Didn't want to rub any more salt into the wounds.That would be me The Harman is on the way as I type. Delayed by one day. Soo looking forward to watching the Thelin go out the door. Will post photo later...just hope Im not dreaming and this all goes down without a hitch.
I'm going to buy my first pellet stove. I have been on this site getting as much info as possible. Thanks for all the expertise. My main question was is it worth paying thousands more for a Harman stove vs an Englander? Are Harmans that much better than Englanders to pay 2 to 3 thousand dollars more. I don't need an artistic masterpiece, just a stove that does its job providing heat and not causing problem after problem. Please help. I'm new at this and don't want to spend more money than necessary but also don't want to waste my money. Thank you for your help.
There are a couple on the Scranton CL.I'm guessing that you would have plenty of opportunities to buy a nice used Harman in PA since they are made there. Comb the Craigslist ads daily for a P61A, P43, PC-45, etc. Hard to be dissatisfied with one in my experience, very low maintenance, no heat exchanger rods to pull, large ash pan, glass stays clean for a long time, scrape burn pot once or twice a week in my case. Fun to try different settings (manual, auto, etc).
Running 100% cherry pits in the PC45 right now just to try it. Lots of heat with a bit more ash but stove performs great with same setup as pellets.
I guess the worse thing is they tend to be a bit louder than other top feed stoves I've experienced.
Yes. The P61A for $1250 for example Use it for several years and then get your money back if desired which is hard to do with a new big box stove.There are a couple on the Scranton CL.
You can get some money back on a big box stoveYes. The P61A for $1250 for example Use it for several years and then get your money back if desired which is hard to do with a new big box stove.
To each their own. Some value new stove warranties more than attributes. Personally i appreciate the added engineering or fine cast iron style but on a shoestring budget.
I've had a few stoves that nearly resulted in a trip to the metal scrapper. King 5510 comes to mind, very frustrating experience but it was used and i had to save it (shorted igniter triac, sheared auger end, burned up igniter, warped front panel so door didnt seal properly.... and this thing was only 1 year old. Love a challenge i guess but trading a Whitfield for it was a big mistake.You can get some money back on a big box stove
Scrap iron has value. . . . ..
There is a reason that the harman costs thousands more to purchase and it ain't just looks. My family and I are always on the go it's nothing for us to leave are harman for 12-13 hours to come home and find it doing the same thing it was when we left. It's very easy to maintain except for cleaning week I spend maybe 5 min a day filling hopper scraping pot other than that we just enjoy it. Now if your able to afford a higher priced stove I would recommend you do for reliability,ease of use,warranty,and the help from a dealer. These things don't come with all stoves. I know the price seems high on some of these stoves but read some reviews and you will see some of the reasons why cheap isn't always the way to go. A higher priced stove will still pay for itself it just takes a little longer than a cheap one.I'm going to buy my first pellet stove. I have been on this site getting as much info as possible. Thanks for all the expertise. My main question was is it worth paying thousands more for a Harman stove vs an Englander? Are Harmans that much better than Englanders to pay 2 to 3 thousand dollars more. I don't need an artistic masterpiece, just a stove that does its job providing heat and not causing problem after problem. Please help. I'm new at this and don't want to spend more money than necessary but also don't want to waste my money. Thank you for your help.
From what you posted, you need to buy a P68 Harman. The Englander will never keep up with 3000+ sq ft house in Massachussetts weather. The Harman will do a good job for 3000+ sq ft decently insulated New England home. Your decision is a no brainier.I'm debating this same situation. I've got a 3000+ sq ft house, currently running a POS Thelin that came with it. It's been the biggest pain, so I want to replace it this summer. Debating the same thing is the Harman worth the extra $2k+? I don't mind spending big money on something that will work very well, but I don't want to throw money away either if the Englander will do the job. House is decently insulated. Basically I want the pellet stove with the most output possible with minimal maintenance (I've spent enough time over the past 3 years wrestling with the Thelin, that I don't mind paying for something good. Also would be nice if I could clean out the ash while it runs, or at it can hold more than 12 hours of ash without almost catching on fire.
ports did you decide yet?
Massachusetts is part of new england....From what you posted, you need to buy a P68 Harman. The Englander will never keep up with 3000+ sq ft house in Massachussetts weather. The Harman will do a good job for 3000+ sq ft decently insulated New England home. Your decision is a no brainier.
From what you posted, you need to buy a P68 Harman. The Englander will never keep up with 3000+ sq ft house in Massachussetts weather. The Harman will do a good job for 3000+ sq ft decently insulated New England home. Your decision is a no brainier.
Except the OP is not in MASS, he's in PA. Somehow (no big surprise) the thread got hijacked by the Harman Klan.From what you posted, you need to buy a P68 Harman. The Englander will never keep up with 3000+ sq ft house in Massachussetts weather. The Harman will do a good job for 3000+ sq ft decently insulated New England home. Your decision is a no brainier.
Except he's not in MASS, he's in PA.
And you are not the Original Poster, who lives in PA and was asking about Englander stoves versus other brands. He's the one who started the thread and was looking for advice. It would have been much less confusing if you started a new thread. The OP never answered you so he is long gone.no, I'm in Mass. I hi-jacked an old thread from someone in PA who had the similar question I did, to see what decision he made. Which is good forum etiquette, but probably slightly confusing.
Do you have a wife? When buying my stove, my and I walked into the store thinking Harman. My wife took one look at the Quadrafire MVAE in mahogany and the deal was done. My point is, if you've got a significant other, looks might matter more then you think.
Not to say there are no exceptions. I have been flat out stumped by more than a couple lady shoppers. I have also seen salespeople that worked for me make the fatal mistake of asking the husband how much he is looking to heat and glancing at the wife and asking in a polite tone "so, do you think that stove is pretty?" I've run a 4.4 second 40 yard dash in order to try to stop that before it happens.
We use essential cookies to make this site work, and optional cookies to enhance your experience.