Which stove is better, Jotul 500, 600 or Lopi Leyden

[Karin61]

Thank you all for your help between the Lopi Leyden and the Encore.
Now I'm deciding between Jotul 500, 600 or Lopi Leyden. The ease of use (I'' very new to wood stoves) and which ones glass stays the cleanses. The Jotul 600 maybe a little too big for my 1500 sq ft, but others have said I can regulate the temp. by how large I fire I have, is that right. Thanks so much again for your help, the dealers sure see me coming and want to sell me anything.
Thanks Karin
Oh, is the Jotul downdraft stoves and I know the Lopi doesn't come with a screen but can I have a fire with the doors open without getting smoked out( of couce I wouldn't take my eyes off it)

 

[tiber]

I would suggest the Vermont Cas... oh.

The top loading is sweet. I haven't worked the stove on the farm in years but that was gripe #1 was when/if the logs got goofy and rolled against the door, you were in a fix.

BUT, the jotuls are built like tanks and top of the line. The side door thing is tough to meet code on. If you live in an area which requires it, the hearth pad clearances are obsene for the sides unless you get the door lock kit. The code treats the side door like any other door so instead of needing six inches, you now need sixteen.

There is no floor protection requirement for top loading.

 

[begreen]

Thank you all for your help between the Lopi Leyden and the Encore.
Now I'm deciding between Jotul 500, 600 or Lopi Leyden. The ease of use (I'' very new to wood stoves) and which ones glass stays the cleanses. The Jotul 600 maybe a little too big for my 1500 sq ft, but others have said I can regulate the temp. by how large I fire I have, is that right. Thanks so much again for your help, the dealers sure see me coming and want to sell me anything.
Thanks Karin
Oh, is the Jotul downdraft stoves and I know the Lopi doesn't come with a screen but can I have a fire with the doors open without getting smoked out( of couce I wouldn't take my eyes off it)

If you want simplicity I would look at the Jotul 500 or perhaps the new toploader they are coming out with this summer. Or simpler yet, a PE Alderlea T5.

 

[firefighterjake]

Thank you all for your help between the Lopi Leyden and the Encore.
Now I'm deciding between Jotul 500, 600 or Lopi Leyden. The ease of use (I'' very new to wood stoves) and which ones glass stays the cleanses. The Jotul 600 maybe a little too big for my 1500 sq ft, but others have said I can regulate the temp. by how large I fire I have, is that right. Thanks so much again for your help, the dealers sure see me coming and want to sell me anything.
Thanks Karin
Oh, is the Jotul downdraft stoves and I know the Lopi doesn't come with a screen but can I have a fire with the doors open without getting smoked out( of couce I wouldn't take my eyes off it)

I'm a big proponent of going a bit bigger, but I think in your case going to the 600 would be over-kill . . . and in my own opinion sometimes you can go too big. I'm heating a bigger home than you in Maine . . . and doing just fine with the Oslo.

I can't speak to the Leyden, although it gets high marks by most folks here.

Speaking to the Oslo:

Ease of use: Check. Wicked simple to run and it's rugged . . . when I did my own search time after time folks (hearth.com members and dealers alike) that Jotuls were built tough . . . I guess you could consider them the Toyotas of the woodstove.

Clean Glass: Check . . . of course the caveat here being that you still need to burn well seasoned wood and burn at proper temps . . . otherwise you will get the infamous black glass . . . but I would wager that would happen with most any stove.

Downdraft?: No. Uses straight-forward secondary burn tech with a baffle.

Doors Open: Ah, I was a lot like you . . . thought it would be cool to have a woodstove that would be open like a fireplace . . . until a) folks who have bought the screens say that they typically have used them once or twice and then never again which seems like a waste of money to me and b) when you see the large view of the fire and hear the crackling AND experience the phenomenal heat you will not miss the open fireplace.

 

[Fsappo]

Having sold over 100 Oslos in the past and using one in our showroom every day for 5 years, I can vouch for that stove the most. It was easy to use, all the handles and controls work nice. Burns great. I love that stove. I have also sold quite a few Firelights and always seemed to have happy customers with them.

 

[Troutchaser]

Burned the Leyden last year-my first burning season. The stove really throws heat. As far as operation, I found the downdraft tricky, but then I was burning less than ideal wood and learning all phases of a wood stove. This season should go much better with the locust and ash seasoning nicely out back as I type.

Our cedar home has a 23' cathedral in the stove room, which is also open to the kitchen. I had to be careful not to run us out unless it was bitter cold/windy outside.
Love the top load. My forearms, however, took a burning. Longer gloves this season. . . check.

 

[summit]

Jotul.

 

[ControlFreak]

As you've read, the Leyden is a downdraft everburn stove. So, by design, the glass is not going to stay clean and I would consider this stove to be more for the advanced user. It is a tricky thing to learn how to know when to close the bypass, but it's kind of nice because it can produce an even amount of heat for a long period versus the more typical secondary combustion stove that produces a tremendous amount of heat for 3-4 hours then tapers off for the next 4-5 hours.

 

[polaris]

For 1700 sq. ft. the 600 would be total overkill. I heat 4850 sq.ft. with an f-500 and an f-400. They are both good brands but I'm gonna add another vote for the f-500(Oslo).
Joe

 

[polaris]

For 1700 sq. ft. the 600 would be total overkill. I heat 4850 sq.ft. with an f-500 and an f-400. They are both good brands but I'm gonna add another vote for the f-500(Oslo).
Joe