Trouble shopping for wood stove

[LEasterwood]

Hi All,
We are in the process of building a great room addition and want to install a wood stove. We have been heating our home with a wood stove for 25 years now so we are very familiar with using them and what we want. However, finding a model in a store that we can actually touch and feel before purchasing is next to impossible. We live in Michigan so you would think it would be easy to shop for these. But all of the typical big box stores either do not have them in stock or have very little in stock which means buying something sight unseen and hoping for the best.... this makes us extremely nervous. There are a few fireplace stores in the state but they only carry the most expensive models. We aren't cheap but don't have a ton of money to spend on this. We're looking for a middle of the road model that's obviously well made, and dependable, and will last for years to come but not cost thousands of dollars. I feel like a big box store is our best bet but again they have none in stock to look at. Our specs: No cast iron, steel unit that can take at least a 20" log with a 2.4 to 3.0 cft capacity, and on legs. Unfortunately, this has become a very long, frustrating, and stressful search so any advice on how or where to shop and/or models you recommend would be greatly appreciated!

 

[kborndale]

Check out drolets, they are inexpensive quality stoves.

 

[brenndatomu]

https://www.myfireplaceproducts.com/us/en/heaters/stoves/wood-stoves/db03105/
This is basically Drolets factory store, free shipping too...from South Bend warehouse generally, pretty fast.
$300 more gets you one with a brushed nickel door.

 

[begreen]

The Drolet Escape 1800 or if the desire is to go large, the Drolet HT3000, Legend/Myriad III, or the Escape 2000 will get the job done.

How large will the great room be and how tall is the ceiling? Is this room wide open to the rest of the floor or closed off by a doorway or opening?

 

[brewer69]

We feel your pain, we have been in the market for a new stove for 6 months, after much research we had finally decided on the Blaze King Princess even thou we hadn’t seen one, went to the dealer to order and they happen to have one waiting on delivery , wife seen it and said no way, so back to the drawing board, so hard to buy when you cant put your hands on the stove, now down to the Lopi Liberty and the Blaze King Ashford , which we have been able to see, I can understand why dealers cant keep a large selection on hand in the show room, but its frustrating none the less

 

[LEasterwood]

The Drolet Escape 1800 or if the desire is to go large, the Drolet HT3000, Legend/Myriad III, or the Escape 2000 will get the job done.

How large will the great room be and how tall is the ceiling? Is this room wide open to the rest of the floor or closed off by a doorway or opening?

Thanks for the recommendations. Great room is 18’x24’, it’s a vaulted ceiling that’s 13’ high at the peak where the stove will go. Theres a 14’ wide opening into the rest of the house. No doors. I’ve heard the drolets have issues with the glass wash not working well. Have you noticed any issues like this?

 

[LEasterwood]

We feel your pain, we have been in the market for a new stove for 6 months, after much research we had finally decided on the Blaze King Princess even thou we hadn’t seen one, went to the dealer to order and they happen to have one waiting on delivery , wife seen it and said no way, so back to the drawing board, so hard to buy when you cant put your hands on the stove, now down to the Lopi Liberty and the Blaze King Ashford , which we have been able to see, I can understand why dealers cant keep a large selection on hand in the show room, but its frustrating none the less

 

[LEasterwood]

I had the same reaction when I saw the BK princess.
The drolet seems to be a popular suggestion here. Might want to check it out. Good luck in your search! If I remember, I’ll let you know what we end up with.

 

[begreen]

Thanks for the recommendations. Great room is 18’x24’, it’s a vaulted ceiling that’s 13’ high at the peak where the stove will go. Theres a 14’ wide opening into the rest of the house. No doors.

The 2.4 cu ft Escape 1800 or equivalent Osburn 2000 would suffice. So would the Regency 2400.

I’ve heard the drolets have issues with the glass wash not working well. Have you noticed any issues like this?

No, definitely not. More likely a user error like wet wood.

 

[marty319]

Thanks for the recommendations. Great room is 18’x24’, it’s a vaulted ceiling that’s 13’ high at the peak where the stove will go. Theres a 14’ wide opening into the rest of the house. No doors. I’ve heard the drolets have issues with the glass wash not working well. Have you noticed any issues like this?

Have a friend out here where i live complaining about the dirty glass on his drolet,i asked him if he had a moisture meter and he said wood was at 15%.i went over to his place and he was measuring wood on the end.wood was 26%,issue solved.

 

[Todd]

Do you have an L&M Supply store near you? The one I go to in Hayward WI has about 6 or so Drolet models on display.

 

[begreen]

Also, if some of the wood ends up falling against the glass, it can smudge it.

 

[LEasterwood]

Do you have an L&M Supply store near you? The one I go to in Hayward WI has about 6 or so Drolet models on display.

Hi Todd, unfortunately the nearest L&M store here in Michigan is 250 miles away (in the UP) 😟

 

[Cornelis]

Hi, I am looking for a stove to heat a 1300 sqft drafty house. Like to burn N/S I am looking at the Drolet HT3000 or is the too much stove.
Thanks.

 

[kborndale]

Hi, I am looking for a stove to heat a 1300 sqft drafty house. Like to burn N/S I am looking at the Drolet HT3000 or is the too much stove.
Thanks.

Depends on the floor plan. Is it open or will it be difficult to get heat from the stove room to the other end of the house.

 

[Cornelis]

It is open floor plan with no doors to any room. Living room, 2 bedrooms, kitchen, mudroom and bathroom.

 

[stovelark]

If you like it warm this stove will do the trick, but you could drop down to next size. The good, long burn time, long pieces of wood, simple steel stove to operate. On moderate days, this model might be too much. Drolet offers a lot of value for the money though. Good luck.

 

[Cornelis]

So maybe the escape 1800 is a better choice. Can I still burn N/S.

 

[blades]

Go big, can always burn small loads. when it gets real cold you be glad you have the larger unit.

 

[kborndale]

If it's a drafty house I would go with the larger unit. I'd rather crack a window in shoulder season than have to run the furnace during cold snaps.

 

[Fred B. NJ]

When I bought my Vermont Castings Vigilant there were no retail outlets. You had to buy factory direct or go to Vermont to see them. We also had no Internet yet. I did have a co worker who had one. Other then getting a catalog from VC there was nothing else to go on. Guess I made out OK since I still use the same stove 40+ years later.
Actually, where I live you can't really buy much in the way of big ticket items locally. As a ham radio operator every radio and most accessory's I've bought over the last 50+ years has been site unseen. Wish it were different.

 

[stovelark]

The 1800 is about 1/3 smaller (2.4cuft), I'd think the larger stove is still the better choice. You have the ability for high heat if necessary, like someone said, you can put less wood in. In super cold and if this will be main heater, you'll appreciate the larger stove. Remember too the great room is nearly 2x the area with the ceiling you have. These DROLETs seem pretty popular too, looking online they seem to be a well made stove for the money. Their upper level Osburn sisters are very nice heaters too. Hope your wood is ready. Good luck.

 

[begreen]

Go big, can always burn small loads. when it gets real cold you be glad you have the larger unit.

The HT3000 is a big fellow. It'll work, but will be running partial load a lot of the time. Consider looking out for a good ~2 cu ft stove, and sink some time and money into sealing up and eliminating the drafts. A nice-condition, used Lopi Endeavor, Quad 3100, or PE Super will do the job, all N/S loaders.