Customer Reviews
Posted: 1/8/13
Reviewer: QinVA
Reviews????
I'm not having the experience of other reviewers. I question the BTU rating compared to the claim of an eight hour burn. My experience is that it is not possible to have both. You either get a low heat long burn or a high heat short burn. And, in no case will you get an actual 8 hour-heat-providing burn.
As to the air wash on the door. The diagram showing the air flow on the website is not possible. The burn air gets to the flue by going up the front of the firebox right against the back of the door. How would cold air come down over the door when hot air is going up and out at the same place???? If I do long burns - 3+ hours max making decent heat and having just a pile of coals at the end - the door glass gets coated with black, and I'm using cured oak. It will stay clean if I do 2 hour hot burns, which requires adding wood every two hours. The firebox is so small, wood has to be split smaller, and I have NEVER been able to get enough wood in there to last 8 hours. That advertised burn time is a flagrant lie. It will burn and then smolder for 8 hours, but it will not "burn" and make decent heat for 8 hours. This isn't a serious heating device, but more of a decorative warming atmosphere provider.
My other stove, at the other end of the house, will put you out of the room it provides so much heat, and it WILL make heat for 8 hours, and provide enough heat that it goes up the stairs and heats the upstairs too (2300+ square foot 2 story colonial). The Colonial fan is noisy, and at 125 cfm, inefficient. You can get the same flow by taking the fan off the heater and using gravity and a ceiling fan. I have to use two other fans to get the heat around the downstairs - forget the upstairs.
I always felt Vogelzang was a quality company that offered real wood heating appliances. I do not feel that way now, and would not buy another of their misrepresented products. This stove is perfect for a den, eat in kitchen/den, or other smaller area, but whole house heat is beyond its capability. Don't be fooled by the advertised specs. It's more of a recreational item than a serious stove. I feel that you folks that have left glowing reviews are still in the honeymoon period. Wait till it really gets cold.
Robert's Comments; I agree that it's about impossible to get the full BTU output for 8 hours. Usually people need to heat all night and hope for coals in the morning while using the furnace for backup. The size of the firebox needs to be smaller to meet the EPA regulations and to fit in a fireplace the overall unit needs to be smaller. Inserts typically under-perform freestanding wood stoves but are 1000 times more efficient than a regular fireplace and you don't need to spend a fortune on a chimney system. Most people are happy with the unit and we do offer our 30 day unconditional return on this item even if you use it. If you're that unhappy with the unit then return it if you're within the 30 day time frame.
Posted: 1/2/13
Reviewer: doc14616
good price not made so good
i have had mine 14 months and have had to replace the ceramic panels for up top and now the blower just went.
Posted: 12/31/12
Reviewer: john
positive
Ive been heating with wood for over 50 years with Vermont Castings the Defiant Vigilant and Woodstock soapstone [which is very good} I have a fireplace that even with the glass doors is still very drafty I bought this stove for the effiency of stopping the drafts and cause it looks nice I didn't really expect more than that cause of the lower price I installed the liner myself ,pretty easy and after a few small fires I started using it I;m very impressed by this stove it heats mt 1200 square foot house easily with the blower going. I like this more than the expensive stoves and the fire really burns nice inside the stove. This is the first review I;ve ever written about anything so I am really am impressed
Posted: 10/14/12
Reviewer: Val
Good product
We just got our furnice and we are excited to start using it when we finished the installation. We have 2k sf house and we expect to minimize utilization of our oil furnice. We will figure our soon.
Posted: 10/11/12
Reviewer: Tempest
great unit
We have had this unit going on 3 seasons now and it is great. no issues. Throws off lots of heat and is easy to clean. If you have a basement or lower level den that is chilly in the winter this is a great way to warm it up and add value to your home.
Posted: 12/5/11
Reviewer: Gary Brown
Excellent service as always. Kathy O. is always a real help.
Posted: 2/15/11
Reviewer:
This stove works so well we hardly ever have to have our furnace on anymore. We have a 1200sf home is it is a great size for heating it.
Posted: 1/21/11
Reviewer: Larry Mooney
Item exactly as listed-very good price as compared to other companies- very fast shipping-very good instructions with purchase-I am extremely pleased doing business with your company and will buy everything I need from you
Posted: 1/10/11
Reviewer: Patti
This unit keeps our oil furnace from running which means savings! It is smaller than I thought and we have to resplit some of our logs to fit. Our installer found it easy to install. The surround is not attatched to the fireplace so we had our installer add insulation to keep it from rattling when the furnace came on. Overall, we are very pleased with this insert.
Posted: 12/16/10
Reviewer: Tonya Corsbie
We are well satisfied with the insert. It looks good and does a good job of heating our 1300 sq ft home. The only real complaint that I had with the product was some of the instructions were not very detailed and the faceplate and blower did not have the screws for assembly included in the box.
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