Purchasing Help Please

[northmendo]

I'm having a really hard time deciding which wood stove to buy. I am replacing an old insert with a free standing unit. It needs to have a rear facing flue, and fit within 28 1/2ish high X 35 wide. I have looked at the Vermont Castings Encore Flexburn but decided against it due to some things I have read here. I do like the style of the Encore though. The house is about 1300-1400 sq feet with poor insulation which can't easily be fixed. My main concern is that the flue fit within the detentions above and the unit to be low maintenance. I would prefer not to have catalytic stove but it's not out of the question. Here is a picture of a situation that is almost exactly like mine for reference. - https://www.hearth.com/talk/attachments/img_3258-jpg.104701/

 

[Sodbuster]

So it's going into a masonry fireplace like the picture? What is the distance to the closest combustible?

 

[begreen]

The Hampton H300 has a short leg option that will allow it to clear the lintel. You might also look at the Woodstock ideal Steel if you want more firepower.

 

[Woody Stover]

Some of the Woodstocks will vent at that height. I have the Keystone rear-venting under a 28.5" lintel, with a couple inches to spare. Depending on your weather, the Keystone might handle that place; Their sq.ft. ratings are conservative. I have some air leaks, and log walls covered with wallboard, no insulation. Cold wind can get between the logs and the wallboard, pulling away heat. I looked up the average temps for Redding, and they are almost 10* higher than here. If you are at altitude, though, maybe it is colder? I, 1000 sq.ft. I can hold 70* in all but the coldest, windiest weather....a lot more severe than what you would face, I think.
If you hang out in the stove room, the radiant heat of the Keystone can't be beat. I also have the rear heat shield installed to keep from heating the exterior fireplace brick behind the stove, and keeping that heat in the room. The Woodstock Fireview would also fit, but I didn't like the smaller window and having to shovel ash out. A grated ash-handling system is one of my top requirements but others don't mind not having that option. Really, the ideal size stove might be the Ws Absolute but it won't vent under our height. I want to get that stove but I might have to cut the legs down and maybe alter the hearth a little so the ash pan door can open fully. Might look funky with the legs cut but that's not too big a deal to me. The advantage of the Ws steel stoves are that they don't have seams that can leak, they are welded steel boxes. The Woodstocks are cat stoves. Other than the added expense, no big deal, they are easy to run and maintain. Cat stoves are capable of low, even heat output if needed, have longer burn times, and use a little less wood.
Jotul has some rear-vented stoves, secondary burners instead of cats. Their cast iron stoves have seams. They have a couple steel stoves that rear-vent but I think they are too high. Some might have a short-leg kit. There are some other rear-vent stoves as well, but most of them may be too high. @begreen might have a few more brands to throw in the mix.

 

[Woody Stover]

You might also look at the Woodstock ideal Steel if you want more firepower.

I thought of that but I just think it's too big for me. I don't want to be running short loads all the time so I don't roast us out. He could always drill several additional small holes in the walls...

 

[northmendo]

Thanks for the info guys. I also ran across the Blaze King Princess Insert. It's a Cat Stove but they have a 10 year warranty, so that makes me feel better about it. Any thoughts??

 

[Woody Stover]

Yeah, that ten-year deal is for the original combustor in a new stove. After that, I think the standard warranty that most stoves have would apply....years 1-3 full replacement, years 3-6, prorated. I don't worry about combustor cost too much, since I figure the wood savings will pretty much absorb that. Have you priced the combustors for various stoves? The Woodstocks are some of the cheaper ones I've found, and the rest of their parts are reasonable. It's just that the Woodstock I'd recommend for your place doesn't get under the lintel. You can call them and ask...they are very helpful.
So have you decided to go with a cat, or are you still considering secondary-burn stoves?

 

[northmendo]

I went with the Blazeking Princess insert. I must say the catalytic converter is pretty amazing. This thing heats forever and it doesn't even seem like it's burning.