Valley Firewood. You right...it's a bit of a pain when the ash pan gets to full.
Removing the lower heat shield would make it somewhat easier, but ash still gets behind the ash pan. This happens when the pan is too full, and swinging the ash pan door open, as it is hinged on one side, the ash pan gets leveled off like scraping off a cup of flower. The ash end up on the front of the ash pan 'pocket', then little by little gets pushed back in, behind the ash pan. After several uses, the ash builds up and the ash pan door can no longer close. Thus a flat handled shovel, or the ash vacuum. I empty twice a week, sometimes more depending on if burning Oak or Maple, Oak being less often. We could go much longer but as the ash builds up it does effect the length of burn times over night.
Things need cleaned. I'm guessing a top load stove is pretty clean compared to some. I'm guessing ash is the biggest issue with most stoves. Our ash pile this year is quite small for two stoves. Mild winter but we are still burning full time. I do let the stoves go out to clean the ash but it is not necessary to do so.