that's viewable from 3 sides like mine.

 

[Speed3]

Take a look at the Quad Mt. Vernon. I can't understand how people on here constantly talk about the XXV. It is a nice stove but I think the M55 and Mt Vernon are both better. The controls on the XXV are poorly located and the fans are quite noisy. I couldn't get past the glass door on top. The door latch on front is very nice. Anyway, around here, I am not alone. I know three others who went with either an M55 or Mt. V over the XXV. Every Harman owner I know (several) all have steel body stoves

 

[Cowdogz]

I can't understand how people on here constantly talk about the XXV. It is a nice stove but I think the M55 and Mt Vernon are both better.

Maybe it was just the settings that they had it on at the dealer, but to me the Harman flame looked kind of harsh.

 

[thedude110]

I love my XXV, but I'm really taken by those Hearthstone soapstone pellet stoves - they are freaking gorgeous.

 

[jtakeman]

Welcome motochris,

I would over look price a bit and look more for what is the easiest stove your mom can maintain, There will be day to day duties that are required with the stoves up keep(maintenance). Although less involved than a wood stove, Pellet stoves have their own day to day duties involved too. Its not just filling the hopper.

Have you looked at natural gas? They are the easiest involved and could be cheapier to operate. Propane is also very simple, But the fuel cost will be higher than pellets.

 

[CT Pellet]

Have you looked at natural gas? They are the easiest involved and could be cheapier to operate. Propane is also very simple

+1

 

[Cowdogz]

I would over look price a bit and look more for what is the easiest stove your mom can maintain, There will be day to day duties that are required with the stoves up keep(maintenance). Although less involved than a wood stove, Pellet stoves have their own day to day duties involved too. Its not just filling the hopper.

+1
I wanted a pellet stove for our family's camp, but my mother is 65 and spends a lot more time there than I do. I had her put in a propane stove instead.

 

[movemaine]

Does she want classic or modern "pretty"? If modern, you could go with any of the italian stoves - they look great.

But, I agree with cowdogz, pellet stoves still require maintenance. A gas stove really requires almost none - and a gas stove will still crank out some heat, and they have nice porcelain coated cast iron stoves that look really nice.

 

[Cowdogz]

A gas stove really requires almost none - and a gas stove will still crank out some heat, and they have nice porcelain coated cast iron stoves that look really nice.

I don't know how it works, but when our propane stove is running it looks like it has a bed of coals that glows. It's pretty impressive.

 

[Bioburner]

My $150 propane backup stove. Have a propane stove in the shed for when my 73 year old mother gives up on feeding and tending the AES magnum.

 

[motochris]

You know...I hadn't really thought of a natural gas stove. That's a damn good idea that i'll look into further.
The room it needs to heat it about 25x30 or so.

 

[movemaine]

You know...I hadn't really thought of a natural gas stove. That's a damn good idea that i'll look into further.
The room it needs to heat it about 25x30 or so.

Yeah, one would heat that space, no problem.

Try a Jotul, Majestic or Napoleon for the traditional wood stove look - or if you want it to be out of site, try a Rinnai.

 

[Bioburner]

Vermont castings has a couple of nice models too.

 

[ltlhawk]

yeah motochris, these guys are right.. I am new to pellet stoves and I had no idea how much was involved in using it. I am not complaining because I love the heat and the effort is so worth it, but for your your mom it would be to much. I sift pellets, vacuum and clean daily, but like I said I love the heat... The recommendations for gas stoves would be your best bet. A friend of mine just got a gas stove that looks just like my pellet stove and he loves it.

 

[motochris]

I have an Englander 25 PDVC, which is what got her to thinking about a pellet stove.
Talked to her today and she's good with the idea of a gas stove, so now I just gotta find something she likes.
Thanks for the ideas guys, much appreciated!

 

[movemaine]

Jotul Allagash:

(broken image removed)

 

[Cowdogz]

Enviro Westport