Replace my Vigilant? How much better is a new stove?

[graycenphil]

I have been using my Vermont Castings Vigilant for about 20 years, and it works fine. But I hear the newest stoves are much cleaner burning, and more efficient. How true are the claims?

Will I need significantly less wood? If it’s more efficient, I should be gettting more heat from less cords of wood? Enough to notice the difference?

Is it significantly cleaner? Can I clean the chimney less often?

If I do get a new one, any specific recommendations? I would like at least as much heating, so a fairly large stove. Catalytic or non?

Thanks.

 

[stumpy75]

How long of a payback period are you looking at? Is the cost of a new stove worth it? In my case, the answers were too long and no so I have the one in my sig yet today. I have an ok supply of wood, it's cheap, and the new stoves cost too much for me...

That being said, the new stoves will burn cleaner and longer, and so the wood use would be less and chimney cleaning 'might' be less. But whether it's worth it for you is something that depends on your situation.

 

[graycenphil]

Thanks Stumpy. I’m okay with the cost; I had my last stove for decades and I’d hope to have the new one for a long time too. My Vigilant is pretty beat up and not nearly as attractive as it used to be. And it needs some new parts, so I don’t mind spending some money for a new stove. I’ve saved so much on heating oil, and I have the savings in the bank to get a new stove.

I just don’t want to get one, then find out it’s really no better (or even worse) than the old one.

 

[stumpy75]

Ok. There's a lot of people with newer stoves that can help out then. Good luck in your search!

 

[Dolphus Raymond]

I have a 20 year old Earth Stove BV4000c and the blower went out. I considered getting a new heater but the prices made me decide to fix rather than replace. I ordered a new blower and a new catalyst for around $425.00 and will have them installed this summer. Installation will be around $100.00 so $525.00 made better senses than 2-3k. I am also going to replace the gasket.

 

[sunfish]

I've been heating with wood stoves almost 40 years. Really like our new Jotul!

 

[milkman]

If there is another new stove for me, this is the one. It is front or side loading and has grate and ash pan, empty the ashes without stirring up a lot of dust in the house or having to disturb the fire.

https://www.woodheat.com/products/stoves/wood-stoves/jotul-f500-oslo-cf.html

 

[sunfish]

If there is another new stove for me, this is the one. It is front or side loading and has grate and ash pan, empty the ashes without stirring up a lot of dust in the house or having to disturb the fire.

https://www.woodheat.com/products/stoves/wood-stoves/jotul-f500-oslo-cf.html

We have to smaller version of that stove, f400. Really too big of our 1200 feet, but nice in Dec & Jan..

 

[Erik B]

We have had an Earth Stove Hotshot (insert) for close to 35 years. We just ordered a Lopi Revere insert. The cost of the Earth Stove and the Lopi combined is still less than the smount of money saved by burning wood. I like the idea of having a more efficient and clean burning stove.

 

[graycenphil]

Thanks all. What do you guys like so much about the Jotul? Dolphus - I didn’t know they even had catalysts 20 years ago. Is that the first time you replaced it?

 

[Dolphus Raymond]

Thanks all. What do you guys like so much about the Jotul? Dolphus - I didn’t know they even had catalysts 20 years ago. Is that the first time you replaced it?

This will be the second replacement but it is long overdue.

 

[fulladirt]

I'm interested in the replies you get on this too graycenphil.
My Vigilant still works fine too but would like to know what a more modern stove has to offer.

 

[graycenphil]

If I do get a new one, I’ll be. sure. to report how it works on here.

 

[rarefish383]

Year before last we got a new Jotul insert. We had an old Russo Cat insert for 30 years. Make sure you compare apples to apples when yo buy new. Our old Russo stuck out 12 inches, and in about 10 inches, so I could load the wood in the from the front, front to back, and stack it tight against the sides. i burn pretty much all Oak, and could get 12 hour burns with the Russo. The new Jotul is flush with the front of the fire place, so it's not as deep. I have to stack the wood in, side to side, or the pile will fall down against the door. Lucky to get a 6 hour burn. Then my wife started complaining the Jotul didn't heat as well. I told her with all of the steel on the Russo sticking out on the hearth, we would loose a lot of heat, buy the Jotul being flush. The Jotul is prettier and a very nice stove, but comparing it to the Russo is apples to oranges. I was happy with the old stove, but my wife wanted something that looked better, and it does look better. Is it worth it? In aesthetics, yes. In function, no.

 

[sunfish]

Thanks all. What do you guys like so much about the Jotul?

Quality, Simplicity, Cast iron, No consumable (like a cat, firebrick, refractory). Extremely easy to use. I would like longer burn time with less heat output, but am happy with the F400. I'll stick with Jotul, but may drop down a size (F3) on the next one for the house.

I also have a Jotul F118 in the shop that's a damn good stove! & my son has a Jotul F602 that's damn nice!

 

[sunfish]

Year before last we got a new Jotul insert. We had an old Russo Cat insert for 30 years. Make sure you compare apples to apples when yo buy new. Our old Russo stuck out 12 inches, and in about 10 inches, so I could load the wood in the from the front, front to back, and stack it tight against the sides. i burn pretty much all Oak, and could get 12 hour burns with the Russo. The new Jotul is flush with the front of the fire place, so it's not as deep. I have to stack the wood in, side to side, or the pile will fall down against the door. Lucky to get a 6 hour burn. Then my wife started complaining the Jotul didn't heat as well. I told her with all of the steel on the Russo sticking out on the hearth, we would loose a lot of heat, buy the Jotul being flush. The Jotul is prettier and a very nice stove, but comparing it to the Russo is apples to oranges. I was happy with the old stove, but my wife wanted something that looked better, and it does look better. Is it worth it? In aesthetics, yes. In function, no.

Cat stoves burn longer for sure. With a non cat ya just have to go with a larger stove.

 

[James Miller]

Thanks all. What do you guys like so much about the Jotul? Dolphus - I didn’t know they even had catalysts 20 years ago. Is that the first time you replaced it?

Are VC Resolute acclaim is 20 years old and had a cat at one point but it fell apart. Never thought to look for a replacement.

 

[sundance]

Are VC Resolute acclaim is 20 years old and had a cat at one point but it fell apart. View attachment 661182 Never thought to look for a replacement.

My Resolute Acclaim is from the same time frame.....but certainly not a cat stove. Sure your's was/is?

 

[James Miller]

Yes I've found parts of the catalytic cleaning the stove out years ago. My FIL told me it was I'll see if he still has the papers that came with it.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

A catalytic element in a stove needs dry, well seasoned firewood, regardless of stove brand.
The drier the better. Cutting in June and burning in Dec. probably isn't going to work for most hardwoods if you have a catalytic stove.
Also look for the ability to supply outside air for good draft in well sealed homes.
We bought a larger stove than our previous one. The reason being the house flue is 8" and I wanted a stove with an 8" flue. The newer version of our stove had been redesigned and had a 6" flue.
The concern was the larger stove would put out too much heat, but that has not been a problem. We are retired and home much more, so rather than loading the stove to capacity we burn fewer pieces of wood at a time with the stove wide open. A hot but small fire, adding to it every several hours. If we need an all night burn we can do that too.
Good luck. Lots of nice new stoves to choose from. We love the top load.