Avalon woodstoves

[Blu21]

Does anyone have a Avalon or Lopi stove? (made by the same mfg.)What are good or bad points with this brand.Looking to update so I can put the older stove in the barn to keep me and my toys warm this winter.Avalon 990 or Rainier as they call it now $1175 wo tax,or the Lopi Answer $1007 wo tax are the models I`m looking at. Thanks in advance Tom

 

[jyoutz]

I have a Lopi fireplace insert stove, that we've used for about 6 years now. We heat 80% of the time with wood, so the stove gets used often. Best woodstove I've ever had, and I've had quite a few different ones over the years. Construction seems indestructable, the glass doors are basically self-cleaning (once you get the fire hot enough the soot bakes away), and the stove burns very clean. Twice a year I clean my stovepipe, and I seem to never have much to clean. Also-the other thing that I love about the Lopi is the full flu baffle, which when opened gives full draft to the stove-makes it far easier to light-many modern stoves do not have this feature.

 

[bcarter]

Check out the Rural Living thread entitled "Fireplace Inserts" from back in mid-August. I had an Avalon stove in my old house and loved it.

 

[richh]

Tom, i just happen to a stove sales man. I have a store in upper Mi. and have ben selling lopi wood stoves for 18 years now.[ boy that makes me feel old ] They are our most trouble free stoves of all time. We also carry vermont castings, napolen and dutch west. If we had to make a living selling parts for lopi's we'd be broke! I would be happy to try and help you with any qust. you mite have.
Rich

 

[Blu21]

Rich, I went sunday and ended up with the Avalon Rainier(990),looked also at the Lopi with comparable heating capacity.I liked the fact that it has what they call the convection chamber,also non-catalist.Hope that with a more effiecent stove I will use alot less wood.Thanks for the offer!Hope I made the right choice.Tom

 

[Gomez]

Hi, I posted about fireplace inserts back in August. It's a little easier to find out about tractors than stoves! Anyway, I ordered a Lopi Freedom insert yesterday. I had narrowed it down to the Avalon Olympic 1190, the Lopi and a Quadrafire 3100-i. I disqualified anything with a catalyst. My wife preferred the styling of the Avalon (as did I) since it is available in a black door. But out of the three, the Lopi had the heaviest door and thicker gasket. I also didn't like the firebrick in the Quadrafire (looked pumice based). Another concern was the ability to flush mount the unit. the Lopi can be installed relatively flush, 1-5/8" sticks out, or extended. The Avalon and Quad both stuck out over 6". Also, I ordered a "full liner" instead of the "direct-connect" kit that is available. My primary reason for this is the ease of cleaning. To clean a direct connect would require the insert to be slid out.

Any of these stoves should last a long time. Just like a Kubota, Deere, NH.

 

[Blu21]

Gomez,I just started using the stove over the weekend and it sure runs different than my old one.The firebox holds alot less wood but it burns for a longer period of time.The design for the convection works great,my stove sits on a hearth in the corner of the family room and the walls don`t get half as warm as they used to!(All to code)The real test will come soon when the winds blowing and the snows falling!Somehow as I get older winter seems to last longer!Tom

 

[Roy]

Most people around my neck of the woods have abandoned wood stoves for continuous feed pellet stoves. If your looking to keep an area warm without much intervention, they are worth looking into. (But, as so much, it's regionally dependent. Around me, wood runs $125 to $160 per cord, delivered).

 

[Blu21]

For the last 5 years all my wood has been free.A cord goes for about $80 u pick up.When I lived in Ct. 12 plus years ago I would sell a cord for $100,needless to say I couldn`t afford to move back!If it wasn`t free I would have optioned for a pellet stove,very inexpensive to install.Tom