Quadra-Fire 2100 Millenium vs Englander 32-NC vs VC Intrepid

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Carmelblob

New Member
Aug 20, 2024
6
Buhl, Idaho
So as the title says, I am debating between the NC-32 and the 2100. The NC-32 is only $1049.
The 2100 is $2009. Intrepid $2810.
Budget is a concern, but negotiable. Cheapest is not always the best value.

Installed cost after tax credit is $3303 for the 32-NC and $4127 for the 2100 Mil. $4816 for VC intrepid

Usage is for a large room (24*24 garage) we finished into a playroom, not sure what thermals will be like this coming winter since we wrapped the whole house in 1 inch of foam when we closed off the garage.
The extra heat will be encouraged to wander through the rest of the house.

Other factor to consider... I am a first time wood burner. So I have a lot to learn.

Live in Southern Idaho, so dealer selection is a bit limited.

Any recommendations outside of those 3?
 
These stove choices are all over the place in size and design. The 32-NC is 3 times as large as the Intrepid. It would be good to focus on the top one or two must have features. If the place is not well insulated and with very high ceilings, then go for the 32-NC.

Drolet stoves are popular too and they are made in Canada by the same company that now owns Englander. Give us more details about the space to be heated and we can narrow down the selection and recommendations. Is the floor insulated or still concrete slab? How high is the ceiling? Is there 1" foam on the walls? Will the space have any other heat? How far in advance do you want to start the fire to heat up the space or is the plan to heat it 24/7?

Also, the likelihood of finding fully seasoned wood at this time of year is slim. Most wood sellers sell wood they called "seasoned" and it's actually over 25% or 1/4 water in weight.
 
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begreen said:
These stove choices are all over the place in size and design. The 32-NC is 3 times as large as the Intrepid. It would be good to focus on the top one or two must have features. If the place is not well insulated and with very high ceilings, then go for the 32-NC.

Drolet stoves are popular too and they are made in Canada by the same company that now owns Englander. Give us more details about the space to be heated and we can narrow down the selection and recommendations. Is the floor insulated or still concrete slab? How high is the ceiling? Is there 1" foam on the walls? Will the space have any other heat? How far in advance do you want to start the fire to heat up the space or is the plan to heat it 24/7?

Also, the likelihood of finding fully seasoned wood at this time of year is slim. Most wood sellers sell wood they called "seasoned" and it's actually over 25% or 1/4 water in weight.
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9 foot ceilings. Un-insulated Slab. The walls are well insulated and so is the ceiling. The walls have 2x6 framing with fiberglass bat and 1 inch of foam was added on the exterior. Should be about r-24 now. Ceilings had added cellulose blown in 3 years ago. Should be R-49.

Space does not have a heater running to it directly. We have been using a plug in 1500 w electric oil-filled heater.

The quote is now $3000 for installation so we figured we would get something that qualifies for the tax credit and are now trying to learn and pin it down. I was basing it off BTU's and min BTU's. But apparently that is not the way to go.

What about the Deco Nano$1000 vs Discovery 1 $2229 vs Lincoln $2299 vs Intrepid $2810?

We have had cut logs for almost 3 years waiting to be used. About 3-4 cords worth. Not sure the species anymore.

Top feature... Idiot proof? As is evidenced by my ignorance of the subject matter.

When we first bought this house in 21 we bought a https://www.lowes.com/pd/US-Stove-C...-Area-Firewood-and-Fire-Logs-Stove/5001725019 because it was cheap. When I learned about installation costs and that they had gone up $1200 since the quote in 21, life happened and we have not had the funding since 2021 to get it installed do to losing a third of our income and now having things back in order we decided we should put in a nicer stove and use the rebate to offset the increased installation cost. Maybe set the other stove to the side as an emergency back up option in the future or something else.
 
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Some Drolets qualify for the tax credit. It sounds like the space will not be too hard to heat except for the uninsulated floor. That's going to suck a lot of heat. Even a 1/2" of foam (carpet pad or interlocking tiles) will make a very big difference. The firebox size that works best will be determined by the heat loss and the length of the burn. The Deco Nano is a good choice if the floor gets some insulation and it qualifies for the tax credit. It takes 16" logs and loads North/South so no worries about the wood rolling up against the glass.
 
begreen said:
Some Drolets qualify for the tax credit. It sounds like the space will not be too hard to heat except for the uninsulated floor. That's going to suck a lot of heat. Even a 1/2" of foam (carpet pad or interlocking tiles) will make a very big difference. The firebox size that works best will be determined by the heat loss and the length of the burn. The Deco Nano is a good choice if the floor gets some insulation and it qualifies for the tax credit. It takes 16" logs and loads North/South so no worries about the wood rolling up against the glass.
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Thank you. The room has about half of it to 80% of it covered in pads and mats most of the time. It is a playroom.;) Even added a monkey bars and climbing wall to it. We do foster-care so a lot of the kids we get are dealing with damage related to drug exposure in-vitro. Makes things interesting in the winter when they want to be climbing on stuff and it is about 6 degrees outside and the sun is heading down fast.
 
So the Warden, AKA Wife, was wondering if there would be a problem with going with the Alto or would be overkill? (She likes the idea of an ash drawer that pushes clean out to 1 time a week vs every 2-3 days and hopefully easier clean up.)
 
It will require building smaller fires and feeding more frequently in milder (30-45º) weather but could work. FWIW, ash pans are overrated IMO. Ours is 16 yrs old and has been used once. It does however make a dandy bun warmer. If you want to clean the stove infrequently, burn a low ash wood like douglas fir.
 
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begreen said:
It will require building smaller fires and feeding more frequently in milder (30-45º) weather but could work. FWIW, ash pans are overrated IMO. Ours is 16 yrs old and has been used once. It does however make a dandy bun warmer. If you want to clean the stove infrequently, burn a low ash wood like douglas fir.
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Thank you,
 
begreen said:
It will require building smaller fires and feeding more frequently in milder (30-45º) weather but could work. FWIW, ash pans are overrated IMO. Ours is 16 yrs old and has been used once. It does however make a dandy bun warmer. If you want to clean the stove infrequently, burn a low ash wood like douglas fir.
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Thank you again, we went with the Nano and so far it is going well. Next I am going to try the top down starts you recommended in https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/starting-a-fire-and-running-an-epa-stove.179714/.
 
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Great stove. If you get a chance later in the winter, post a review of it. That would be helpful for folks considering this stove.
 
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