Starting to Shop for Small Stove - Jotul F602 V2?

[Clarkbug]

Good Morning everyone.

We are looking to do some home renovating in the next year or so, and part of our plan is to add a small wood stove into our living area near the kitchen. Would like to make a cozy space where we can feel the heat and enjoy the ambiance of the fire.

Since the stove wouldn't be the primary source of heat, I am not worried about it burning all night long or anything along those lines, mostly just trying to fit it into a space that we have yet to create. Looking on the smaller end of the stove spectrum so it doesn't heat us out of the space, I'm leaning towards a Jotul F602 V2. That's just one of the names I was aware of, and they seem to be a pretty well known quantity, so to speak.

We are just starting the process of getting our plans together, so I wanted to see if there were any other stove recommendations that are in that same size/class. We would need to build some sort of a hearth, which is also up for discussion. For the chimney, its a straight vertical run off the top of the stove, and would probably look to go double wall inside for reduced clearances, and then triple wall after the ceiling box and onto the roof.

I haven't started talking to dealers or anything yet, but wanted to see if there were any others in the same class I should look at or be sure to avoid.

Thanks!

 

[agonyzhou]

Good Morning everyone.

We are looking to do some home renovating in the next year or so, and part of our plan is to add a small wood stove into our living area near the kitchen. Would like to make a cozy space where we can feel the heat and enjoy the ambiance of the fire.

Since the stove wouldn't be the primary source of heat, I am not worried about it burning all night long or anything along those lines, mostly just trying to fit it into a space that we have yet to create. Looking on the smaller end of the stove spectrum so it doesn't heat us out of the space, I'm leaning towards a Jotul F602 V2. That's just one of the names I was aware of, and they seem to be a pretty well known quantity, so to speak.

We are just starting the process of getting our plans together, so I wanted to see if there were any other stove recommendations that are in that same size/class. We would need to build some sort of a hearth, which is also up for discussion. For the chimney, its a straight vertical run off the top of the stove, and would probably look to go double wall inside for reduced clearances, and then triple wall after the ceiling box and onto the roof.

I haven't started talking to dealers or anything yet, but wanted to see if there were any others in the same class I should look at or be sure to avoid.

Thanks!

I also want to add a small stove to my house. My objective is rather to find the stove that occupy the smallest space, not really the smallest stove. For example the Jotul F602 V2 is very small indeed, but it requires a very large clearance area, so the total space the hearth will occupy is not small at all. Right now I am leaning toward something in 1.5~1.8 cubic feet range with a small clearance requirement.

 

[Todd]

I like my little 602, looks great and very easy to operate. Other stoves to look at are the small Morso squirrel stoves.

 

[ManitobaSky]

The Pacific Energy Vista or Alderlea T4 would also be a nice fit and has good clearance numbers. The more square nature of the stove would also give you a better view of the fire then a narrow deep stove.

 

[SpaceBus]

Ever considered a wood cookstove?

 

[EbS-P]

I think the 602 can check a lot of boxes. One it doesn’t is the size of the glass or fire view. Is a cooktop a must for you? I would look at more convective stove as they have smaller clearances. And unless you want a single room heater don’t go smaller than 1 cu ft and make sure it can fit an 16+” split unless you plan on cutting your own firewood. Just quantify clearances differences between convective jacketed stoves and radiant cast iron stoves here the the PE Neo 1.6 vs the 602. I do think deciding how the stove will vent is important (it may not matter to you but I might for the stove).
Evan

 

[agonyzhou]

The Pacific Energy Vista or Alderlea T4 would also be a nice fit and has good clearance numbers. The more square nature of the stove would also give you a better view of the fire then a narrow deep stove.

The quadrafire 2100 Millennium only need 5 inches of back side clearance compared to 8 inches from PE vista. It is 3 inch deeper so the door will end up at the same position. You save 2 inches in width and one in height. I am still trying to find something even smaller.

 

[Clarkbug]

You guys have given me a lot to start looking at. Thank you!

I like my little 602, looks great and very easy to operate. Other stoves to look at are the small Morso squirrel stoves.

There is a Morso dealer not too far away. I think I would have to consider the 2B, mostly because I dont want to cut 12" wood... That seems way too small to try and deal with all the time for me, especially since Ill still be processing some for my wood boiler.

The Pacific Energy Vista or Alderlea T4 would also be a nice fit and has good clearance numbers. The more square nature of the stove would also give you a better view of the fire then a narrow deep stove.

My father has a PE stove, so Im somewhat familiar with the name. The bigger window is pretty nice. I guess we will need to figure out if we want to have the stove in the middle of the space, or a corner install.

Ever considered a wood cookstove?

We had thought about one, but really werent looking to cook on our stove. (I should have clarified, the kitchen renovation is going to free up the space for a stove, but cooking isnt the primary goal) I would like to be able to do so in the event of a power outage, but werent planning on cooking with it full time. From my limited reading, I thought most cookers made poor heaters (if thats what you wanted them for). I did see the bread baker stove that looked interesting, but that seems expensive for what you get.

I think the 602 can check a lot of boxes. One it doesn’t is the size of the glass or fire view. Is a cooktop a must for you? I would look at more convective stove as they have smaller clearances. And unless you want a single room heater don’t go smaller than 1 cu ft and make sure it can fit an 16+” split unless you plan on cutting your own firewood. Just quantify clearances differences between convective jacketed stoves and radiant cast iron stoves here the the PE Neo 1.6 vs the 602. I do think deciding how the stove will vent is important (it may not matter to you but I might for the stove).
Evan
View attachment 269130View attachment 269129

Thanks for that insight! I looked at a 602 in person today, and it is smaller than I was picturing. A cooktop is not a must for us, just a nice to have. I do cut my own wood, so thats not an issue, but I do agree I want the 16" split availability. The venting will be a straight up affair for me, so shouldnt be too much of an issue from that standpoint. Im early enough on that we can figure out a lot of our layout still.

quadrafire 2100 Millennium

I hadnt really looked at any Quadrafire stoves, but I do like the low rear clearance. Thanks for the info!


Im also tempted to take a road trip to visit this guy: https://vermont.craigslist.org/for/d/chesterfield-woodstovejotul-hearthstone/7228616063.html (NOTE: I am not affiliated with this guy nor trying to shill or make a sale. Mods, if you want me to remove the link I am happy to do so) He has a lot of stoves for sale!

 

[St. Coemgen]

I thought most cookers made poor heaters (if thats what you wanted them for).

Well, it depends. On the stove, the type of cooker, the manufacturer, etc. etc. etc.

For example, our La Nordica Rosella Plus Forno has an integrated oven and is great heater. In fact, it will over heat the house if I let it. Our stove only has a single hot plate on top, but I really do not cook with that as I do not want splattering grease over my stove. I use that hot plate only as a hot water heater when electricity goes out (coffee, etc). Similar stove top models from this same company I suspect are equally good heaters as they share the same basic technology. But good cookers and heater combos are not inexpensive.

 

[peakbagger]

One of the rare ones in that photo is the Jotul 606. Its basically a 602 on the bottom with extra heat transfer area added in the arch area. They are super efficient but rare. They need dry wood and throw out a lot heat quickly. The trade off is they work really well in grabbing whatever heat is going out to the stack so stack temps are low, if you try to idle them overnight they can creosote up quickly. I dont have experience with the Morso Squirrels but expect they have the same issue. They both were designed for quick heat and then let them burn out, stuff them full of wood and crank down the air to try to get an all night burn and you are asking for creosote. The burn plates on the Jotul 606s are the same as the 602s so they are readily available

 

[SpaceBus]

One of the rare ones in that photo is the Jotul 606. Its basically a 602 on the bottom with extra heat transfer area added in the arch area. They are super efficient but rare. They need dry wood and throw out a lot heat quickly. The trade off is they work really well in grabbing whatever heat is going out to the stack so stack temps are low, if you try to idle them overnight they can creosote up quickly. I dont have experience with the Morso Squirrels but expect they have the same issue. They both were designed for quick heat and then let them burn out, stuff them full of wood and crank down the air to try to get an all night burn and you are asking for creosote. The burn plates on the Jotul 606s are the same as the 602s so they are readily available

A modern equivalent that was 2015 EPA Certified is the Morso 2b Classic. It has the big arch and is a bit bigger than a 602 but smaller than a 118.

 

[SpaceBus]

We had thought about one, but really werent looking to cook on our stove. (I should have clarified, the kitchen renovation is going to free up the space for a stove, but cooking isnt the primary goal) I would like to be able to do so in the event of a power outage, but werent planning on cooking with it full time. From my limited reading, I thought most cookers made poor heaters (if thats what you wanted them for). I did see the bread baker stove that looked interesting, but that seems expensive for what you get.

I have a wood cookstove and a Morso 2b Classic. The Morso takes an 18" split and the cooker takes a 16" split, I just cut everything to 16". I assumed your hydronic heater and storage were carrying the load and the stove would be for ambiance and supplemental heat. My cookstove puts out a bit less BTU into the room than the Morso, but they are rated at similar outputs. The Morso is a better heater of course, but the Cookstove has plenty of ambiance and I love cooking on it. There are several well reviewed modern cookstoves that don't smoke like crazy and are a pleasure to cook on. I've worked in food service and cook almost every day at home and I prefer the wood cookstove over smooth cooktop gas, open flame gas, electric glasstop, and resistive electric. I've never used an induction top, but most folks that have still prefer wood cookstoves. If you don't cook, then it totally isn't worth the higher up front cost. For what it's worth my wood cooker than carry the heat load of the house in the shoulder season, and sometimes even warm the house enough to go overnight, but usually we rely on the Morso for real heat. The Morso is also much more radiant and a bit more efficient as well, so it makes the house feel more comfortable. Another bonus of the cookstove is that some can also heat domestic hot water, and that's part of why mine does not heat the house as much.

 

[Clarkbug]

Well, it depends. On the stove, the type of cooker, the manufacturer, etc. etc. etc.

For example, our La Nordica Rosella Plus Forno has an integrated oven and is great heater. In fact, it will over heat the house if I let it. Our stove only has a single hot plate on top, but I really do not cook with that as I do not want splattering grease over my stove. I use that hot plate only as a hot water heater when electricity goes out (coffee, etc). Similar stove top models from this same company I suspect are equally good heaters as they share the same basic technology. But good cookers and heater combos are not inexpensive.

Of course, I knew I was generalizing, but really had not looked into it much. Im not familiar with La Nordica, and it doesnt look like they are super easy to come by here. The internet tells me there is an importer in NJ that can sell me some of them, but I worry about parts availability down the road. That said, they do have some models that look really nice. Thank you for the suggestion.

One of the rare ones in that photo is the Jotul 606. Its basically a 602 on the bottom with extra heat transfer area added in the arch area. They are super efficient but rare. They need dry wood and throw out a lot heat quickly. The trade off is they work really well in grabbing whatever heat is going out to the stack so stack temps are low, if you try to idle them overnight they can creosote up quickly. I dont have experience with the Morso Squirrels but expect they have the same issue. They both were designed for quick heat and then let them burn out, stuff them full of wood and crank down the air to try to get an all night burn and you are asking for creosote. The burn plates on the Jotul 606s are the same as the 602s so they are readily available

I havent ever heard of that model, but makes sense that it can throw a lot of heat. I wouldnt try to crank it down, the idea would be to burn it when we are awake in the same room/nearby, so it would hopefully not have an issue with creosote. The dry wood might be a problem since I havent started working on a supply for next year yet, which is never good.

I have a wood cookstove and a Morso 2b Classic. The Morso takes an 18" split and the cooker takes a 16" split, I just cut everything to 16". I assumed your hydronic heater and storage were carrying the load and the stove would be for ambiance and supplemental heat. My cookstove puts out a bit less BTU into the room than the Morso, but they are rated at similar outputs. The Morso is a better heater of course, but the Cookstove has plenty of ambiance and I love cooking on it. There are several well reviewed modern cookstoves that don't smoke like crazy and are a pleasure to cook on. I've worked in food service and cook almost every day at home and I prefer the wood cookstove over smooth cooktop gas, open flame gas, electric glasstop, and resistive electric. I've never used an induction top, but most folks that have still prefer wood cookstoves. If you don't cook, then it totally isn't worth the higher up front cost. For what it's worth my wood cooker than carry the heat load of the house in the shoulder season, and sometimes even warm the house enough to go overnight, but usually we rely on the Morso for real heat. The Morso is also much more radiant and a bit more efficient as well, so it makes the house feel more comfortable. Another bonus of the cookstove is that some can also heat domestic hot water, and that's part of why mine does not heat the house as much.

Thank you for your insight, I really appreciate it. We do cook, and are looking forward to putting in a propane stove as part of our renovation. I think that unless we happened across the right cookstove, I would rather just keep it to a heater.

The more I look at various options, the more I think it might be better to just go with something new instead of looking for a used unit. I think I want something that can take a 16" log, and probably is non-cat. I do like the looks of the VC Aspen C3, but I see thats a cat stove. I guess I need to poke around and get myself down to a short list of stoves to compare. You have all been helpful in putting out some good ideas to get me started.

 

[peakbagger]

You can look at bio bricks for heat. If you have access to woods, you can occasionally find standing dead wood or trees that have fallen over up off the ground. Pallets are another source.

 

[Clarkbug]

You can look at bio bricks for heat. If you have access to woods, you can occasionally find standing dead wood or trees that have fallen over up off the ground. Pallets are another source.

Thanks Peakbagger. I have some property with some standing dead on it that I can probably work up this winter and should be in good shape for next fall if I stack it loose in a single row. I figure that I wouldnt need more than a few cords to feed the little stove. My boiler on the other hand is a little hungrier, so that will take some more planning...

 

[Todd]

Of course, I knew I was generalizing, but really had not looked into it much. Im not familiar with La Nordica, and it doesnt look like they are super easy to come by here. The internet tells me there is an importer in NJ that can sell me some of them, but I worry about parts availability down the road. That said, they do have some models that look really nice. Thank you for the suggestion.



I havent ever heard of that model, but makes sense that it can throw a lot of heat. I wouldnt try to crank it down, the idea would be to burn it when we are awake in the same room/nearby, so it would hopefully not have an issue with creosote. The dry wood might be a problem since I havent started working on a supply for next year yet, which is never good.



Thank you for your insight, I really appreciate it. We do cook, and are looking forward to putting in a propane stove as part of our renovation. I think that unless we happened across the right cookstove, I would rather just keep it to a heater.

The more I look at various options, the more I think it might be better to just go with something new instead of looking for a used unit. I think I want something that can take a 16" log, and probably is non-cat. I do like the looks of the VC Aspen C3, but I see thats a cat stove. I guess I need to poke around and get myself down to a short list of stoves to compare. You have all been helpful in putting out some good ideas to get me started.

The VC Aspen isn't a cat stove. It is controlled by a thermostat and has no manual air controls, just load the wood in, close the door and walk away. Not sure if I like the idea of no manual control but it may be a good option for you. The clearances are nice and tight as well so it would have a small foot print.

 

[moresnow]

There is a review on the VC Aspen C3 on the other site that was updated yesterday. Worth a look.

 

[Clarkbug]

The VC Aspen isn't a cat stove. It is controlled by a thermostat and has no manual air controls, just load the wood in, close the door and walk away. Not sure if I like the idea of no manual control but it may be a good option for you. The clearances are nice and tight as well so it would have a small foot print.

Interesting. I looked at the parts manual and saw a "Dog Box Combustion Assembly" and assumed that was just a fancy name for the cat. Then I saw a listing for the cat warranty in the manual and assumed that it had one.

There is a review on the VC Aspen C3 on the other site that was updated yesterday. Worth a look.

Other site?

 

[begreen]

The more I look at various options, the more I think it might be better to just go with something new instead of looking for a used unit. I think I want something that can take a 16" log, and probably is non-cat. I do like the looks of the VC Aspen C3, but I see thats a cat stove. I guess I need to poke around and get myself down to a short list of stoves to compare. You have all been helpful in putting out some good ideas to get me started.

The Aspen C3 is not a cat stove. Calling @Corie to the front desk for an explanation of the combustion process.

 

[Clarkbug]

The Aspen C3 is not a cat stove. Calling @Corie to the front desk for an explanation of the combustion process.

Thanks begreen. This is why Im coming to ask stuff. Always learn a little bit more with each post!

 

[St. Coemgen]

Im not familiar with La Nordica, and it doesnt look like they are super easy to come by here.

Ooops! Sorry. My bad for not being clear. I was not suggesting a La Nordica. I was simply saying that cookers can be very efficient at heating as well. We also considered an Esse for a while as they are also reported to be excellent heaters as well as cookers. And, no, I am not recommending the Esse either.... as they may also not be local to you.

In fact, our stove was actually a special order, and had to be shipped from Italy just for us (also no local dealers). Delivered to the "curb". The thing is very heavy. Tall. And top heavy. Bringing up the hill to our house took my tractor. And bringing it up the stairs took a bit of 4000 year old technology of tilt, stick something under it to snooch it up a bit higher till it is at the next step level, move over to the step. Lather, rinse, repeat.... over and over and over again. Then some more 4000 year old technology using wooden dowels under planks to roll it into place. All had to be done while not damaging the loose inserted (to allow for heat expansion) tile sides.

 

[Clarkbug]

The Aspen C3 is not a cat stove. Calling @Corie to the front desk for an explanation of the combustion process.

Im a little sad to have not heard from Corie as of yet. Went to look at a C3 in person and it seems like a well made unit. Will be doing some more looking to see about the no-air-adjustment thing. I sometimes have wood that isn't super dry, and would worry about it causing a problem.

 

[begreen]

Looks like thermostatic air control on the secondary. I've seen a couple videos and it seems to burn nicely. In both they were seeing 9-10 hr burns.
Any new stove is going to want fully seasoned wood for the best burn. I'd love to try one of these stoves.

 

[Clarkbug]

Thanks begreen. I know seasoned wood is always preferred, but just know that sometimes I fall short of that ideal. It does look like a nice unit, and Ill have to try and look a little bit more at them.

I am probably going to have a relatively short chimney (maybe 15'?), so hopefully that wont cause any issues. Thinking I may want a key damper in there also just to have it if I need it.

 

[SpaceBus]

Looks like thermostatic air control on the secondary. I've seen a couple videos and it seems to burn nicely. In both they were seeing 9-10 hr burns.
Any new stove is going to want fully seasoned wood for the best burn. I'd love to try one of these stoves.

That is a handsome little stove! I'm impressed with the 9-10hr burns. Sometimes I wish we had taken the gamble and gone with the Dauntless instead of the Morso, but we were too nervous after our adventure with the broken Defiant.