Wood Insert: Century Heating CW2500 VS. Century CW2900 VS. Colonial by Vogelzang

[digitalmc]

Hey guys,

I've been high and low looking for budget fireplaces. I've came across 2 that I can find fairly reasonable. They are the "Century Heating CW2500" and the "Colonial by Vogelzang".

Century Heating CW2500 - $750 delivered (LINK)

or

Colonial by Vogelzang - $1100 shipped (LINK)

Both seem to get great reviews. The Colonial is 69,000 BTU vs the Century at 65,000 but people seem to think that the Colonial is exaggerated. Right now I see no difference between the two and the Century seems to actually perform a little better based on reviews. The favor is slight... but for $350 cheaper and better reviews I see no reason no to buy it.

The reason I'm asking is I'm not sure if this is even a viable option and am I missing something. Can I expect this to heat my first floor @ 1,400 sq. ft? Will it make it upstairs to the bedroom? The stairs are admittedly on the other side of the house. Some details below:

• My fireplace opening is around 37" x 28" (***EDITED ON 8/7/2016***)
• The fireplace is going in a 28' x 28' addition on the back of the house (Main family area).
• House has a fairly open floor plan
• Want to end up right around $1100 (DIY install)
• My home is 2 stories around 2,100 sq ft (3 BR upstairs)
• This insert is going in an existing functional masonry fireplace

Are there any major features I should be looking at? Both are EPA rated and burn roughly 5 hours. The Century seems larger which is a plus as well.

Also a side question is that big metal panel that surrounds the fireplace necessary? Can I buy a 3rd party decorative one? I have a functioning masonry fireplace now where this insert will go.


****** EDIT 8/7/2016******

I'm also considering the Century CW2900 @ 75,000 BTU. Might be worth the extra coin so if you have an opinion here let me know. Here is a link:
https://www.menards.com/main/stoves...entury-cw2900-wood-insert/p-1444444139901.htm

 

[bholler]

I would go with the stove made by SBI (the century) over anything from vogelzang without question.

 

[bholler]

Also a side question is that big metal panel that surrounds the fireplace necessary? Can I buy a 3rd party decorative one? I have a functioning masonry fireplace now where this insert will go.

No it is not necessary but you are not going to be able to buy anything that will look better and fit. If you want better looking you are going to have to spend more on a higher end stove. Also be aware you will need a full insulated liner from the top of the stove to the top of the chimney.

 

[Hogwildz]

Neither, keep looking

 

[kennyp2339]

Both of these units look like flush mount units, so a blower is a must (watch for noise level) a full insulated fire box will be needed to keep the from going up your chimney or being absorbed into the masonry. I personally don't like
either of them, I would see about finding a unit that sticks out for the fireplace and just add a hearth extension. 5 hr burn times are nothing, I foresee a small fire box filled with coals and no room to load more wood when it gets super cold out.

 

[digitalmc]

Both of these units look like flush mount units, so a blower is a must (watch for noise level) a full insulated fire box will be needed to keep the from going up your chimney or being absorbed into the masonry. I personally don't like
either of them, I would see about finding a unit that sticks out for the fireplace and just add a hearth extension. 5 hr burn times are nothing, I foresee a small fire box filled with coals and no room to load more wood when it gets super cold out.

I'm going to get a chimney liner as well... is this any different then the insulated fire box? Not sure what you mean there.

Also what about the Century CW2900 (LINK). This is 75,000 BTU so a little more powerful. It goes for $1500+ on most websites but Menards has it for $1100. What about these are so terrible and how do I find a better one? They seem like they should work alight based on specs. Also I can't be spending over $1500 so is there a brand you recommend?

Thanks guys.

 

[stovelark]

Between the two, I'd favor the Century inserts. Keep in mind on your budget to consider Englander stoves from HD as well. While I advocate for hearth industry stoves, not everyone can spend 2000-3000 for an insert. I'd also suggest looking at Osburn inserts, they are the upper level line from SBI (stove builders international). a Canadian company who makes Century, Drolet and Osburn stoves. Osburn are very competitive to the upper level stoves (Jotul, Quadrafire, Enviro, Pacific Energy, Lopi) and many more. We sell the Osburn brand and find it to be a good value for money spent. For your other question, you don't have to get the surround with your insert, but its designed to close off the opening and make the stove install look finished. It would be possible, altho difficult to make your own or fashion one to attach. I've sold many Century stoves, but their internals aren't meant to be repaired/replaced so their lifetime won't be as long as some of their competitors, but their pricepoint fares well. Good luck in your search. You might want to go to the used dept, lots of bargains await there too.

 

[begreen]

The Century gets favorable reviews here. It's basic, but works well. If you can fit the larger insert and the goal is to heat the house, then go for the CW2900. With an open floorplan you will appreciate the larger firebox and longer burntime.

@stovelark - according to the manual the baffle board, firebrick and secondary tubes are replaceable. What internals are not meant to be repaired?

 

[PWash]

I've used my CW2900 for two seasons now. After using the 2.4cuft firebox, I wouldn't consider anything smaller. The ~8-10 hr burn time translates into 2-3 hours of flames and high heat, followed by a couple hours hours of good coaling heat, and the remaining time is a low heat coaling stage. When I really want to turn up the heat, I end up reloading after 3-5 hrs. In a smaller stove, you'd end up doing even more frequent reloading.

Your 28" x 28" opening dimension sounds too tight for any of these inserts, please triple check your measurements before buying. Besides physical fit of the unit, you need maybe 3" clearance on the sides (for access to attach the fascia plate), and maybe 4" on top (to screw in the chimney liner).

 

[begreen]

Good point PWash. According to the manual the CW2900 is 23 1/8" high, 28 3/8" wide and 15 7/8" deep. Here are the H,W, D minimums.


PS: It looks like the manual lists this as a 2.1 cu ft insert.

 

[digitalmc]

Good point PWash. According to the manual the CW2900 is 23 1/8" high, 28 3/8" wide and 15 7/8" deep. Here are the H,W, D minimums.
View attachment 182739

PS: It looks like the manual lists this as a 2.1 cu ft insert.

Ok I feel silly, I measured from the current brass trim opening but the masonry is actually 37" wide. This will be plenty wide after second measurements and I'll update my original post.

 

[digitalmc]

Between the two, I'd favor the Century inserts. Keep in mind on your budget to consider Englander stoves from HD as well. While I advocate for hearth industry stoves, not everyone can spend 2000-3000 for an insert.

My question here is what will the extra $1500 give me in a fireplace? A lot of those units have around 75,000 BTU with around 8 hr burn time. This seems similar to the SW2900 with a bloated price. What specs make these more expensive fireplaces more effective? I would splurge if I could guarantee it would heat my house better or provide a longer life. You also mention the life won't be as long... as @begreen says what is non-serviceable and at what price-point/brand would provide the longevity you mention. I'm looking at some of the brands you mentioned (especially Osburn) but I only have the specs provided to make a judgement.

PS: @everyone it means a lot you are taking the time to help me out. I'm just a DIY guy trying to figure this out so your input is really valued.

 

[begreen]

If the CW2900 won't fit, also consider the Englander 13NCi. At 1.8 cu ft it's a bit smaller, but it's affordable and a good workhorse. Also sold under the Summer's Heat brand at big box stores.
Size - 25 1/4" W x 22" H x 20 1/2" D
(broken link removed to http://www.heatredefined.com/englander/stove/Englander-1500-Sq.-Ft.-Wood-Fireplace-Insert)

 

[PWash]

My question here is what will the extra $1500 give me in a fireplace?

I'm with you on that question. I don't believe there is much technological quality improvement on a basic epa tube stove associated with spending more money; the technology is simple (unlike cat stoves, IMO). Also, there isn't much to wear out that I can see. I've read that some of the more expensive stoves have thicker gauge iron which may be useful if you expect to have runaway fires in your stove. I will concede that the blower quality is lacking on my century, there is some noise/clicking that I haven't been able to fully isolate and stop.

Match the finish/quality of your stove with that of your house.

 

[PWash]

Good point PWash. According to the manual the CW2900 is 23 1/8" high, 28 3/8" wide and 15 7/8" deep. Here are the H,W, D minimums.
View attachment 182739

PS: It looks like the manual lists this as a 2.1 cu ft insert.

Where are you downloading the manual from? Two versions I looked at both reported minimum masonry openings at:
J: 23 3/8"
K: 28 7/8"
L: 15 7/8"
(although the sizes in your picture make more sense, as they are bigger)

(broken link removed) (pg 40)
(broken link removed to https://sbiweb.blob.core.windows.net/media/2457/45557a_05-07-2016.pdf) (pg 36)

 

[digitalmc]

For fun, I took a stab at what spending an extra $1000 - $1500 would get me. These 3 seems like winners.

Osburn 2200
http://www.woodlanddirect.com/Firep...replace-Inserts/Osburn-2200-Wood-Stove-Insert

Osburn 2400
http://www.woodlanddirect.com/Firep...replace-Inserts/Osburn-2400-Wood-Stove-Insert

Napoleon EPI-1402
http://www.woodlanddirect.com/Firep...1402-Oakdale-Deluxe-EPA-Wood-Fireplace-Insert

The Osburn 2400 can heat up to 2000+ sq. feet? My questions is that going to make one room boiling hot? It seems foolish to try and heat a house at the expense of an entire room. Maybe I'm not sure how these work. Are any of these actaully better then the SW2900? Again to me it seems like they pretty much run par to my laymen understanding.

 

[Hogwildz]

Don't focus on btu ratings & burn times, most are exaggerated. Go by firebox size.

 

[digitalmc]

Don't focus on btu ratings & burn times, most are exaggerated. Go by firebox size.

Good to know, the SW2900, Osburn 2200 and the Naopolian all have around a 2.3' box. So these are pretty much the same, go by looks? The Osburn 2400 is a whoping 3.2'. This seems to be the only one worth the money then.

 

[begreen]

Where are you downloading the manual from? Two versions I looked at both reported minimum masonry openings at:
J: 23 3/8"
K: 28 7/8"
L: 15 7/8"
(although the sizes in your picture make more sense, as they are bigger)

(broken link removed) (pg 40)
(broken link removed to https://sbiweb.blob.core.windows.net/media/2457/45557a_05-07-2016.pdf) (pg 36)

From the CW2900 2012 owners and installation manual. Didn't think they had changed this unit, but maybe so. Thanks for pointing this out.

 

[PWash]

The 2400 obviously looks nicer with a larger window and has a larger firebox so you will be reloading less often. You should be able to avoid overheating a room: since inserts are partially enclosed in the existing hearth, they put out less radiant heat, and you can get less heat with the blower off, or get the full 100k BTUs with the blower on.
If you can afford it, I recommend to buy the nicest stove that will match the décor of the rest of your house.

 

[Hogwildz]

Good to know, the SW2900, Osburn 2200 and the Naopolian all have around a 2.3' box. So these are pretty much the same, go by looks? The Osburn 2400 is a whoping 3.2'. This seems to be the only one worth the money then.

If you can fit the 2400, that is a no brainer, stout well built beast, with firepower when you need it. I've said it many a time.... and firmly believe, you can only fill so much wood in a firebox, and if that can't keep up, then you have nowhere else to go. With a larger firebox (within reason), if you need the extra space & fuel, it is there, if you need less, then simply load a smaller load of fuel. Over the years I have seem far more folks wish they had a larger firebox in the dead of winter, with the smaller firebox maxed out, and not many complain of having too large a firebox. They just load less fuel, and go when less demand, and load the beast full when needed.

Whichever one you get, if the blower doesn't come with it, purchase it anyway.

 

[digitalmc]

If you can fit the 2400, that is a no brainer, stout well built beast, with firepower when you need it. I've said it many a time.... and firmly believe, you can only fill so much wood in a firebox, and if that can't keep up, then you have nowhere else to go. With a larger firebox (within reason), if you need the extra space & fuel, it is there, if you need less, then simply load a smaller load of fuel. Over the years I have seem far more folks wish they had a larger firebox in the dead of winter, with the smaller firebox maxed out, and not many complain of having too large a firebox. They just load less fuel, and go when less demand, and load the beast full when needed.

Whichever one you get, if the blower doesn't come with it, purchase it anyway.

Awesome! I think I may go big. I can get the Osburn 2400 for $1750. You touched on my fear though of being too hot. If I load simply 1 or 2 logs is this thing going to burn them up super quick, or run so hot I can't stand it. I like the idea of being prepared for the cold days, and just loading less on the warmer ones. I just want to be sure I'm not backing myself into a blazing corner by buying the 2400. As long as I can dial it down as needed without causing harm to the unit itself then I may just buy it.

Also @PWash you have been super helpful. Thank you. You agree that simply putting in less wood or turning off the blower can help mitigate the heat in the room (if it gets too hot) without recorse.

 

[begreen]

From the CW2900 2012 owners and installation manual. Didn't think they had changed this unit, but maybe so. Thanks for pointing this out.

FYI, it looks like the CW2900 dimensions didn't change, just the clearance specs, which they reduced and the interior volume which they boosted. My guess is they added the above the baffle space to the latter.

 

[bholler]

I'm with you on that question. I don't believe there is much technological quality improvement on a basic epa tube stove associated with spending more money; the technology is simple (unlike cat stoves, IMO). Also, there isn't much to wear out that I can see. I've read that some of the more expensive stoves have thicker gauge iron which may be useful if you expect to have runaway fires in your stove. I will concede that the blower quality is lacking on my century, there is some noise/clicking that I haven't been able to fully isolate and stop.

Match the finish/quality of your stove with that of your house.

Having worked on many different brands of stoves I can tell you that most of the time there is a pretty big difference between the low end stuff and the higher priced stuff. Build quality and materials are generally better on the higher end stuff. And they are usually easier to work on as well. And yes there is allot that that can and does wear out. Now is that extra quality worth the extra cost? I cant tell you that you have to look at the stoves and make your own decisions.

 

[digitalmc]

Having worked on many different brands of stoves I can tell you that most of the time there is a pretty big difference between the low end stuff and the higher priced stuff. Build quality and materials are generally better on the higher end stuff. And they are usually easier to work on as well. And yes there is allot that that can and does wear out. Now is that extra quality worth the extra cost? I cant tell you that you have to look at the stoves and make your own decisions.

Great, thanks for the info. The Osburn 2400 would be my pick but I'm not sure it will fit. The width and height are fine but the 11" it extends from the wall brings it within 2" from the edge of my herth. Not sure that is code. I am leaning toward this CW2900 if I can't swing the Osburn 2400. I can't justify $1200 for no immediate functional improvement.... Maybe that's ignorant on my part.

I've started a thread here with my final lineup:

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/drolet-1800i-or-century-cw2900-same-fireplace.155603/

You guys are amazing. Thanks for everything.