Reason for Oval Stove Outlet?

[CricketC]

Hi - just discovered this site - I've been wandering the internet on one of those
"it's going to bug me 'til I find the answer" quests. Does anybody know the reason for oval stove outlets?

All my previous stoves have had round outlets - I recently acquired an old beat up Excello 24D-E - and because it has an oval outlet, that question is now bugging the crap out of me. Does anyone know the answer, so I can go on to obsessing over something else? TIA

 

[bholler]

Mainly just to be annoying lol

 

[EatenByLimestone]

On stoves with a really small top, like a potbelly, it would give you a little more open area at the top to put a kettle.

 

[bholler]

Yeah that's probably the real reason

 

[Ashhole]

My large VC Winterwarm is oval. 20 years and going strong