Which large insert?

[bowfam]

We are eager to spend our tax return on a new insert for the home we bought recently; the one that came with the house in ancient, and thanks to obnoxious local laws it's illegal to burn in it unless the power's out.

Our house is around 2700sf; we do not aspire to heat the whole place; just the main living spaces. Our winters tend to be on the milder side.

We are considering:
Avalon Olympic- There doesn't seem to be any fault with this one. We like the look well enough.
Ironstrike C260- We like the glass more than the Olympic, but the wood handles more on the Olympic. Small considerations, obviously.
PE Summit- The look doesn't do a whole lot for us but it gets so much love on here...
Osburn 2200- Our wildcard- we really like the bay window and the overall aesthetic. Any opinions on how it would compare with the other, more protruding inserts?

I think we're leaning towards the Avalon or maybe the Osburn. All seem to be comparable price wise.
Thoughts?

 

[jetsam]

If you want something to look pretty, get what you like.

If you want a heater, any semiflush insert has a big advantage over a flush unit (just as a freestanding stove has a big advantage over a semiflush insert). Those advantages get to be a lot more important if you lose power.

I was able to compromise with the wife elsewhere, so I got to pick my insert myself. (Well, not quite.. my first pick was 'rip this wall out and freestanding stove', but that didn't go. . )

On first glance the Olympic did not look promising, but the brochure picture is misleading.... They picture it with their flush kit installed, but you can apparently install that thing so that it protrudes into the room quite a bit. I couldn't live with the burn times, but they are above average. Curious how the single-air-control tube stove works in practice.

The Osburn is very pretty, but efficiency and burn time are so far out of the ballpark that I wouldn't consider it for a heater.

 

[webby3650]

If you want something to look pretty, get what you like.

If you want a heater, any semiflush insert has a big advantage over a flush unit (just as a freestanding stove has a big advantage over a semiflush insert). Those advantages get to be a lot more important if you lose power.

I was able to compromise with the wife elsewhere, so I got to pick my insert myself. (Well, not quite.. my first pick was 'rip this wall out and freestanding stove', but that didn't go. . )

On first glance the Olympic did not look promising, but the brochure picture is misleading.... They picture it with their flush kit installed, but you can apparently install that thing so that it protrudes into the room quite a bit. I couldn't live with the burn times, but they are above average. Curious how the single-air-control tube stove works in practice.

The Osburn is very pretty, but efficiency and burn time are so far out of the ballpark that I wouldn't consider it for a heater.

Now come on... you are comparing these stoves to your Blaze King, which isn't on his list.

The stoves you mentioned will be respectable heaters, but with short burn times compared to a BK, also a smaller price tag than a BK.
Does you dealer only sell Avalon or do they also sel Lopi? Look at the Lopi Freedom or Freedom Bay if you haven't. It's a great heater, protrudes out onto the hearth 6" or so, but can also be mounted flush if desired. I think the Avalon doors look like a submarine window.

 

[PWash]

I recommend to go as big as what will fit the size of your fireplace surround. If you have a smaller fireplace, then osburn2200 may 'fit' better, otherwise go for a bigger 3.0 cu ft stove, maybe even consider osburn 2400. A larger, single door might be equally as impressive as the 3 panes of glass on the osburn2200?

 

[jetsam]

Now come on... you are comparing these stoves to your Blaze King, which isn't on his list.

Aye, but a stove that burns a max of 12 hours on low just doesn't work with my work schedule. Maybe in shoulder season, but not in winter.

Not that they're bad stoves or unsuitable for everyone, but they wouldn't work for me.

I actually rather liked the Olympic from what I read about it, except for the burn times.

I hope someone who has the Olympic shows up here to tell us how the single air control does.

 

[webby3650]

Aye, but a stove that burns a max of 12 hours on low just doesn't work with my work schedule. Maybe in shoulder season, but not in winter.

Not that they're bad stoves or unsuitable for everyone, but they wouldn't work for me.

I actually rather liked the Olympic from what I read about it, except for the burn times.

I hope someone who has the Olympic shows up here to tell us how the single air control does.

I'll tell you how it does. On high it roars away and goes through wood at an unbelievable rate, often over firing the stove. If turned down at the right time, the glass will stay clean, it will run smoke free, maintaining 4-500 degree stove top temps. Turned down too soon and the glass goes dark and it smokes away the load. With dry wood, even when turned down too soon, it will usually come to life at some point during the burn cycle and once again overheat the room. That's a pretty typical rundown for non-cat stoves...

 

[EJP1234]

I have a freedom bay and heat a 2700sqft home with it perfectly. If Im up to cutting pieces short enough for N/S loading I can get 13-14hrs out of it.. If I load it E/W I get 12hrs easy. I think the difference is how packed I can get it N/S?

Either way, this is 3rd year with it and we have been very satisfied with it.