US Stove/Logwood Cast Iron

[Longknife]

I got some Tractor Supply gift cards for Christmas and figured I'd browse the Boxing Day flyer (traditionally big shopping/sale day up here)o since I still have unused TSC gift cards from last year and this might be a good time to use them up.

Anyway, I noticed they have a little cast EPA woodstove on sale for $350 (Cdn). Heck, even the little tin stoves for ice shacks etc. run $100+ usually.

Anyway, I looked it and it seems it's a widely distributed stove at all the big box stores. Not a lot of positive reviews, but many seem to need to be taken with a grain a salt. The more credible negative reviews seem to be either about broken castings in the box (easy return) or cheap/missing assembly hardware (which I can also deal with).

Anyway, I'm really just curious as I have no current need for a new stove, but I'd like to hear from any of the credible wood burners here that might have some experience with it.

I built a small shop last year that I plan on insulating/heating soon(ish) and this might be good bang for the buck. I'm also thinking of building a good sized tree house/cabin (for the kids of course). I also noticed Costco sells it for $20 more (regular price) with free delivery, and of course those worry free Costco return options.

Thoughts?

(broken link removed to https://www.usstove.com/product/900-sq-ft-logwood-stove/)

 

[begreen]

Not a great stove at all. Casting quality is poor and inconsistent and there is no air control. It might be ok for a cheap shop heater but definitely not something for a kid's play area.

 

[Longknife]

Not a great stove at all. Casting quality is poor and inconsistent and there is no air control. It might be ok for a cheap shop heater but definitely not something for a kid's play area.

By kids paly area, I kind of meant dad's escape cabin...

Regardless though, no air control is a deal breaker. I'm guessing that is required to meet EPA standards....

Pity, it could have potential at that price point.

 

[begreen]

You'd be much happier spending a few hundred bucks more on a mid-sized Century, Englander, Drolet, etc. And they all have a nice fireview.

 

[Longknife]

True, I do like glass. The little cast iron stove just piqued my interest is all. That's remarkably cheap.

I will eventually be in the market for a small stove for the previously mentioned reason(s). I've never looked at mid-to-small sized stoves before.

I fairly resigned to the idea that a Drolet HT2000 will be my next big stove if/when my current See-Fire gets tired.

 

[moresnow]

Run away! Buddy put one in his shop a year or two ago. It was retired almost immediately. Nooooo good! How they sell these is beyond me. As mentioned, zero air control. Mostly because of all the unsealed/poor fitting components.

Take a peek at the Century S244. Nifty little stove that makes great heat. Plenty of others to select from.

 

[Jan Pijpelink]

I had one, big mistake. Don't do it.

 

[darktower007]

No air control seems pretty scary. Could lead to over firing pretty easy.


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[Woody Stover]

Get a real stove, then use the TSC cards to buy compressed wood bricks to burn since you probably have no dry wood..

 

[webby3650]

You can pick up a solid used stove for that price easy. Save your money, total piece of crap!

 

[Hogwildz]

There is a reason it is so cheap.

 

[Ludlow]

I would only use that in a cement block cement floor area and only burn small fires in it. Wouldnt put any trust in it.

 

[Longknife]

Get a real stove, then use the TSC cards to buy compressed wood bricks to burn since you probably have no dry wood..

Huh? What am I missing?

Everyone's comments have only confirmed what I could have guessed. I suppose I was only hoping it was hidden gem or something.

 

[Ashful]

Huh? What am I missing?

Ignore Woody’s snarky comments. He thinks he is funny.

You’re burning another stove already, and have been a member here for more than two years, I assume you’ve heard the dry wood thing by now. Two years is sufficient to dry most wood species, excepting the most dense hardwoods.

 

[SteveKG]

I was given one some years ago, used but in almost original shape. Almost new, actually. I cannot guarantee it was this exact one. Anyway, I wanted it to burn in my greenhouse only on extremely cold nights—just keep my plants alive overnight, nothing more. I disassembled it, reassembled trying to caulk all the seams, etc. I was quite careful, trying to cut down on the air infiltration from numerous areas which made it difficult to control the burn.

After one winter, I gave up, hauled it to the county landfill metal-recycling. Gave it to a guy there who was helping me pull it off the truck and was drooling over it.

My burning experience was that it was virtually impossible to control the burn enough to make it reasonable to use, even in a greenhouse. It would burn like crazy, and I'd have to be shoving wood into it quite often, could not get it "set" to burn at a given rate.

At least I only had a bunch of labor and stove cement into it. I cannot recommend it even for a weekend shack.

 

[Hogwildz]

It's a glorified plant stand, that's about it's full usefulness.

 

[begreen]

The non-EPA predecessor has a crude slider air control on the ashlip. With a thorough sealing of all joints, some filing/grinding down crude fittings and a door gasket, that beast can be made to burn somewhat predictably. We had a fellow that did this and reported he was able to get predictable burn cycles. But the EPA version eliminated the air control and just has a damper on the flue collar making it virtually uncontrollable. Regardless, one is at the mercy of cheap, dubious quality castings. Over the years there have been reports of legs falling off, sudden cracking, etc. This is not something you want to have in your house.

 

[mellow]

You would be better off going to Home Depot and getting a 17-VL

 

[Woody Stover]

Ignore Woody’s snarky comments. He thinks he is funny.
You’re burning another stove already, and have been a member here for more than two years, I assume you’ve heard the dry wood thing by now. Two years is sufficient to dry most wood species, excepting the most dense hardwoods.

Right he is; I'm kind of a wise-ass, and the only one that's usually laughing is me.
Nevertheless, the last thing you want is to have that stove in your kids' tree house, and then give them dry wood! If you do that, at least make sure they have parachutes, and know how to use them.

 

[Ashful]

Right he is; I'm kind of a wise-ass, and the only one that's usually laughing is me.

Now, THAT made me laugh! Merry Christmas, Woody!

Nevertheless, the last thing you want is to have that stove in your kids' tree house, and then give them dry wood! If you do that, at least make sure they have parachutes, and know how to use them.

Well-said.

 

[Longknife]

Ignore Woody’s snarky comments. He thinks he is funny.

You’re burning another stove already, and have been a member here for more than two years, I assume you’ve heard the dry wood thing by now. Two years is sufficient to dry most wood species, excepting the most dense hardwoods.

I suppose I had generously given the benefit of the doubt that that was not the intent as this forum generally seems to be free of ignorant and unwarranted smarminess. I completely understand the pain of constantly having to deal with the inexperience and myths that are widespread out there with regards to wood burning, however, if my original post seemed to convey some kind of hapless inexperience, he would be mistaken. Call it hopeful optimism that perhaps I was missing something with this little stove, which before now, I was ignorant of as I don't pay much attention to smaller wood burning appliances.

Outside of my time living in military barracks, I have been burning wood my entire life, including as an exclusive source of heat for the last 7 years for 3600 sq/ft of living space. With a stove that has a 5 - 7 cord a year appetite over those recent years, I'd like to think I've learned a thing or two over time.

 

[kennyp2339]

Right he is; I'm kind of a wise-ass, and the only one that's usually laughing is me.
Nevertheless, the last thing you want is to have that stove in your kids' tree house, and then give them dry wood! If you do that, at least make sure they have parachutes, and know how to use them.

Man you use more emojis than my 8 year old niece

 

[Longknife]

Right he is; I'm kind of a wise-ass, and the only one that's usually laughing is me.
Nevertheless, the last thing you want is to have that stove in your kids' tree house, and then give them dry wood! If you do that, at least make sure they have parachutes, and know how to use them.

I can see how my original statement about it being burner for a kid's tree house could illicit some unfavorable reactions.

 

[Longknife]

After hearing more about this stove, I'm amazed they can get away with selling something like this in this day and age.

 

[IRJ]

I assume most of the replied members never owned or used an US Stove 900 and just reflected their own opinions like cars they never drive. As a starter, I bought an US Stove 900 in early 2021 from Home Depot. It is labeled EPA certified and legally sold. I have a 2000+sf two-story home and was originally looking for a stove fitting in my existing fireplace. Turned out most of the wood burning stoves wouldn't fit or they just cost too much in the thousands for a 2000 sf home.

The only one that fit and reasonably priced is the US Stove 900. It is being sold in many places, indicating that they are quite popular. After bring it home, the set-up was straight-forward and the cast iron assembly was quite sturdy. Nonetheless, it was heavy to move around. Fitting the stove pipe was the most critical part in setting up a wood burning stove. And it turned out the more expensive parts were the pipes and adapters.

This is my first winter season I will use wood stove instead of electric radiant heater. So for a few more weeks I learned how to start the fire and control the draft to keep the fire going. Many above talked about air control like automatic window openers in modern cars. I believe most of them don't know what they are talking about. I have no problem with "hand crank" windows in a car. So this traditional cast iron stove has no problem keeping the fire going and smoke drafting up the stove pipe and chimney if the air drafting is controlled via the amount of door opening. I never had issue with smoke since the air circulation will suck smoke up the chimney. The stove keeps the logs burning and heating out with a heat activated fan. This works like a charm and eventually the whole house is nice and comfortable. To me those large size stoves are probably over-rated (and over-priced).

Many fancied a push button wood burning stove like a 8 year old kid in a tree house. No, not knowing how to use a wood burning stove does not mean needing to bad mouth about it if you haven't used one.

No way will I spend $6000 just to have an stove-chimney installer selling me their marked up insert and pipes, besides the already high labor cost. Those stove contractors, just like a car mechanic, or most of the contractors, are there to make money for button pushers like many here. Air controls and dampers, LOL. I spent $400 for the stove itself and then about $200 total for the pipes, fans, and an ash vacuum. Money worth spent and saved from electricity heater. That said, I don't buy cords of firewood like the button pushers. I have timber ranch with unlimited firewood. And did I mention I also have a chainsaw to cut my own woods in the national forests with permit?