Can I go wrong with a Jotul?

[maul ratt]

I am hoping to buy a stove at a good price since it's near the end of the heating season. There are a couple dealers that aren't pushing the Jotul stoves very much. They seem to push the Heartland Soapstone or the Lopi Leyden. Anyone know why?
I'm thinking about the Jotul 500 Oslo or the 600 CB Firelight. I want to put the stove in my finished (insulated) basement of a 1550 sq ft ranch style home. I plan to heat the entire home with it. I have an open stairwell and fans to move the heat around. I might get a in-wall fan to pull the warm air into the far bedroom. Am I on the right track with a large stove? I live in Michigan.
I was told the 500 Oslo is better because it has firebricks inside instead of an expensive plate on the 600 Firelight that sometimes needs replacing. Any help or comments are appreciated.

 

[hanko]

I live in mich too. jus got my new oslo fired up thursday. still figuring things out, but im really impressed with the stove so far. I went with the jutul because the dealer i ve worked with for years sells them as well as VC and hearthstone. Ive never heard anyone complain about any of the above mentioned units. I like the looks of the oslo, and the specs seemed to fit my application best. make sure you go with the enamel finnish, the stove should stay looking new forever with that finnish

 

[LNG24]

Lopi and Heartland and higher profit margins for the dealers! They are good stoves though. Personally I like Jotule or Vermont Castings. Sive the stove right for the house. I use mine to heat a 2000sq ft. Raised Ranch. Basements get to 95+ degrees and I do use a small fan down there to move the air to the stairwell, but the upstairs stays at 71-73 degrees. Mine is a VC Encore.

Look for long burn time so you can sleep throught the night. I load up mine at midnight (when I typically doze off and I have red hot coals in the AM when I wake. I clean out the ash try first thing in the am and fire it back up using the hot coals.

 

[Zodiac45]

I am hoping to buy a stove at a good price since it's near the end of the heating season. There are a couple dealers that aren't pushing the Jotul stoves very much. They seem to push the Heartland Soapstone or the Lopi Leyden. Anyone know why?
I'm thinking about the Jotul 500 Oslo or the 600 CB Firelight. I want to put the stove in my finished (insulated) basement of a 1550 sq ft ranch style home. I plan to heat the entire home with it. I have an open stairwell and fans to move the heat around. I might get a in-wall fan to pull the warm air into the far bedroom. Am I on the right track with a large stove? I live in Michigan.
I was told the 500 Oslo is better because it has firebricks inside instead of an expensive plate on the 600 Firelight that sometimes needs replacing. Any help or comments are appreciated.

All of the stoves that you've mentioned are good units. I would look at which compairable stove is the best value. Make sure you get the big one (if it's primary heat) and see which one they give you the best price on. I have a midsized Jotul and it's great combined with a big Glenwood C cookstove at the other end of the house. My house is big and old (200+) and not nearly as insulated as your's will be/is. Jotul's are top of the line stoves, so nope you can't go wrong.

 

[skytow]

FWIW, I now have two seasons under my belt with my Oslo. The stove has been great. I will second the enamel finish. I didn't get it and regret not doing so.

The Oslo heats my 2400 sq ft home just fine down to about 15 degrees. I have a bunch of windows and cathedral ceilings so those are challenges.

Not nearly as cold though here in SE PA as where you are. My opinion is you can't go wrong with the Oslo or Jotul.

JD in SE PA

 

[maul ratt]

One saleman told me that the Jotul Oslo 500 has fire bricks inside which are cheap to replace if they go bad or crack. He said the fireplates are known to crack and are costly to replace. Does anyone know if the Jotul Firelight 600 has bricks or plates?
Thanks for any info about the plates vs. bricks.

 

[SPED]

Just bought a 600 this year, it definitely has plates. Haven't heard of anyone cracking them, mine's new but I've talked to a few people that have them and theirs are all original. And no you can't go wrong with a jotul, I love mine.

 

[logbutcher]

Just bought a 600 this year, it definitely has plates. Haven't heard of anyone cracking them, mine's new but I've talked to a few people that have them and theirs are all original. And no you can't go wrong with a jotul, I love mine.

Good choice of stove SPED. Are you the same "SPED" swearing at a poster cause you can't understand firewood on another site ?:monkey: :monkey:

 

[skytow]

The Oslo definitely has the bricks in the back. I'm not sure I would allow this to sway my stove choice however. I'll swap someone my Oslo for their 600 if they want! I could have used the bigger stove on really cold nights.....

If you think about it, the whole thing is metal, in contact with flame, either way . I've not heard of troubles with the 600.

JD in PA

 

[ansehnlich1]

I don't post here often, but I got an Oslo in my 2200 sq. foot home. Our place is well insulated. The Oslo heats it just fine though I'd go bigger if I buy again. I like the door fit on the Oslo better than the 600. I cut my wood to 22 inches. I bet I haven't burned 20 gallons of oil this winter.

Jotul F500.......great stove. If your place is 1600 sq. feet and well insulated the Oslo will heat it no problem. Only benefit to the F600 I can see is a larger fire box which would give a longer burn.

 

[maul ratt]

I wasn't planning on upgrading the enamel finish however, I am strongly considering doing so after reading some posts here. What's the best finish? I was thinking the blue black or the Jotul Iron. What's a good price on the stove (only)with enamel this late in the wood burning season for a Jotul 600? Thanks for any help with my stove decisions.:greenchainsaw:

 

[SPED]

I wasn't planning on upgrading the enamel finish however, I am strongly considering doing so after reading some posts here. What's the best finish? I was thinking the blue black or the Jotul Iron. What's a good price on the stove (only)with enamel this late in the wood burning season for a Jotul 600? Thanks for any help with my stove decisions.:greenchainsaw:

I ended up going with the flat black on my 600, and I got it for 1954 + tax. That was 15% off of their normal price for anything they had left in stock, would have been about 300 more for the blue/black enamel, didn't price any other color enamels. Also, I believe jotul just raised their prices as of march 1st, but that shouldn't matter if you grab one they've had in stock.

 

[hanko]

mines the boogie woogie brown mocca color, wife likes it, says it goes with the furniture, I think it looks like a big turd

 

[SPED]

mines the boogie woogie brown mocca color, wife likes it, says it goes with the furniture, I think it looks like a big turd

Hey as long as she's happy right My jaw dropped when my wife picked the flat black. It seems no matter what we're picking out, even without looking at price tags she'll inevitably pick the most expensive one. Guess the sun shines on a dog's..... well you know the rest

 

[hanko]

you right as long as she happy. when Im spending $3500 chimney included I have to have her blessing. She thaught that she should be able to buy a new couch. I said well i wont buy the stove and set the thermostat at 66 hows that. I got the stove, no couch

 

[SPED]

Oh man you did better than me, I had to buy a new bedroom set to get mine... although I think I had already lost that battle before the new woodstove talk.

 

[hanko]

ya we all know who wears the pants in your house hold. I know who wears them in mine too, and it aint me. I can usually outsmart her although

 

[hanko]

right now sped its 75 in here, just coals havnt out wood in sense around 4, fantastic stove

 

[SPED]

Yeah I'm lovin my stove too, it was worth the new bed

 

[angry inch]

to much

I called my local dealer and they told me 2500 for the stove 500 more if I want any other color that black. Then they went off on all the other things that I would like /need to have already had new pipe I told them. Sales person said to expect about 600 for shipping, fresh air intake, quit listening to her at that point can’t even remember how much that was. She told me to be ready to spend about 3800 to 4000 I can live with a century for that kind of money! Hell I can almost buy 3 for that $$.