[JIM_C]

Now that summer is here I thought it the perfect time to go shopping for a wood burning stove. All the fireplace shops are offering 10-20% off because things are slow. Specifically, I'm looking at fireplace inserts.
I've looked at a number of brands and models (e.g., Jotul, Vermont Castings, Hearth Stone, Lopi, Buck Stove, and a couple of others) and have just about settled on the Buck Stove Model 91.
Anybody know anything about this company, the stove, or have a better suggestion I'd love to hear it.

 

[Greenie]

It looks good. Today's wood stoves are efficient and ought to be long lasting. I have one stove with the catalylic feature, it burns clean and appears to get more heat from the gases that would have normally just gone up the chimney.

 

[nchappy]

just bought a morso 3610
man, that thing is sweet

http://www.morsoe.com/us/Products/Stoves/3610/Model_3610/Morsø+3610.htm

 

[JIM_C]

THAT is a cool stove. Their insert is nice too (the 5660) - I'll have to ask about that one at the fireplace shop.

 

[nchappy]

we got ours at Ace/HomeCo 2 months ago.
Stove, Pipes, & Install was just over $4K.
They threw in a Morso matching kettle and warming shelves.
PM if you want more pics.

 

[FloridaEd]

Just make sure none of the family has asthma or other breathing problems. Most wood-burning stoves will aggravate such conditions.

Klamath Falls, OR, was put on the EPA air pollution watch list back in the 1990's because so many folks used wood stoves... all new stoves installed in that area had to have converters. The ones with a converter may have cleaned up a lot of the pollution, but I'm no expert.

I just know I had to start sucking an inhaler while in Klamath Falls 'cause I could not breath.

A blower is a must with these types of stoves. If you intend to try to heat other rooms in the house, you will likely need to turn the blower on in your central heat system to move the warm air around.

Florida Ed

 

[Greenie]

Woodstove technology has improved tremendously. Fireboxes are smaller and the combustion air inlet is sized so the fire can't be smothered - that's what made the smoke so bad in older stoves. Not many stoves come with a catalyst anymore, even stoves without catalysts burn so clean that it's mostly water vapor that comes out of the chimney.

 

[JIM_C]

I went ahead with the Buck Model 91 as above. It was the most bang for the buck as I could see. The firebox is 4.4 cubic feet (the largest of any I looked at) and it is catalytic. Built in blower, ash tray, and it will convert to a free-standing unit - out the door for just over 2k from a local Mom and Pop fireplace shop. Not bad. There's an endless supply of good hardwood around here. Somebody is always trimming big branches or taking out an oak - they grow like dog hair. And it's good exercise to load up and split a half cord every once in a while.
Thanks for the input. Better see the gas bills go down this winter!

 

[lukeduke95]

I use on at our place. Last last winter, it cost me $340 on one PG&E bill. And my house wasn't even that warm, only on to 70 degrees! The other bills were in the $200's. This past winter, we left the heater off all winter and used the stove. House was a warm 90 degrees most of the time and all it cost me was about $250 in wood. PG&E stayed at about $90.

They are well worth it in my opinion. We all work these random schedules so it doesn't pay to heat a 7 room house with only 1 person home.

 

[Rookie]

We had a Buck insert in our last home. Great stove. We have a pellet stove now.

Crack a back window and it will help draw the heat through the house.

 

[JIM_C]

Finally got the stove installed last week. The installer wanted me to get a lighter stove because I have granite facing on the hearth and he was afraid the stove would crack it during install. I did some homework (the granite is 1" thick, stuck to and supported by the original brick hearth) and decided to go for it anyway. Looks great; wifey said two guys had a hell of a time placing it in the fireplace (it weighs almost 600 pounds). Only four months to wait and try it out!

 

[DEllison]

Come on fire it up and let us know how it works. LOL. It's so hot here is Ms. I may neverneed heat again.

 

[arisley]

[ QUOTE ]
Come on fire it up and let us know how it works. LOL. It's so hot here is Ms. I may neverneed heat again.

[/ QUOTE ]

If it was in my house, my wife would make me turn the A/C on so low that it would make the house cold enough to need a fire. Just to see how it looks.

 

[LoessHill]

Love my woodstove, it gets me warm twice!