Pellet Stoves
- Thread starter SamSpade
- Start date
GWguy
*
Most, if not all, of those question have been extensively talked about in the Home and Garden forum. You might want to search thru there.
I have a QuadraFire 2200i fireplace insert. Installed it myself. Cost was about $2400 some 10 years ago now. Other than cleaning it on a regular schedule, I've only had to replace the ceramic cover over the thermocouple twice and the glow plug once. I bought it from a store in the Wildewood Plaza, but he's long gone.
I like my QuadraFire, and a few others here have them as well.
I have a QuadraFire 2200i fireplace insert. Installed it myself. Cost was about $2400 some 10 years ago now. Other than cleaning it on a regular schedule, I've only had to replace the ceramic cover over the thermocouple twice and the glow plug once. I bought it from a store in the Wildewood Plaza, but he's long gone.
I like my QuadraFire, and a few others here have them as well.
i got the breckwell Big-E, bought it online, delivered for about 2K and installed it myself. i like this one because it will hold 3 bags with the factory hopper, and if you wanted they make an extension that holds about 300 lbs.
i have found its a good unit, although i had a minor problem when i recieved it. The circuit board blew out, but was replaced quickly.
clevalley
...
I have a QuadraFire 1200i - this is our fourth year and it is running strong. :knockonwood: It has cut our oil consumption down 75%. 
I installed it myself... I would recommend getting a pipe that goes all the way up the chimney and capping it off at the top and sealing the bottom. Right now, I only seal in the damper area and my pipe goes up into the smoke box. I will have to clean out my exhaust port more when I go to the full system, but it will make the end of the year maintenance soooo much more easier as I do not have to pull the have pipe out, clean it, re-seal everything... That part is a PITA.
Since the pellet shortage is back again this year, I bought 2 tons in the summer and it looks like it will NOT be enough for me with the cold days we are having. Luckily, ours burns corn as well, that was a factor in the purchase.
The manual says I can burn straight corn, but to auto-ignite I need a 50/50 ratio. Right now, I am mixing at 75/25 (corn/pellets) and it is doing great. Corn is a bit cheaper than pellets right now by the pound.
Sorry to go off track, but go talk to Chris Plater @ American Hardware in Waldorf - he runs the stove area, he is a good guy.
If you got the $$$, look at the Mount Vernon AE - that thing is bad ass and I want to get that one in a year or so... it has automated pot cleaning.
MT. VERNON AE - Pellet Model from Quadra-Fire
I installed it myself... I would recommend getting a pipe that goes all the way up the chimney and capping it off at the top and sealing the bottom. Right now, I only seal in the damper area and my pipe goes up into the smoke box. I will have to clean out my exhaust port more when I go to the full system, but it will make the end of the year maintenance soooo much more easier as I do not have to pull the have pipe out, clean it, re-seal everything... That part is a PITA. Since the pellet shortage is back again this year, I bought 2 tons in the summer and it looks like it will NOT be enough for me with the cold days we are having. Luckily, ours burns corn as well, that was a factor in the purchase.
The manual says I can burn straight corn, but to auto-ignite I need a 50/50 ratio. Right now, I am mixing at 75/25 (corn/pellets) and it is doing great. Corn is a bit cheaper than pellets right now by the pound.
Sorry to go off track, but go talk to Chris Plater @ American Hardware in Waldorf - he runs the stove area, he is a good guy.
If you got the $$$, look at the Mount Vernon AE - that thing is bad ass and I want to get that one in a year or so... it has automated pot cleaning.
MT. VERNON AE - Pellet Model from Quadra-Fire
Last edited:
kom526
They call me ... Sarcasmo
I have the same stove as Cle and we love it. We had it installed by American Hardware's contractor without much fuss. A friend of ours has the AE and they absolutely love it, their electric bill doesn't even come close to $200 and it is the primary heat source in a 2600 sq ft house.
SamSpade
Well-Known Member
Thanks everyone. I think American Hardware is where we'll go. I've read a lot of reviews, but the brands that keep coming up are the ones mentioned here - Quadrafire and Breckwell.
My only remaining concern now is installation. My wife says our fireplace has an unusual shape, and I went down this morning to take a look at the old wood stove that is already in there. I think I will have to go with professional installation, because there ain't no way in hell I can figure out how to get that contraption out of there, clean OR dirty.
The fireplace itself has a low oval arch. There's an insert plate in there now, but I may have to measure the area carefully. It may be that the shape will limit what models I can buy.
My only remaining concern now is installation. My wife says our fireplace has an unusual shape, and I went down this morning to take a look at the old wood stove that is already in there. I think I will have to go with professional installation, because there ain't no way in hell I can figure out how to get that contraption out of there, clean OR dirty.
The fireplace itself has a low oval arch. There's an insert plate in there now, but I may have to measure the area carefully. It may be that the shape will limit what models I can buy.
We went to American Hardware too. I have a wood insert not a pellet... but they come with a large piece that covers the rest of the fireplace. hard to explain. But you should be fine. Go there first and tell them what you have... you might not need to have a pro install it.