Steel stoves with a full ash grate?

[tsh2002]

Hello:

We are looking for a wood stove for a new home to be a backup heat source. I have done quite a bit of research and I have also talked to 4 dealers in our area.

I believe we are pretty much set on a steel based unit because of the following reasons: quicker heatup times when getting home in the evening, possibly using it to cook on occasionally, and I like the fact it doesn't have sections (that cast iron has) that are sealed together that may eventually require maintenance.

Unfortunately, none of the steel stoves I have looked at (Pacific Energy, Vermont Castings, Regency, etc) have a full ash grate at the bottom, which we would prefer. Most of the ones with steel fireboxes have just a small trap door at the bottom, or no door at all. Those that have the trap door also seem to recommend using fire bricks on the bottom, too. All of the ones I have seen so far that have a full ash grate, are made of cast iron and not steel. Is there a particular reason for this?

So far I have not been able to find a good brand or line of stoves that has this. Does anybody know of a brand or line that has these features? I have looked online, however it is difficult to weed out the cheap retail brands. And, I'm disappointed at the literature on many that just don't say what they have. There's plenty of marketing terms and other highlights, but they leave out details like this.

Thanks for your help!

Chris

 

[begreen]

The Woodstock Ideal and Absolute Steel stoves have a grate.

 

[Woody Stover]

Jotul Rangeley has a grate but I haven't heard how good it is...some grates don't work all that grate. I don't know if the top of the stove is the top of the firebox, or a jacket, so I don't know how well you could cook on it..?
From the brands you mentioned, I'm guessing you aren't interested in cat stoves? The Woodstock grates are great for the most part, their hybrid stoves are welded steel boxes with grates, and their stoves are probably the best overall hybrid or cats out there. I might be biased, but that comes from previous experience with them.
That said, the mighty Buck 91 had an ash dump which was very usable, even for someone like me who was long ago spoiled on the grate systems. It had a flip-up lid which I lifted with a poker. The opening was about 3.5"x5.5" so it was plenty roomy. It was on the left floor of the box, so with the edge of a shovel I swept ash and coals left, over the ash dump lid, then skimmed the coals to the right to save them. Then opened the dump lid and swept the ashes down. My point is, don't discount non-grated stoves; With a good system, they can be workable. Just me, but there's no way I'm shoveling if I don't have to..

 

[HomeinPA]

Ash dumps, ash grates.... they're over-rated in my opinion. I quite using my ash dump about the second time because it's so small and half of the ash ends up on the bottom of the shelf. Not to mention the pan was hot and tricky to handle when carrying across the carpet or up the basement steps. We shovel ours out the front into a metal can on a noncombustible hearth and throw them out once every week or 10 days.

 

[jotul8e2]

I believe we are pretty much set on a steel based unit because of the following reasons: quicker heatup times when getting home in the evening, possibly using it to cook on occasionally, and I like the fact it doesn't have sections (that cast iron has) that are sealed together that may eventually require maintenance.

Trade-offs. There are always trade-offs.

I agree absolutely about the relative lack of maintenance with steel stoves. The only real complaint I have about steel is that even the briefest, most glancing touch will leave a burn. Cast iron does not transfer heat as fast to unprotected skin, and soapstone is even slower.

There are non-steel stoves with a cooking surface.

"Quicker heatup"? This will range from a non-factor to a trivial factor. I run two stoves, one steel, one cast iron, and often have to start them from cold. The difference in time to operating temperature is inconsequential at most. The size of the splits, the moisture content, and the species of wood will all be a bigger factor in how long it takes than the choice of iron or steel. Remember that a steel stove will have lots of firebrick which heats at a rate more nearly comparable to soapstone than anything.

I like grates and ash pans too. I haven't the patience to shovel the ashes in my Englander down that little opening, so I don't. Ash removal with my Oslo is sometimes a bit messy, but it is nothing compared to shoveling out the Englander.

 

[tsh2002]

Thank you for the replies so far, very very helpful. I had seen the Woodstock Ideal Steel and unfortunately the wife didn't like its appearance much. We're mainly looking for a simple steel model with the features mentioned. Low and behold, she somehow by chance found the Kuma Ashwood, which so far seems about what we are looking for. Buck is another brand mentioned here which we will look at as well. Sounds like there are some other brands that we can start to look at a little further.

I did take note about the fire brick in the steel stoves and similar heatup times with iron.

Thanks again so far. This gives me some more leads to keep looking, we really appreciate it!

Chris

 

[Woody Stover]

Ash dumps, ash grates.... they're over-rated in my opinion. I quite using my ash dump about the second time because it's so small and half of the ash ends up on the bottom of the shelf. Not to mention the pan was hot and tricky to handle when carrying across the carpet or up the basement steps. We shovel ours out the front into a metal can on a noncombustible hearth and throw them out once every week or 10 days.

That's my point; An ash dump opening has to be big enough or it becomes a lot of work. A grate is much less work than any dump.
I always pull the ash pan when it's cool, not right after I've dumped a bunch of hot embers into it. I still need a glove but it's not very hot.
The thing about shoveling is I don't like having to work at trying to keep the ash going into the stove door. You really need to have a good draft to keep the ash going into the door. It has to be cold outside, or you need a warm stove..that's when you get the hot pan or bucket. And some ash always escapes, it's pretty much unavoidable.
Shoveling 'em out? No thanks..