Wood Stove Reviews - Archive

Browse Stove Reviews Contributed by Wise Heat Visitors

Lopi Leyden: Review and ratings contributed by Robert on May 05, 2013; Upgraded from a Lopi Patroit - needed more heat. Reasonable performance the first year of use, but lots of smoke. Then I discovered that at 8000 foot altitude it required about 30 to 40 feet of chimney to draw properly - or a forced draft. Next fall will see a new stove!!!!; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Lopi Leyden: Review and ratings contributed by otiskush on Apr 29, 2013; Stove not even paid for yet and the combustion box is burned up stove would not burn properly just in five months of use. Very distrurbing! And what a pain to work on.; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Regency F1100 Classic: Review and ratings contributed by EDD on Apr 19, 2013; I have had this stove for three years and find it to be problem free. I burn well seasoned wood and have the chimney cleaned every year. It heats our 1200 sq. ft home with no problem. We do not have a problem with excess creosote build up and the glass door only requires cleaning every two or three ...; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Lopi Endeavor: Review and ratings contributed by zoxdoxy on Apr 12, 2013; This stove came with my house which I bought 13 years ago and I just LOVE it. It has been a terrific stove apart from my personal grudge against the gasket sold with this model which seems way too bulky, IMHO. I keep using their recommended gasket but don't seem to have the knack for getting it ...; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Hearthstone Bennington: Review and ratings contributed by Hueyx1308 on Apr 12, 2013; While the stove heats evenly and burns good and complete, when you open the doors to add additional wood you either get a house full of smoke or hot coals dropping onto the floor. If you are looking for a nice looking stove for a little fire just for looks its fine. if you are looking to heat ...; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Lopi Endeavor: Review and ratings contributed by Petals on Apr 11, 2013; I just wrote a review with overall performance at a 3, Efficiency at a 3, and Ease of Use at a 4. When I hit the submit button and the review came up, everything was at a 5. I will assume the ratings are rigged as they did not show my actual rating on this stove. As I said, I am very ...; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Lopi Endeavor: Review and ratings contributed by Petalss on Apr 11, 2013; I am disappointed in this stove. We burn seasoned alder, maple, and fir, and it just eats wood. Every 1 to 2 hours, I am feeding it full of wood just to heat my 2000 sq/ft well insulated home to around 70 to 72 degrees. My husband loads it up at night to keep a fire, but usually wakes up around ...; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Hearthstone Bennington: Review and ratings contributed by woodcarver on Mar 23, 2013; Guarantee means nothing. Only the stone is warrantied. Stove leaks smoke around stone seams when damped. Cast iron parts warp and are NOT covered by Guarantee and expensive to replace, Read the fine print before purchasing. Looks great but poorly made for actual heating. Ashes fall out of front ...; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Lopi Answer: Review and ratings contributed by Stove guy on Mar 12, 2013; We installed an Answer insert about 10 years ago. The stove supplies ~80% to 90% of our heat. We made sure not to by a stove that was too big for our space. Once we have it up and running we can maintain ~70 F to 72 F on the main floor and ~66 F in our second floor bedroom. If you shut down the ...; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Pacific Energy Alderlea T4 Classic: Review and ratings contributed by STS on Mar 11, 2013; My wife and I couldn't be happier with our Alderlea T4. We have been heating our 2000' ranch on 2-3 cords a year for the past 4 years. I grew up with wood heat but this stove is a far cry from any other stove I have ever lived with. I believe that the outside air is a must in a modern well ...; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Lopi Leyden: Review and ratings contributed by arcticcat650 on Mar 09, 2013; Biggest problem is the need to clean insibe of stove (sweep it out) almost every day and definetely every 3 dzys need to tear it downn and vacuum inside all the ash. Doesnt seem like any ash goes down from the pot, it all collects inside the stove.; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Jotul F 400 Castine: Review and ratings contributed by Stephen Wright on Feb 23, 2013; The fist two years this stove was great. Loved it. After a bed of coals is established, it consumes single pieces of 14" cord wood just fine. One piece per hour. Then, at night, I bank it so the draft is fully closed and this results in 6 to 8 hour burns. I never have to start a fire from ...; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Quadra-Fire 4300 Millennium: Review and ratings contributed by woodhead_wisconsin on Feb 18, 2013; Disclaimer: I sell these stoves (a sales rep for this product). But I also burn them in the showroom at work. I'm not here to tout how great they are, since none of you reading this will likely be a customer of mine - so this is my objective viewpoint. This stove puts out quite a bit of heat. Our ...; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Vermont Castings Aspen 1920: Review and ratings contributed by jay on Feb 13, 2013; I bought an Aspen used a little over a month ago. It has been running 24/7 ever since and the stove works fine. The stove was chosen for the specific BTU rating, we only need about 22,000 btus on the coldest days in the area of the stove and this unit has no issue keeping up. Like any stove the ...; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Jotul F500 Oslo: Review and ratings contributed by Living Rural on Feb 09, 2013; We bought the stove expecting it to provide about 80% of the heat for our 2500sqft single level house and it does a good job. But, it’s a pain to use because of some easily avoidable design flaws with the ash pan. First, the ash pan has an air space between it and the grate, so what happens is ...; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Jotul Rangeley F 50 TL: Review and ratings contributed by JerryF on Feb 06, 2013; Continuing my review from last Fall (2012), we have been using the TL50 for several months heating. I have learned a good bit about this new style of burning. The stove rewards you will great heat output and clean glass (pretty much) and lovely flames, if you load and run it ...; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Jotul F500 Oslo: Review and ratings contributed by boogaloo007 on Feb 02, 2013; i thought i was doing something wrong but this stove is hard to get long burn times but we love it and it does heat our 1800 sq ft home.; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Jotul F500 Oslo: Review and ratings contributed by jimmycriket on Feb 02, 2013; Agree with blazer its a great stove for heating a big house like mine but eats alot; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Jotul F500 Oslo: Review and ratings contributed by blazer55 on Feb 01, 2013; My review for performance, efficiency and ease of use was NOT correct below; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Jotul F500 Oslo: Review and ratings contributed by blazer55 on Feb 01, 2013; nice stove but short burn times. I could get 8hr burns with my old vermont castings. I'm using lots of kindling and burning more wood.; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Avalon Olympic: Review and ratings contributed by fast ed on Jan 31, 2013; This stove is hard to start, smokes every time you open the door, only burns about 2 hours max. I would not recommend this product to any one. It is a piece of junk metal. Fast.; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Vermont Castings Aspen 1920: Review and ratings contributed by Billsp on Jan 29, 2013; Read the reviews. Most of the good reviews of this stove have some sort of conditions you have to follow or adjust to make this thing work. Would you buy a car that was reviewed as needing 4 times the maintenance and was hard to start and keep running. A GOOD woodstove works! It doesn't have to be ...; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Dutchwest Cast Iron Large 2461: Review and ratings contributed by al caron on Jan 24, 2013; this is my second one. the first was 14 years old and needed too much to repair so i bought another one on 05 up till 2 years ago it was great. 25 below zero would heat the whole 1700 square foot house. two years ago went through 2 catalysts 1 damper door and three spoons. last night 15 below zero ...; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Jotul F 400 Castine: Review and ratings contributed by Woodswoman on Jan 23, 2013; I heated for years with a Vermont Castings Defiant woodstove. I replaced it beause I thought the stove he warped nd was drafting too much. (as it turned out it was overuse of gasket glue... Another story...) I do not like this Jotul stove. It burns way too hot. The gigantic wood box is not ...; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Lopi Leyden: Review and ratings contributed by AL RUSSO on Jan 18, 2013; fourth year i am also replacing compuster box, when stove works it is wonderful ,when box burns up it is nightmare; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Jotul F 3 CB: Review and ratings contributed by VT Winters on Jan 17, 2013; I just got an 1983 model 3 Jotul to replace my larger VT Castings Vigilant. I also placed an expensive, high-end thermometer on the stove pipe after I installed it. At full tilt, I max out at 230 degrees going out the pipe; which beat the VT Castings, given it would get out of control and require ...; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Jotul F 3 CB: Review and ratings contributed by John in PA on Jan 13, 2013; Sorry about the first submission. I wanted to make sure that I didn't waste time posting to a site that first required a subscription. I installed my F3CB on Thursday and have run it for three days. I have it installed on my hearth. (Pictures available if you ask) This is probably the only stove ...; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Vermont Castings Aspen 1920: Review and ratings contributed by Justin on Jan 10, 2013; ON my review I did not give five stars, I don't know why it shows up inaccurately. I gave a rating of 4 4 and 3 for ease of use; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Vermont Castings Aspen 1920: Review and ratings contributed by justin on Jan 10, 2013; For my first wood stove I bought a Vermont Castings Aspen and installed it about24 hours ago. After reading a bunch of negative reviews I was concerned that it might have been a bad purchase, I was wrong. This stove does exactly what it is supposed to to. After initially smoking out my house ...; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Jotul F500 Oslo: Review and ratings contributed by GW on Jan 08, 2013; I purchased three Jotul stoves. I traded one in and sold one. I still have the third one. I replaced the two with Quqdrifire stoves. Much better stove! The Jotuls were too hard to get started - not enough draft - and they would sometimes stink the house up. My chimneys are first class - new home. ...; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Vermont Castings Aspen 1920: Review and ratings contributed by Paully on Jan 08, 2013; I've been heating in cold northern climates for over 30 years. I keep a good woodshed and only burn year seasoned wood. I bought one of these when we moved to a smaller well insulated home and thought it would work. In short it has a design flaw, it takes too much screwing around to satisfy it for ...; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Jotul F 3 CB: Review and ratings contributed by Burner Bob on Jan 05, 2013; The site reset when I went to submit my review and the ratings all went back to 5's. As you can tell from my dealings with the stove I rate it lower.; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Jotul F 3 CB: Review and ratings contributed by Burner Bob on Jan 05, 2013; I bought this stove back in 1999 thinking Jotul had been around awhile and should make a good product. It worked well for about four years and then one winter I started it up and the stove back drafted. It would not draw no matter what and I ended up having to take the burning wood out to the ...; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Lopi Answer: Review and ratings contributed by Jg on Jan 05, 2013; best purchase I have made. Friends and family couldn't understand why I would remove a fireplace...until they cane over and felt the heat this generates. Gas companies do NOT want you to know this! You have to chop your own wood wood spliter) put saves so much money! Beat investment! Have to ...; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Quadra-Fire 4300 Millennium: Review and ratings contributed by Joe on Jan 03, 2013; Bought the stove a few weeks ago, it burns wood like there is no tomorrow, very little heat., does not burn overnight have to start fresh each day. I have a Lopi Endeavor in my workshop it is twice the stove and less money. Never will I buy a product from Quadra-Fire again.; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Pacific Energry True North TN19: Review and ratings contributed by Gerry Jagger on Jan 02, 2013; Great stove, pumps out the heat evenly, the glass for the most part stays clean. Loading the logs straight in is great, no rolling out like my last stove. You do not need to remove the stove pipe to clean the chimmney the sections inside the stove seperate. I did a lot of searching and found this ...; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Lopi Leyden: Review and ratings contributed by mad as heck on Dec 27, 2012; I bought this stove in 2011. Had it installed by the dealer. Smoked up my home all the time. Could not sleep at night was up opening up the windows to let smoke out. Was told by dealer that it was the wood. This winter have only used it 4 times. Was awaken from a dead sleep from smelling smoke. ...; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Jotul F 100 Nordic QT: Review and ratings contributed by NMR on Dec 23, 2012; This little gem of a stove cannot be beat for ease of use, burn efficiency, and economy. Every convenience imposes some compromise. With wood-burning stoves, it's ash-dust, a bit of smoke now and again, and getting the right size wood to feed the stove. That's true of all stoves, but this Jotul ...; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Vermont Castings Aspen 1920: Review and ratings contributed by Tenlakes on Dec 23, 2012; I did an internet search today to figure out why this stove was choking out so badly. I had cleaned the chimney and shop vac'd the interior, and still no luck. I've had it for 3 years and have been generally happy with it, but it has air intake issues that my other stove (a Jotul, with basic air ...; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...
Dutchwest Cast Iron Large 2461: Review and ratings contributed by Kuke2 on Dec 18, 2012; I am a very new user, months. So far, I love it. I am still figuring everything out. I got this as a hand-me-down. I Lost the thermometer in the move and I was looking for the help of a more experienced burner. So my question, what does the fire "look like" when it is time to close ...; Complete review & ratings...; Follow this thread...