Pulling the trigger...suggestions welcome for our new pellet stove

[stayfitz]

My parents live over in Hopewell and my favorite sushi restaurant is up the by the mall...I see a mini-roadtrip coming up! I've been reading on the boards that people also really ike the Enviros and US Stove products, as well was quadra and Harman. So difficult to narrow it down, but I'm going to go research the enviro maxx if it is going to be my new best friend

My husband and I keep saying that if we get a bigger, higher quality stove - we will have it for a long time. it's just a lot of money to put out when you have just purchased a house. I am convinced that the Kozi XL that we have wouldn't have died as quick if we weren't burning it on high for so long. It is definitely an older model and it was loud and not the best out there, but it was keeping us pretty warm. It just couldn't handle these cold temps the past few weeks...

Thanks for the info! I'm going to go check 'em out now
Meg

Avoid US Stove pellet stove products!

For large output freestanding stoves consider -

- Drolet / Enerzone - ECO-65 / EuroMaxx

- Enviro / VistaFlame - Maxx / VF170

- Harman P68

 

[newbieinCT]

Sounds like you need to step back and take a look at your big picture strategy...do you really want to spend a lot of money on a fancy big pellet stove. that may or may not even solve your immediate needs?

I suggest you see what you can find used or new inexpensive stoves (check out Englander and sister stoves refurbs etc.) to get you by for the winter. maybe one stove and a little more oil burned makes more sense.

You really need to get a plan for your overall system...and work towards that.....maybe you will end up with minisplit heat pumps.....or geothermal.

Perhaps you can come up with a plan that you can implement in stages to help with costs. I'd hate to see your new harman on craigs list next summer because it now didn't fit your "plan"

thanks peirhead - It's easy to get overwhelmed and jump in too quick...especially when you are cold.
We haven't been here for the winter yet but the oil bill will be expensive, especially with an older less efficient furnace. ductwork is old and doesn't go to all parts of the house (adding expense to anything we do that involves the ducts) We were trying to think ahead (4 months of Oil at ~$700 would pay for a stove). Down the road, we would prefer geothermal over mini split heat pumps. We just had an insulation guy who came in and really pushed us on the heat pumps - we aren't ready to do them yet. You are right, I will take a step back and consider some less expensive options (like Englander). They are on the list to compare but whenever i talk about them, all I hear from the husband is "it's ugly". I think a big oil bill is uglier

 

[newbieinCT]

Avoid US Stove pellet stove products!

For large output freestanding stoves consider -

- Drolet / Enerzone - ECO-65 / EuroMaxx

- Enviro / VistaFlame - Maxx / VF170

- Harman P68

Putting these all on my list. @Pierhead and a few others pointed out that long term, we will need a better option other than pellet stove. Even if it's a pellet boiler. In the short term, I just am freezing my butt off and want to make a decision ASAP. Part of me wants to get a stove and resell when we upgrade to whatever - long term plan. our layout is confusing and missing ductwork so I'll have to see what really makes sense in the short and long term. I'm going to chck out the stove you recommended and also do a search on hearth.com for the Eruomasxx and VF170 - don't know much about them. I know the harman p68 is a monster though
thanks!
meg

 

[Crazy Ivan from CT]

Meg, do your self a huge favor and research geothermal heating and cooling. You have a very complicated layout right there and you might be better served to replace the heating system with geo or a pellet boiler.

How much was a Geothermal setu? I hear there great if you can afford the investment. I heard the investment is large since your drilling 4-5 wells.

 

[briansol]

How LONG are you going to be there is a big factor. If this is your LAST foreseeable house and you're relatively young (ie, 30s), investing in something like geoT is worth it.

If this is a 5-year run, or until the kids are done with school thing.... cheap out. get a cheapo pellet stove to replace the existing broken one, and get a few electric oil filled heaters to help offset the oil use.

Factor in the ROI of the GT system. I looked in to it a while back and deemed it not worth it. I don't plan to stay here forever.

In 10 years, solar may have some crazy advancement and makes power .0001c kwh. you never know what tech may bring. To assume a 20 year loan on something that may be obsolete in 5 is, well, stupid.