Will be buying a top loading wood stove. Thinking it will be easiest to load as compared to a front loader or side loader. Should keep ashes in more. What brands have a top loader? Vermont Casting does but don't see others. I don't think Hearthstone Soap Stone does either and that is the one I was leading to. How about Jotul?
Wood Stove - Top Loading?
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I believe this does require a downdraft stove (otherwise the smoke would roll out of the top upon loading).
Those can be more finicky.
If a front-loading stove has sufficient draft, no smoke or ashes come out when opening the door; they just get sucked into the flue.
(At least that is my experience).
I believe the only top loading stoves are Vermont Castings nowadays.
Those can be more finicky.
If a front-loading stove has sufficient draft, no smoke or ashes come out when opening the door; they just get sucked into the flue.
(At least that is my experience).
I believe the only top loading stoves are Vermont Castings nowadays.
Correct, this is currently a VC feature. Downdraft is not essential. The Jotul F50 also had this option, as did the Quadrafire Isle Royale but they are no longer made.
Having owned both, I would forgo the top loading feature in lieu of more important things like reliability, maintenance requirements, etc. If loading is a physical issue, consider a stove with a raised firebox or put it on a raised hearth.
Having owned both, I would forgo the top loading feature in lieu of more important things like reliability, maintenance requirements, etc. If loading is a physical issue, consider a stove with a raised firebox or put it on a raised hearth.
I love my jotul which has both front and side load. I set it up through the front and reload through the side. I couldn't even imagine loading and reloading from the top.
MongoMongoson
Feeling the Heat
This is a good idea. I had our All Nighter on an 18" stand and I miss that. Getting the stove up off the floor would make loading easier and also improve the fireview, I think.
I have read a lot of VC reviews and issues on here, and as a result VC would not be in the running for us if I were looking to buy a new stove. I am sure there are a lot of happy VC owners as well. It is just natural that a site like this attracts people with problems to solve.
Does Woodstock make any top loaders nowadays? They had them in the past. Don't like top loaders too much myself either just due to the fact you're asking smoke to go kinda against the grain and go down and out, or straight to the hot exhaust outlet vs coming out of an open top... I did like the Isle Royale, wow what a good looking heater and still had secondary burntubes that folded and opened the "back door" so to speak. Stay warm all, cold here in CT, but snow is staying south of us this coming storm, unless Ma nature changes her mind...
Dieselhead
Minister of Fire
It does seem to go against logic. I used one once, many years ago at a rental house. May of been a VC.
There have been some other top-loaders in the past. The Sedore and Tempwood come to mind. Both of these were downdrafters. I don't recall any Woodstock top-loaders, but I may be forgetting one.
Many moons ago Woodstock had a top loader. I think back in the 70’s. No baffle, burn tubes, cat or glass. I’ve seen a few for sale over the years. Woodstock says they no longer have parts available for them and they can’t be upgraded with a new baffle. I thought about getting one to mess around with and see if I could rig up some kind of baffle system but people are selling these old stoves for a premium price.
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