Woodstock, BlazeKing, Vermont Castings...who to go with?!

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I think the metallic gray is too light-colored and wouldn't blend with the stone as well..if they put it in front of the fireplace.
I agree, I painted my Hearthstone Mansfield with metallic blue too. It really goes well with the stone.
 
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I’ve had a King, Princess, and Ashford. They aren’t replaced by any stove I’ve used. There’s a lot of nice stoves that heat well, but unless you’ve personally experienced the burn times, you just won’t get it...not coals after 12, or 14 hours, but chunks of wood. With a properly functioning cat, and quality wood they can’t be beat.
You're very persuasive...but I can't do it, due to the rear-vent requirement here and my love for the ash grate, for starters. ==c
 
You're very persuasive...but I can't do it, due to the rear-vent requirement here and my love for the ash grate, for starters. ==c
I used to love the grate, till I experienced the plug system. I love being in control of the ashes falling and not filling up the space the pan should go if it’s removed..
 
I used to love the grate, till I experienced the plug system. I love being in control of the ashes falling and not filling up the space the pan should go if it’s removed..
Not a problem with the Ks. Ash doesn't fall unless swirled with a poker. There is a tiny amount of ash back of the pan which I've never bothered to get out, must have been from an earlier time when I let the pan fill up too much..never see any additional back there and the door doesn't hit the pan so I leave it. That 1/4" hole in the back of the Ks ash pan housing is great for burning down coals. Move coals to wherever you want, swirl the poker a little in the area of the floor where you want coals to burn to clear the grate, and air is supplied only to that area. It's fun, and stove will stay 350+.
But no stove has it all for me. Ws needs a bigger box in a straight cat. I'm sure I could have intact splits burning at 14+ hrs, easy, if I had 2.8 volume to work with instead of Fv 1.8 and Ks 1.4. :(
 
You're very persuasive...but I can't do it, due to the rear-vent requirement here and my love for the ash grate, for starters. ==c

I have to admit, I also prefer the grate system that Jotul uses, over the plug system. But while it’s something I fretted over during the buying process, it has become such a small issue that I really can’t believe today that I even worried about it. When you can come home, 24 full hours after loading the stove, turn up the thermostat and watch full flames appear from 2 full splits still left in the box, you will forget you ever worried about an ash plug.

I bought a 4” round cast iron drain grate. When I pull the plug on a hot stove, I drop that grate into the plug hole, and rake the coals and ash across it with an ash rake. It’s my own 4” grate, ashes fall thru, and coals stay in the stove. When I empty a cold stove, I don’t need to worry about this, it’s just all ash.
 
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24 or 30 hrs, during the shoulder season or in mild climates*
And you think people claiming 12 or 18 hours (which is a real stretch) with other stoves isn’t under perfect circumstances? There sure won’t be logs flaming up!
 
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24-30 hours is always possible at the low burn rate. If that's not enough to keep your house warm then you can turn it up. You can live at the northpole and get 24-30 hours if your heat demand is low enough you can stay warm. I am getting 24 hour burn cycles right now in the middle of the winter and staying warm. This stove, unlike all others, is capable of 24-30 hour burns nomatter when or where.
 
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I have to admit, I also prefer the grate system that Jotul uses, over the plug system. But while it’s something I fretted over during the buying process, it has become such a small issue that I really can’t believe today that I even worried about it. When you can come home, 24 full hours after loading the stove, turn up the thermostat and watch full flames appear from 2 full splits still left in the box, you will forget you ever worried about an ash plug.

I bought a 4” round cast iron drain grate. When I pull the plug on a hot stove, I drop that grate into the plug hole, and rake the coals and ash across it with an ash rake. It’s my own 4” grate, ashes fall thru, and coals stay in the stove. When I empty a cold stove, I don’t need to worry about this, it’s just all ash.

I came home last night and wanted to empty the 2+" ash bed before a predicted cold snap means I will want maximum fuel tank capacity. Well dang it, burning cherry and the dang ash bed was full of coals 24 hours into the burn. The chunks were plentiful, and hot, started flaming so I had to abandon the ash emptying for the day and reload for the next 24 hour cycle. I suspect that if I had an ash grate system I could have still done it. Maybe over the weekend.

My old hearthstone had a grate system but I never got to enjoy it because the ash pan was the size of a small book.
 
And you think people claiming 12 or 18 hours (which is a real stretch) with other stoves isn’t under perfect circumstances? There sure won’t be logs flaming up!

I hear it from both sides and it is amusing. People all upset and insisting that my NC30 can burn longer than 3 hours if I just turn it way down. Then people (even the same people) all upset and claiming you can't burn a princess for 24 hours unless it's all the way on low!

Well yeah, these things have variable burn rates.
 
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No, 24 hours is a medium burn in winter with the King. It’s 40+ hours in shoulder season.

Sorry, forgot the King is ridiculous. Our house is too small and well insulated for most stoves. If I wanted longer burn times between loads I would probably get the new small VC hybrid stove. The dealer let us know it would work for our home, but the complexity made us very hesitant, and we really like our squirrel stove. BK stoves are very nice, and I do appreciate their long burn times, but personally I find them to be an eyesore. At least the VC stove looks nice, like a baby defiant.
 
Sorry, forgot the King is ridiculous. Our house is too small and well insulated for most stoves. If I wanted longer burn times between loads I would probably get the new small VC hybrid stove. The dealer let us know it would work for our home, but the complexity made us very hesitant, and we really like our squirrel stove. BK stoves are very nice, and I do appreciate their long burn times, but personally I find them to be an eyesore. At least the VC stove looks nice, like a baby defiant.

Agreed, on all points. I’d have had a BK three years earlier than I did, if I wasn’t so opposed to their cosmetics. The Ashford fixed all of that for me, as did the Chinook or Sirocco for others.

VC’s are still among the most beautiful stoves ever made. Too bad they don’t work as well, and have such horrendous support.
 
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What about 24 or even 30 hours? ;)
Maybe 24 on low, but who needs that? All most people need for the most part is 12 hrs..
When it's all said and done, at your place, the Fv is now upstairs...and I don't think it's going anywhere, any time soon. ;)
 
Maybe 24 on low, but who needs that? All most people need for the most part is 12 hrs..
When it's all said and done, at your place, the Fv is now upstairs...and I don't think it's going anywhere, any time soon. ;)
No, I’m diggin it! But, my wife misses the BK, because she never had to add wood during the day, ever...
24 hours was achievable for me pretty routinely at my last house, not on low either.
 
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Don't all stoves technically operate on low if desired? I think BK are the only ones that can do it with an EPA rating.
 
24 or 30 hrs, during the shoulder season or in mild climates*

Good point... like many devices, a wood stove has to be designed for multiple conditions

An airplane comes to mind, take off cruise and loiter call for different wings, but you only get one
 
That's what I've said, 'no BK required,' but the BK guys aren't buying it. ;)
The Fireview box isn't big (not tiny either) but they live in PA, primo hardwood country. Throw some White Oak in there and that fire will go quite while, pumping out some nice heat. I think their weatherization will end up being better than 'fair.' If they end up sitting toward the stove end of the room where radiation off the stove is stronger, that is worth a few degrees in room temp.
That's good to know. My SIL just stopped by and dropped da bomb on me...she's ready to upgrade from the Dutchwest 2460. I guess this vortex pushed her over the edge. She's got 1400 sq.ft..bath, bedroom and main room with a vaulted ceiling. I'd like to have the output of the Fireview in there, but the Dutchwest has spoiled her like it did me..she must have the ash grate. ==c She's got only 14' of stack, so needs an easy-breathing stove. When you add that all up, looks like I'll have to get her a Keystone.
I still think the Fireview would cover it most of the time. I bet he will have a generator...if so, a little electric heater could supplement in the case of a vortex combined with a power outage. Then again, if the PH is a bit big in spring and fall, you can do partial loads and the stone stove will hold coals for a long time, for easy re-starts. And the ash grate and big window would tilt it pretty hard in that direction, for me.
Maybe that's due to the non-factory paint job? My Keystone, and the Fv I sold to my BIL, both metallic blue, have only the faintest tinge of blue. I think the metallic gray is too light-colored and wouldn't blend with the stone as well..if they put it in front of the fireplace.

Re: the light colored metallic gray, I’ve been back and forth over it. Still didn’t order yet because the very few pics I have seen look almost brilliant white to me. I don’t think that would look good in that space. I’m considering metallic brown even though I’m not in love with that look I bet once it was all setup and running it would grow on me.
 
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And you think people claiming 12 or 18 hours (which is a real stretch) with other stoves isn’t under perfect circumstances? There sure won’t be logs flaming up!
12 hours is very achievable with my encore. I know VC is treated like the red headed stepchild around here (for reasons legit) but with all it’s short comings they are still good heaters. I can agree that there won’t be logs left after 12 hours but in the right hands 12 hour cycles are not hard to achieve with an encore.
 
Re: the light colored metallic gray, I’ve been back and forth over it. Still didn’t order yet because the very few pics I have seen look almost brilliant white to me.
Yeah, that seems too bright. Google "progress hybrid" and click "images"...looks like some better pics there.
 
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12 hours is very achievable with my encore. I know VC is treated like the red headed stepchild around here (for reasons legit) but with all it’s short comings they are still good heaters. I can agree that there won’t be logs left after 12 hours but in the right hands 12 hour cycles are not hard to achieve with an encore.
Under the right conditions almost any cat stove can do 12 hours if it’s over 2 cubic feet.
 
Re: the light colored metallic gray, I’ve been back and forth over it. Still didn’t order yet because the very few pics I have seen look almost brilliant white to me. I don’t think that would look good in that space. I’m considering metallic brown even though I’m not in love with that look I bet once it was all setup and running it would grow on me.
Mine hasn’t changed, looks the same as the day I painted it. I think it’s the best color for the stone hands down!
 

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