When is the best time to buy a new stove?

[elkimmeg]

I think this is the best time to buy. Buying existing left over inventory. A couple factors to take note of , steel prices are rising as is transportation.
In recent days gas pump prices are now near or in the $2.70's per gallon 90 days back they were $2.15 Fuel, heating oil was also around $ 2.00 Now in the $2.60's

Everything we buy is going up due to transportation fuel cost. Last year many rushed and locked in Fuel oil prices at 2.69 to 2.79 fearing it would go to $3.00.
For once the prices went the other way. There will be renewed interest in alternative heating appliances if heating cost remain 270 or above Should we have a hurricane in the gulf cost
$3 will be reached in days.
The time is also now to secure and replenish your wood supplies, stack it in an open sunny location. I only cover it when a real soaking rtain storm is forcasted I leave it uncovered most of the time to allow it to dry out. A little rain usually is ok

 

[babalu87]

When you make up your mind to follow through with it. We put off buying a stove for too long before taking the plunge two years ago. I grew up with wood/coal stoves in the house and wanted one when I built a house but for one reason or another we kept putting it off. Even prior to Katrina hitting I was already looking/researching stoves.
I guess what I am trying to say is the best time is when you decide you want a wood/coal stove. Waiting for a better buy to save a few hundred dollars is a good thing but whenever you decide to follow through with it you will re-coupe the expenses of it , buying at full price will just add a few months to the pay-off.
We paid about $800 for the chimney/thru-wall, I built the hearth pad for about $150.00 and the stove cost $1800.00
I figure we are about even today as the boiler has only run for hot water since the stove was put in. Saving money is always a good but heed these words, especially if the stove is in the living/family room, my father spoke to me when I was talking to him about buying a stove and looking for a bargain.
"Jeff, you are going to be looking at this stove for a long time, make sure you like what you will be sitting across from for the next 10,15,20+ years"

Elk, have you found that wood that gets rained on once in a while seasons better than wood that is covered on top? I cover my piles on the top only and one pile, because of where it is and the way it is covered was getting wet more than the other piles, that wood seems better seasoned that the other wood of the same age. Could the minerals etc in the rain actually help in the drying process? Understood that wood wont dry when it is wet but..........

 

[Todd]

I agree. Now is a good time to start looking for those left over inventory sales. Once the price of oil/gas get up over $3 this summer, stove prices will also jump.

Bab,
Iv'e heard the same thing before about rain helping draw the sap out of wood. Don't know if it's BS or not? I think as long as your 1 year ahead of the game and the wood is stacked properly to get sun and air circulation, it won't hurt to leave it uncovered. If you process your wood in the spring to burn it in the fall, I would cover the top of the pile, but leave some space between the wood and cover for better circulation.

 

[elkimmeg]

what tipped me off was during a dry spell years back the top was soaked with water I believe moisture rising collected under the cover So besides a soaking rain I will start leaving mine off in may all the way to the rainy fall season

Now is the time when deals can be struck. Most dealers are ordering the fall models now and would like to move inventory Aug Sept an Oct are the worst time to buy best time to sell

 

[begreen]

I've done pretty well buying in August. There's nothing like walking in to a fireplace and spa place, in the morning, when it's 85 outside. They seem very eager to make a sale. The hot tub, pool and barbecue season is quickly waning and the stove sales aren't happening yet. You'll get great attention (you could hear a pin drop when I went, only person in the store), and they are eager to make a sale. If you're willing to deal with inventory, the savings can be signifcant. I got the 1200i about $600 below retail, the 3CB and F400 each about 2-300 below.

Then wait until October to sell the old stove. I had the 3CB on Craigslist for 2 days and had to pull the ad, there were so many responses. 1200i was gone in 3 days. Both sold at asking price.

 

[elkimmeg]

I just got word in glass priced are going up soon also fiber glass prices. Expect a couple of increases if demand rises

 

[Todd]

Just heard from one stove store that the prices are going up 3% 1st of April. Crapola!

 

[jjbaer]

I think this is the best time to buy. Buying existing left over inventory. A couple factors to take note of , steel prices are rising as is transportation.
In recent days gas pump prices are now near or in the $2.70's per gallon 90 days back they were $2.15 Fuel, heating oil was also around $ 2.00 Now in the $2.60's

Everything we buy is going up due to transportation fuel cost. Last year many rushed and locked in Fuel oil prices at 2.69 to 2.79 fearing it would go to $3.00.
For once the prices went the other way. There will be renewed interest in alternative heating appliances if heating cost remain 270 or above Should we have a hurricane in the gulf cost
$3 will be reached in days.
The time is also now to secure and replenish your wood supplies, stack it in an open sunny location. I only cover it when a real soaking rtain storm is forcasted I leave it uncovered most of the time to allow it to dry out. A little rain usually is ok

Elk,

Best time to buy is when they're on sale...no pun intended...just hard to determine when they'll be on sale. Who would have ever thought the Woodstove Co. would take $600 off some of their soapstone stoves in late Jan/early Feb like they did???? Others, like Jotul, have somewhat regular sales but you never know...........

 

[HarryBack]

"sales" tend to coincide with the way that the stove co's distribute stoves...often in the early spring, dealers "buy in" to a program, committing to a certain amount of stoves. Since they have to do this, often you will see seasonally low prices on "leftover" stock...done to make room for the new model year units. Right now is a good time.

 

[pulldownclaw]

We just got our chimney relined and we lucked out that the owner of the company has decided to become a Regency dealer. We are getting a fantastic deal on a Hampton HI300 and he's supposed to install today, after the inspection. We had found a good deal from another dealer for the flat black model, but our chimney guy was able to get the Timberline Brown enamel for about the same price! We can't wait to burn baby burn....

 

[webbie]

Each situation is different. Some dealers are proud that they "never discount", so they might have a warehouse full, but still you aren't gonna get a deal - they'd go broke first (and they will) or send them back to the manufacturer. Word is that many dealers just withheld payment this year - in other words, stiffed the makers!

But supply is GREATER than current demand, so if one is flexible in terms of model and brand, and shops around for a bargain (many people don't), then I would agree that a good price can be had now.

 

[Henz]

In my opinion, the best time to buy a stove is before you need it!