Have you seen this Wood fireplace insert? Help me choose

[Winter2011]

Hi All,
I have a 1000 sqft upstairs I would like to heat with a wood fireplace insert. New units cost a lot of $$. I currently use a Englander PDVC-25 pellet stove to heat the 600 sq ft downstairs but trying to heat the entire house gets expensive when pellets are $250 a ton! I have been looking on crags-list but cant find much information on these models. Please let me know if you have information and if these are a good buy. I would like an efficient unit to get the most out of a piece of wood. My existing fireplace already has a 10" - 12" metal pipe running to the top. My house was built in 1969 and I am thinking of doing the install myself. The chimmeny is NOT masonary and has a cheap looking fake metal brick top on the roof.

Are any of these a good buy? (see pics) Or am i better off paying 3K for a new unit with professional install?

I cant find ANY information online about these which leads me to believe they are really old???

- Lopi Flawless Performance fireplace insert, Model X $500

- Earth Stove (side plate says Model C-201R / C-202R / C-205R) $450

- Ranger $350

Feedback is appreciated

 

[jeff_t]

What kind of fireplace do you have?

 

[webbie]

Not sure any of them are EPA clean burning......maybe the Earth is/was.
The Lopi is heavy duty and has a lot of money worth of brass in the doors, that's for sure!
The Ranger, I think, was an off-brand or something from US Stove or another maker like that.

 

[Winter2011]

What kind of fireplace do you have?

My fireplace is on an interior wall and the pipe is enclosed in the wall. It has a 10 - 12" metal pipe running from the fireplace to the roof with a cheapo 70's fake brick metal surround on the top of the house. Unfortunately the rock on the wall is fake but I think the rock on the floor is real.

 

[Winter2011]

Not sure any of them are EPA clean burning......maybe the Earth is/was.
The Lopi is heavy duty and has a lot of money worth of brass in the doors, that's for sure!
The Ranger, I think, was an off-brand or something from US Stove or another maker like that.

Thanks for the reply, So correct me if im wrong, are you saying you would recommend the:

1. Lopi for $500
2. Earth Stove for $450

 

[Winter2011]

Hmmm, found out the Lopi is 15yrs old and hasent been burned for that long. I guess it is an 1980's model. If anyone has experience with this stove or knows Lopi stoves were built well in the 80's please let me know.

 

[offroadaudio]

So it looks like the fireplace is a metal pre-fab type. This limits the stoves that can be put in there.
You have to make sure the stove you choose is rated for "zero clearance" installs.