Hi again folks, I am looking for a new stove and need info from people using Hearthstone’s current line of stoves that use what they call TruHybrid technology. I’m interested in the current Heritage, Green Mountain 60 and the Manchester. All of them have catalysts. Their sales docs say that their stoves have unbelievably long “HeatLife”. Their word. For example, the Manchester is rated at 30 hours, the Green Mountain 60 is rated at 24 hours and the Heritage is rated at 25 hours. The sales catalog indicates that “Under the right conditions, you will be able to start a new fire with kindling up to the end of the product’s HeatLife” and that the stove should still be over 200 degrees at the end of that stove’s HeatLife. So I would love some real life information from people who have Hearthstone’s current models. What model do you have? What burn times are you getting? Are you getting anything close to the “HeatLife” rating for your stove? Any complaints? Thanks Sean
They've always used that heat life gimick in their sales brochures. I owned one, takes forever to heat up from cold and then yes you get some of that back at the end of the burn. A 200 degree stove is not doing much heating. Kinda "neat" and it looks great but I would rather depend on the actual fire burning for 30 hours. That's what you really should be asking about IMO, who is getting 24 hours of burn time from a modern hearthstone?
I reflexively do not trust a company’s numbers when they make up their own measuring scale like Hearthstone did with HeatLife. I am trying to keep an open mind about it though. Until this week I did not think that the long burns that people on this forum are getting with their stoves was possible. I have learned a lot here since I joined last Thursday. Thanks for that, by the way. I don’t expect that, if for example I buy a Hearthstone Heritage, that real life will give me 25 hours of usable heat. I don’t have laboratory conditions and 200 degrees on the stove is not going to qualify as “usable” in my house. My hope is that “HeatLife” is not total BS marketing-speak and that there is some kernel of truth to it. Frankly, I will be happy to have 12 hours of usable heat. At the moment I am looking at the hearthstone line because that is the only brand that my local stove dealer carries that is soapstone based. I am trying hard to by local. I will go elsewhere if needed. He will do the install regardless. I am looking at soapstone because I like the concept of the moderating effect of the stone’s mass and I don’t think I’ll mind the long warmup from cold. Once the heating season starts, the stove probably won’t be allowed to get cold that often. If Hearthstone makes a good stove, as I think they may, and if their numbers are not total BS. I will get one. I am hoping that there are people here who have bought one of Hearthstone’s current catalytic hybrid stoves and can help with these last few questions.
We came close to buying a Heritage but boy were we happy we didn't. I ran across too many folks who had problems with this and some other Hearthstone. I really do like the looks of their stoves though. One thing to keep in mind is there is definitely not as thick of stone compared with Woodstock stoves which can make a big difference in heating and if a stone cracks, you'd best get it fixed immediately. And there could be a big thorn. I have not yet (has anyone?) much info on their new stoves. The were forced to upgrade their line to meet the new regulations. Actually, most manufacturers did from what I hear. Woodstock was one who already had clean burning stoves. They just had to have them re-certified. Waste of dollars.
Are you sure? My hearthstone heritage had thick 1.25" single wall slabs of stone. All the (awesome) assembly videos from Woodstock show two thin walls with a space between on the fireview.
Sean in the woods I personally don’t know anyone who has a season of experience heating with them. Factory is less than 30 minutes from me and BIL is lead installer at one of biggest retailers in state.. I believe Highbeam is right about some of panels on Woodstock being thinner. Think of it as a double pane window for insulative value
I see what you meant now. More important than thickness is that a crack in the single wall hearthstone slab, that is thicker than either of the Woodstock layers, would mean an air leak into the hearthstone firebox so a crack is a bigger deal. I can say that the hearthstones do seem to crack a lot. No thanks, send me one of Woodstock’s welded steel stoves please! Soapstone firebricks if you want more thermal mass.
Can't comment on any of the stoves mentioned, but burn times seem to me mostly a fun number. How efficiently the stove turns wood into heat in the house matters more to me.