Thinking of a new stove.

What’s a good replacement for a fisher mama bear. Might at some point be looking for something more efficient. Would want a glass front but one that doesn’t require a fan to operate.

 

What are you trying to heat with said stove? 500 sq ft, 5000 sq ft? Well insulated house or uninsulated garage?

 

SMOKE DRAGON!

 

Approximately 900sf block ranch house. Stove is on 1st floor
Yes I do love my smoke dragon but she is really hungry when it gets really cold

 

Let me be the first to tell just how satisfied I am with the Englander stoves I have.

NC-13 in cottage and NC-30 in garage workshop! I got each of them at the seasons end sales at Home Depot. The 13 was first, then the 30 years later. Great stoves with secondary burn tubes and window also.

Now, you do now that you will have to burn dry dry dry wood in these compared to what you had, right? The statement of "it burned well in my old stove, why not in the eps stove?" just won't carry any weight!

 

Woodstock's Absolute Steel should be a good replacement for a mama bear except it won't take 24 inch logs, 19 inch is supposedly max.
It has a fairly impressive range of output and you'll load cigar style like you've been used to, just from the side instead of the front as you get a nice viewing window (when it is clear).

There's an awful lot of choices for non-cat stoves in the 2.5 cubic foot range as long as you don't require 24 inch log capability.

 

I cut my stuff between 16-20”
However it is nice to take the longer stuff so I don’t end up with 2-12” pieces

 

When you say dry dry dry are you saying I need to be on the 3 year system?
Right now I’m cutting standing dead for next year.
Only got 3&1/2 ranks to go.

 

Yes. The wood I burned in my fisher knock off (still have it) with absolutely no issues would not burn in the epa stove I bought to replace it. After I tried with some nice old, drier, fully seasoned wood, the difference was incredible.

Standing dead does help shorten the 3 year plan a lot, but there has only been one time that I remember cutting a standing dead maple that was used the same day that was actually dry enough to work. I was amazed.

At any rate, yesterday would have been a good time to start hoarding some firewood...…

I don't regret switching to an epa stove and I think you will feel the same!

 

Did you have a budget Hatchetdancer ??

 

I was thinking around 2k max

 

I’m well familiar with burning wood. With working 2nd trick it ain’t easy to make time with the wife and with Woods. Just kinda looking to be more efficient. That being said if a newfangled stove won’t hold fire for at least 12 hours I’ll stick with the smoke dragon.
Now the stove I learned on was an Armstrong furnace
At one point it had an oil burner and would burn coal
Once I was able to tend fire the oil burner was long gone and we just burned coal and wood. I never trusted the coal fire and would burn more wood then anything. I might throw two shovels full of coal on over night to hold fire. The fire box on that machine was huge. It was 24” deep and 40” around.

 

You’ll have no problem holding a fire overnight with any Woodstock stove unless maybe you just use pine, and you’ll reduce your wood consumption dramatically while staying at least as warm. We’re also very impressed with our Fireview. It’s a great choice for the amount of space you’re heating and a Keystone would be also. Like Backwoods Savage said, you won’t find better customer service anywhere from any company. Good luck in your search!

 

IDK what its like in the OP's area but I'm seeing at least half a dozen Fireviews for sale in the local CL and FB ads. Most of them are priced around $1k.

I keep looking for a Progressive Hybrid to pop up for sale. Very happy with my Fireview though.

 

Drolet Myriad... On sale at Menards for under 800, huge 3.4cubic foot firebox, great construction and a great company. Almost bought one for the garage at this price

 

I have Hearthstone Heritage that I bought new 10 years or so ago . Although I like the soapstone and the heat it hold I will NOT buy another Hearthstone.

Mine has the front and side door . Always load from the side . If you do any research on the Heritage you will see plenty of issues with the door latch wearing out . Mine did after 6 years
and Hearstone was/is aware of the problem .
They made a fix with a replaceable part that could be easily installed . But they did it for just the front door ! Just plain stupid in my book . I had to do a complete tear down to install the same part that’s gonna wear again and then require another complete tear down to replace . Next time my Hearthstone will make a nice boat anchor !

 

Idk Dennis ? I spoke with Jim at Hearthstone about the issue and he couldn’t give me a reason why they only fixed the front door .
The dealer I purchased the stove from wanted $700 to repair it for labor . Hearthstone paid for the replacement part that is the same exact part that wore out . What a joke !
I did the tear down myself , not a fun job .