Scandanavian Stoves.

[Mr Morso.]

I will allow this post but be aware you can't use this site to advertize. This isn't quite that but it's close.

I expect its a niche market. Many insurance companies in the US require a listed stove so if the units are old enough not to have a rating plate then fewer folks will want them. I dont know if there is particular market for old European woodstoves (although I must admit I have a couple of Jotuls in storage). Unless you are getting them for scrap price, by the time you refurb the unit and ship it, I dont know how much margin you have. Generally if folks have to pay much over $1,000 they are going to buy a new EPA stove rather than a refurb. On occasion I see a few private dealers who do refurb old Jotuls and they tend to be on the market for quite awhile. Note some areas of the US require EPA rated stoves and dont allow the installation of ued non rated stoves.

The exception might be wood cookstoves, there really are not a lot of small cookstoves on the market in the US except for utilitarian beasts that dont fit in an average house. Cookstoves are EPA exempt. There are some imports, like Esse but they tend to very pricey. Small stoves like my Jotul 404 will fit in a cabin or smaller house. I dont know the depth of the market but I ran into someone who picks up 404s, cleans them up and resells them to interior decorators for the Boston market.

A general comment is how is your general familiarity with the US? Maybe you have visited but the scale of the country is lot bigger so the logistics of running a business selling heavy bulky objects is more difficult.Over the years I frequently have found great stoves located beyond driving distance but the logistics of getting them shipped means I dont buy them as the seller is unwilling to package them and get them shipped which can cost a minimum of $300. Inevitably to service a large market, the stoves would need to be trucked by freight and that means packaging them on a pallet so they dont get damaged and having the customer have the capability to receive pallet shipments (few do). Ideally you would import to central location and then ship to dealers but then you need to give them their cut.

There might be a small niche market in stoves for decorative purposes only, but PeakBagger's comments would still apply. As far as working cookstoves go, I suspect Aga pretty much gets all the business from people who want that look.

Also, getting goods through Customs is slow going without an expediter on site. Shipping by boat would be economical but slow, shipping by air, fast but very expensive. Do you have any contacts among antiques dealers in New York and Los Angeles? I imagine they'd be the only people who'd be willing to pay the prices you'd have to charge (and they might already have a relationship with an expediter, to take that headache off your hands).

Hello, I am also new to this forum. It has been extremely helpful.

I felt inclined to give my two cents to Mr.Morso.

First I will tell you that Scandinavian imports are a growing niche in the states.

Secondly, small or tiny wood stoves is a hugely growing market. The kind you would find in a sail boat or a tiny house on wheels.
I’v seen them installed in school bus homes and even an airstream travel trailer. So I would be looking for the smallest of stoves for that trending market. And they would be cheaper to crate and ship. A lot of folks are building tiny or small houses, and they may be looking for something that sets there’s apart from the rest of the pack.

Cheers
Skål

To change the subject if you don't mind----

How is Brexit likely to affect your business?

Well thanks for all the input.

Brexit is a tough one because i don't know what is going to happen. Difficult to plan, just stumble on as usual I guess but not making life easy.

I do sell a few small Morso's in the UK which often end up in boats. Morso 1410's spring to mind.

As always more questions arise then answers but all interesting & thought provoking stuff. Again thanks for all relevant answers & opinions.

 

[webfish]

Hearthlink from Vermont used to advertise on this site for many years. They sold both Rais and Morso.

(broken link removed to https://www.hearthlink.com/home.html)

 

[jatoxico]

I'm confused. Can older non-epa stoves legally be advertised and sold as burners? Are these refurbed stoves sold as decorations?

 

[bholler]

I'm confused. Can older non-epa stoves legally be advertised and sold as burners? Are these refurbed stoves sold as decorations?

In most states yes. Being unlisted poses more of a problem

 

[jatoxico]

In most states yes. Being unlisted poses more of a problem

So only newly manufactured stoves have to meet emissions requirements, did not know that. I thought sales of older stoves were limited to craigslist type stuff that was under the radar.

 

[bholler]

So only newly manufactured stoves have to meet emissions requirements, did not know that. I thought sales of older stoves were limited to craigslist type stuff that was under the radar.

That depends on the state

 

[TWilk117]

Wow, that's really neat! I wish I knew about these stoves when I was living in my RV! Propane gets expensive...

So does oil.. I stayed in parents “park model” camper one spring. Earlier in the season I would crank up the heater when it got real cold, I hardly felt the heat. Ended up under lots of blankets.

 

[TWilk117]

So only newly manufactured stoves have to meet emissions requirements, did not know that. I thought sales of older stoves were limited to craigslist type stuff that was under the radar.

I think if you’re a younger guy looking at staying put for the next 30+ years. And if you’re not in a city or suburb, it’s quite possible to DIY without permits and all that stuff. As long as you do everything correctly and to code. Being handy and having handy friends is good.

But if you’re an older fella or someone who may be selling their house within 5-10 years. Having it done to code is a lot more important.

Just my opinion. And again everything should at least be done to code and with safety As a main objective.

 

[TWilk117]

Well thanks for all the input.

Brexit is a tough one because i don't know what is going to happen. Difficult to plan, just stumble on as usual I guess but not making life easy.

I do sell a few small Morso's in the UK which often end up in boats. Morso 1410's spring to mind.

As always more questions arise then answers but all interesting & thought provoking stuff. Again thanks for all relevant answers & opinions.

That is an awesome looking little stove. Maybe I’ll get one of those for the bedroom one day!

Honestly I saw the Brexit coming a mile a way, I would not be surprised if The Nordic Council does the same and maybe unites with UK?

Who the hell is Belgium to ban snus for the EU?!

 

[bholler]

That is an awesome looking little stove. Maybe I’ll get one of those for the bedroom one day!

Honestly I saw the Brexit coming a mile a way, I would not be surprised if The Nordic Council does the same and maybe unites with UK?

Who the hell is Belgium to ban snus for the EU?!

You can't put a wood stove in your bedroom

 

[TWilk117]

You can't put a wood stove in your bedroom

Awe shucks.. I’ll just make my living room my bedroom full time. Than I gain two rooms.. or one room.. never liked arithmetic.

 

[SpaceBus]

That is an awesome looking little stove. Maybe I’ll get one of those for the bedroom one day!

Honestly I saw the Brexit coming a mile a way, I would not be surprised if The Nordic Council does the same and maybe unites with UK?

Who the hell is Belgium to ban snus for the EU?!

You can get those in the US. We bought a Morso 2B Classic, also has the squirrel, a few weeks ago here in Maine. They have US dealers, but you might have to wait. We got lucky and got the floor model at a discount. The 1410 and 2B Classic both have an ash pan and riddling grate which is nice.

 

[TWilk117]

Cool! @SpaceBus your 2b is really a thing of beauty!
I will seriously look at them closer, someday down the road, when I have the money for another stove. I’ve been on the website several times.. I’m jealous.

 

[TWilk117]

@SpaceBus this ones near me..
(broken link removed to https://philadelphia.craigslist.org/atq/d/lenhartsville-morso-1bo-woodstove/6776644558.html)

 

[SpaceBus]

Cool! @SpaceBus your 2b is really a thing of beauty!
I will seriously look at them closer, someday down the road, when I have the money for another stove. I’ve been on the website several times.. I’m jealous.

We love it. Obviously it won't have burn times over 6 hours, which is only possible with red oak or the like. I've gotten 5 hrs of usable heat with birch and maple with good coals to re-light the fire. I run spruce during the day and save my birch and maple for night. If our house were any less insulated it probably wouldn't work for us. We wanted the Jotul F118, but the EPA version has issues and the Morso was tied with it for our favorite.

 

[TWilk117]

I’m okay with having shorter burn times and getting to play with the fire!
I also like the idea of having another stove somewhere else in the house one day. A bit larger, for the option of having a longer burn time and a warmer house. But not too huge. It’s a shame the f118 has those problems. May be it should just be a regular catalyst.. I don’t know.. but I do know I would seriously consider buying one of them when the time comes, although not so sure with the current issues, even though I know they said they corrected the problems.. still not sure. Have time to think about it

 

[begreen]