Hi, new guy here...
I've been burning them for about 4yrs. now. I go through 8 or 9 tons each heating season (1 pallet = 1 ton, 50 bags/pallet, 20 bricks/bag, 2lb/brick). I fire up Nov. 1st and it goes 24/7 until the end of April.
I have a Seton Gladiator as my only heat source in the basement of my small un-insulated cape and I bulk load it twice a day, 32 bricks stacked tightly, 4 across, 2 rows deep, height 4 rows. One load at 4am and another at 4pm. Rake a handful of coals forward, load it up, mound coals against front of load, close door, open intake damper full and in 10 to 15 minutes my stack temperature is approaching 600deg.f. When it settles down it cruises at around 525deg.f. stovetop, 600deg.f stack and drifts down to about 140deg.f. stovetop, 150def.f. stack when I repeat the cycle.
That keeps the upstairs above 60deg.f. on all but the very coldest and windy days.
Good draft control is essential and watching it pretty closely for the first couple of hours is mandatory. The bricks start to expand after like an hour (I cook them at about 500deg.f.) and because there's only an inch between the sidewalls of my stove and the stack, they tend to push out against the side, squeeze together and then push-up in the center which exposes more fresh surface area of the bricks and if you aren't paying attention then, it can go nuclear pretty quick.
I sweep my 6"x25' chimney liner every year and get a cup or two of fine, eggshell color, fluffy ash out of it.