Parents shopping for wood stove

[gwiley]

My parents are shopping for a wood stove to heat a 2100sf ranch style home. The requirements that I know are:

1. must be attractive to look at - Mom has style.
2. Easy to use, they are in their sixties.
3. Efficient - looking for good wood use profile
4. Reliable, well made - Dad is a perfectionist

I am not saying money is no object, but they are willing to spend to get the right stove. The stove will go in a large central room that includes the living room and an open kitchen - the bedrooms all come off this one main room.

We live in Central Virginia so a local dealer will be a plus I think.

I am thoroughly comfortable with my understanding of OWBs, but know next to nothing about stoves.

What do you guys recommend?

 

[trouba]

Buy a Jotul, We have a #8 and it's an outstanding stove. We also have a Lopi not much to look at but not bad. Dressed it up a bit with pewter accents but that old Jotul is still my favorite. I would have bought another Jotul but there were no dealers around here.

 

[kennertree]

:agree2: Get a big jotul and they will be happy.

 

[boostnut]

:agree2: Yep, the Jotuls are nice looking and well built. Don't forget about the soapstone stoves. Hearthstone & Morso make some really nice units. As much as I like my Jotul insert if I was in the market for a free standing stove I would have a hard time buying anything but soapstone.

 

[LarryTheCableGuy]

:agree2:
Love my Jotul. It's pretty and very, very well made.

.

 

[Alan Smith]

http://www.buckstove.com/wood.html I have oleder buck stove i like it

 

[MJR]

The Oslo will have more ash than most out of the front door. I have the stove and love it but may be more dirty then they want.
Good luck.

 

[reccutter]

looks like a unanimous decision so far. Jotuls are beautiful w/quality construction only problem is some models not having ash pan which comes in handy

 

[Ductape]

Just my opinions here, but i couldn't live without a removeable ash pan and a top loading door.

Our old stove had no ash pan, and shoveling it out every couple days covered everything in the house with fly ash. You don't even see it in the air.... but you sure see it after it settles on everything. Now i remove the ash pan and dump it into a steel bucket out in the barn. No more ash all over everything = happy olady.

Top loading door allows me to fill the stove right to the top at night before bed, allowing a burn right through the night = happy Ductape

I also had no choice but to buy an enameled cast iron stove to make the olady happy. Its literally the first thing you see when walking into the house, so she insisted on a stove that would be easy on the eyes. I had no objections..... but personally i would be happy with a black stove myself.

 

[iCreek]

I also would suggest Jotul, or look at Pacific Energy, my parents love theirs.

There was a Jotul listed on CL the other day, people were moving at the end of December and wanted it gone. It was 2 years old, paid $2800 and wanted $950. What a deal, I emailed them even though I could not use it, and did not get a reply. I bet it sold quick.

 

[dolmen]

It must have tertiary air supply, I can't believe how clean and efficient they are IMHO

Cheers

 

[gwiley]

I appreciate the time you guys are taking to respond. It does look like a lot of folks like their Jotul. Does anyone have complaints about them? I would like to be careful about what I recommend - if they have problems I might loose my logging buddy

I found 2 dealers nearby, can anyone share experiences with these guys?

Bon Air Better Living Products Inc.
28.0 miles
8801 Forest Hill Avenue
Richmond, VA. 23235
Phone: 804/320-3600 Fax: 804/320-3116
Web: www.bonairbetterlivingproducts.com


Acme Stove of Charlottesvile
33.9 miles
2335 Seminole Lane
Charlottesville, VA 22901
Phone: (434)971-6777

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

It does look like a lot of folks like their Jotul. Does anyone have complaints about them?

Someday I aspire to own a Jotul. Someday... I have been researching stoves for many, many years (even when I lived in the city), reading forum after forum.


I have yet to read a complaint about Jotul.


I guess that says something!

 

[Haywire Haywood]

Count me in as one more Jotul cheerleader. I love my Oslo so far, this is my first year heating primarily with wood. I've got 1750 sq ft. I think if I had a similarly built 2100 I'd want the F600 Firelight.

Ian

 

[Richard_]

Pacific Energy

 

[Rich L]

My parents are shopping for a wood stove to heat a 2100sf ranch style home. The requirements that I know are:

1. must be attractive to look at - Mom has style.
2. Easy to use, they are in their sixties.
3. Efficient - looking for good wood use profile
4. Reliable, well made - Dad is a perfectionist

I am not saying money is no object, but they are willing to spend to get the right stove. The stove will go in a large central room that includes the living room and an open kitchen - the bedrooms all come off this one main room.

We live in Central Virginia so a local dealer will be a plus I think.

I am thoroughly comfortable with my understanding of OWBs, but know next to nothing about stoves.

What do you guys recommend?

I'd go with the Hearthstone Mansfield which will throw good heat even when the power goes out.If you have a good draft put in a pipe damper for longer heat times.

 

[reiterch]

Did anybody mention Jotul yet?

The F500 Oslo will heat 2100 sq ft without sweating.

 

[logbutcher]

Did anybody mention Jotul yet?

The F500 Oslo will heat 2100 sq ft without sweating.

Yes, mentioned 2X here, and many many times before. :agree2:Nice stove.

The Oslo shown in a corner install looks like it can't be side loaded, the best loading for the Oslo. Only problem with the Oslo is that the front door accumulates ash-no matter how careful you are. When the front is opened, brushed or cleaned of ash carefully before opening, ash WILL spill over the air control and lip. It is a PITA. JOtul USA says it's the engineering. This is a side door use stove....one of the best non-cats.

And: Don't use the ash door opened as a fire starter. It acts like a flame thrower, able to overheat and crack the lower cast of the stove ( personal learning experience :monkey: ).

JMNSHO

 

[Haywire Haywood]

When the front is opened, brushed or cleaned of ash carefully before opening, ash WILL spill over the air control and lip. It is a PITA.

Which is why I now own an ash vac. It spills out and I reach over and vacuum it up. Helps with emptying the ash pan too. No more shoveling and watching the fines float up just to settle on everything later.

Ian