Best Brand of Fireplace Insert or Wood Stove

[TomSeller]

Try two years and you'll never go back.

Most people have no idea what dry wood is, because the only thing they have ever burned is 4-6 months old, and they think it's dry.

It's not.

(Unless you live in Arizona or a similar arid climate.)

Right. At my other houses I actually aged the wood it 3 years and what I cut was almost always windfalls so the real age was more like 4+. Largely because I over cut but 2 years is adequate. I do have some wood that gets punky but not too much. Dry wood is not at all the same as 4-6 month old wood.

 

[TomSeller]

Anyone heard of Regency out of Canada?

 

[BoylermanCT]

My dad has the Regency 3100, their largest wood burning insert. It puts out a large amount of heat, and sticks into the room a bit. The firebox is square, so you can load wood straight in or side to side. He has been very happy with it. The surround is very plain, simply a large sheet of steel. I prefer the fancier surrounds offered by Hampton, the sister brand.

 

[TomSeller]

My dad has the Regency 3100, their largest wood burning insert. It puts out a large amount of heat, and sticks into the room a bit. The firebox is square, so you can load wood straight in or side to side. He has been very happy with it. The surround is very plain, simply a large sheet of steel. I prefer the fancier surrounds offered by Hampton, the sister brand.

The 3100 is the look I was thinking of but wifey likes the more modern CI2600. It lists a 14 hour burn time which is a lot more than I am used to. What do people think of the catalytic option? Just more problems or not so? My previous stoves were basically a box with a stove pipe connection. Not so simple those days but I never could get burn times like these advertise.

 

[RoyJackson]

Avoid Vermont Castings, they have been bought and sold a few times and are in a state of flux right now. Check for the availability of spare parts BEFORE you get serious about any brand.

Although what you wrote was true a couple years ago (I know...I worked there), Vermont Castings is pretty solid now. They're affiliated with the same parent company as Harmon stoves.
Hopefully, the days of Vermont Castings being nothing more then a cash cow for holding companies is over...

 

[Egon]

Anyone heard of Regency out of Canada?

Yes, a previous house had a medium and large free standing stove. Our present house has a small fireplace insert.

 

[atsah]

Harman stoves are very nice stoves.. they make probably the best pellet stoves on the market..

 

[RoyJackson]

Harman stoves are very nice stoves.. they make probably the best pellet stoves on the market..

Yes they do!
There were a couple guys at Vermont Castings who had a Harmon. Vermont Castings did (still do) make castings for Harmon. They were a very particular customer...very quality minded.

I have an old Vermont Castings Resolute stove in our place...does a very nice job, but it's really too small for the house. I'm thinking about either a larger stove (wood or pellet). If a pellet stove, it'll be a Harmon.

 

[TomSeller]

<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=522011"/>

Yes, a previous house had a medium and large free standing stove. Our present house has a small fireplace insert.

Is that insert a Regency?

 

[TomSeller]

Harman stoves are very nice stoves.. they make probably the best pellet stoves on the market..

I see one wood insert. Looks like a very good brand.