# Largest wood burning inserts



## deluge21 (Jan 24, 2019)

I'm in the market for a wood burning insert to help heat a 3000 square foot home.  I've done a good amount of research (both online and talking to local professionals) and am thinking of settling on the Osburn Horizon.  Before I pull the trigger, I have a couple questions that I was hoping to get some help answering.

1.  Does anyone here have experience with this insert?  If so what are your thoughts?  Reviews are almost impossible to find online (only found a couple youtube videos).  Also, I wasn't able to find a rating on this forum's rating page for this model.

2.  What other inserts have comparable or betters features (better being larger firebox volume/higher heating output)?  I was hoping to find a website that allowed for sorting based on firebox volume/heating output so I could find some other options, but that doesn't seem to exist.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


----------



## blacktail (Jan 24, 2019)

Wow. 4.28cf...that is a big one.


----------



## pjohnson (Jan 24, 2019)

Kuma Sequoia don't know anything about it except exists


----------



## John B (Jan 25, 2019)

I have a Sequoia insert.  Very nice stove.  Big issue with inserts is controlling draft, if your chimney is tall this will be an issue with the EPA stoves.


----------



## mellow (Jan 25, 2019)

Most find it more beneficial to put a rear venting freestanding stove in front of the fireplace.  You might also look into a wood furnace and hooking into your duct work with that much sq footage.

Another larger insert is the: Buck Stove model 91


----------



## jetsam (Jan 25, 2019)

The Sequoia has a few owners here, and they don't seem to have anything bad so say about it.  I almost bought one myself- it looks like a great stove.

Lots of Sequoia insert discussion in this thread.


----------



## Bad LP (Jan 25, 2019)

Damn that's a huge box for an insert.


----------



## deluge21 (Jan 25, 2019)

pjohnson said:


> Kuma Sequoia don't know anything about it except exists



Thanks, that looks like a solid contender.


----------



## deluge21 (Jan 25, 2019)

John B said:


> I have a Sequoia insert.  Very nice stove.  Big issue with inserts is controlling draft, if your chimney is tall this will be an issue with the EPA stoves.



Chimney is about 30 feet.  Hopefully that won't be an issue.


----------



## deluge21 (Jan 25, 2019)

mellow said:


> Most find it more beneficial to put a rear venting freestanding stove in front of the fireplace.  You might also look into a wood furnace and hooking into your duct work with that much sq footage.
> 
> Another larger insert is the: Buck Stove model 91



The fireplace is on an interior wall.  The front is facing a 500 square foot room with a 15 foot ceiling, and the back is against the main part of the house. Advice we got from local professionals was to have it blow forward into the great room, and then we could buy something called a "distribution kit" which would allow us to blow air back into the rest of the house (basically a separate vent that runs out of the back of the fireplace into the main part of the house).  Idea being we would be able to get in both directions.

We have forced air running throughout the house, and asked about the wood furnace.  Response we got was that you lose a LOT of heat through the vents and it would be a lot more efficient to use an insert on the main floor.

And thanks for pointing out the Buck Stove Model 91.  Right in line with what we are looking for, a much cheaper than the horizon.


----------



## deluge21 (Jan 25, 2019)

jetsam said:


> The Sequoia has a few owners here, and they don't seem to have anything bad so say about it.  I almost bought one myself- it looks like a great stove.
> 
> Lots of Sequoia insert discussion in this thread.



Thanks, will start reading through it!


----------



## ChrisE (Jan 25, 2019)

Just had the osburn 1800 insert installed myself. The viewing glass is what drew my wife and I to it.


----------



## bugsy (Jan 25, 2019)

I have a Buck 91, I think it should have been taller , hard to double stack wood once you get coals in it, I wish I would have looked a little more.


----------



## Woody Stover (Jan 25, 2019)

deluge21 said:


> Buck Stove Model 91.


I like it but it's only about 3 cu.ft. usable space. They must have taken out the heat shield and the cat housing before they measured the box. 
With 30' of stack, I would plan ahead to install a flue damper...attach a rod and have it come out through the surround, or whatever you can figure out. That chimney is gonna pull like a Hoover on steroids.


----------



## Hogwildz (Jan 26, 2019)

deluge21 said:


> Chimney is about 30 feet.  Hopefully that won't be an issue.


Tall chimneys may or may not be an issue with a freestanding stove or insert. That is not an insert specific issue, and I don't know why the OP is making it seem that way. 27' of rigid double wall insulated liner here and while I have a good draft, it is not an issue.

One other note, not sure if you realize or not, but the Horizon is a fireplace, not an insert.


----------



## deluge21 (Jan 26, 2019)

bugsy said:


> I have a Buck 91, I think it should have been taller , hard to double stack wood once you get coals in it, I wish I would have looked a little more.



My biggest concern right now with the Buck and the Kuma Sequoia is the size.  They both have smaller fireboxes than the Horizon, and their overall dimensions are much smaller (which may look strange in a larger room).

That being said, the Horizon efficiency ratings seem to be a little low, so the additional size may not actually put out any more heat, if I'm understanding that metric correctly.


----------



## deluge21 (Jan 26, 2019)

ChrisE said:


> Just had the osburn 1800 insert installed myself. The viewing glass is what drew my wife and I to it.



Looks great. Hows the heat output?


----------



## deluge21 (Jan 26, 2019)

Woody Stover said:


> I like it but it's only about 3 cu.ft. usable space. They must have taken out the heat shield and the cat housing before they measured the box.
> With 30' of stack, I would plan ahead to install a flue damper...attach a rod and have it come out through the surround, or whatever you can figure out. That chimney is gonna pull like a Hoover on steroids.



Very helpful comment, odd they would include unusable space.

And I'll bring up the issue with some of the local professionals I'm speaking with.  I'll see what they recommend.


----------



## deluge21 (Jan 26, 2019)

Hogwildz said:


> Tall chimneys may or may not be an issue with a freestanding stove or insert. That is not an insert specific issue, and I don't know why the OP is making it seem that way. 27' of rigid double wall insulated liner here and while I have a good draft, it is not an issue.
> 
> One other note, not sure if you realize or not, but the Horizon is a fireplace, not an insert.



Thanks for clarifying that chimney size impacts more than inserts.

Also, the house I'm in was built with a prefab back in the mid 90's.  Most places around here won't put any type of stove/insert in a prefab fireplace, and given that we need something large, we made the decision to remove the prefab.  So yes, we will be replacing the fireplace, and the goal is to replace it with something that produces a LOT of heat.

Perhaps the correct question would have been "What are some of the largest fireplaces/fireplace inserts on the market?".

Have only been researching this for a couple weeks, so still learning.


----------



## ChrisE (Jan 26, 2019)

deluge21 said:


> Looks great. Hows the heat output?


Right I’m just playing around with it. First time burning wood so a lot to learn yet.


----------



## ChrisE (Jan 26, 2019)

I’m thinking the wood still might have to much  moisture in it. It takes forever to get up to temp.


----------



## bholler (Jan 26, 2019)

deluge21 said:


> Thanks for clarifying that chimney size impacts more than inserts.
> 
> Also, the house I'm in was built with a prefab back in the mid 90's.  Most places around here won't put any type of stove/insert in a prefab fireplace, and given that we need something large, we made the decision to remove the prefab.  So yes, we will be replacing the fireplace, and the goal is to replace it with something that produces a LOT of heat.
> 
> ...


In that case the whole discussion about inserts is a moot point due to the fact that you don't have a suitable fireplace to put one in


----------



## velvetfoot (Jan 26, 2019)

I know it's a fireplace, but I'm not crazy about the molded refractory-that can't be cheap to replace, even if it's still made 10 years down the road.
Also, the interior is shaped like a trapezoid, so I feel there's wasted space.  Even if it is 17+ inches deep as the specs say, its only in the middle section.
There's no way you'd pack it to 4.28 ft3.
Plus, it's an 8" flue.  Doesn't that seem large?
Maybe looks better than it works?


----------



## deluge21 (Jan 26, 2019)

velvetfoot said:


> I know it's a fireplace, but I'm not crazy about the molded refractory-that can't be cheap to replace, even if it's still made 10 years down the road.
> Also, the interior is shaped like a trapezoid, so I feel there's wasted space.  Even if it is 17+ inches deep as the specs say, its only in the middle section.
> There's no way you'd pack it to 4.28 ft3.
> Plus, it's an 8" flue.  Doesn't that seem large?
> Maybe looks better than it works?



I do have a concern with the refractory panels.  Our current prefab has cracked refractory panels, and we were told it would be about $700 to replace.  It's $550 to buy new refractory panels for the Horizon.  I don't know how long they are supposed to last, but if it's not a VERY long time, then I'd prefer to get something without those panels.

Good point on the interior shape, that never crossed my mind.

Not sure if an 8" flue is normal or not.

And at this point, I have no idea how well it heats.  Hoping to find someone on here who owns this.


----------



## edyit (Jan 26, 2019)

deluge21 said:


> we made the decision to remove the prefab.



if you're pulling the prefab out then you can't install an insert. you don't have a fireplace in which to insert it. you can't place an insert into a framed alcove. you could put a freestanding stove in an alcove, or a high efficacy fire place in and get yourself more options.


----------



## deluge21 (Jan 26, 2019)

mellow said:


> Most find it more beneficial to put a rear venting freestanding stove in front of the fireplace.  You might also look into a wood furnace and hooking into your duct work with that much sq footage.
> 
> Another larger insert is the: Buck Stove model 91




I started looking into wood burning furnace add-ons.  I'm located in Connecticut, and other than big box stores or online, I can't even find a place that sells and installs them.

After doing some more research on them, they sound promising in terms of being able to heat a large area.  Just not sure if they are available anymore around here.


----------



## deluge21 (Jan 26, 2019)

edyit said:


> if you're pulling the prefab out then you can't install an insert. you don't have a fireplace in which to insert it. you can't place an insert into a framed alcove. you could put a freestanding stove in an alcove, or a high efficacy fire place in and get yourself more options.



The first shop I spoke with said the osburn horizon was a zero clearance insert. Turns out it may actually be a fireplace and not an insert. That’s why I’m confused about the difference. 

So you’re probably correct that I need a high efficiency fireplace or a free standing stove. At least a can narrow my search knowing that.


----------



## Woody Stover (Jan 26, 2019)

deluge21 said:


> Good point on the interior shape, that never crossed my mind.


Forgot to mention, the Buck 91 also is a trapezoid. Harder to pack full, but I usually had some splits that were bigger at one end. As bugsy said, it's not real tall under the cat flame shield. OTOH it's well-designed and built like a tank. My sig pic is the 91 burning in a new load. It can be an insert or free-standing, but if you are going free-standing, I might get something with a square or rectangular shape. Square could be loaded N-S (front to back) or E-W.


----------



## bholler (Jan 26, 2019)

deluge21 said:


> The first shop I spoke with said the osburn horizon was a zero clearance insert. Turns out it may actually be a fireplace and not an insert. That’s why I’m confused about the difference.
> 
> So you’re probably correct that I need a high efficiency fireplace or a free standing stove. At least a can narrow my search knowing that.


Yes it is a fireplace not an insert.  Which is what you need.  An insert will not work


----------



## Hogwildz (Jan 26, 2019)

You could save yourself a lot of time, money & hassle, since you pulled the pre-fab out, replace it with a large freestanding. Should not take up much more space then the pre-fab did.

This would also offer the ability to install a damper if needed.


----------



## deluge21 (Jan 26, 2019)

Hogwildz said:


> You could save yourself a lot of time, money & hassle, since you pulled the pre-fab out, replace it with a large freestanding. Should not take up much more space then the pre-fab did.
> 
> This would also offer the ability to install a damper if needed.



Not sure why none of my local shops said this was an option.

What would be the benefit to a large free standing over a high efficiency fireplace (other than cost which you mentioned)?


----------



## bholler (Jan 26, 2019)

deluge21 said:


> Not sure why none of my local shops said this was an option.
> 
> What would be the benefit to a large free standing over a high efficiency fireplace (other than cost which you mentioned)?


Better heat output without fans.  More options.  Many stoves use standard firebrick so cheaper maintenance


----------



## Bad LP (Jan 26, 2019)

I'm not getting the loss of heat using a wood furnace. Sure there is loss but that loss is mostly contained in the living space.


----------



## Hogwildz (Jan 26, 2019)

deluge21 said:


> Not sure why none of my local shops said this was an option.
> 
> What would be the benefit to a large free standing over a high efficiency fireplace (other than cost which you mentioned)?


Seriously less cost. Possibility of installing a damper if found to be needed due to too strong a draft from tall stack, may not be an issue, but if it is, you have the option to add a damper to slow it down. More choices of stoves. No need for blower, but you may want to consider getting one anyways, just in case you want to circulate the heater air around better on colder days/nights. More choices of positioning of the stove. Cooking surface in power outages, or just for the hell of it. No expensive refractory panels. And with a nice cultured stone wall behind it, it just looks f'n cool!


----------



## deluge21 (Jan 26, 2019)

Bad LP said:


> I'm not getting the loss of heat using a wood furnace. Sure there is loss but that loss is mostly contained in the living space.



Spoke with some shops.  Sounds like wood furnaces aren't legal in my area.  So unfortunately, won't be able to go that route.


----------



## deluge21 (Jan 26, 2019)

Hogwildz said:


> Seriously less cost. Possibility of installing a damper if found to be needed due to too strong a draft from tall stack, may not be an issue, but if it is, you have the option to add a damper to slow it down. More choices of stoves. No need for blower, but you may want to consider getting one anyways, just in case you want to circulate the heater air around better on colder days/nights. More choices of positioning of the stove. Cooking surface in power outages, or just for the hell of it. No expensive refractory panels. And with a nice cultured stone wall behind it, it just looks f'n cool!



Good selling points.

Spoke with my current favorite local shop.  A free standing stove is an option, and it would knock roughly $2000 off the cost of the project.  So awesome advice.


----------



## Hogwildz (Jan 26, 2019)

deluge21 said:


> Good selling points.
> 
> Spoke with my current favorite local shop.  A free standing stove is an option, and it would knock roughly $2000 off the cost of the project.  So awesome advice.


Lots of options. Some of that cash saved can go towards that cultured stone behind the stove, with money left over for a lil vaca.


----------



## mellow (Jan 28, 2019)

They probably think you are referring to Outdoor Wood Boilers,  whole different beast.

This is an indoor wood furnace:  https://www.drolet.ca/en/products/furnaces/


----------



## prezes13 (Jan 28, 2019)

Deluge21 you said you are from CT.  Go to Deans stove and spa.  They might be not the most customer oriented  dealer but they have awesome show room.  Then are pushing Travis Ind. products, but they also have others.  You could see in one place all different options. They even have Blaze King King stove.  That’s a 4.4cf fire box monster running on 8”flue it’s a free standing stove.  They also have tulikivi products.


----------



## deluge21 (Jan 28, 2019)

mellow said:


> They probably think you are referring to Outdoor Wood Boilers,  whole different beast.
> 
> This is an indoor wood furnace:  https://www.drolet.ca/en/products/furnaces/



I called about 15 different shops, and nobody will touch wood furnaces in this state.  So I've given up exploring that route.


----------



## deluge21 (Jan 28, 2019)

prezes13 said:


> Deluge21 you said you are from CT.  Go to Deans stove and spa.  They might be not the most customer oriented  dealer but they have awesome show room.  Then are pushing Travis Ind. products, but they also have others.  You could see in one place all different options. They even have Blaze King King stove.  That’s a 4.4cf fire box monster running on 8”flue it’s a free standing stove.  They also have tulikivi products.



I actually found that place a few days ago online, and was completely blown away by the pictures of their showroom.  May have to make a trip up there.


----------



## BKVP (Jan 29, 2019)

prezes13 said:


> Deluge21 you said you are from CT.  Go to Deans stove and spa.  They might be not the most customer oriented  dealer but they have awesome show room.  Then are pushing Travis Ind. products, but they also have others.  You could see in one place all different options. They even have Blaze King King stove.  That’s a 4.4cf fire box monster running on 8”flue it’s a free standing stove.  They also have tulikivi products.


Just to clarify. Dean's is no longer representing our products.  They do have a fantastic store and Travis makes some great products.


----------



## mellow (Jan 29, 2019)

deluge21 said:


> I called about 15 different shops, and nobody will touch wood furnaces in this state.  So I've given up exploring that route.



Interesting, I found the ban on OWB's so I guess people don't want to touch anything wood furnace related, even though a wood furnace is inside and acts like a woodstove with plenum attached to it and is EPA certified.

https://www.cga.ct.gov/2017/rpt/pdf/2017-R-0198.pdf


----------

