Requesting input on choosing new stove

[1870farmhouse]

So I currently have a Lopi Sheffield in a 1870 wooden farmhouse 1160 square feet around 580sf per floor which has no insulation. Last winter the Sheffield heated the living room to around 70 and the living room to around 60ish. The heat upstairs was in the mid 50’s.
My Sheffield has no blower.

My friend in a similar old house but 50% bigger around 1750sf with 820sf 1st floor and she has a Pacific energy Alderlea T5 with blower and that entire house is cozy warm and they never turn on any additional heat.

So my budget is around $5500. PLEASE help me pick.

I would prefer a non-cat freestanding wood stove that has rear vent that has availability for blower and fresh air intake.
I can feel the cold air coming inside the house from outside rushing to feed the fire so I believe the air intake will help with that and I’m guessing the blower is why my friend’s home that is larger by far and warm all around.

My own research has taken me to osburn 2000, jotul f500, hearthstone craftsbury or shelburne

I understand some of these only have top vent but just giving ideas f what I’ve been looking at and I’m not totally against a cat but from what I read they can have issues.

I would like 8-10 hour burn times for overnight and while away for work. I have dry 2 season hardwood steady now and just installed a new stainless steel insulated chimney liner.

 

[begreen]

The Craftsbury is too small and kind of light duty. Note that new Hearthstones are now all hybrids now with a cat and secondary tubes. Consider Pacific Energy T5 or the PE Super, which is the same inside as the Alderlea T5. Both will deliver 8-12 hr burns. The advantage of the PE is that it can load N/S so that it can be filled without worrying about wood rolling up against the glass. You get a fuller load N/S. The Osburn 2000 is a good stove though it will require shorter 15" splits if desiring regular N/S loading. The F500 is primarily an E/W loader .

 

[1870farmhouse]

The Craftsbury is too small and kind of light duty. Note that new Hearthstones are now all hybrids now with a cat and secondary tubes. Consider Pacific Energy T5 or the PE Super, which is the same inside as the Alderlea T5. Both will deliver 8-12 hr burns. The advantage of the PE is that it can load N/S so that it can be filled without worrying about wood rolling up against the glass. You get a fuller load N/S. The Osburn 2000 is a good stove though it will require shorter 15" splits if desiring regular N/S loading. The F500 is primarily an E/W loader .

What are your thoughts on blowers and are they as effective of spreading heat as it seems?

What, in your mind, are the best 2-3 stoves with rear vent around or under the $5000 mark?

 

[begreen]

A good blower setup does help convection. Unfortunately, the choices in rear vented stoves are getting more limited. I have seen some Jotul F45s for sale. That would be my first choice for rear-vented in this case, if you can find one. Call around to all the area dealers to see if they have any remaining.