We are building an addition that is going to be a Great Room. I have done research on a propane linear fireplace that can be run on a thermostat and that is pretty costly. I;m not sure i want a wood stove because i dont want roasted out..... What is a good quality, semi-attractive pellet stove that can be ruun on a thermostat? TIA for the input.
Im gonna say it depends on what you would consider to be attractive and how big of an area do you plan to heat.
None of them are a 'plastic thing' Plastic would melt. All metal, either sheet steel fabrications or steel and cast. If you have deep pockets get a Harman. If not buy something a bit less costly.
A smaller , Harman ( P 43 or Absolute 43 ) Quadra fire ( Santa fe or castille )or Enviro ( Mini or P3 ) St Croix also has the greenfield, auburn and element which are all multi fuel stoves, there are cheaper options but most of those are going to be imported, for example comfortbilt.
What he said. Everyone has different tastes for what they term as attractive. A Harman P43 looks good to me and I have one in my living room. You can get tiles to install on the ash door for some customization, and/or metal trim kits for the firebox door (different metal colors are availability). However, the fancification is a bit pricey and I've never felt the need to do those types of upgrades. Other stoves look more like a fancy wood stove, like the Absolute and others makers' stoves. Then there are the more "modern" or "European" looking stoves, such as the Ravelli and the Piazzetta - but I don't know how well they run and my understanding is that dealers and parts are hard to find.
All depends on your pocketbook actually but none are plastic. You can buy fancy or plain. Keep in mind that the venting is expensive as well. We 'love' our biomass stoves and we like the independence from utility bills as well. None of them pull much in the way of electric power either. All plug into a wall outlet, but whatever you get, get a good quality surge supressor. I recommend and use a TrippLite outlet mounted Isobar surge protector. They are all solid state control so a surge protector is a good investment as replacement boards are expensive. You basically have 2 choices in venting, Selkirk or Duravent. I get mine from www.ventingpipe.com They don't interchange either. You have to run one or the other. There are other brands out there but those are the major players. Initial cost is somewhat high but after that it's just a matter of keeping the unit clean and fueled.... and following the instructions in the owners manual.
Problem you may have, right now, is supply chain. I "believe" Harman and Quad are about 20 weeks (+/-) out on stoves right now. You'd have to call and verify.
X2 on a Harman absolute 43 ($4300) or the p43 ($4000) with the trim package ($289) to dress it up. The p series are out up to 10 weeks and the absolute up to 24 weeks. Both qualify for the 26% federal tax credit through 2022 (unless something changes) I'd go with the absolute .... many wonderful settings, wireless thermostat, cast iron
The Subject of attractive is a hugely subjective broad brush Pictures of our two stoves. Both were purchased used and both had controller failures and are now equipped with bomb proof controls. And of course gotta get the cat in the action too... Some before pictures the wall treatments A bit of creativity with some masking tape, a bit of paint and the wall behind your stove can be turned into a Faux stone creation that adds depth and elegance to the room. Just my 2 cents worth
