Help me pick a modern wood stove? Supreme Novo or Drolet Alto Deco?

[doomsdaycatspaw]

Hi all!

Longtime lurker, first time poster here.

Looking for advice or to hear folks experience specifically with the Supreme Novo 24 or 38, and the Drolet Alto Deco, and open to other suggestions of contemporary, clean looking wood stoves.

We are finally ready to replace a very worse for the wear older Harman Oakwood that has been our primary source of heat for many years. We live in a converted gas station with a very open layout, about 1900 sqft total, with 14' ceilings. The building is pretty tightly insulated.

The priorities for the new stove are as follows:

1) Easy to operate and practical with a large firebox and simple air controls (will be our primary, daily source of heat)
2) We want it to hold coals overnight and light quickly in the morning
3) Good looking (we like a clean/modern aesthetic)
4) Good value (we don't mind paying a little more, but want a long-lasting appliance that we love)
5) Low maintenance (we like the work of bucking, splitting, stacking, burning, but want a stove that doesn't consistently need parts)
6) 6" chimney

I've looked at a lot of things and am feeling lost in the sauce. Can anybody help?

TIA!

 

[begreen]

The Drolet might be on the small side. Take a look at its cousin, the Osburn Matrix. It's closer in size to the Supreme Novo 24 and has a larger firebox which will afford better overnight burns plus a big, wide window. There is also the Pacific Energy Neo 2.6 in this size.

 

[EbS-P]

Recommendations are all non catalytic stoves was that a choice you made? Blaze king has some nice looking modern styles but only make catalytic stoves

 

[begreen]

Yes, the BK Boxer 24 would fit in this group if catalytic is ok. Though not sure with the prerequisite of lowest maintenance (#5).

 

[stoveliker]

With an open place with 14 ft ceilings a nicely radiant stove may give more comfort than one that sheds relatively more through convection (with air pooling up high).

The question is though what BTU need there is, with a tight place. How did the old Harman do (and what is it's output...)?

 

[doomsdaycatspaw]

Recommendations are all non catalytic stoves was that a choice you made? Blaze king has some nice looking modern styles but only make catalytic stoves

We feel neither here nor there on the cats...never had a stove with a cat but willing to learn if it's a better fit. Don't love the prospect of having to buy a new cat every 3 years, but again, if that's the best fit we're willing to give it a go.

 

[doomsdaycatspaw]

The Drolet might be on the small side. Take a look at its cousin, the Osburn Matrix. It's closer in size to the Supreme Novo 24 and has a larger firebox which will afford better overnight burns plus a big, wide window. There is also the Pacific Energy Neo 2.6 in this size.

We are also wondering if the Novo 38 is a better fit vs. the 24.

 

[doomsdaycatspaw]

With an open place with 14 ft ceilings a nicely radiant stove may give more comfort than one that sheds relatively more through convection (with air pooling up high).

The question is though what BTU need there is, with a tight place. How did the old Harman do (and what is it's output...)

The Oakwood did ok! It's rated at 42,000 BTU but that seems low to me. Firebox around 2.4 cuft. We keep the house about 60-70 degrees in southern VT and usually burn 3-4 cords with the Oakwood. We have an older oil furnace that we set to 50 in the winter and use as backup, and during the coldest months when it's in the teens and 20s, the furnace occasionally comes on at night. We are considering installing a ceiling fan.

 

[begreen]

We are also wondering if the Novo 38 is a better fit vs. the 24.

Are you looking for more heat? The Nova 24, Osburn Matrix, PE Neo 2.6, BK Boxer are all around the same size firebox as the Oakwood. All less fussy to operate than the Harman. I am not familiar with the Supreme 38's performance. It's a big firebox but is it deep enough to load N/S?

It's not a contemporary look stove, but the Jotul F55 or PE Alderlea T6 would also work well if more heat in colder weather is desired. So would the BK Ashford 30. All of these stoves have a blower option which could help, especially if the stove faces the hallway opening in the room.

 

[doomsdaycatspaw]

Are you looking for more heat? The Nova 24, Osburn Matrix, PE Neo 2.6, BK Boxer are all around the same size firebox as the Oakwood. All less fussy to operate than the Harman. I am not familiar with the Supreme 38's performance. It's a big firebox but is it deep enough to load N/S?

It's not a contemporary stove, but the Jotul F55 or PE Alderlea T6 would also work well if more heat in colder weather is desired.

Definitely nothing smaller than the Oakwood, and slightly larger would probably be a plus. With the Oakwood, we'd have decent morning coals probably 50% of the time, depending on time of year and how late we loaded. We were also looking at the Jotul Carabasset, and the HearthStone GM 80 because we do like the cast iron. The GM 80 unfortunately needs an 8" chimney.

 

[begreen]

The Jotul F55 and PE Alderlea T6 will provide 12-14 hr burns in milder weather and around 8-10 in colder weather. The BK Ashford 30.2 is catalytic and thermostatic. It can provide a 24 hr burn in milder weather, albeit at a lower heat output. It's burn time in very cold weather will be about the same as the F55 or T6. All of these stoves are about 3.0 cu ft.

 

[begreen]

We are considering installing a ceiling fan.

That could make a nice difference even with the same size stove running if the ceiling peaks at 14 ft with no connection to another room.

 

[gollygeemister]

New owner of a Drolet Deco II - a little smaller than the Alto you're looking at. So far I've been very happy with it. Kinda wishing I had upsized to the Alto though!

1) I would say the Deco fits the bill. Gets going fast with a top-down start, and only one control on it, haha. My main gripe is that the air control lever has a short throw - less than 2" for sure. It makes fine adjustments more difficult.
2) With a 10pm reload of some low density wood native to the area I have a few coals in the morning.
3) Good looking - yes I think more so than the others mentioned so far.
4) Good value - The Drolet was a great value and seems solidly built.
5) Low maintenance - I expect it will be
6) 6" chimney - yep

 

[Wakajawaka]

I am considering s Deco 2. I have a 20 plus year old Pacific Energy Vista now. Works great for my 1100sq ranch house, but I definitely would live longer burn times. How has tge stove been for you since this post?

 

[begreen]

I am considering s Deco 2. I have a 20 plus year old Pacific Energy Vista now. Works great for my 1100sq ranch house, but I definitely would live longer burn times. How has tge stove been for you since this post?

The Deco should have about the same burn time as the Vista though the Deco firebox can be packed fuller due to the N/S loading. For extended burn times, the PE Super or T5 with the EBT regulated secondary burn is the champ in non-cat stoves.

 

[ManitobaSky]

The Drolet might be on the small side. Take a look at its cousin, the Osburn Matrix. It's closer in size to the Supreme Novo 24 and has a larger firebox which will afford better overnight burns plus a big, wide window. There is also the Pacific Energy Neo 2.6 in this size.

Isn’t the Deco Alto the same 2.4 ft³ fire box as the Matrix?

 

[begreen]

Yes, the Deco Alto is 2.4 cu ft. The Deco 2 mentioned has a 1.8 cu ft firebox. I

 

[ManitobaSky]

Ok I’m just confused because the OP had mentioned the Alto not the Deco 2.

 

[begreen]

Ok I’m just confused because the OP had mentioned the Alto not the Deco 2.

Not you, the conversation got sidetracked by subsequent posts. It's I that confused the original October posting. I blame Drolet for confusing things by having 3 different sized stoves all with Deco in their name. Thanks for clarifying.