So Really, What is the Diff Tween the BK and VC Cat Stoves?

[DUMF]

Ok, VC stoves have a deserved bad rap over their last ownerships beyond the Vermont VC in the past.
Butt remember, those ORIGINAL VC cats had well if over engineered efficiency, quality, and romantic style.
Now BK has some of of the same features that made the VC cat line from the 90's work well: thermo control,
damper bypass, "clear ceramic glass" air, etc...
Damn, VC here was a sort of cult in the 80's with owners' parties.
So what makes you BK owners so enthused ? And yes, VC owners have dropped the quality and support ball over the decade.
Talk.

 

[jetsam]

I am an underqualified BK cheerleader. I love mine because it performs like the other woodstoves I've used never could.

Problem is that I'm comparing it to old pre-EPA stoves, so y'all might not find my comparisons too useful.

Here's what I like:

With a bad install, bad wood, and a smallish firebox, I can heat my whole house on a cold day while I'm at work or asleep. That's amazing. I with better wood, I can heat the whole house for 24 hours on a warmer day without opening a window or reloading. That's amazing too! I also like that I taught my wife to use it in 30 minutes, and the entire section on how to avoid an overfire was this: "Don't worry about it.". That's also amazing.

Less amazing but still really nice is that you don't have to babysit it for an hour every time you want to reload or adjust the temperature in the house. The thermostat does that for you.

It may not technically be a magic stove, but compared to the stoves I grew up with, it sure seems like one.

Also (and this wouldn't influence my stove buying decisions, it's just icing on the cake)- BK seems like a genuinely nice company. They publish honest numbers, they help customers who have issues, and they even patrol the forums here, helping out and handing out Dingo beds.

Call me a fanboy if you must. I guess I am one!

 

[SCOTT S.]

I have never run a VC, but I know they used to have a great reputation. From every thing I have heard if they would have not sold out they would have had a shot at my stove dollar,and if ifs and buts were candies and nuts we would all have a merry Christmas. Their quality is in the crapper therefore they were not even considered in my case.
As far as why I'm happy with BK jetsam somed it up very well.

 

[Woody Stover]

I've still got my old Dutchwest 2460 cat in the back up role. No thermostat, but it will heat this place for 12 hrs. if it's not real cold and windy...not bad for 1.4 cu.ft. It's got the grated ash system, which I won't be without on any stove I own. Unfortunately it's got a dinky window. There are a lot of these stoves used out there, in three sizes, and you can get 'em dirt-cheap. They are pretty cheap new, as cat stoves go, and of the shops here is carrying them again. For that money, though, I would snag a Woodstock AS.

 

[Diabel]

99% of people that bought VC stoves had no clue how to operate them (dealer lack of educating error).
It is a relatively complex "downdraft" design stove that if it is run correctly, in proper set up and seasoned wood (like all stoves) it will perform just fine. As intended.

 

[rdust]

I've still got my old Dutchwest 2460 cat in the back up role. No thermostat, but it will heat this place for 12 hrs. if it's not real cold and windy...not bad for 1.4 cu.ft. It's got the grated ash system, which I won't be without on any stove I own. Unfortunately it's got a dinky window. There are a lot of these stoves used out there, in three sizes, and you can get 'em dirt-cheap. They are pretty cheap new, as cat stoves go, and of the shops here is carrying them again. For that money, though, I would snag a Woodstock AS.

Not sure what Dutchwest and Woodstock has to do with a BK/VC comparison thread. I'm glad you like your Dutchwest and WS stoves though.

 

[larry08]

Not sure what Dutchwest and Woodstock has to do with a BK/VC comparison thread. I'm glad you like your Dutchwest and WS stoves though.

Dutchwest is owned by VC

 

[bholler]

Dutchwest is owned by VC

Yes but it wasn't always.

 

[bholler]

Now BK has some of of the same features that made the VC cat line from the 90's work well: thermo control,
damper bypass, "clear ceramic glass" air, etc...

The difference is that bk's work well and dont have allot of delicate expensive parts. Those vcs from the 90's where not terribly reliable stoves. Yes they could work well if people figured them out and used good wood. But there where allot of stoves out at the time that where much easier to run correctly and cost a whole lot less to maintain.

 

[begreen]

VC cat stoves like the 2550 are pretty reliable. It's their downdraft stoves that had the majority of issues. The VC is bit more complex than that BK primarily due to the fact that it's a top loader. But also because the cat is in a refractory package. VC stoves are cast iron, BK stoves are steel.

 

[bholler]

VC cat stoves like the 2550 are pretty reliable. It's their downdraft stoves that had the majority of issues.

Yes the down draft stoves are worse for sure but their cats like the 2550 are still not all that great

 

[Woody Stover]

Not sure what Dutchwest and Woodstock has to do with a BK/VC comparison thread.

Maybe this will help.

To me, the grated ash system is a must-have. I wouldn't have known how indispensable it is if I hadn't stumbled into a used VC stove that had it. It's therefore incumbent on me to mention that the Woodstocks have it as well; Maybe I can save a few of these poor newbs from buying a BK and having to deal with the ash nightmare.

 

[jetsam]

Maybe this will help.
View attachment 176644
To me, the grated ash system is a must-have. I wouldn't have known how indispensable it is if I hadn't stumbled into a used VC stove that had it. It's therefore incumbent on me to mention that the Woodstocks have it as well; Maybe I can save a few of these poor newbs from buying a BK and having to deal with the ash nightmare.

If you can split wood, you can hopefully also work a tiny shovel?

 

[rdust]

Maybe this will help.
View attachment 176644

 

[rdust]

If you can split wood, you can hopefully also work a tiny shovel?

With the big belly of the Princess you don't have to use a shovel often. I think I've only shoveled a handful of times all season.

 

[Woody Stover]

work a tiny shovel?

No, no, a thousand times no! Been there, done that, not going back. Luckily for you, you're none the wiser.

 

[webby3650]

Maybe this will help.
View attachment 176644
To me, the grated ash system is a must-have. I wouldn't have known how indispensable it is if I hadn't stumbled into a used VC stove that had it. It's therefore incumbent on me to mention that the Woodstocks have it as well; Maybe I can save a few of these poor newbs from buying a BK and having to deal with the ash nightmare.

It is not a nightmare at all! I've had a few dozen stoves around here at different times, each with different ash removal systems, some with none. I much prefer the ash plug system to the grate. I like being in control of ash removal. I had the same opinion as you until I actually tried one. I prefer it, hands down...

 

[webby3650]

Dutchwest is owned by VC

VC purchased the Dutchwest line because it was a cat competitor that was making a superior heater. It's a very reliable stove, and the price is right. They really haven't changed anything major since its acquisition.

 

[kennyp2339]

Everything - I heart my princess!!

 

[Woody Stover]

I much prefer the ash plug system to the grate. I like being in control of ash removal.

I don't know what you're talking about with "being in control of ash removal." With the Dutchwest and Keystone, the ashes stay in the stove until you actively move them with a poker, then they fall through. You could have 'em a foot deep in the box if you wanted. Maybe some stove you had was different. The Buck has an ash dump. It has a hinged lid, so no plug to mess with, and a big dump opening. It certainly beats shoveling 'em out, but nowhere near as easy as a grate and takes way longer, trying to save the coals and all that bull. Plug? No, thanks.

 

[begreen]

Had a good grate system, now have an ash plug, and in the end I just let the ash accumulate in both of them. Personally I like low maintenance and clean the ash out of our stove about once every other month during shoulder season and once a month during the coldest weather. The ashes get cleaned out with a good ash shovel. This is partly due to the wood we burn which by choice is mostly doug fir. It's simple, it's quick and I have it down so that it is quite dust free. Strong draft helps that.

 

[Parallax]

Can't speak to any stove other than the Blaze King. It's the only one I've owned. But I wanted to chime in just the same to say that Blaze King's customer service is outstanding. Before buying my stove, I was on the phone with Lopi and steered clear because they really weren't interested in addressing some concerns I'd read about here.

The challenge we've had with our stove has more to do with location and draft. It's such an efficient stove, there's a tendency to leakage of wood smoke into the house if the draft is a challenge. More so than with non-cats because it creates a lot of smoke at relatively low temperatures. We've mostly overcome those problems now but not without tremendous effort. It didn't help that we chose a dealer who had little experience with these stoves. They tried hard but, down the road, I brought in someone who knew wood stoves inside and out and he was able to diagnose what was wrong in one fell swoop, whereas our dealer had struggled for months to figure out what the heck was going on. So I recommend making sure your dealer knows the trade and the stove real well.

 

[Woody Stover]

I brought in someone who knew wood stoves inside and out and he was able to diagnose what was wrong in one fell swoop

Who was that, a local sweep? How did he fix it?

 

[mellow]

If VC had kept up development on their stoves instead of getting resold every year and perfected the bimetallic controls they would be right up there with BK now in terms of quality and long burn times.

VC was a good stove line that was plagued with horrible management, now they are too far gone to make a comeback. BK has solid service and a good dealer network with stoves that live up to the hype.

 

[Parallax]

Who was that, a local sweep? How did he fix it?

Yes, a local sweep. A guy in Skagit County. If you want his name and number, send me a PM.

He replaced the cap with one that doesn't clog and doesn't allow downdrafts and he replaced the door gasket. There's still a tiny bit of smell. I've called him and hope he'll come back and take another look. It seems like my installation requires the door gasket be particularly tight.