Best Brand of Fireplace Insert or Wood Stove

[coachgrd]

We have a QuadraFire 3100. Had it for about 10 years. Love the thing for warmth. The cutting-splitting-stacking of wood getting old though. Would like a pellet stove at this point.

 

[scott_vt]

I am in the market for a replacement fireplace insert for one of my houses and am curious of what you think a good brand is. I suspect better wood stove brands also make the better inserts? I am looking at burning firewood not gas or pellets. House is 3000 sq ft. I found a few insert threads when searching but not many.

Good Morning Tom,
I have been using the Hearthstone Heritage soapstone for many years with no issues. This stove will not heat 3000 sq ft, but they make a larger unit that will.
I know some have said that this stove is too fragile, but to date I have had no issues with it. I just changed the door gaskets this year, and other than
that it has been trouble free !

 

[atsah]

One story, 1988 contractor owner build for himself, full masonry chimney with an inside square 9" tile liner and cap, everything looks to be in near new condition. Chimney itself as it goes through the roof is probably 2' x 3' or so. I am guessing the chimney extends 5' or so above the roof penetration, maybe 4' above the highest portion of the roof. No elbows. No metal bestos.

Sounds good, shouldn't have any issues with that setup with any stove you decide on..

 

[sd455dan]

I really like the heat and quality out of my Woodstock Fireview stove, but I don't really love the looks of the blueish colored soapstone.

I need a bigger stove, and I'd really like a different looking stove, but I'm so happy with Woodstock I'll stick with them and go with the Progress Hybrid. I can't get over how much nicer the soapstone heats.

I really like the idea of the long burntimes on the Blazeking, but I believe they need power don't they? For me I want something completely independent of a power requirement. Might make for a nice basement stove though!

Actually the heat control needs no power, but the forced air dual fans do. We have run ours with no power when the local grid is down, We just let the cat get to temp and then reduced the heat setting a bit since the forced air is off.
Seems to work fine

We have also used ours to cook food on when there was no power.

 

[TomSeller]

I was under the impression that Hearthstone did have inserts? I must have been mistaken.

They do but the inserts don't use the soapstone. The overall line of freestanding stoves has a great selection.

 

[TomSeller]

Getting ready to have the insert installed. The smooth wall liner will be installed inside the masonry chimney. Should the liner also be insulated?

 

[BoylermanCT]

Insulating the liner will give you better draft. Its easy to do when you install the liner. I did mine when I installed it a number of years ago.

 

[Piston]

I didn’t have my last liner insulated with an external chimney and it seemed to work fine, but I am insulating my current liner to see if there is a difference using the same stove.
Not apples to apples though, since this chimney is in the central part of the house and not outside the house.

Theoretically, insulating the liner will provide a better draft, and reduce the formation of creosote since the smoke doesn’t cool/condense as quickly in the chimney.

If you have a problem with draft, or creosote, then the “experts” would advise you to insulate.

Another option, is to install the liner and ensure you install a block off plate sealed at the bottom of the chimney, and try it out as is without insulation. If you decide you want to insulate the liner, you then use pourable insulation by pouring it to fill the voids from the top of the chimney down.

I’m going to insulate mine from the beginning (waiting for it to be delivered) just because I think it’s the “right way” to do it, but I certainly don’t think it’s necessary.