# Harman Accentra Pros And Cons



## jpscroller (Aug 20, 2016)

I am looking at purchasing the Harman Accentra freestanding pellet stove. We have a well insulated 1500 square feet downstairs and about 700 sf upstairs where no one lives. Kids have moved out so no need to heat and cool that. We looked at XXV but really like the modern look of the accentra. Not really looking to use it as only heat source. We have central heat (gas) but would like it to heat the space when in use. Any thoughts on this stove. Research seems to show it is harder to clean than other Harman stoves, noisier, igniters go out. True or not?  Any help is appreciated. 

Jeff


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## Peterfield (Aug 20, 2016)

jpscroller said:


> I am looking at purchasing the Harman Accentra freestanding pellet stove. We have a well insulated 1500 square feet downstairs and about 700 sf upstairs where no one lives. Kids have moved out so no need to heat and cool that. We looked at XXV but really like the modern look of the accentra. Not really looking to use it as only heat source. We have central heat (gas) but would like it to heat the space when in use. Any thoughts on this stove. Research seems to show it is harder to clean than other Harman stoves, noisier, igniters go out. True or not?  Any help is appreciated.
> 
> Jeff



The Accentra is a workhorse and is not as picky about what pellets you use.   The new ones have been redesigned and are easier to clean so that shouldn't be a problem.  No noisier than many others but they all make some noise.  Ignitor is easy to replace although haven't had to yet.  Even if that fails, you can easily light the stove manually.


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## JimD (Aug 28, 2016)

Absolutely love our Accentra...not a problem! And runs so nice..... we run it 24 7 during the winter

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


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## dozerdean (Aug 30, 2016)

jpscroller said:


> I am looking at purchasing the Harman Accentra freestanding pellet stove. We have a well insulated 1500 square feet downstairs and about 700 sf upstairs where no one lives. Kids have moved out so no need to heat and cool that. We looked at XXV but really like the modern look of the accentra. Not really looking to use it as only heat source. We have central heat (gas) but would like it to heat the space when in use. Any thoughts on this stove. Research seems to show it is harder to clean than other Harman stoves, noisier, igniters go out. True or not?  Any help is appreciated.
> 
> Jeff


Nice stove! We have one & it is very quite. Does a great job of heating!! And we have 1200 sq ft.Not that bad to clean. You can go day's without touching the burn pot. Just remember to put pellets in the hopper.


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## smwilliamson (Sep 27, 2016)

Check out their new Allure50


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## jpscroller (Sep 28, 2016)

smwilliamson said:


> Check out their new Allure50


The Allure50 does look neat.  We have an installation scheduled for the Accentra next week, but I am considering changing that to the Allure50.  My wife just liked the look of the Accentra and I think she will like the Allure.  I was a little concerned that the Accentra would be big enough for us.  I have a two story, with no one living in the upstairs (kids gone now) and we have 1750 square feet downstairs with a pretty open concept.  I know the heat will rise to the upstairs but that stairwell is on the opposite side of house from where the stove will be.  My main concern is that the 1750 sf can be heated without being run out of the room we are in.  Stove will be in living/TV room with three openings to kitchen, entryway, and hallway.

Looks like the Allure50 has about 10,000 more BTUs, easier to clean, quieter, and very user friendly control panel.  Any thoughts about making the switch to the Allure?  I checked with dealer and my cost will be about the same.  I just want to get the right stove.  Thanks for any help!


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## alternativeheat (Sep 28, 2016)

The Allure gives you 400 sq ft more insurance but it doesn't insure that you won't get baked out the room it's in any more than any other free standing stove ( except the p series, they more potentially will bake you out, as they radiate a lot of heat as well as blow it). But here is my thing, I never like a stove, device, car, machine as the first generation out. I much prefer the bugs get worked out, if there are to be any. Now with the Accentra that is exactly the case, it's a well proven design. But that is all just my view and not my money speaking LOL !


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## jpscroller (Sep 28, 2016)

alternativeheat said:


> The Allure gives you 400 sq ft more insurance but it doesn't insure that you won't get baked out the room it's in any more than any other free standing stove ( except the p series, they more potentially will bake you out, as they radiate a lot of heat as well as blow it). But here is my thing, I never like a stove, device, car, machine as the first generation out. I much prefer the bugs get worked out, if there are to be any. Now with the Accentra that is exactly the case, it's a well proven design. But that is all just my view and not my money speaking LOL !



Yes, I have definitely thought about that.  I don't like being the guinea pig on such a big purchase but I don't want to regret being left behind on better technology, features and upgrades, IF IF IF it will be dependable.  I do like the Easy Touch Control which I learned will be on all future models soon.  Its my understanding that it has be out a year or two so that is good.  I assume the inner parts and design will be very similar.  Decisions, decisions.


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## alternativeheat (Sep 28, 2016)

Yeah some people are into doo dads and high tech features. I just want heat, so we made sure of that with a P61 and were considering the P68. I figured we didn't need an ornament in the house, the Christmas tree has plenty of those. And the p stoves are easy to clean and maintain for sure. But the new Harman's with the high tech on board might be more efficient . But then I'm that type who just went back to using dip pens and fountain pens rather than taking note in the cell phone. I'm sick of key pads LOL !

That reminds me, I have to write out today"s devotionals.


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## railfanron (Sep 28, 2016)

Actually all the Harman stoves are rated 78% to 79.9% efficient. So they are all basically the same as far as efficiency goes.
Ron


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## fmsm (Sep 28, 2016)

Last year I purchased an Absolute 43 for my new addition. What a mistake! I am not sure if it was just my stove but it burned very dirty. My dealer was great (Big shout out to Kirley Masonary in Mansfield, MA) and worked with Harman to resolve the issue. They changed out blowers, fans, and the igniter per Harman's engineers. In the end they determined the stove needed to be replaced, having only one bite at the apple I was afraid to try another Absolute and went with an Accentra. I have fired it up already (30's the other night and I opened the windows to burn it in) and it is burning perfect!


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## odiez (Sep 29, 2016)

Accentra is an excellent stove. We're going into our 4th heating season with it and it has performed flawlessly. I can do a good cleaning on it in about 30 minutes.


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## Peterfield (Sep 29, 2016)

odiez said:


> Accentra is an excellent stove. We're going into our 4th heating season with it and it has performed flawlessly. I can do a good cleaning on it in about 30 minutes.



The Accentra is a work horse and rarely disappoints.  I hemmed and hawed over spending the dough but now that I have the insert model, I am happy I made that choice.


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## NHcpa (Sep 29, 2016)

I have the insert and have probably burned 6T since new. On occasion the igniter will time out which is annoying. Yes I clean and do the cleanout routene. Other than that, it's pricey, perhaps easier to clean than others but pellet soot is nasty stuff regardless of the stove. Still like wood.


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## alternativeheat (Sep 30, 2016)

Usually when the igniter timer times out it's because of not banging on the burn pot periodically or the hatch under the burn pot has not been cleaned out .. Cleaning aside ( you said you do full cleanings). I take that banging step every day when I scrape the burn pot, according to Harman banging on the burn pot shakes the fly ash off the igniter. Just give it a few sharp blows from the provided scraper is all.

Wood is nice till you have a really good hot chimney fire that sounds like a freight train going through your house, then it isn't so enticing anymore. Or you bring a load of carpenter ants in the house that were buried in some log.


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## railfanron (Sep 30, 2016)

Yea Alternativeheat been there done that for 9 years 100% wood heat and another 10 at 25%. What's really neat is coming home from a pre super bowl part to find the firemen tearing you house apart to make sure there isn't any fire left from the chimney fire that was inside the chimney. Don't ask me how I know this. LOL Ants at least once a year.


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## Lake Girl (Sep 30, 2016)

fmsm said:


> Last year I purchased an Absolute 43 for my new addition. What a mistake!


Really sorry to hear that but glad your dealer took care of you.  Enjoy the Accentra!


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## Glenalmond (Oct 2, 2016)

Seventh year with an Accentra free standing. I concur with the work horse consensus. I have had 1 ignightor replaced and 1 board (first  year when they were having major problems with a poor lot of boards). Other than that it has never needed work. I clean it throughly 2x a year). Overall cleaning is ok but ours is pretty tight in a corner making the auger and fines box cleaning an exercise in pellet stove yoga.  I have only burned barefoot pellets in it and we use it as a supplemental heat in the living room. 

Best part -we don't have a wood fireplace so the ability to blast some heat in the room where we spend most of the time is really nice. Warming your hands in front of the fire or taking the chill out of the air first thing in the morning are some great pleasures that pellet stoves provide. I also like the more traditional look and the iron compass that is licked by the fire. It give a great ambiance. 

My biggest peeves are it can get noisy no more than an ac unit but if it was quieter that would be a major plus. The controls are awkwardly placed on the side it takes 1 bag of 40lb pellets but two would be better. The glass even with the air curtain gets dirty fairly fast. 

But I would prefer it at least for aesthetics and reliability over the new model.


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## alternativeheat (Oct 3, 2016)

Glenalmond said:


> Seventh year with an Accentra free standing. I concur with the work horse consensus. I have had 1 ignightor replaced and 1 board (first  year when they were having major problems with a poor lot of boards). Other than that it has never needed work. I clean it throughly 2x a year). Overall cleaning is ok but ours is pretty tight in a corner making the auger and fines box cleaning an exercise in pellet stove yoga.  I have only burned barefoot pellets in it and we use it as a supplemental heat in the living room.
> 
> Best part -we don't have a wood fireplace so the ability to blast some heat in the room where we spend most of the time is really nice. Warming your hands in front of the fire or taking the chill out of the air first thing in the morning are some great pleasures that pellet stoves provide. I also like the more traditional look and the iron compass that is licked by the fire. It give a great ambiance.
> 
> ...



Yeah pellet stoves are a bit noisy but of the Harman's they say the XXV is about the quietest. Our P61( certainly not the quietest model of pellet stoves ever built) is a bit quieter than the summer AC unit that fits our living room window, which is also not the quietest of window units either, but then add the humidifier in during the winter months and it's at least as loud. Knowing how it is that we run our stove, I do like the radiant heat of the P units combined with the blower heat but an XXV might have been a good choice as well. The XXV has a very high capable air flow with it's twin but fairly quiet blowers.

There has been a few blower noise complaints on the Accentra free standing that along the way, I read where a home alteration of the output ports has greatly improved that. Anyone interested might do a search on that topic, I have no link off hand. Seems to me it was about trimming some excess metal off a trim molding or some such thing.


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## jpscroller (Oct 3, 2016)

Well we decided to pull the trigger on the Allure over the Accentra.  They are coming tomorrow to install it.  I like the looks of the Accentra a little better, but the bigger hopper, easy touch control, and more importantly the additional heating capacity (50,000 BTU) were the things that pulled us to the Allure. (Wife didn't like the XXV which also had 50,000 BTUs) )  I did feel like the Accentra was going to be iffy in heating our square footage.  Hope we made the right call.  Being new and having no track record on the Allure concerns me.  However I did talk to a guy at a dealership who was a "tester" for the Allure.  He had the Allure in his home for all of last winter, and he had no issues, so that brought some piece of mind.  Oh well, no looking back now.


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## alternativeheat (Oct 3, 2016)

That's great, congrats ! Let us know how it goes, we have no track record here on that one here.

 The Accentra might have been fine in your climate ( that plays a part in stove choice too) but you have the extra cushion this way. You might get an arctic blast down there or something.


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## HP52NOVA (Oct 4, 2016)

I wish you the best with the new stove; please do let us know how it works for you.  Not sure if anyone else here has one and I have not seen any comments on it.   So you are an early adopter!   This is a new line for Harman and I am curious to see how they work.

I have the Accentra 52 insert heating a 5000SQ home for the third season now.   I burn about 6-7 tons a year and the stove runs 24/7 (outside short maint times).   With the right open home layout, proper insulation and a good install and maintenance, I find my primary heat systems (a furnace and a heat pump) only come on when we drop under 20F outside, and even then for a short amount of time.   This stove is a beast.   

When it comes to stoves, as opposed to cars, my opinion is – old is better.   All this new high tech stuff is not really needed for what they do.   They just need to work and keep working!   But this is my opinion.


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## rich2500 (Oct 4, 2016)

Ditto on updating us on the Allure, that's the only Harman that peaks my interest  if I was ever to buy another stove so I'm curious to hear how you like it. Oh and congrats on the stove


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## Adamtec (Oct 20, 2016)

Well done on your choice ...the allure is a great stove very modern European style 

I'm in the process of trying to persuade my wife to allow us to be a tester for a Vicenza stove as I've just completed my tech training on there stoves and had a taster of them when they were a prototype


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