Vermont Castings Vigilant okay for 650 Sq ft?

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Pilinka

New Member
Aug 15, 2025
2
Chase BC Canada
Hi there, I am looking for a wood stove to heat my one bedroom cabin. I live in the southern interior of BC Canada and during the winter it can sometimes get down to minus 25 (minus 13 Fahrenheit). I found a second hand Vigilant stove for 1500$ Canadian, but I am wondering if it is too big for my space. Thoughts?
 
It depends on how tight and insulated the cabin is. If it is leaky and uninsulated then it might be ok, otherwise it will be too much. The Vigilant could put out serious heat. However, that is a high price for a 45 yr old stove unless it has been recently rebuilt. Consider a new Drolet Spark or Deco Nano instead.
 
Thanks for your reply! My place is a new build and will be very well insulated with R 40 roof and R 22 walls. So - yeah - I guess it is too big. I am not very fond of the design of the Drolets, but I suppose it might be my best bet, and they are more affordable. I was hoping to find a second hand stove, but all the ones I see for sale around here are for larger spaces.
 
Seems like a perfect application for a Jotul 602, or the Waterford / Scandia versions! Plenty of stove for 650 sq-ft, and there seems to be a lot of them on the used market (locally I’ve seen them from Free to $800, depending on condition).
 
Thanks for your reply! My place is a new build and will be very well insulated with R 40 roof and R 22 walls. So - yeah - I guess it is too big. I am not very fond of the design of the Drolets, but I suppose it might be my best bet, and they are more affordable. I was hoping to find a second hand stove, but all the ones I see for sale around here are for larger spaces.
If under 1,000 sq ft, it won't take much at all to heat the place. Wood heat might end up being too much if the cabin is a lot smaller.