Why Buy Anything Except A Blaze King?
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Yah, I'm with Joful, the Ashford is the first model that would make it into the living room here. But I would like it better with a little grille work and in blue-black enamel. I will note that the latch and the enameling on the Ashfords I saw looked first rate. We don't really need a stove for most of our mild winters, the heat pump handles the house well and affordably, but when it gets in the 40s we like the fire just for the cozy warmth. If it gets below 45 we start burning 24/7.
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Poindexter
Minister of Fire
Local to me word on the street from people who aren't trying to sell me a wood stove is "There are two kinds of wood stoves in interior Alaska. There is Blaze King stoves, and there is everything else." It's like baseball, Mom, apple pie and Chevrolet from that TV commercial back in the day.
The wife and I figgered out what size firebox we needed for our house, she liked the looks of the Ashford30 best, she didn't want to look at anything else. Actually we did walk around the one store. My local BK dealer also stocks PE stoves, quick walk through the showroom, no thanks, the A30 by BK please says the wife.
If you had ever been shoe shopping with my wife you would be STUNNED that she could make a decision that big in under 10 minutes, and visiting only one store.
Price was up there as high end stoves go, I feel I got what I paid for.
I have a dynamite local dealer.
Honestly if I were to move to Wyoming or Arkansas or whatever tomorrow I probably would order up a new BK to be delivered to my new place. I know there are other really good stoves out there but BK has earned at least one repeat purchase from me.
The wife and I figgered out what size firebox we needed for our house, she liked the looks of the Ashford30 best, she didn't want to look at anything else. Actually we did walk around the one store. My local BK dealer also stocks PE stoves, quick walk through the showroom, no thanks, the A30 by BK please says the wife.
If you had ever been shoe shopping with my wife you would be STUNNED that she could make a decision that big in under 10 minutes, and visiting only one store.
Price was up there as high end stoves go, I feel I got what I paid for.
I have a dynamite local dealer.
Honestly if I were to move to Wyoming or Arkansas or whatever tomorrow I probably would order up a new BK to be delivered to my new place. I know there are other really good stoves out there but BK has earned at least one repeat purchase from me.
EXACTLY - but honestly I'm not sure how truthful they are since the BTU numbers seem to be taken from a Ouija board for most mfgs.
Tenn Dave
Minister of Fire
I can't speak about other manufacturers, but I do think that Woodstock and BK do provide as accurate information on their specs as possible. Perhaps a little bit of spin, but industry leaders.
JA600L
Minister of Fire
In our case, there is no dealer within 300 miles, ( but there is a GREAT P.E. / Jotul / Hearthstone/ etc dealer 15 minutes away) and most importantly, there is no way she would ever have a stove that...
Lets go with... "utilitarian" in her living room.
Lets go with... "utilitarian" in her living room.
This is a good point. If your house is well insulated you can more easily deal with wide output levels from your stove. I burned only three loads yesterday, which meant that the stove top temps were below 300 deg. probably 70 % of the time. Yet, when I got up this morning the house was still at 69 deg.
With a leaky, poorly insulated house you need constant btu's and lots of them.
Only two stoves brands that have a place on my hearth. #1 is a BK, #2 would be a Woodstock stove. I think everybody falls behind those two in terms of performance and 24/7 fall-spring heaters. Other manufactures make great stoves but it's unlikely I will ever own a non cat stove again unless something changes and they can no longer build catalyst combustors. The reality is I'll probably never own another stove other than a BK. 4th season with it and it still amazes me on the regular. 
Well, contrary to most BK owners I would personally NEVER buy another one. I have one at my house, one at my parents and a buddy has an insert. Theirs work flawlessly but mine has been a lot of trouble, and we use the same wood supply. No dealer support in my area, and manufacturer support hasn't been all that great FOR ME. When these stoves work, they are wonderful but when you have one with problems you definately have problems. It looks like I am going to be changing cats again for the 2nd time in a few years. First one was killed by a leaky door (miswelded), the second has had its life shortened by the same event before I caught it. Hopefully the next one will last a while. Door gaskets are not easy to come by (size wise), cat gaskets and bypass gaskets are even fairly special. Maybe I would feel better if I had a good dealer, but hard to say. You asked why NOT to choose one, thats the reasons why I would NOT do it again...
Jason
Jason
I've been pondering switching up my stoves... thinking about either BK or maybe Woodstock. I use 2 stoves in my house, one is an insert and the other free standing. Due to a few things going on (long story) I swapped the free stander with a pellet stove this year, in hopes to get long burn times and not messing with getting 2 fires going and stable at 4am when I get up for work. But having a heck of a lot of issues with the pellet stove. And maybe a BK I can the burn times I need anyway...
One problem is half my house is old, drafty, and poorly (or none) insulated. I really like the looks of the Ashford but not sure if its going to gain me much except in the shoulder season. Its only slightly larger than either of my newer stoves, so it won't hold much more btu's, and the efficiency looks to be less than the King or Princess models (I also have a lot of wood cut to 20").
I would consider the King, even though the looks aren't terrific but looks like you need an 8" flue for it. Now that's a pita. Would it draft ok through a masonry chimney (interior, with ID of about 7x13 if memory serves, and 15' tall)? I currently have a 5.5" SS liner in it but could pull it, its not working to well with this pellet stove I'm trying. Princess might be a compromise, just not sure if its worth switching things up for that.
The Woodstock Ideal Steel looks like It might be an option too, with some claiming 14hr burn time.
Basically what it comes down to is I'm 14hrs door to door time for work (not counting any stopping at grocery store or restaurant on way home). I need decent heat through that time as my home is on the large side and not well insulated.
Then again I really want to ditch the place like a bad habit, so might just make due with what I got instead of investing in something I won't have enough time to see a return. Just don't know how long it will take to find a better place. Of course I could always take a new stove with me.
One problem is half my house is old, drafty, and poorly (or none) insulated. I really like the looks of the Ashford but not sure if its going to gain me much except in the shoulder season. Its only slightly larger than either of my newer stoves, so it won't hold much more btu's, and the efficiency looks to be less than the King or Princess models (I also have a lot of wood cut to 20").
I would consider the King, even though the looks aren't terrific but looks like you need an 8" flue for it. Now that's a pita. Would it draft ok through a masonry chimney (interior, with ID of about 7x13 if memory serves, and 15' tall)? I currently have a 5.5" SS liner in it but could pull it, its not working to well with this pellet stove I'm trying. Princess might be a compromise, just not sure if its worth switching things up for that.
The Woodstock Ideal Steel looks like It might be an option too, with some claiming 14hr burn time.
Basically what it comes down to is I'm 14hrs door to door time for work (not counting any stopping at grocery store or restaurant on way home). I need decent heat through that time as my home is on the large side and not well insulated.
Then again I really want to ditch the place like a bad habit, so might just make due with what I got instead of investing in something I won't have enough time to see a return. Just don't know how long it will take to find a better place. Of course I could always take a new stove with me.
alforit
Feeling the Heat
I am one of the few who has had a both a BK and a Woodstock.I also had a non cat Lennox.
I started with a Lennox and then to a BK and then to a Woodstock and then ran back to a BK..................Nuff said 
I started with a Lennox and then to a BK and then to a Woodstock and then ran back to a BK
..................Nuff said Among other reasons, most well catalogued various places above, I'll not buy a BK because I expect my grandchildren to still be heating with my Progress Hybrid from Woodstock.
I also am of the opinion that soapstone adds a safety factor re burns. I know that had I had any stove other than a soapstone, I would have had a very serious set of burns last year when I fell in the dark last winter, over something someone left near the stove. Went head and hand into the soapstone and did not get a burn. . Have had the dog back into the stove and not get a burn. Have a profoundly retarded brother who has touched the stove and not gotten burned.
Love the feel of the heat coming off the soapstone.
I do all my cooking and baking on my stove for at least half the year. Don't believe I could do that on too many stoves.
My stove is simple, easy to self service, has very few parts that can malfunction, any replacement parts are cheap and will be delivered to me within three days, my manufacturer is a phone call away, the stove's efficiency may be met but is unexcelled and very satisfactory. Even with a chimney that is way to tall and creates an extraordinary draft, I could and did burn in a controlled fashion for three years. The stove is incredibly responsive. It puts out a massive amount of heat when asked to, very little when asked to..has in excess of a 70,000 BTU range, which is impressive. It heats a room quickly through its glass, but retains heat in its almost 700 pounds of soapstone and radiates heat long after the fire has died down. It easily heats at a high output for twelve hours.
It will not, efficiently or inefficiently, smoulder a fire for 40 hours. Some people greatly benefit from a stove that will.
It has no fan and does not need one, but many people want a fan and believe a fan is essential on a stove. .
I believe that BKs are more appropriate in some settings, Woodstocks in others. NC30's are perfect for some, PEs for others. Jotuls hit the spot for some, Napoleans for others, Regency for still others. Please don't be offended if I have forgotten to mention some very good brands.
There is at least one person who hates each of these brands and swears against them.
WHICH JUST GOES TO SHOW: NO ONE STOVE OR STOVE MANUFACTUER IS PERFECT FOR EVERYONE. Which pretty much answers the question in this post.
So many of us love the stoves we have and are not interested in purchasing other stoves that a good number of North American stove companies must be doing some things right. Nice to see.
. I also am of the opinion that soapstone adds a safety factor re burns. I know that had I had any stove other than a soapstone, I would have had a very serious set of burns last year when I fell in the dark last winter, over something someone left near the stove. Went head and hand into the soapstone and did not get a burn. . Have had the dog back into the stove and not get a burn. Have a profoundly retarded brother who has touched the stove and not gotten burned.
Love the feel of the heat coming off the soapstone.
I do all my cooking and baking on my stove for at least half the year. Don't believe I could do that on too many stoves.
My stove is simple, easy to self service, has very few parts that can malfunction, any replacement parts are cheap and will be delivered to me within three days, my manufacturer is a phone call away, the stove's efficiency may be met but is unexcelled and very satisfactory. Even with a chimney that is way to tall and creates an extraordinary draft, I could and did burn in a controlled fashion for three years. The stove is incredibly responsive. It puts out a massive amount of heat when asked to, very little when asked to..has in excess of a 70,000 BTU range, which is impressive. It heats a room quickly through its glass, but retains heat in its almost 700 pounds of soapstone and radiates heat long after the fire has died down. It easily heats at a high output for twelve hours.
It will not, efficiently or inefficiently, smoulder a fire for 40 hours. Some people greatly benefit from a stove that will.
It has no fan and does not need one, but many people want a fan and believe a fan is essential on a stove. .
I believe that BKs are more appropriate in some settings, Woodstocks in others. NC30's are perfect for some, PEs for others. Jotuls hit the spot for some, Napoleans for others, Regency for still others. Please don't be offended if I have forgotten to mention some very good brands.
There is at least one person who hates each of these brands and swears against them.
WHICH JUST GOES TO SHOW: NO ONE STOVE OR STOVE MANUFACTUER IS PERFECT FOR EVERYONE. Which pretty much answers the question in this post.
So many of us love the stoves we have and are not interested in purchasing other stoves that a good number of North American stove companies must be doing some things right. Nice to see.
The problem is that the EPA allows stove manufacturers to use a default efficiency rating. An average if you will.
Take a look at an EPA hang tag from a new stove sometime. Almost all of them say "not tested for efficiency" . To my knowledge, all non-cats use this "default". BK, Woodstock, and a few other hybrids are the only stoves showing actual test results on the hang tag.
Blaze King also used to post a default rating, but decided they had nothing to hide.
I have ran several non cats and have close friends and family that own non cats in one flavor or another. I could not discuss BK vs any other cat stove but can say, without hesitation, I would definately recommend a cat stove. BK being top of the list simply because it is the only cat stove I have first hand experience with.
We went with the Princess. Yes, the votes are in and it is ugly. Not much to look at through that black glass most of the time either but man are we keeping warm! And doing it on less wood than we would typicaly use.
We remodeled our living area over the summer, then put the Princess on the new hearth. The stove, with the nickel door, fits just fine. Yet, we could have a prettier stove and watch the flames through the glass (been there, done that) but performance trumps those things for me anymore.
We went with the Princess. Yes, the votes are in and it is ugly. Not much to look at through that black glass most of the time either but man are we keeping warm! And doing it on less wood than we would typicaly use.
We remodeled our living area over the summer, then put the Princess on the new hearth. The stove, with the nickel door, fits just fine. Yet, we could have a prettier stove and watch the flames through the glass (been there, done that) but performance trumps those things for me anymore.
Tenn Dave
Minister of Fire
This is a meaningful post unlike the worthless one above about running back to a BK from a Woodstock without giving any facts. Enough said.......
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Toploader
Burning Hunk
This probably doesn't apply to the OP but for a large number of people including myself a Blaze King is not an option since they don't offer rear exit for hearth installs. Looking at the Woodstock site they do offer rear exit and their stove designs seem very smart in their simplicity. Also as other have said, which also applies to me, if you have a draughty house it means you have to burn harder in cold weather and in the shoulder season small hot fires are no big hassle and I love seeing the flames, it adds an extra warmth you can't get staring at a black stove.
Tenn Dave
Minister of Fire
There is nothing magical about a BK and their long burn times. Unlike all other stove manufacturers, BK has decided to develop their smoldering technology to an extreme degree. This works very well in shoulder seasons or in situations where not much heat is needed due to a home's superior insulation or mild climates. The trade off is that you get no fire view with a BK when burned at anything except a hot setting. And when burned at a hot setting, those famous long burn times disappear quickly. But make no mistake about it, they do not get any more btu's out of wood then do other stoves of similar efficiencies. For me, 40 hour burn times are meaningless. When the outside temps are that mild to allow for such a low burn rate, I just give my stove a break, save some wood, and turn on my high efficiency heat pump which is super economical to run in warmer temps. Secondly I enjoy a good fire view in the evening. Nothing more relaxing then a glass of wine or single malt scotch and a beautiful fire. Thirdly, I enjoy interacting with my stove on a daily basis. I burn my Progress Hybrid on a 12 hour reload schedule because it fits nicely into my routine. I can burn longer for sure, but there is no practical reason to do it. And last but not least, BKs have not given much priority to making an attractive stove. Admittedly the new Ashford model is a step in the right direction, but there are still many other more attractive enamel stove options to choose from. I think this thread clearly shows that there many reasons people burn wood to heat their homes, and we each have different priorities. There is no right or wrong.............but to think that a BK is the 'be all and end all' of wood burning stoves is ridiculous.........
shoot-straight
Minister of Fire
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i see another BK-Woodstock peeing match beginning.... yes most BK's are ugly. even the ashford's rear end is unattractive, and i own one. but mine is hidden in an alcove installation. i also do not like the looks of the woodstock stoves either. a rear vent stove would have fit in better in my house too. i passed. not an insult to anyone, just my personal opinion. for the record, i dont like brussel sprouts either. i would think BK would look at some new models that are have more eye candy, but why? they cant keep up with demand as is.
i love boats. i have bought and sold looking for the perfect one. the only thing i have learned is there is no such thing. stoves are the same. nothing is perfect, its the perfect compromise that makes a certain stove the right choice. will my ashford be my last stove? likely not.
i see another BK-Woodstock peeing match beginning.... yes most BK's are ugly. even the ashford's rear end is unattractive, and i own one. but mine is hidden in an alcove installation. i also do not like the looks of the woodstock stoves either. a rear vent stove would have fit in better in my house too. i passed. not an insult to anyone, just my personal opinion. for the record, i dont like brussel sprouts either. i would think BK would look at some new models that are have more eye candy, but why? they cant keep up with demand as is.
i love boats. i have bought and sold looking for the perfect one. the only thing i have learned is there is no such thing. stoves are the same. nothing is perfect, its the perfect compromise that makes a certain stove the right choice. will my ashford be my last stove? likely not.
The two stoves I considered for my home after suffering with a silly non-cat for several years, were BK and woodstocks. Both great brands that are head and shoulders above the competition. Any cat stove from either brand is a great move. We can help you pick from among the models and even squabble about the plusses and minuses but you really can't go wrong.
Tenn Dave
Minister of Fire
I fully agree. Both great brands that offer enough variables to make just about anybody happy. And there are other brands out there that are also good and a lot cheaper.
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