Seeking recommendations - efficient small wood stove

[wpalen]

Hi!

We're in BC, Canada, and are building a studio on top of our garage (675 sq ft.), with a high ceiling and lots of windows. I would love to hear your recommendations for smaller, efficient, low particle emission wood stoves that won't totally overpower this space. Maybe I'm trying to find a unicorn?

In other houses we've had a range of different wood stoves (Blaze King, Vermont Castings, Jotul) and a mix of catalytic and non-catalytic types. I'm also really interested in the streamlined Scandinavian-style designs, all other things being equal, but see that most of the European companies don't export to North America.

Thanks in advance!

 

[begreen]

The best option might not be a wood stove, but a modern mini-split heat pump instead if there is electricity on-premise. But if the passion is for a wood stove then the issue becomes the modern Scandanavian design.
Take a look at Morso's offerings and see if anything looks appealing.

Wood Burning Stove by Morsø

The traditional woodburning stove by Morsø is as loved as it is well-known. The timeless, yet modern, design combined with genuine, Danish craftsmanship is the basic essence of Morsø.

morsoe.com

 

[moosetrek]

PE Summit. Kidding... Maybe something like the Alderlea T4?

 

[jetsam]

If you've already had a BK, you already know that they turn down crazy low. I wouldn't have any concerns about putting a 2.5cf BK in a 700sf space. (If it was my space, I'd probably consider a King so I could load it once a week!)

 

[moosetrek]

As you look, if smaller stoves are on the list you may want to consider firebox depth and wood length. Not sure if you plan to cut your own, or purchase wood but if you're purchasing the need to recut length might be something to think about.

 

[Highbeam]

Is efficiency really important? Or you just don’t want a fireplace? All current model woodstoves are high efficiency relative to old smoke dragon stoves or fireplaces.

You will find heating a very small space with wood can be pretty difficult. Lots of small fires because any stove big enough to hold enough wood for a longer burn will roast you out.

Another option is pellet stoves or even gas stoves.

 

[jetsam]

Garage insulation, high ceiling, lots of windows. Might be ok in the winter!

On the other hand, a minisplit is pretty easy to install when you only need one head....

 

[begreen]

There is another thread with a similar situation. Morso makes some good small stoves. The Vermont Castings Aspen C3 would also work, but that is a more traditional look.

 

[wpalen]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. After much reading and researching, we've decided to go with the Vermont castings Intrepid flexburn. Hopefully it's not too big for the space, but it seems that building a smaller fire with the damper down part-way should be feasible, and a better option (for when we have guests sleeping in the space) than a small stove that would have to be tended every ~3 hours. We cut our own firewood for the main house (~14-16" logs), and so having a stove that could accept similar sized logs was a plus. It was interesting to learn how few full-featured stoves there are in the 700-1200 sq ft. range, at least available in Canada/N. America -- there are some really nice very small stoves (we have a Jotul 602 for our garage workshop and love it-- feed it with wood scraps) and lots of great medium to large stoves (BK's etc.), but limited options in N. America for that medium sweet-spot. Anyway, we appreciate your input and I'll report back once we have the stove installed.

 

[Highbeam]

Hard to believe that after research you ended up with a modern VC product. They do look nice.

 

[wpalen]

Hard to believe that after research you ended up with a modern VC product. They do look nice.

Do you mean in terms of efficiency or emissions? They report very low emissions (0.6/0.3 g/hr), which was important to us. All the Blaze King's are similar, but the physical footprint of their stoves was just so much bigger that we ended up going with the VC. All of the very small stoves we researched (Morso, Jotul) had higher emissions (and lower efficiencies), and would have required that we cut much smaller firewood (~12" logs). Did we miss something that you think is important?

 

[begreen]

The Intrepid is a super-clean burning small stove. The castings are excellent. Unfortunately, there was a period when VC was changing hands, frequently and quality suffered due to weak refractory internals. The company was cash strapped and run by non-stove people for over a decade which tarnished the brand.

Six years ago the huge stove conglomerate, HHT took over the company and upgraded the VC line to better quality refractory assemblies. That has improved their track record, but the bad taste of the previous decade lingers.

 

[wpalen]

The Intrepid is a super-clean burning small stove. The castings are excellent. Unfortunately, there was a period when VC was changing hands, frequently and quality suffered due to weak refractory internals. The company was cash strapped and run by non-stove people for over a decade which tarnished the brand.

Six years ago the huge stove conglomerate, HHT took over the company and upgraded the VC line to better quality refractory assemblies. That has improved their track record, but the bad taste of the previous decade lingers.

Thanks for the background begreen! Super helpful to know the history, and glad to hear you think they have a better track record now. I'll be curious to see the build details and performance when we receive and install it in a few weeks.

 

[begreen]

Will there be at least 16' of flue on this stove? They can be fussy with weak draft.

 

[wpalen]

Will there be at least 16' of flue on this stove? They can be fussy with weak draft.

The chimney run is estimated at 16.5' (to the top of the roof only). Is that what you mean?

 

[bholler]

Thanks for the background begreen! Super helpful to know the history, and glad to hear you think they have a better track record now. I'll be curious to see the build details and performance when we receive and install it in a few weeks.

They certainly have improved but I feel they still have a long way to go to meet most other stoves on the market when it comes to durability and ease of use.

 

[aframe_heat]

Not sure if this thread is still active, but I am looking at a 2021 Intrepid Flexburn that seems to be in excellent shape. I would LOVE (and appreciate!) info or links about this specific stove. The manufacture date is Feb 2021. I am not sure if it would qualify for the tax credit. The owner has cleaned the glass and I had her send me interior pictures (I am 1.5 hours from her) and it appears to be in great shape. We are talking about $1,000

Opinions etc welcome!!

 

[stoveliker]

I believe the tax credit is for new stoves only. (Otherwise you could sell to your neighbors buy back, and both have a credit - and repeat...)

 

[aframe_heat]

I believe the tax credit is for new stoves only. (Otherwise you could sell to your neighbors buy back, and both have a credit - and repeat...)

Ha! Yes, that's a good point. 😉

I wonder, though, if the installation would be eligible if the stove meets the EPA requirements.

 

[stoveliker]

No. Unfortunately.