The Ideal Steel in black

[bag of hammers]

I'll continue to watch this stove mature and most likely will install one in my 1st floor where the industrial look will fit right in and where I will need all the firepower I can get to heat a 3800 sq. ft. room with 14' ceilings.

Brick - looking at your avatar, I think I might have been having a flashback to one of your previous posts when I made the earlier comment about the stove. That's the sort of thing I was thinking about when I look at the Ideal Steel. Sounds like quite the place you have there.

 

[Tenn Dave]

I held off on my purchase of a Progress Hybrid to see what would develop with this stove. Finally decided to go with the Progress for my loft on the second floor of my building because of the dramatic difference in "looks". I'll continue to watch this stove mature and most likely will install one in my 1st floor where the industrial look will fit right in and where I will need all the firepower I can get to heat a 3800 sq. ft. room with 14' ceilings.

I inquired about beta testing but they understandably wanted to have the beta stoves closer to home.

Congratulations - you will be very happy with the Progress. It's an awesome heater and a beautiful piece of furniture. Just wait until you see the 'fit & finish' up close. You will be impressed!

 

[mudr]

I am wondering whether it is "neither fish nor flesh". The customers who are tight in money will gravitate towards the cheaper NC-30 or an US stove etc. while the ones who can afford something better will be looking for something nicer looking. Looking at the general consensus here I am not too positive that particular design will be a good seller. Also, don't forget that people have to decide from pictures alone (unless they take a trip to NH); another disadvantage IMHO for this stove.

Grisu: I'm a frugal person who likes the utilitarian look, but wants better efficiency. I put a 30 in the house I just moved to. If this stove was out and at that $1500 price at the time, there's a good change it'd be sitting next to me right now gnawin on some sugar maple. Killer efficiency and great burn times yet black steel, utilitarian looking, and very good price? I would be ALL over that.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Can't believe nobody has mentioned the hinged flop top on it. Quick servicing of the cat.

Indeed it makes for quick servicing of the cat and also shows why that center spot will be the hottest spot for cooking. Were you there when Tom opened that flop top while the stove was burning? No smoke came out! Not sure you would want to do that in a house but it really did show something amazing because of the size of the opening.

Indeed we will also be seeing a few changes in the final product.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Is that the aim for market price?

Aim is no more than $2000 but the final price will also depend upon what the customer wants in customizing. I have a hunch Tom will want a really good introductory price but we'll have to wait and see.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I fear, despite all the great tech that went in there, that stove will have very disappointing sales. At the end, most people will want to have a nice looking stove sitting in their living room. I guess only engineers will like the ideal steel. It is too bad since Woodstock is such a great company.

You certainly are allowed your opinion but we realize that is all it is. On the other hand, we were in DC, in the tent and outside the tent and were amazed at the folks who had questions, liked it (of course a few didn't like it) had brochures, etc. The best thing we liked was the enthusiasm shown by the folks there at DC; that is, potential buyers and not engineers.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

As a hybrid, this stove is in another class than the tube stoves. It is more efficient and should do a better shoulder season burn. Of course this is all hypothetical at this point. We need a hearth.com member to sign up as a beta test site for this stove. I would do it gladly but alas, the stove is a focal point in our living room.

That may happen but I'm not sure who.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

That's perplexing...........I would think sending a beta tester stove to different parts of the country to get the full picture of how this stove burns in different climates and conditions would be a smart move........That would help enormously with the refining process and troubleshooting to get the overall picture of the stoves abilities and limitations to help perfect the stove.

I think the stove will perform the same in all parts of the country but one would get more variety of types of wood burned. However, that would not allow the Woodstock folks to visit the place where the stove is without large sums of dollars. R & D is expensive enough so why add more if not totally necessary?

Now if you could talk begreen into it....

 

[Backwoods Savage]

If this were a 2 cuft stove I'd be in. Does this stove have a rear vent option?

It could be burned like a 2 cu ft stove; just don't fill it. Yes, it will have the option of rear or top exhaust.

 

[Michael Golden]

I like the looks of this stove a lot, I may be looking into one for the basement in the spring/summer!

 

[kingquad]

It could be burned like a 2 cu ft stove; just don't fill it. Yes, it will have the option of rear or top exhaust.

Thanks. Hearth depth and lintel height will be my limiting factors. Also, the keystone is about perfect for my application, but it will be close on the height. Doesn't matter for now. I've got to get a couple years worth of wood stacked up before I'm ready to pull the trigger.

 

[BrowningBAR]

If $1500 is the price, then I'll be hard pressed not to do it over the Progress or the Ashford.

 

[BrowningBAR]

It could be burned like a 2 cu ft stove; just don't fill it. Yes, it will have the option of rear or top exhaust.

That's not what I'm looking for. I want to fill it and stretch it out.

 

[BrotherBart]

That's not what I'm looking for. I want to fill it and stretch it out.

"Patience hell. I wanna glow something!"

 

[Beetle-Kill]

That's not what I'm looking for. I want to fill it and stretch it out.

Me too. I'm still trying to find the CF capacity.
I'm liking this thing so far.

 

[BrotherBart]

Me too. I'm still trying to find the CF capacity.
I'm liking this thing so far.

3.2 cf.

 

[BrowningBAR]

3.0 cf.

I thought it was 3.25?

 

[BrotherBart]

I typoed it and was changing it when you posted. They figure 3.2.

An extra seven minutes of burn time.

 

[Beetle-Kill]

Thank you. I do believe I just had my "O" face on. must nap now...

 

[BrowningBAR]

I typoed it and was changing it when you posted. They figure 3.2.

An extra seven minutes of burn time.

Or just a little more room for those damn weirdly shaped splits.

 

[Huntindog1]

Anyone know hows the Steel performs vs the Progress? I know they are two different size stoves.

 

[BrowningBAR]

Anyone know hows the Steel performs vs the Progress? I know they are two different size stoves.

The running theory is that the Steel is a little more controllable, can be burned at a lower temp, and should provide longer burn cycles.

 

[Huntindog1]

The running theory is that the Steel is a little more controllable, can be burned at a lower temp, and should provide longer burn cycles.

Nice!

 

[begreen]

The steel is also about a half a cubic foot larger in capacity than the Progress which should translate into a bit longer burn time.

 

[Hogwildz]

I'd buy a Blaze King before I bought one of those ugly SOB's.
Those plates on the sides with all the slots in them for hanging all that crap on really does not help the look of the stove either.

Oh well, guess I won't be getting a Gear Head sweatshirt.......