I will be shopping for a new wood stove soon. I currently have an Intrepid 2 and even though it is a nice piece of furniture, it is not the most efficient stove. I would consider it a high maintenance wood stove. It does not burn for long periods of time and the temperature control is not sensitive. Is there a stove out there that you only need to load a few times a day and is sensitive to the temperature that you’re looking for? In other words, what brand of stove is best for solely heating the house with wood?
Shopping for a stove
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jetsam
Minister of Fire
If you want to heat with only wood, any sufficiently large, good quality steel or cast iron stove will do about the same job in the dead of winter.
For shoulder season heating, I don't think Blaze King has any real competition out there. Super low heat output, 24+ hour burns.
(Yes, I know you can burn a small fire in any stove when the house gets cold; no, I wouldn't voluntarily go back to heating that way.)
For shoulder season heating, I don't think Blaze King has any real competition out there. Super low heat output, 24+ hour burns.
(Yes, I know you can burn a small fire in any stove when the house gets cold; no, I wouldn't voluntarily go back to heating that way.)
HisTreeNut
Minister of Fire
That's a loaded question in that everyone has an opinion. To start...What is the size of the space you are heating and the general layout? Where is the stove located in your house? What is your current chimney size/ setup?
I am sure folks will pipe in with more questions, but that's a good start.
If you are looking to load a couple times a day & heat your entire house, a larger stove with a cat will be your best bet.
I have a Buck 94NC and we load it about every 6-8 hours using a mix of hard and soft woods. I live in a pretty humid area, not a ton space to store wood, and I don't have a wood shed. I opted for a non-cat as it is a little more forgiving with wood that is not quite seasoned. That being said, We heat solely with the wood stove and pull out a kerosene heater in single digit weather.
Good luck in your hunt...
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I am sure folks will pipe in with more questions, but that's a good start.
If you are looking to load a couple times a day & heat your entire house, a larger stove with a cat will be your best bet.
I have a Buck 94NC and we load it about every 6-8 hours using a mix of hard and soft woods. I live in a pretty humid area, not a ton space to store wood, and I don't have a wood shed. I opted for a non-cat as it is a little more forgiving with wood that is not quite seasoned. That being said, We heat solely with the wood stove and pull out a kerosene heater in single digit weather.
Good luck in your hunt...
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Thanks guys. Not meant to be a loaded question.. I’ve only been heating with wood for a few years.. so I’m still a rookie. I live in a small home that’s about 1,000 sq ft but I won’t be here forever. There are excellent opinions on this forum so I am looking to get a variety of them
HisTreeNut
Minister of Fire
There are many stoves that will do the job that are in the 2 cu ft range. Which is best depends what features are important to you and what the budget is. Some important factors are clearances and hearth requirements. Other nice features are N/S loading, different aesthetics, softer heat vs highly radiant, etc.. For a good burntime and flexible loading the PE Super and the Lopi Endeavor are good stoves. If you want a longer burn time than 8-10 hrs in that sized stove then a cat stove from Woodstock or BlazeKing are worth checking into.
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Blaze King seems to be the favorite wherever I look. There are so many brands it is difficult to know who is reliable or not.
The brands I mentioned are all very reliable. The PE and Lopi are simple, not too much to go wrong. The Blaze King adds a few layers of complexity, but they have a good track record. Ask around and check out your local dealers for installation quality and service reputation.
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