My wife and I are looking for a wood stove for our new construction home. We have narrowed our choices down the Osburn 3500 or the Blaze King King 40. The stove will be installed in the basement. The basement is about 1800 sf. The first floor is also about 1800sf with cathedral ceilings. The second floor is another 500sf. The stove will be used for supplemental heat. One of our biggest concerns is that the stove would burn long enough to not have to start a new fire after being gone at work for about 10-12 hours. We had a Jotul F600 in our other house and it would always have only a couple of tiny coals left after 8 hours. We have read many of the Blaze King reviews. There are a lot less reviews on the Osburn, but both seem good. With the tax credit, it looks like the price is about the same for both. The larger firebox and the catalyst on the Blaze King would seem to help with a longer burn time. Is the firebox on the Blaze King significantly larger than the Osburn? Also, if running at higher settings, does the catalyst provide any advantage? Or is the only advantage the ability to burn the wood slower for longer burn times at lower output? The salesman that we spoke with said that the Blaze King may need more attention. The reviews I have read seem to say that once the stove is up to temp and the bypass closed, you can set it and not have to do anything until it is time for a reload. Anyone with experience with both stoves that has any other advice? I have done a lot of reading on this forum already and I am driving my wife crazy trying to decide which stove will be better for us. Thank you
Osburn 3500 or Blaze King King 40
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The Osburn 3500 is the fancier version of the Drolet Legend/Myriad III. It's a big firebox and strong heater.
I am surprised that the pricing is coming in close. Typically the BK King is a more expensive stove.
I am surprised that the pricing is coming in close. Typically the BK King is a more expensive stove.
Ah, that makes sense. The Osburn should have a hot coal bed after 10-12 hrs on a full load. The King will have one after 30+ hrs if the heat demand is low. The Osburn requires a 6" flue, the King requires an 8" flue system. Both are good stoves. The Osburn is simpler and less costly to maintain, but nothing matches the King for the long burn.
No, The Osburn 3300 is the drolet legend/myriad 3 firebox. The 3500 is a drolet 3000 equivalent firebox.
Have had Blaze King King for almost ten years now, had two a King, and a King parlor my current stove, nothing burns like a king, however the BK like dry wood, nothing over 20% the drier the better. Some fussing with bypass open and closing during startup but easily overcome, nothing in the stove world I'm aware of can burn longer a coal bed after 20 hours isn't uncommon. Once again the BK's thrive on dry wood, if you don't have access to that steer clear.Get a non cat .I'm burning wood at kiln dried levels now 7%, to 15% and the burns are still 12+ hours easily.
![[Hearth.com] Osburn 3500 or Blaze King King 40](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/308/308130-918ef50241fad94064d87c053d679d4b.jpg?hash=T5pHaD5no3 "[Hearth.com] Osburn 3500 or Blaze King King 40")
The king is rated for 40, not 30, hours on low. If you’re using higher settings it will burn wood faster but that’s your choice as far as “supplemental” heat.
A nice schedule is to just top it off once per day. That equates to a medium output.
Or you could just throw in a few more splits every 12 hours.
The thermostat will keep the stove output at whatever you choose, like cruise control on a car.
Basement heater would be a great place for the relatively ugly king.
A nice schedule is to just top it off once per day. That equates to a medium output.
Or you could just throw in a few more splits every 12 hours.
The thermostat will keep the stove output at whatever you choose, like cruise control on a car.
Basement heater would be a great place for the relatively ugly king.
Gearhead660
Minister of Fire
Uninsulated basement walls soak up heat like a sponge. About a third of the wood burned will be heating up outdoors without insulating the walls.
By a split hair, at most.Both outstanding stoves, my stove shop has one almost $6K, wow.
According to SBI, the Osburn 3500 does too.
I just found that. It looks like it could be subject to interpretation since it is not on the epa list and they use the LHV instead of the HHV
They use the low burn HHV I think. The interpretation is by the IRS not the EPA. Until the IRS makes a determination, the exception stands. This will get addressed eventually, but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting. The 75% mark is arbitrary so I can see it being challenged by a big stove company.
Just visited the local stove shop. They recommended against Blaze King for basement installation due to negative pressure in basement? They suggested a Quadrafire 5700. Even though the firebox is slightly less cubic feet, they claim that it will hold almost as much wood as it will take longer wood in a north south direction. Would this stove produce similar heat to the Osburn? Thank you again for all of the great information and recommendations.
Both stoves like a decent draft. Of the 3 I would say that the Osburn is the least fussy.
Negative pressure in the basement is a concern for any stove, not just a BK. Whether it exists is TBD. Is there a chimney connection in the basement already?
Negative pressure in the basement is a concern for any stove, not just a BK. Whether it exists is TBD. Is there a chimney connection in the basement already?
No there is not a chimney connection yet. Would you say that the Osburn 3500 and Quadrafire 5700 are comparable? The deeper firebox of the 5700 looked like it could be easier to load. So you don’t feel like the negative pressure would affect the Blaze King any more than the others?
The chimney will be right around 30’ of Selkirk superpro class a running straight up inside of the house. The stove will be installed directly below the chimney.
Yes, they are comparable. On paper the Osburn is a little larger than the Quad 5700, but practically, the loading volume is similar. I think the 5700 might take a longer log N/S than the 3500. The Quad does not qualify for the tax credit.
Running the chimney up inside the house will help it stay warmer which is good for enhancing the draft. With an outside air connection negative pressure may not be an issue. In some cases, it is just the opposite. 30' is a tall chimney and often requires a key damper in the stovepipe to tame the strong draft. Until there is a stove in place, measuring the draft strength is not possible. One anecdotal test you could try is to open a basement window a little on a calm day. Is there a strong inrush of cold air, or does the warm air want to go out of the opening?
Running the chimney up inside the house will help it stay warmer which is good for enhancing the draft. With an outside air connection negative pressure may not be an issue. In some cases, it is just the opposite. 30' is a tall chimney and often requires a key damper in the stovepipe to tame the strong draft. Until there is a stove in place, measuring the draft strength is not possible. One anecdotal test you could try is to open a basement window a little on a calm day. Is there a strong inrush of cold air, or does the warm air want to go out of the opening?
We won’t really be able to test that as the house is not fully insulated yet. We are mostly trying pick a stove so that we can install the proper chimney before drywall. One thing that I see is that the Osburn 3500 is a decent amount heavier at 540lbs vs 434lbs for the Quadrafire 5700. The lack of tax credit hurts the Quadrafire, but the additional depth of the firebox looks like it would make for easier north/south loading, and filling the firebox.
I'd steer clear of Quadrafire , I had two 5700 crack on their sides, now in all fairness Quadrafire replaced both, but I lost faith in a hurry, i'll stay with BK, until or if it fails.
BKVP
Minister of Fire
The question related to the tax credit that IRS has not responded to:
Is it based upon 75% HHV OVERALL or can it be based upon 75% HHV from a single test run.
IRS conducted a comment period and their ruling is yet to be announced.
BKVP
Is it based upon 75% HHV OVERALL or can it be based upon 75% HHV from a single test run.
IRS conducted a comment period and their ruling is yet to be announced.
BKVP
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