Any Baker's Choice stove users out there?

[miboje]

After months of preparing and planning, it looks like my Baker's Choice wood cook stove will be installed this week. I have never heated with wood let alone cooked with it.

If you use one, please let me know your experiences with it, and any tips you may have regarding cooking and heating with it. I do have the warming oven and water reservoir with it. Here are some questions I have;

I have 1,568 sq. ft. How much space does it heat effectively even in Jan. and Feb.?
Can bread be baked on the rack, or do I have to use the floor of the oven?
Does it really hold a fire, or at least hot coals, overnight?
How often does the firebrick have to be replaced, in your experience?
And lastly, do you have an advice regarding the stove's use?

[cowbelle]

I just asked about these stoves on another thread!! Please keep us updated on how you like yours. The price certainly is right, and I'd love to have a wood cookstove. How was the dealer to deal with?

[miboje]

Hi cowbelle! I did not see it! I even searched the forum last night.

Actually, I found mine in bad condition on craigslist for $100, so I did not deal with a dealer. After taking it apart, applying many buckets of elbow grease, sanding, and repainting, it's ready to go. Recently, I saw another one on there, barely used, for $600, in very good condition. You might want to check craigslist before buying a new one.

[cowbelle]

I JUST posted it about 15 minutes ago! I'm in southwest CO, and the Craigs list for this area is very minimal. I've never seen anything like these on it - and I'm afraid the shipping arrangements from another area might be prohibitive, but I'll check. The one on ebay took me to the company's website, and it looks good, and as I said, the shipping is even reasonable for something so heavy. I do believe the website answers a number of your questions, so you might check it out.

[Katey]

When using the stovetop, regulating the heat is more about moving the pan from a hot spot to a cooler spot rather than trying to fool with the fire.

Make sure the firebrick inside is in good shape or you will burn through the metal in just a few years.

[miboje]

Cowbelle- So, that is why I did not see it.
Sorry to hear craigslist is minimal in your area!
The web site says it will heat 2000 square foot, but I wonder if it really does, and how well it does in extreme cold. I used to own a pellet stove that was supposed to heat 2200 sq. ft., but it really did not heat my 1568 sq. ft. all that well in extreme cold.

Katey- Our firebrick set is brand new from lehmans, but I was wondering approximately how often we could expect to have to replace it. It will be the only heat source. We are in PA.

[Humburger]

We used the Baker's Choice in a very small place for a short period of time, but it put out a LOT of heat and I baked bread in it and cooked on it. It worked just fine. I baked the bread on the rack in the middle of the oven. And, yes, you must move the pots around to regulate the temps on the stovetop. As for it holding coals overnight, yes, it did. You must make sure it is packed and closed before going to bed, though. I thought it was a very good little stove.

[roachhill]

square foot heat ratings are not really useful because of all the variables. Like how well is the house sealed, insulated, and how high are the ceilings. Also it makes a difference if it's an open area or a lot of separate rooms.

[haypoint]

I plan on buying one. I have cooked on a wood cook stove for many years. But my old one had a small firebox and wasn't air tight.

I found a Baker's Choice on Craigslist a year ago. I went to buy it and changed my mind when I saw it. It was in a medium sized two story house that had been owned by an Amish family. The new owner didn't know anything about it, just wanted it gone.

I was suprised by the amount of buckling of the walls of the oven and around the firebox. At some time, someone cut off the back part of the stove below where the stove pipe attaches. Because of the condition of the rest of the stove, I'd guess that part warped, buckeled and cracked. I could have rebuilt that part from sheet steel, if they'd kept it for a pattern. But that part was gone.

I'm guessing that this cookstove was fired hard for extended periods, perhaps used to heat the whole house or canning for days on end.

As Roachhill wrote, just saying it will heat a 2000 square foot area doesn't really mean much. Likewise, asking us if it will heat your 1568 square foot home, without including your location, insulation, construction and floor plan, specis of wood you'll be using won't get you anything close to a real answer. If you are in a 24 by 60 1972 double wide in Moose Jaw, I'd say no. If you are in an earth sheltered home in Nashville, it will cook you out.

[KellyHill]

I have a bakers choice and I love it so much I insisted we bring it with us when we moved. We used it as our only heat source in western wa. for 6 years. I cooked on it all winter and only used my electric stove in the summer.
It puts out a lot of heat and will hold a fire all night. you have to move the pans around to adjust the heat, but you get used to it real fast!! we are working on hooking it up in our work shop here. it is too big for our single wide mobile. so we put in a smaller wood heating stove.

[miboje]

The stove is in, and last night was our first night with it! I awoke to a bed of coals after 7 hours of sleep. I awoke a little early because I got too warm.

The Bakers Choice really does throw off a LOT of heat! It is placed almost in the center of our one story, well insulated house with low energy windows. We also have an open floor plan, however, the room farthest from the stove, the master bath (the NE corner of the house), was cool this morning. That room was always cool no matter the source of heat, though. The back wall of the master bathroom faces the utility room, which faces the kitchen. We talked about putting a wall vent at the top of the master bathroom wall which will allow hot air to feed into the master bath from the utility room, if needed. It looks like we will be doing that soon.

It was 29 degrees last night. The real test comes in Jan. and Feb., but we are pleased (and impressed) with the stove at this point. My fiance forgot to close the oven damper last night which allows the stove to act as a heater. And I was up an hour earlier than usual. It is quite warm in the rooms connecting to the kitchen.

I tried to make a pot of coffee on the stove this morning, but I got impatient waiting for the fire to get going and put it on the propane stove to finish. In hindsight, I think I should have had a couple small pieces of wood to place on the coals this morning as the two large pieces I put in took a while to "catch". I'm learning!

Today, I will be baking rolls in the oven. I can see that I will have to plan cooking better than I had to with "instant" cooking heat. I'm also thinking it would be wise to keep a cast iron fry pan on the stove. Right now, we are on a huge learning curve, but I am just grateful the house stayed warm all night, and I did not have to start a new fire this morning!! Jan. and Feb. are on the way, though!

[miboje]

I should add some specifics about the house in case anyone is trying to determine if the Baker's Choice is a good choice for them. I did research upon research before settling on this stove, and also cost was a big factor, along with our insurance company requiring a UL Listed stove.



We have R-38 in the roof, and R-19 insulation in the floors and walls. Our windows are double-pane, argon gas filled, low E glass vinyl windows. The house is 28' x 57' long, and the long wall faces near true south with no shade except lilac bushes protecting the south facing windows. The bedrooms and living room are all on the south facing length, while the two baths, office, kitchen, utility room, and baths are all on the north side.

[lovinthislife]

your house plans sound alot like what we're going to do. We want to build a pole barn type house 30X48. With the kitchen and living room/family area all on the south side. On the north side of the house will be a pantry, 2 bedrooms area for a furnace/water heater, bathroom, and a master bath off the big bedroom. It will be behind the regular bathroom. We are wanting a new woodstove/cookstove. I think this is the one we'll get too. I've been looking at the old ones and there's too much money involved. What with all that can be wrong with it and the price they want, we may as well buy brand new. I grew up with one of these stoves. The old one not this new one.haha good luck wsith your stove. Gail

[miboje]

Gail - so far, I would say it is capable of providing your heat. The Baker's Choice stove is UL Listed which can be difficult to find.

I agree; most people want too much money for an antique one. This one, even if you buy it new, is still less than many antique ones I have seen. The antique ones can certainly be beautiful for sure, whereas mine is purely practical and utilitarian!! Having said that, a new Gem Pac 2020W would have been my first choice had I not been limited by funds. It's a beauty.

Good Luck with whatever you choose!