Insert options (VC Merrimack, alternatives?)

[Boris]

Looking for a wood burning insert.

• Fireplace is large so just about any insert will fit.
• Would like large fire box (3+ cu ft)
• Looks, large viewing glass, preferably in the "bay window" shape".
• Not a huge flan of large plain looking flush inserts with just a rectangular door / glass

With that said VC Merrimack fits all of my requirements but VC seems to have a lot of bad rep.
Is it really that bad? Any recent customers?
What are my alternatives?

Thank you,

Boris.

 

[mikey517]

I've had the VC Merrimack since October 2015. The wife wanted it because of the way it looked, plain and simple. She loved the fireplace, but we could never use it in the dead of winter. And I was getting tired of feeding a Tasso wood fired boiler - located in the basement - every 4 hours.

We are very happy with the Merrimack. We burn it 24/7 from about November until April. It heats our 70 year old converted lakefront cabin, and our main living area is always toasty. The two rear bedrooms stay nice and cool for sleeping, and our upstairs master bedroom is also toasty.

I use less wood, get (on average) 5 hours of good hot burns, always have enough coals to re-fire in the morning, and very very rarely use the internal fan.

I did learn that, to get the best of the insert, use wood seasoned AT LEAST ONE FULL YEAR. With help, I've been lucky c/s/s 6 cord on my friends farm, so most of the wood I'll be burning this coming year will be a minimum of 1.5 to 2 years old. My starter cord for the coming year (red oak) was c/s/s in March 2016, so I'll be happy.

BTW, a neighbor on my same road also has the Merrimack, and they, too, love it.

Hope this helps with your decision.

 

[Waltzie]

Check out what quadrafire has to offer. While not a typical insert, my 7100 has been flawless for 8 years.