CAT STOVES- Pros- Long burn times, controllability, higher efficiency (even with wet wood supposably), sustained low BTU burns for shoulder season or mild climates, steady even heat cycle, char the wood-shut it down-repeat in 12-40 hours. Cons- Expensive, maintenance/cost, cat damage if burning wet wood, lower max BTU output (?), one more lever, different light show, fewer of stove options. 3 stage burn tech is relatively new- It appears to be cleaner, more complex, more efficient and more expensive. Probably the future of wood heat...
Well, it seems I can get a bit more wood in the 2460 and the blower will pull heat off the box well, but we spend most of our time in the stove room so blower noise is an issue, and there's no substitute for the radiation power of the stone stove. When I get the air leak in the Ks fixed, I'm pretty sure that will translate to a hotter stove at similar air settings and a more gradual fall-off in stove temp as the burn progresses.
