Woodburning Insert Shopping - Regency I3100, PE Summit, or Lennox (Country) C310

[ColdBones]

After spending a week trying to digest as much as I can on this fantastic site, I had decided on either the Regency I3100 or PE Summit.
After visiting the PE dealer quite pleased with the Regency, I went to see the PE Summit as many here support it.
The dealer through me a curve ball when he quickly recommended I really think about the Lennox / Country C310.

I was quite impressed with his floor model, especially by the fact the door seemed substantially thicker and heavier than the Regency or PE.

After a day searching for all postings "country" or "lennox" related I have not found much at all.

Lennox bought Country Stoves and I'm hoping to hear anything good/bad about them from you experts.

Thanks in advance!
Scott

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

Country used to be one of the top brands in the industry. Do to lennox hosing most of there dealers and offering crappy products in other lines (not country) allot of dealers are trying to get rid of lennox. Is he trying to sell you the floor model? I would put the country wood stove against most of the big boys out there. They are some of the most efficient, well built units in the industry. Im not sure what lennox changed, if anything, with country.

 

[ColdBones]

Thanks very much. It's encouraging to hear that Country was such a good product. I really liked the looks of the stove.

No, he wasn't trying to sell me a floor model. As a matter of fact, he didn't even have the C310 (largest) model on the floor.
He stated they sell more Country stoves than any other they carry. As a matter of fact, he was surprised I was pretty much sold on the Summit.

Thanks again for your post and I hope to hear from anyone else knowing anything about Lennox/Country and the C310 specifically.

 

[iblonger]

We had a very similar decision to make last year but with Regency, PE, and Napoleon. I have friends who have all of em. I ended up going with the Regency I3100 mostly because I was most comfortable with the dealer/Installer. I think they are very good brands and you would be fine with any of them. I would ask for referrals from people who have had work done by each dealer that you are considering.

 

[begreen]

I'm a bit biased towards the PE, but have to admit the Country's I've seen are good, stout stoves. They're made nearby in Auburn, WA and one rarely hears a complaint about them. A friend has the predecessor to the C310 and it's still heating very well. Pretty much a bulletproof stove offering high value unless Lennox has cut corners on them or raised the price too much.

 

[ColdBones]

I'm a bit biased towards the PE, but have to admit the Country's I've seen are good, stout stoves. They're made nearby in Auburn, WA and one rarely hears a complaint about them. A friend has the predecessor to the C310 and it's still heating very well. Pretty much a bulletproof stove offering high value unless Lennox has cut corners on them or raised the price too much.

I'm not sure how they've raised the price as I don't know what their baseline price was but know they want about $300 more for the Country C310 compared to the PE Summit.
Thanks very much for the input -- I appreciate your time.

 

[BrotherBart]

I would tend to go with the PE because they are in the stove business. I don't know how many brands Lennox has bought up and abandoned but I know they did it with the Earth Stove and that they did it with their Spectra series of cast iron stoves. And they seem to be good at moving their manufacturing out of the country also. Will this stuff happen with the Country line? Who knows? What I do know is that PE is in the stove business and appears to offer really long term support of their products.

The local stove shop that used to carry Lennox stoves dumped them two years ago because Lennox was driving them nuts. Hopefully they will settle down with the Country line. They are great stoves. But who knows.

 

[mainstation]

I have had the Regency I1100, now the Regency R14/I2400 and can vouch that both models are workhorses, with very little maintenance--aside from a firebrick here and there.

 

[Wood Heat Stoves]

Country used to be one of the top brands in the industry. Do to lennox hosing most of there dealers and offering crappy products in other lines (not country) allot of dealers are trying to get rid of lennox. Is he trying to sell you the floor model? I would put the country wood stove against most of the big boys out there. They are some of the most efficient, well built units in the industry. Im not sure what lennox changed, if anything, with country.

they didn't change much, mostly the cost of replacement parts.
i'd vote for the country if the price is right

 

[RIDGERUNNER30]

I purchased a country s 260, which is the next size down from a canyon 310,and i love this stove it is very well built, the door on this stove is very thick, I weigh about 245 lbs and i can open the door and sit right on the door. not many other brands i looked at i would try something like that with, they have stainless steel burn tubes in them and they come with a lifetime warranity. It really comes down to what a man really likes and will be happy with. In my opinion most of these top brands mention on here are good stoves and will last for years to come. go with what you like and the heck with what everybody else thinks.

 

[BrotherBart]

I purchased a country s 260, which is the next size down from a canyon 310,and i love this stove it is very well built, the door on this stove is very thick, I weigh about 245 lbs and i can open the door and sit right on the door. not many other brands i looked at i would try something like that with, they have stainless steel burn tubes in them and they come with a lifetime warranity. It really comes down to what a man really likes and will be happy with. In my opinion most of these top brands mention on here are good stoves and will last for years to come. go with what you like and the heck with what everybody else thinks.

I definitely wouldn't own a stove that I couldn't sit on the door. I spend so much time there. :lol: Kinda reminds me of the ad about standing on a chimney liner. Lots of folks stand on their liners after they are installed too I guess.

Are you the guy in the picture on the Lennox web site sitting on the stove door?