Free standing gas stoves.

coobie · Jan 18, 2018

We have been burning wood pellets for the last 13 years that has been our main heat source with a propane furnace as back up.We are getting a little older now and getting tired of lugging the wood pellets indoors.We both love a good fire so we are considering a propane free standing gas stove to be installed late 2018.Would like to have at least 40,000 BTU output.Looking for suggestions what brand that is reliable.So far my research has led to Lopi,Jotul.

oosik · Jan 18, 2018

I know exactly what you are saying. As you "mature" those 40# bags get heavier and heavier. When we moved here in '82 - we started with a wood stove, then pellets and now electric heat. Our wood stove was a Lopi. It was a great stove - easy to load, produced good heat and built like a brick sh*t house. I can definitely recommend the Lopi brand.

coobie · Jan 18, 2018

oosik said:
I know exactly what you are saying. As you "mature" those 40# bags get heavier and heavier. When we moved here in '82 - we started with a wood stove, then pellets and now electric heat. Our wood stove was a Lopi. It was a great stove - easy to load, produced good heat and built like a brick sh*t house. I can definitely recommend the Lopi brand.

We buy 6 tons per year hook up the 20 ft trailer then put the forks & ballast box on the tractor to boot.Used to be fun not so much now.LOL.

747driver · Jan 18, 2018

We have had 2 Lopi's and currently have a Jotul. Both are excellent stoves and well made. The Jotul we have has 2 doors. One in the front and the other as a side loader door, which is really nice and convenient for loading wood.

MacLawn · Jan 18, 2018

747, he talking about GAS stove. I am too, that's what I want next. At 69, back, heart, problems, I'm about done with wood, as much as I love wood heat. I'm also researching gas free standing stoves. That soapstone make, wha' Vermont (?) looks good too. Jøtul or Lopi also. We need to help each other here with research. Come on boys using gas stove, let us know...

747driver · Jan 18, 2018

Yeah...i realized that shortly after I posted !!

90cummins · Jan 18, 2018

Gave up my pellet stove for the same reason!
We have a Vermont Castings Reliance gas stove with remote control.
Very nice & heavy.
90cummins

coobie · Jan 19, 2018

90cummins said:
Gave up my pellet stove for the same reason!
We have a Vermont Castings Reliance gas stove with remote control.
Very nice & heavy.
90cummins

What is the Max BTU output on your stove?Thanks..

dadster4 · Jan 19, 2018

I'll be installing a Lopi Greenfield gas stove in the next couple weeks...won't be cutting holes through stone and log wall just yet...too cold!
Will update when completed. Chose the Lopi for 40K BTU, great turndown ability, and three sides are glass. Replacing an older ventless gas stove installed by previous owner.

nybirdman · Jan 19, 2018

I replaced a wood stove with a Vermont Castings Reliance (propane) about 15 years ago.It is 38,000 BTU' s if I remember right.Start it in November and runs until spring.Mine is connected to a milli-volt thermostat and starts and stops by itself.Trouble free and easy.Just had my tanks filled this morning;I burn about 700 gallons per year but that also includes my propane unit heater in the garage.
Absolute best purchase I have made period.Best thing is that it requires no power to provide heat.I have a ceiling fan in the room that it is located and didn't purchased the small fan that installs in the stove itself.
Mine is a vented unit;they also make them unvented(my daughter has one and is happy with it).
My son also has the same unit in his house;mostly as a back-up for his out-side wood eater.

coobie · Jan 19, 2018

nybirdman said:
I replaced a wood stove with a Vermont Castings Reliance (propane) about 15 years ago.It is 38,000 BTU' s if I remember right.Start it in November and runs until spring.Mine is connected to a milli-volt thermostat and starts and stops by itself.Trouble free and easy.Just had my tanks filled this morning;I burn about 700 gallons per year but that also includes my propane unit heater in the garage.
Absolute best purchase I have made period.Best thing is that it requires no power to provide heat.I have a ceiling fan in the room that it is located and didn't purchased the small fan that installs in the stove itself.
Mine is a vented unit;they also make them unvented(my daughter has one and is happy with it).
My son also has the same unit in his house;mostly as a back-up for his out-side wood eater.

Great info,thanks..

coobie · Jan 19, 2018

Looking into the Lopi greenfield free standing stove with 40,000 BTU.MSRP is $3,800 bucks.

nybirdman · Jan 19, 2018

coobie said:
Looking into the Lopi greenfield free standing stove with 40,000 BTU.MSRP is $3,800 bucks.

I had paid about $1600 for our Vermont Castings Radiance;just checked current price;list is $2600 and they are 38,000/btu.

coobie · Jan 20, 2018

nybirdman said:
I had paid about $1600 for our Vermont Castings Radiance;just checked current price;list is $2600 and they are 38,000/btu.

Prices have sure gone up on all stoves.

CADplans · Jan 20, 2018

coobie said:
We have been burning wood pellets for the last 13 years
that has been our main heat source with a propane furnace as back up,,,,,

Why not,,, just turn up the propane furnace,,, and take a vacation with the $3K stove money?? :thumbsup:

coobie · Jan 20, 2018

CADplans said:
Why not,,, just turn up the propane furnace,,, and take a vacation with the $3K stove money?? :thumbsup:

Like to enjoy a good fire.Don"t like the idiots I meet on vacation.LOL..

2ndhalf · Jan 21, 2018

My advice.. buy a good one and have it professionaly installed unless you are mechanical and understand gas. I installed one, not a high end one, and have had enough problems with it that it pretty much has become a $700 shelf.

I have called a few local HVAC guys and one told me that most HVAC guys don't like to work on them because of insurance liability. I am just planning to educate myself a lot more on Gas fireplaces and fix myself.

forgeblast · Jan 22, 2018

We switched from wood to propane. Our Joutl has a battery thermostat that lets it work even when the power is out.
It is really nice using the remote to turn the heat up. We had it professionally installed and the price was not bad (cant remember the exact).
I can highly recommend it. I used search tempest and found one in Vermont that was barely used.

coobie · Jan 22, 2018

Went to the Lopi dealer today and looked at the greenfield model with 40,000 BTU max output with 6 speed blower.Very nice stove,might go this route and have them install it early this spring.