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[Scott7m]

I'm looking for advice on which are the best?  I have been doing my own research and like a lof of designs that I see.

Ones thats are available in my area include Hardy, Central Boiler, and Heatmor.  I just can't figure out what I really want.  Each time you talk to a salesman they get rude and start telling you how the competitors are all just a bunch of junk.  Kinda makes me mad, because there probably isn't a great deal of difference.  Whats your guys opinion on whats the bset one out there?! 

[Dirtslinger]

I'm looking for advice on which are the best?  I have been doing my own research and like a lof of designs that I see.

Ones thats are available in my area include Hardy, Central Boiler, and Heatmor.  I just can't figure out what I really want.  Each time you talk to a salesman they get rude and start telling you how the competitors are all just a bunch of junk.  Kinda makes me mad, because there probably isn't a great deal of difference.  Whats your guys opinion on whats the bset one out there?! 

Welcome to the forum
Can't tell you about any of them but this is the best place to find info
I have a woodmaster and it works great
Good Luck

[Scott7m]

it's confusing to say the least...... you hear so many varied opinions.

now i'm reading about gasification boilers and stuff.. i donno.... 

[Dirtslinger]

it's confusing to say the least...... you hear so many varied opinions.

now i'm reading about gasification boilers and stuff.. i donno.... 

Some say that is the way to go My buddy has a indoor gasification boiler and he said it sucks.
What do you plan on heating sq foot
Do you have land with wood or do you have to buy wood do you have a place to store wood.
Tell us about your setup maybe we can help you out.

[Jason]

Scott-

I have a Hardy H5 that I like a lot.  It's 3+years old and has been flawless.  That said, it's the only type I have experience with and as you said, there can't be much difference in them.  But just to add my 2 cents, I'm a completely satisfied owner.

For a first time buyer you need to keep in mind that these things do smoke a good bit, especially at the start of the burn cycle, and they are hungry.  They eat A LOT of wood. If those two issues don't bother you, whichever brand you choose will do the job nicely. 

Good luck!

[PhinPhan]

Hi Scott and welcome to the message board this is a great place to find info and ask questions, don't be afraid to ask questions, this is exactly the reason I started this message board was for people to get answers to their questions.

It is hard because everytime you turn around you like a different model, I just bought mine last spring and felt the same way, I eventually felt that the Woodmaster was the best option for me, and I love it, it has been flawless to this point.  I know my brother (Hank on the message board) has a Hardy H-2 and he really likes it and it does what he wants it to do.

[Scott7m]

well i currently live in a 2050 sq ft double wide..   i live in a really rural area, smoke not an issue.   have access to plenty of wood as well. 

i'm going to build a shed to put the wood in and the stove. 

i went and looked at some guys using hardy's they were all pleased.  when you guys say the eat "ALOT" of wood, what are we talking here? 

last guys stove i looked at was a h2 hardy, he had burned less than 2 cords of wood from september 14th- a couple days ago, heating around 1600 sq ft.   



i plan on building a house on the same property within 6-8 years, and will be using that to heat it as well..  probably around a 2500-2700 sq ft

[willieG]

i will go out on a limb here scott and make a guesstimate on wood for your new 2000 square foot home..with the boilers we use now , 6 to 9 bush cord (4x4x8) i dont know about the newer 'gasification" models all the builders are coming out with  but  they say 1/4 to 1/3 less wood

6 to 9 bush cords will likely  heat your hot water for domestic use and heat your home to a nice comfy 72 steady degrees and most likley  your  car garage at 50 degree average. you may do better but i am preparing your for what is normal in my part of the country (ontario canada)

others may say you can do much better...i am skeptical (i probably started a great debate..lol)

good luck on your pruchase..i agree with the ones whom say "there can't be that much difference in the stoves" I believe the greatest difference is in the install, not only of the stove and the pipes but you allready said one of my greatest beliefs...build a shed around it, and while your at it make it big enough to hold at least half a winters wood (all if you can)

the shed will not only protect your stove but if you have to add wood in a storm it is a nice place to load the stove from, out of the wind and the snow
I met an old timer at a farm show standing around the OWB booth and got talking to him when i was going to build mine and he told me he had had one for 5 years he used a lot of wood as he heated his shed, his house and his milk house and informed me that just  by building an 8 foot high fence on the north and west side of his stove to keep himself out of the wind he noticed his wood  consumption had gone down at least 1 cord of wood a year

again good luck and welcome to the forum

[Scott7m]

how about the carbon steel vs. stainless steel debate?! 

central boiler systems look nice, but i liked the idea of stainless...........  decisions decisions

[ckbetz]

I can tell you some things I like about my Central Boiler:

I actually like that it's carbon steel, studies show that it transfers heat better and resists cracking from the hot/cold cycles better than most stainless stoves.  Central Boiler made a stainless stove but I believe they've got completely away from stainless.  Also if you search the board you'll see that stainless isn't completely corrosion resistant.

I like not having an ash pan, I think it's easier to shovel my ashes out and be able to stir them to get maximum burn out of the wood. 

I like the urethane insulation, Central Boilers diagrams for different applications, size of stove. 

One thing I don't like is the way the smoke sometimes comes out the front door when loading.  It happens because of the large baffle in the roof of the firebox that makes the air circulate to burn more efficiently. 

I think you'll find many similarities in stoves but I do feel strongly about using carbon steel instead of stainless, and the urethane sprayed on insulation.  I also like the way the Central Boiler looks. 

[Jason]

OK, I gotta jump back in on this one. 

Here's a detailed list of the pros and cons of my Hardy.  Again, I don't want to sound like a salesman, because I'm not one, but I'm proud of and happy with my OWB.

I like the fact that it's just a square stainless shell.  If it was nice and sided it would outshine all the other buildings on the farm here.    I like the grates.  I shake them down every couple weeks and shovel the ashes out the bottom of the furnace into a pile I keep beside the furnace.  In the summer they go to the garden.  Hardy gives you a little homemade shovel for cleaning out the ash area.  There isn't a pan or anything.  I have a low water light on the side of the furnace facing the house so I know at a glance when to add more.  That said, I barely ever have to add water.  I get good burn times and it burns coal, too.  It's simplly built-I don't have to rip off siding to get to the guts.  There's a panel on the back that slides right out to get to the pump, aquastat, blower, etc.

It's not perfect, though.  Here's some cons:  There's a warning label that tells you to open the ash door first.  If not it can have kind of a mini flashover effect that will take your eyebrows off.  The ash drawer situation does kinda require you to hunker down on your knees to shovel it out.  I don't have the light above the door for night loading that some of the others feature.  I just have fiberglass sheet insulation.  Maybe the spray stuff is better-I don't know. 

Basically, a Hardy is a no frills furnace.  Built for function, not form.  If you're the kind of person with crank windows, a stick shift, and vinyl seats in your truck, this is your furnace.   

[Scott7m]

thanks for the information......     i really like the looks of the central but admire the simplicity of the hardy!   it's just a hard decision no matter what! 


Does the central boiler have the endless supply of hot water that the hardy gives ya?

[Scratch]

I also have a Central Boiler, this is my first season with it and my only stove so I can't help you that much.  I love it though and am so glad I bought one.  I can't honestly tell you which ones are better and I imagine most people can't either since they last so long, most only have ever had one!  I think if you go with a well known brand, for service, warranty and parts issues, you can't go wrong.

Not sure what you mean by "endless supply of hot water" I'm pretty sure all OWB's are able to do that.   I haven't had to add any water in the only month or so I've been burning so far... maybe you're talking about domestic hot water.  Like from a hot water heater in your house.  If so... yes, all OWB's can be hooked into that or do an on demand system like Willie G did.

Good luck and let us know what you end up with!

[ckbetz]

They'll all give you as much hot water as you need, especially if you have a big enough heat exchanger.  I haven't plumbed mine in yet because it seems like I have so many things on my plate.  Right now I'm trying to finish my garage and can't even find time to get ahead on wood.  

One other thing to look at is the PEX system you buy.  Make sure it's very well protected and insulated as you can lose massive amounts of heat through your PEX going from your stove into your house.  Think of it as a big heat exchanger with 20 degree soil if it's not insulated well enough or if moisture gets to it.  

Your installation of the system will really be a big factor in how your stove operates, no matter which one you buy.

[Scott7m]

yup i'm well aware of the insulation of the pex

i know 2 guys who have hardy's now for 18 years......  both still working

but i like some of the ideas on the central, may come down to who gives me the best deal/sales speach haha