Woodstock Fireside Franklin Gas Stoves

[Fire Bug]

Hi,
Does anyone have any feedback on the Woodstock Fireside Franklin Gas Stoves?
From reading the the ratings on the Woodstock Conpany, they seem to have a very high customer satisfaction rating for their company and woodstoves but there are few reviews on this gas stove.
I want to purchase this stove, in the propane model, to replace my Fisher Woodstove in my rec room and would like to hear some comments from owners of this stove.
Thanks,
Fire Bug

 

[webbie]

Hi,
Does anyone have any feedback on the Woodstock Fireside Franklin Gas Stoves?
From reading the the ratings on the Woodstock Conpany, they seem to have a very high customer satisfaction rating for their company and woodstoves but there are few reviews on this gas stove.
I want to purchase this stove, in the propane model, to replace my Fisher Woodstove in my rec room and would like to hear some comments from owners of this stove.
Thanks,
Fire Bug

I want one......

How come it is that people lately have been asking here for only the best stoves?

This is GREAT model, and I say that for multiple reasons.....of course, full disclosure is that Woodstock helps sponsor this site - BUT, I can call some of the people at that Company friends and acquaintances both before (and after, if it ever happens) that they sponsor Hearth.com

I even sold their stoves years ago when they had dealers and my sister and some other friends had them!

So, that said, this is a great and unique model. The Idea of the franklin style gas was really, IMHO, VC's idea with a model called the Dauntless, but that was before Direct Vent and High Efficiency. The stove people at Woodstock added all the modern stuff, threw some soapstone in on the deal, and even a personal nameplate!

If you have not done it yet, tour the Woodstock facility and see for yourself at:
https://www.hearth.com/articles/78_0_1_0_C.html

A return policy where they will take back your stove? Unheard of in the industry......and, even a person who sent one back posted a great review about it...

Heck, might as well go all out and give that purchase the Hearth.com webmaster official seal of approval.

The one caveat is that, since you will be buying direct, you should be confident in your installer.

 

[Fire Bug]

Craig,
I called the Woodstock Company to find out if they could put me in contact with a past purchaser of this stove so I could ask the customer first hand about their experience with this stove.
At first, they sent me the name of a customer who I contacted and the customer had nothing but praise to say about the stove and the company. They e-mailed me pictures of the unit and said that I could make a visit to their residence to see the unit first hand but their location was a bit out of the way from my home. This, I think, was great on the part of the customer and the company.
Me, being the researcher I am, again contacted Woodstock for another name of a past customer. Once again, the obliged and this time they found me a customer in home town, only miles away.
I contacted this customer and have an appointment to see the stove after the Easter Holliday. Once again, this customer had nothing but praise to offer about the stove and the company.
My biggest concern with purchaseing this stove is finding a good installer. As far as the product and the company goes, it seems like they are tops.
So far, I have never dealt with a company that will go to such great lenghts to satisify a potential customer.

Fire Bug

 

[thechimneysweep]

Like Craig, I used to be a Woodstock Soapstone dealer back when they had dealers. And like Craig, I must confess some personal product bias: long before Woodstock decided to go direct, we had dropped the line in favor of Hearthstone. Ever since, I've made it a habit to visit Woodstock's site every once in awhile to see how the two lines measure up.

For comparison purposes, the closest model Hearthstone offers to Woodstock's Fireside Franklin is the Santa Fe. Both are made of cast iron and soapstone, both are direct vented, both are mobile home approved, both have safety pilot ignition. Here are some other comparison points between the two, based upon the manufacturers' published data:

Size & Rear Clearance:
Woodstock FF: 28"T x 30"W x 24"D, Rear Clearance 10"
Hearthstone SF: 26-3/4"T x 25-1/2"W x 19"D, Rear Clearance 5"
Comparison: The Santa Fe takes up 40% less space in the room

High End Heating Power with LP Gas:
Woodstock FF: 33,883 btu/hr
Hearthstone SF: 36,000 btu/hr
Comparison: The Santa Fe is 17% more powerful at the high setting

Controllability (Low to High Setting with LP gas):
Woodstock FF: 26,511 - 33,883 btu/hr = 7,372 btu Control Range
Hearthstone SF: 18,000 - 36,000 btu/hr = 18,000 btu Control Range
Comparison: The Santa Fe is over twice as controllable

Maximum Steady State Heating Efficiency:
Woodstock FF: 77%
Hearthstone SF: 77% - 89%
Comparison: The Santa Fe can achieve up to 14% better heating efficiency

Wall Mount Thermostat:
Woodstock FF: Optional
Hearthstone SF: Standard
Comparison: The Santa Fe offers thermostatic control at no extra charge

Finish & Stone Options:
Woodstock FF: Matte black painted with soapstone only
Hearthstone SF: Matte black painted or four optional porcelain finishes, with six stone options
Comparison: The Santa Fe offers more decorator options

Blower Option:
Woodstock FF: Not available
Hearthstone SF: Optional variable speed automatic blower
Comparison: Some houses just seem to need a stove with a blower to circulate the heat. The Santa Fe offers a solution for those situations.

Price:
Woodstock FF (Sale): $2229.00
Hearthstone SF: $1895.00
Comparison: Woodstock stoves seem to always be on sale whenever I visit their website, so that's the price quoted above. The Hearthstone Santa Fe sells for $334.00 less than even the Woodstock Fireside's "sale" price.