Best stove to sit and watch flames

Thanks for the info. Which model PE stove do you have?

I do like the look of the ideal steel stove about the best of all the Woodstock stoves.

 

Hi Farmchuck
Its in my signature, I have the super 27. I've noticed that they've made a few changes to the stove so I believe its a bit more robust than the older model. If you are looking at the larger Blaze King then you may want to look at the PE Summit. It will have the same technology as my super 27.

 

Thank you Sean.

 

I am content with my Century for both heat output & viewing the fire.

 

Is that the FW2900?
If so, at the current sale price of $1049 shipped (from my earlier link) those are a very good value!
(even their largest FW3500 is only $1449 right now)

 

FW 3000, came from Menards about 4-5 years ago.

 

Farmchuck

Here is the Century burning some Osage.

 

That's a good company

 

We have the Drolet Blackcomb. The Blackcomb II should be comparable. Good mid size stove...

 

Ambiance at the push of a button.

 

I have a Blaze King. Great stove with a very long burn time. When turned down low for a long burn, there is no visible flame.

 

The Woodstock Progress Hybrid will throw some awesome light shows. I prefer the lo and slow ghost flames.
Never used a Hearthstone, I’m aware of the negative reviews. I sometimes wonder if it’s people that aren’t aware of the difference between soapstone and steel stoves. The progress was the first stove that could actually heat my house. But it’s a different heat style than a steel stove. It’s a radiant heat that heats the objects in the house more than the air, hard to describe. There’s no searing heat from the stove yet the house is warm. My face from where I sit is about 6 feet away from the stove. I close my eyes and I couldn’t tell you where the heat source in the house is. Anyway just my thoughts on that subject. I’m not a fan of some hearthstones that have joints in the stone, those can fail.

 

Hearthstone Manchester here. Beautiful stove and large part of the reason I picked it. Large window and it stays pretty clean if you don’t run it low and slow a lot. If I knew then, what I know now about heating with wood, I might go a different direction. But it works well enough I guess. It’s in the finished basement of my ranch style house. And provides probably 90% of our heat.

 

I have this exact stove... we are remodeling our house and it is going in the new living room. I am nervous about it as I've read mixed reviews. I LOVE the look of the stove and am hopeful that the soapstone evens out the heat distribution.

As to the original poster, Farmchuck, if it's looks you want the Jotul stoves are impressive. I originally had the Jotul f500 and when we moved it broke my heart to leave that stove behind. It did heat us out of the room though, and that was why I didn't get another. These posts are always interesting to see what look everyone prefers.

 

here's a budget friendly option. I got Tractor supply to match this price. tsc wanted $2.000

Englander® Blue Ridge 500 Wood Burning Stove (2,700 sq. ft.) at Menards®