Hello All!
To those new to the wood burning world, welcome, and listen to the guys on here talking about everything from moisture content to chimneys -- they are right! : )
Can someone provide an actual comparison between various models of wood stoves out there?
There seems to be a stark lack of such things in this community, and that seems odd given the high cost, both in $$$ and effort/wood/environment associated with wood burning...
It would seem like there should be tradeshows where various manufacturers setup and demo different types of stoves so one could actually see the differences and be shown how to properly fire the different types before deciding to buy one -- seems like its really hard to make a truly informed purchase in this realm.
I have a 19yo buckstove (model 21) that is just bulletproof as it were, and I am now using it in its 3rd location (I bought it new, and have moved it with me over the years).
Its only real downside is the small firebox -- which means I can't load it at bedtime and still have useful coals in the morning...
Even with really dry hardwood, my best burn times are 6-7 hours, usual is more like 4hrs....
No complaint about heat output, just shorter than desired burn times...
Is there a resource, or a manufacturers show (like the hot tub manufacturers do at the fairgrounds from time to time) where one could get a real comparison?
I am thinking about upgrading, solely to get a longer burn time -- but I don't want to give up the robustness or the incredible clean burn this one gives...
For a reference, I once burnt about two cords of sweet gum -- not the best stuff to burn in a stove -- after leaving it in a pile for a year and then spitting it -- chimney guy thought I was nuts, but then acted like he'd seen a ghost when he sent a camera down my chimney -- somehow it was pristine, no creosote anywhere -- like it had never been used..
This was a stub into a masonry fireplace btw...
This stove has burned very cleanly everywhere I've used it -- bright white powdery ash, and year after year chimney cleaning appointments have turned into chimney inspections due to lack of need to clean them -- only very minor buildup ever seems to accumulate -- which I find to be quite impressive being that I burn mostly scavenged dead fall.... Not prime hardwood from a supplier!
To be fair, in my first location, I did burn hardwood from a supplier as I simply didn't have a source for my own scavenging....
And I did get about 1 hour extra burn time for doing so....
Current setup is a 6" triwall class A manufactured chimney with a through wall thimble and single wall black pipe from thimble to stove.
YES, for those wanting to know if the cost difference is worth it, YES!
The draft difference is incredible!
Current setup is 15ft (outside) and about 4 feet (inside), for a total of 19 feet...
This offers SIGNIFICANT improvement over stubbing into a masonry chimney of appx the same height.
I would expect that an insulated liner down a masonry chimney (full liner) would provide the same result for those considering that option...
For those wondering, I went with the prefab throughwall chimney because I don't have a masonry chimney in my current location... : )
Also, being able to use the same stove as insert or freestanding is really convinient if you move frequently!
Anyway, can anyone suggest where I would look for real world comparisons?
Having fired several types of wood stoves over the years, I know simply comparing firebox size and burn type (pre epa, reburn, catalyst, etc) doesn't tell the whole story...
I'd really like to avoid ending up with another stove that doesn't run any longer than what I've got now...
And like I said above, the clean burn is incredible and I'd like to keep that as well!
Any suggestions as to where to look for demonstrations and/or real world comparisons would be appreciated! : )
Thanks!!
To those new to the wood burning world, welcome, and listen to the guys on here talking about everything from moisture content to chimneys -- they are right! : )
Can someone provide an actual comparison between various models of wood stoves out there?
There seems to be a stark lack of such things in this community, and that seems odd given the high cost, both in $$$ and effort/wood/environment associated with wood burning...
It would seem like there should be tradeshows where various manufacturers setup and demo different types of stoves so one could actually see the differences and be shown how to properly fire the different types before deciding to buy one -- seems like its really hard to make a truly informed purchase in this realm.
I have a 19yo buckstove (model 21) that is just bulletproof as it were, and I am now using it in its 3rd location (I bought it new, and have moved it with me over the years).
Its only real downside is the small firebox -- which means I can't load it at bedtime and still have useful coals in the morning...
Even with really dry hardwood, my best burn times are 6-7 hours, usual is more like 4hrs....
No complaint about heat output, just shorter than desired burn times...
Is there a resource, or a manufacturers show (like the hot tub manufacturers do at the fairgrounds from time to time) where one could get a real comparison?
I am thinking about upgrading, solely to get a longer burn time -- but I don't want to give up the robustness or the incredible clean burn this one gives...
For a reference, I once burnt about two cords of sweet gum -- not the best stuff to burn in a stove -- after leaving it in a pile for a year and then spitting it -- chimney guy thought I was nuts, but then acted like he'd seen a ghost when he sent a camera down my chimney -- somehow it was pristine, no creosote anywhere -- like it had never been used..
This was a stub into a masonry fireplace btw...
This stove has burned very cleanly everywhere I've used it -- bright white powdery ash, and year after year chimney cleaning appointments have turned into chimney inspections due to lack of need to clean them -- only very minor buildup ever seems to accumulate -- which I find to be quite impressive being that I burn mostly scavenged dead fall.... Not prime hardwood from a supplier!
To be fair, in my first location, I did burn hardwood from a supplier as I simply didn't have a source for my own scavenging....
And I did get about 1 hour extra burn time for doing so....
Current setup is a 6" triwall class A manufactured chimney with a through wall thimble and single wall black pipe from thimble to stove.
YES, for those wanting to know if the cost difference is worth it, YES!
The draft difference is incredible!
Current setup is 15ft (outside) and about 4 feet (inside), for a total of 19 feet...
This offers SIGNIFICANT improvement over stubbing into a masonry chimney of appx the same height.
I would expect that an insulated liner down a masonry chimney (full liner) would provide the same result for those considering that option...
For those wondering, I went with the prefab throughwall chimney because I don't have a masonry chimney in my current location... : )
Also, being able to use the same stove as insert or freestanding is really convinient if you move frequently!
Anyway, can anyone suggest where I would look for real world comparisons?
Having fired several types of wood stoves over the years, I know simply comparing firebox size and burn type (pre epa, reburn, catalyst, etc) doesn't tell the whole story...
I'd really like to avoid ending up with another stove that doesn't run any longer than what I've got now...
And like I said above, the clean burn is incredible and I'd like to keep that as well!
Any suggestions as to where to look for demonstrations and/or real world comparisons would be appreciated! : )
Thanks!!
Last edited:
