Narrowing down my options...looking for opinions.

[TNCave]

Let me first say that this site has been a fantastic resource!

I am getting closer to finally purchasing a wood stove, and the closer I get the cheaper I am looking.

I started looking at an PE alderlea as I was overwhelmed when looking at one on the show floor.

But now reality has kicked in and I need to get serious.

I'm beginning to narrow it down and here is what I'm looking at:

Napoleon 1450 - Love the idea of a square fire box and I like the size.
Napoleon/Timberwolf 2200 - Budget stove with high efficiency that may get the job done well and look OK.
Englander 13-NC - Don't know as much about this one, but it's priced right.
Enerzone 1.8 - A little more expensive, but maybe worth it?
Lopi Republic 1750 - Local dealer loves them and insists the quality is far superior than any of my other choices. Likely out of my price range.

I'm heating a Cape Cod style house with around 960 sq./ft downstairs and 360 sq./ft upstairs. The ceiling and attic is very well insulated, but I have 70 year old windows and only 1" foam under my vinyl siding for wall insulation. I'm in a hollow in Middle/East TN where is does get cold, but we're still mild compared to you northerners.
Fireboxes range from 1.8-2.25 cu./ft. I'm leaning toward the larger end, but then I look at the Buck stove 21 and it is 1.6 cu./ft. and suggested for 1800 sq./ft.

Any personal experiences, advice, missed options, etc. would be fantastic.

Thanks again for your help,

Cory

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Why is the PE Spectrum not on that list?

 

[TNCave]

The nearest PE dealer is quite a ways off and I just happened through there one day when I saw the Alderlea.
If it is priced similarly, it may be worth the drive.

Cory

 

[Bigg_Redd]

The nearest PE dealer is quite a ways off and I just happened through there one day when I say the Alderlea.
If it is priced similarly, it may be worth the drive.

Cory

Base model Spectrum is $1100-$1200 at my local dealer. Seems about in line with your other choices.

 

[SeaSky]

Still up very late from a cold...

I love my Napoleon 1400PL

Loved my little Lopi when I owned her. (She has a good home now)

...and would love to own a PE of any type, any color.

 

[FireAnt]

Love my 13-NC!

 

[Pagey]

I'm in the same climate as you pretty much here on the Cumberland Plateau. Whatever you pick, get something with at LEAST a 2.0 cubic foot fire box or better if you want a good overnight burn with a hefty coal bed remaining after 8 hours. Otherwise, you'll be starting a cold stove in the morning during a long cold snap like we just came out of.

I'm using a Lopi Endeavor (which is the "upgraded" Republic 1750, featuring the bypass damper), so I can vouch for the quality on the Lopi. Nothing wrong with the other stoves you've listed either. England's has 2 of the best "bang for the buck" plate steel stoves on the market (the NC13 and NC30). They make the Englander, Summers Heat, and Timber Ridge lines, but other than where you buy them, they're the same stoves.

But, no matter what stove you choose, keep this in mind: today's secondary combustion stoves REQUIRE dry wood in order to burn cleanly and to burn properly. If you don't have a ready supply of seasoned wood on hand, expect marginal results your first year of burning. If you don't have seasoned wood on hand, start now. Cut standing dead beetle killed pine, and get it split and stacked ASAP. Split any hard woods (oak, hickory, etc.) small to speed drying times.

If you have any specific Lopi questions, I'll try to answer them. Welcome to the forums and happy stove hunting. You're in the right place.

 

[BrowningBAR]

Let me first say that this site has been a fantastic resource!

I am getting closer to finally purchasing a wood stove, and the closer I get the cheaper I am looking.

I started looking at an PE alderlea as I was overwhelmed when looking at one on the show floor.

But now reality has kicked in and I need to get serious.

I'm beginning to narrow it down and here is what I'm looking at:

Napoleon 1450 - Love the idea of a square fire box and I like the size.
Napoleon/Timberwolf 2200 - Budget stove with high efficiency that may get the job done well and look OK.
Englander 13-NC - Don't know as much about this one, but it's priced right.
Enerzone 1.8 - A little more expensive, but maybe worth it?
Lopi Republic 1750 - Local dealer loves them and insists the quality is far superior than any of my other choices. Likely out of my price range.

I'm heating a Cape Cod style house with around 960 sq./ft downstairs and 360 sq./ft upstairs. The ceiling and attic is very well insulated, but I have 70 year old windows and only 1" foam under my vinyl siding for wall insulation. I'm in a hollow in Middle/East TN where is does get cold, but we're still mild compared to you northerners.
Fireboxes range from 1.8-2.25 cu./ft. I'm leaning toward the larger end, but then I look at the Buck stove 21 and it is 1.6 cu./ft. and suggested for 1800 sq./ft.

Any personal experiences, advice, missed options, etc. would be fantastic.

Thanks again for your help,

Cory

I would go larger rather than smaller. When you need an overnight burn the larger stove will be more capable of handling it.

 

[TNCave]

Thanks all,

I'm now definitely leaning toward the larger stoves. I really like the Lopi but the extra $ and no ash drawer/dump is pointing me towards the Napoleon.
Pagey, I'm way jealous of your Endeavor ownership, that is one nice stove. The dealer in Cookeville swears by them and can really sell that bypass.

I started cutting wood last summer, so hopefully I'll be ready for next year, but I still have a long way to go.

Thanks for your help and best wishes to all.

Cory

 

[BrowningBAR]

Thanks all,

I'm now definitely leaning toward the larger stoves. I really like the Lopi but the extra $ and no ash drawer/dump is pointing me towards the Napoleon.
Pagey, I'm way jealous of your Endeavor ownership, that is one nice stove. The dealer in Cookeville swears by them and can really sell that bypass.

I started cutting wood last summer, so hopefully I'll be ready for next year, but I still have a long way to go.

Thanks for your help and best wishes to all.

Cory

Don't hinge your choice on whether or not a stove has an ash pan. One of my stoves has one, the other does not. I prefer the one that does not have an ash pan. A lot of ash pans or more annoying than helpful. Just shovel the ash out, most times it is the easier and quicker way of doing it.

 

[Pagey]

Thanks all,

I'm now definitely leaning toward the larger stoves. I really like the Lopi but the extra $ and no ash drawer/dump is pointing me towards the Napoleon.
Pagey, I'm way jealous of your Endeavor ownership, that is one nice stove. The dealer in Cookeville swears by them and can really sell that bypass.

I started cutting wood last summer, so hopefully I'll be ready for next year, but I still have a long way to go.

Thanks for your help and best wishes to all.

Cory

After quite a bit of reading on here, I'm surprised at the number of people that do NOT use the ash drawer that is built into some stoves. Of course others swear by them. Do some further inquiries if you are dead set on a model with an ash drawer system. Some manufacturers seem to have it figured out far better than others.

Yes, the Endeavor's bypass feature is very handy, but they seem to get a premium price for that feature. We got ours at the Cookeville dealer, and they handled the install. No real complaints, Bob and Fran have always answered my questions. I don't think they ever go home. I can call the store at 9pm, and one of them will pick up the phone.

Glad to hear you are ahead of the game on wood. That puts you ahead of about 95% of new burners, I would venture to say!

 

[btj1031]

You mentioned the NC-13. Not many folks on this site have anything negative to say about the Englander stoves - lots of positive if you look around. If cost is a major criteria, and you're looking at the larger stoves now, a NC-30 might not be a bad choice. I like my Jotul, but I'd probably give the 30 a try if I had to do it all over again. A much larger stove at half the cost, and it doesn't look too bad either. Good luck.

 

[TNCave]

I'm only heating around 1300 sq./ft.
I'm guessing the nc30 firebox is quite a bit larger than what I need.
The Century stoves are pretty good looking though and I understand there's no extra cost for legs.

Price is definitely an issue, I have far more projects around the farm than I have wallet to keep up with.

Thanks again for all the help.

Cory

 

[Valhalla]

Do not judge your heating needs by square footage only.
Heat lost through walls, windows, doors, floors and ceiling must be considered.
Besides the central placement of the stove in the home, if possible.
Some homes just need more BTU replacement than others.

A large firebox will also permit overnight heating when needed.