Print

[treeeman00]

Ok guys, this is my first post.  Ive been lurking on here for awhile and doing research on OWB's.  Tons of great info on this site and I know everyone has their own opinions and im sure my question has been asked but im getting a OWB in a couple of weeks and ive narrowed it down between Heatmaster MF 5000E or 10,000E and Portage and Main BL28-44 or BL34-44.I am going to primalily be burning coal and mixing coal and wood.  My house is a modular on a full basement.  Upstairs is 1800 sq ft and want to heat the basement as well.  The house isn't insulated great but not to bad I guess. I want a stove sized big enough in case I move to a place with a pole barn or if I build a pole barn in the future.  I know a few people that have P&M ML 36 and they love it and recommend it.  I have been leary on stainless steel as I heard it can crack but my research shows that is 304 stainless.  The heatmaster 409 stainless is not supposed to crack?  Will the stainless hold up to heat over the years?  I like the design of the P&M BL series but I haven't heard enough about these stoves. I like the price of the heatmaster better. Did some research and haven't been able to find much on these stoves.  Ive heard good things about both, nothing bad about heatmaster and a few negative comments about P&M.  What do you guys recommend?  Any help is greatly appreciated!

[slimjim]

I really like the things I'm hearing about our B-L series,but what the heck else would I say. Look at consruction, weight , and why do you think the brick lining is there.

[baldwin racing]

Ok guys, this is my first post.  Ive been lurking on here for awhile and doing research on OWB's.  Tons of great info on this site and I know everyone has their own opinions and im sure my question has been asked but im getting a OWB in a couple of weeks and ive narrowed it down between Heatmaster MF 5000E or 10,000E and Portage and Main BL28-44 or BL34-44.I am going to primalily be burning coal and mixing coal and wood.  My house is a modular on a full basement.  Upstairs is 1800 sq ft and want to heat the basement as well.  The house isn't insulated great but not to bad I guess. I want a stove sized big enough in case I move to a place with a pole barn or if I build a pole barn in the future.  I know a few people that have P&M ML 36 and they love it and recommend it.  I have been leary on stainless steel as I heard it can crack but my research shows that is 304 stainless.  The heatmaster 409 stainless is not supposed to crack?  Will the stainless hold up to heat over the years?  I like the design of the P&M BL series but I haven't heard enough about these stoves. I like the price of the heatmaster better. Did some research and haven't been able to find much on these stoves.  Ive heard good things about both, nothing bad about heatmaster and a few negative comments about P&M.  What do you guys recommend?  Any help is greatly appreciated!

I would like to say welcome to the site......we don't have any heatmasters up here or none that I know of yet....slim jim could tell you what my neighbor just received last month model wise....P&M....I like the design a lot better than the old ones.....the bottom and some of the side is brick lined.....I like that idea.....my boiler is the same and lined with fire brick... on bottom and little on sides as well they hold in heat as well as keep the boiler warmer longer.... we don't have much coal here so I personaly could not help you in that decision....main thing is maintence, keep it in top notch shape and fallow the directions for water treatments and so on.... they both should last you a long time what ever way you go......good luck on your decision and welcome aboard.....
kelly

[Scott7m]

I've sold a lot of heatmaster with hardly any issues at all.  The design of the ml series and e series with heatmaster is very similar, only with heatmaster your gonna save a considerable amount of money, and get stainless steel construction.  I really like the shaker grates as well.  I think p and m is a good stove as well but there cost make it impossible for me to sell them here in my market. 

Heatmaster truly goes out of the way to help folks keep there warranty in tact, with all other companies, once you leave your dealer, they don't care if you ever send in a water sample and for the most part hope you forget because that lessens the companies liability, with heatmaster they provide you with your first gallon of treatment, give you 4 shipping containers with bottles, shipping labels, u name it.  Also every year they'll send you an email/post card reminder telling you it's time for a water sample instead of hoping you forget.  Heatmaster water testing is also free for the lift of the stove.

If you'd like to talk more in depth, feel free to call me, by carrying more than one brand of stove it really helps me provide good feedback to customers.  For example, if your a p and m dealer, all your gonna say is oh well there the best blah blah blah, if your only a central dealer, u know same thing, when folks show up here they don't here a one sided this is the best sales pitch, I take the time to show the pros n cons of each brand/model.

[slimjim]

Not even going there

[Scott7m]

Not even going there

What's wrong now slim?   

[slimjim]

Not a thing Scott, just because I only sell Pand M does not mean I am not knowledgable about the good and bad points of the different product lines, I do sell other boilers but they are used and rebuilt, I choose to sell Pand M because I like the product. You have commented several times on the cost of the product line, the consumer gets what he pays for, some folks prefer to build thier own, I would be one of those guys but P and M already built it cheaper than I ever could and they listen to the feedback from the guys that are loyal to thier product line, is that a bad thing ?

[Scott7m]

Not a thing Scott, just because I only sell Pand M does not mean I am not knowledgable about the good and bad points of the different product lines, I do sell other boilers but they are used and rebuilt, I choose to sell Pand M because I like the product. You have commented several times on the cost of the product line, the consumer gets what he pays for, some folks prefer to build thier own, I would be one of those guys but P and M already built it cheaper than I ever could and they listen to the feedback from the guys that are loyal to thier product line, is that a bad thing ?

Slim, my comment wasn't aimed at you, and I'm sorry if you took it that way.   I simply meant that in this business, rarely is any dealer serious about it.  You are, and you know I am too.  That being said, most dealers will simply spout about there brand and really know very little about it.  I know we all service and take care of many brands but u know how it is where most dealers only do this on the side of there real job, that's where the real messes come in.   


I re read what I said, and will agree it sounded bad toward you, wasn't my intent.

I just see countless dealers here claiming shaver is the only way to go, central is the only stove, u know how it is.   

[slimjim]

It's been a long day, I just finished rebuiling the base on a Seqouyah Paradise E-3400 with two bases from our 250, lots of in the field retrofitting but it was worth it, we are OK, I'm tired and thin skinned tonight, Have a good night to you all.

[Scott7m]

It's been a long day, I just finished rebuiling the base on a Seqouyah Paradise E-3400 with two bases from our 250, lots of in the field retrofitting but it was worth it, we are OK, I'm tired and thin skinned tonight, Have a good night to you all.

Long day here too, was out of service on an install for 11 hours to find out my voice mail box was full and had 12 missed calls!!!!!!!!   

[yoderheating]

 Hey its our busy time of year, thats a good thing except for my sleep needs.
 I don't know that much about P&M so I can't comment on them. I would say there are two things that you really need to burn coal, shaker grates and the draft coming in under the shaker grates. I've tried burning coal in a furnace where I couldn't shake the grates and its a major pain in the rear end.
 In my opinion Heat Master is on top of longevity with their water treatment and testing program. If you do what you are told to do that stove may outlive you. I have never sold a furnace that I had to warranty out for corrosion or cracking.

[Scott7m]

Hey its our busy time of year, thats a good thing except for my sleep needs.
 I don't know that much about P&M so I can't comment on them. I would say there are two things that you really need to burn coal, shaker grates and the draft coming in under the shaker grates. I've tried burning coal in a furnace where I couldn't shake the grates and its a major pain in the rear end.
 In my opinion Heat Master is on top of longevity with their water treatment and testing program. If you do what you are told to do that stove may outlive you. I have never sold a furnace that I had to warranty out for corrosion or cracking.

I never have either Lauren, didn't know u hadn't but you've been with them longer than me and that's very encouraging... 

[duke]

Don't know much about P&M other than what ive read on here. Im on my 4th season with my heatmaster amd really like it. Had a blower go out last year, but only because I wasn't aware on oiling it. Dealer said he wasn't aware about it either when he installed it but had recently learned about it. He installed new blower without charging labor and gave me jug of oil to start oiling with. Been very happy with stove, and would definitely recommend them to anyone else.

[slimjim]

I can understand why you would not think about oiling a blower motor as I would think it would be sealed bearings, maybe you are getting smoke back through the blower creating a film of creosote on the shaft.

[CountryBoyJohn]

Treeman, there are 4 or 5 of us on here with the 10,000E.  I just got started in my first year.  Boydz and Kybaseball are several years into their 10,000E stoves and LOVE them.  I know that P&M was out of my league on price, just like Scott says.

I've looked at the video's for the new BL series and I must say, I am impressed.  I think the BL series is the newest stove to take all the latest knowledge that's been developed over the last few years, and incorporated into 1 conventional design.  I think they used several features that were already on the MF-E series from HM.  The MF series has most of the same features as the BL, except for the bricks and the shape of the firebox. Again the MF is stainless and the BL is conventional steel.  The HM E-series has been out for a few years and has at least some track record and has had nothing but good review on this site and others (except for SissorBill, and I'm not going there right now.)  The BL just came out. 

If money were no object for me (which it is for all of us, why would we be heating our homes with wood if it weren't) I'd be tempted to look at the new BL series.  But, I'm running the MF-E series and 2 weeks in, I'm loving it! 

Good luck with your decision and feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions.  Kybaseball and Boydz were helpful with questions I had about running the 10,000E.  Scott and Slimjim are PM and HM dealers, but their advise is legit.  They both truly want you to get the stove that best fits your needs.