Requesting Small Stove Recommendation

[Aggie]

We're on the Texas-Oklahoma border, in a 950 sq ft, well-insulated house. We are on a tight budget, but want to spend enough to get a quality stove. We have looked at the Jotul F 100 Nordic QT and, online, at the Drolet Pyropak Extra Small, True North, and a Pleasant Hearth model. We are trying to do the necessary research, but would appreciate recommendations.

Thank you. Have enjoyed the discussions here.
Aggie

 

[mellow]

Check out the woodstock keystone (broken link removed to http://woodstove.com/keystone)

 

[Aggie]

Yikes, $2699 is pricey for me. How about a Timberwold 2100 or 2200?

 

[dafattkidd]

Englander has a couple small stoves that are very reasonably priced. Do you have hearth and chimney set up? when budgeting for a stove the chimney can cost more than the stove. Another thing to consider when buying a stove on a budget is clearances and floor protection requirements. At times it is more cost effective to buy a more expensive stove that requires less floor protection. You find the savings in the hearth build.

Hope that's helpful.

 

[BrotherBart]

Yeah with space at a premium clearances are important. So is climate. If you are on the T&O border around the OK panhandle around Perryton (nothing between there and the North Pole but a barbed wire fence) it is a different story than if you are around Paris or Texarkana.

The Nordic is a good little stove. I have one and it will warm the place right up. The problem is burn times with the small firebox. Figure on four to six hours to nothing but a few coals and a warm stove. Four hours of realistic heat.

 

[aansorge]

The advantage of the Keystone will be long burn times in comparison to other stoves its size.

 

[Aggie]

dafattkidd: We are becoming aware of how the other costs add up! My better half has done a lot of brick and stone work, but we are planning to pay for chimney installation. Since I posted, I have found an old thread where the Englander 13-NC is highly recommended.

BrotherBart: Oh, good point. We are halfway between Paris and Texarkana. What does that tell you? ... If the Jotul has only a 6 hour burn time, can we safely buy, e.g., the Timerwolf with a 1.5 or 1.9 cu ft firebox, without heating ourselves out of the house, by only partially filling it?

aansorge: I saw an old thread where someone still had live coals after 16 hours. Pretty incredible. But the Keystone is too pricey for us right now.

Thanks, everyone. I kept looking and found a couple of old threads where Englander 13-NC Jotul, Country Hearth 2000, Napoleon 1450, and True North were recommended. More comments welcome.

 

[dafattkidd]

dafattkidd: We are becoming aware of how the other costs add up! My better half has done a lot of brick and stone work, but we are planning to pay for chimney installation. Since I posted, I have found an old thread where the Englander 13-NC is highly recommended.

BrotherBart: Oh, good point. We are halfway between Paris and Texarkana. What does that tell you? ... If the Jotul has only a 6 hour burn time, can we safely buy, e.g., the Timerwolf with a 1.5 or 1.9 cu ft firebox, without heating ourselves out of the house, by only partially filling it?

aansorge: I saw an old thread where someone still had live coals after 16 hours. Pretty incredible. But the Keystone is too pricey for us right now.

Thanks, everyone. I kept looking and found a couple of old threads where Englander 13-NC Jotul, Country Hearth 2000, Napoleon 1450, and True North were recommended. More comments welcome.

I think the Napoleon unit you should look at is the 1100 not the 1450. I had the Napoleon 1101 insert. The 1.7 cf firebox will easily heat that space.

 

[BrotherBart]

With your temps around there you will be doing what we do in close to three times that space with a much larger stove in milder times of the year. Fire it up and let it burn down. With a well insulated house no need to try to rock around the clock.

What Super Cedar fire starters were born for.

 

[Tenn Dave]

Too bad the Keystone doesn't fit into your budget right now. They are beautiful little stoves with excellent performance, and backed by a great company with top notch cutomer service. However, I'm sure some of the other suggestions already made will serve you well. Welcome aboard Aggie.

 

[tekguy]

figure into your tight budget hearth requirements, look for something with ember only protection along with tight clearances..
saving a little on some stove models could easily be lost building a hearth to code, like the englander nc-13, inexpensive but requires a r2.5? for floor protection

 

[Sprinter]

With a well insulated house no need to try to rock around the clock.

+1. Unless you need to keep the house warm while you're gone during the day, I wouldn't put too much emphasis on burn times. It is a priority for many, I know, but it may not be for you. It isn't for me. A well insulated house will keep the heat in for a long time. We just let the fire burn down at night and start a new one in the morning and the house never gets below 64 even when the outside temp is below freezing.

That Englander 13NC gets very high marks here and is very inexpensive. It does require a hearth with insulating value of 2, but if that's not a problem, that stove would probably be a perfect match for you.

 

[BrotherBart]

Point of reference. The highs and lows in the OP's area are around what we call shoulder season here in most places. Lived down the road from them for a lotta years.

 

[Woody Stover]

the Keystone is too pricey for us right now.

Thanks, everyone. I kept looking and found a couple of old threads where Englander 13-NC Jotul, Country Hearth 2000, Napoleon 1450, and True North were recommended. More comments welcome.

They haven't posted their fall sale prices yet, but they will be way less than $2700. Still, I have a feeling you will go with one of these other choices. Is a small Jotul all that cheap compared to the others?

The Nordic is a good little stove. I have one and it will warm the place right up.

Hey, weren't you talking about selling yours? Isn't it about time to visit the family down there?

 

[BrotherBart]

Hey, weren't you talking about selling yours? Isn't it about time to visit the family down there?

Little problem with that carry on baggage limit. I have a new Jotul Blue/Black enamel gas stove I have been trying to get down there to family for years now.

 

[Woody Stover]

Little problem with that carry on baggage limit. I have a new Jotul Blue/Black enamel gas stove I have been trying to get down there to family for years now.

Command your chauffeur to drive it down there.

 

[Woody Stover]

Seriously, though, there's no carry-on limit on the hearth.com VIP jet, is there?

 

[BrotherBart]

Command your chauffeur to drive it down there.

And drive myself for a week? No way!

 

[BrotherBart]

I would drive the stove down myself but it is possible that the OP's id of Aggie means she went to A&M. Aggie's call us UT grads "Tea Sippers". That kinda cuts down on the generosity factor. If I did it and word got out they would revoke my degrees.

 

[HDRock]

While I was looking for a used stove ,I ran across some nice little stoves including a couple of like new Lopi Answers for $200 and $250, a NC13 for $300, and some others , they were to small for what I needed.
Anyway
You might want to consider looking at used, although used stoves may be harder to find in your area.
There Is a lot of reasons why people need to sell very nice stoves , and some times need to sell quick

 

[HDRock]

Here is a APS1100B by USSC $349.99 Covers up to 1,100 sq. ft.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/united-states-stove-wood-stove-small-1100-sq-ft-epa-certified

https://www.usstove.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=309&product_id=510
And of course the USSC Country Hearth 2000, $599.99
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/sto...m-wood-stove-with-blower-medium-epa-certified

https://www.usstove.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=309&product_id=502

 

[begreen]

Sounds like another candidate for an Englander 17VL. At $549 it offers a lot in a small stove.

 

[Aggie]

You all are awesome. I go to sleep early, and woke up to find so much help.

First, my given name is Agnes, and I am a Jayhawk who migrated south long ago. Daughter has masters from Texas; A&M ag department are helping us with the organic farming execution, so neutral there. We are thinking of confusing the issue by getting some longhorns and calling them Aggie's Longhorns. I got the wood stove bug because Mom and Dad got a Weso years ago that we all love. They say it burns them up if the temp gets above freezing, though. Also, we have enough virgin hardwood on the place we just bought to have free dead wood for years. The welcome on this forum is pretty spectacular.

Brother, what are the OP's? I am now familiar with Arklatex (Arkansas-Louisiana-Texas), but that is a new one.

Glad to hear that we can just load it up and let it burn down. We don't mind if it's cold in the morning, and we do not have to leave the house for the day. Does this mean that a 1.5 to 1.9 cf firebox will not be too big? Or should I stay at 1-1.25 cf?

Ok, I will explore the Keystone. We were ready to rule out cats, just because of maintenance fears, but there is a lot of love for this stove here.Will also check out the Country Hearth and other cheap models recommended.And will continue to search for used.

Dad's Weso is like a fireplace - the focal point that we gather around, and it doesn't even have a window. So I don't mind the idea of a brick or stone hearth for it, or even glazing those 2" concrete pavers, if that's feasible. Texas limestone would be great. Any of these would provide enough R-value for insulation, right?

Thanks again. So glad I joined up here.

 

[Aggie]

You all are awesome. I go to sleep early, and woke up to find so much help.

Brother, what are the OP's? I am now familiar with Arklatex (Arkansas-Louisiana-Texas), but that is a new one.

Oh, Original Poster. Duh...

 

[Woody Stover]

Daughter has masters from Texas; A&M ag department are helping us with the organic farming execution, so neutral there.

I would drive the stove down myself but it is possible that the OP's id of Aggie means she went to A&M. Aggie's call us UT grads "Tea Sippers". That kinda cuts down on the generosity factor. If I did it and word got out they would revoke my degrees.

Is being neutral enough to get her a deal on the F100??

Glad to hear that we can just load it up and let it burn down. We don't mind if it's cold in the morning, and we do not have to leave the house for the day. Does this mean that a 1.5 to 1.9 cf firebox will not be too big? Or should I stay at 1-1.25 cf?
Ok, I will explore the Keystone. We were ready to rule out cats, just because of maintenance fears, but there is a lot of love for this stove here.Will also check out the Country Hearth and other cheap models recommended.And will continue to search for used.
Dad's Weso is like a fireplace - the focal point that we gather around, and it doesn't even have a window. So I don't mind the idea of a brick or stone hearth for it, or even glazing those 2" concrete pavers, if that's feasible. Texas limestone would be great. Any of these would provide enough R-value for insulation, right?

R-value hearth requirement will differ among the models. I might be inclined to get a stove of at least 1.5 cu.ft. just so I would have some reserve firepower and a longer burn if desired....probably not a major consideration, though. You can burn smaller loads to control heat output, as BB pointed out. Not needing the long burn most of the time gives you more options. You can go with a non-cat and get a bit more spectacular light show through the glass (good for blowing Dad away, ) although a cat can be burned with a little more air to get flame in the box. Cat maintenance isn't a big deal; With dry wood and an occasional cleaning, it should go five years at least. Woodstock cats (and other parts) are very reasonably priced.
It's good that you're not in a big rush; You can learn a lot and make a choice you'll be happy with. You might find a great used deal. Used selection is limited, though, and maybe even more so down there....

Keep us updated. And we like pics!