Wood Burning Stove from Tractor Supply?

WhiteWillow · #1 09/21/11, 07:49 PM

I am needing to purchase a wood burning stove for my new house. I went to small specialty store and got a quote of about $1450 for the stove I liked.

Tractor Supply has one that I like for $699. The brand is United States Stove. I forget the brand of the one at the specialty store.

What are your thoughts on purchasing a wood burning stove from TSC? Am I buying junk, hence the lower price?

Qhorseman · #2 09/21/11, 08:14 PM

USS is chinese made stoves. I had one of the small box stoves and heated just fine with it for 5 years.

Helena · #3 09/22/11, 02:05 AM

I'm thinking of a square box type stove at TSC for $699 I saw the other day It was a ..Wood coal master ?? I noticed it because we use one in our old farm house but bought it used for $75 years ago..and it heats wonderfully. I don't think our old one was made in China but perhaps they are today.I would get the one that burns coal too just in case you would need to use it one day in the future.Look around for a used wood stove of good quality that has the grate for coal burning. Not the rice coal type of coal but the chestnut size coal. If you want a cheap, fast and good burner by the door kit that they sell at TSC and make yourself a barrel stove to use. Have also had one we made over 15 years ago that we use in the cellar. Heats excellent and have always said if I needed to have just one stove for warmth and not looks it would be that barrel stove. Good luck with your choice !!

Willowynd · #4 09/22/11, 03:33 AM

Personally, I would only consider a cast iron stove as they last a lifetime. Get a stove sized for the area you need to heat to the level you will be comfortable at. Get one too large and you will be having to burn it low all the time, which will cause creosote build up. Get one too small and you will be inclined to get it going too hot for its own good. Do some homework to find out what types and sizes of stoves put out for heat....there are small ones that put out lots and large ones that don't heat as well as your would expect.
You can find good used stoves that are inexpensive especially if you are willing to do a little wire brushing and painting- just look at CL. Though the best time pricewise to buy one is spring and summer- there are still deals out there. Just bring a wire brush with you if you look at used ones so you can check for cracks and make sure all the fire brick is intact- gaskets are not very pricey, but before buying make sure you figure the cost of what you will need. I was able to talk the guy I bought my stove from down by over $200 after I hmmm'd about the task of getting it back into decent shape and noticing something missing off the back that I would not be able to replace (it was a heat shield that was missing- not a big deal if you don't mind taking that into account with your spacing from the wall or adding things to the wall to adjust for that) and the wood cradle missing. Of course you will still have your other costs if you buy new or used (your hearth, fire resistant wall, chimney and pipe). I am in the process of putting one in now. The chimney is going to cost me about $200- plus pipe to chimney. I already had the stuff to do the floor here, and found deals on tile for the wall...My cost for the wall (cement board, tile on clearance which went well with the floor tile and ceramic insulators)- about $50. If I would not had already had the flooring stuff- the floor would have been about $122 as I had travetine tile already here left over from another project (wish I had enough left to do wall too...that is $3 a tile), spacers, mortar mix and grout- so just had to buy screws and some wood molding for around the now raised area ($8 for 2 sticks at the ReStore- habitat for humanity store). So figure those costs in to the cost of your stove.

Silvaticus · #5 09/22/11, 03:42 AM

If it's the wonderluxe wood/coal stove you're talking about, they're fabulous. My parents have heated with one for as long as I can remember and we have an OLD one in our garage for heating the workshop.

They hold a fire for a long time, put out a lot of heat, circulate it nicely, and take good-sized logs. If you need to do repairs, it's fairly cheap as well. They take standard-sized fire brick and all of the other parts are reasonably priced. The outside of the stove doesn't get too hot because of how they are built (everyone likes to lean against the stove at Mom's house, it's actually cool enough when it's going full blast that you can sit on it if you're wearing jeans!). However, if you lift the top lid, you can cook on it. I love these stoves!

The only bad thing I have to say is that they're a bit on the ugly side and aren't built to last a lifetime. If you get one, there is a good chance you will be replacing it in 20-30 years. However, if we weren't set on having an oven, that's what we'd be getting to replace our current stove.

Silvaticus · #6 09/22/11, 03:53 AM

Actually, come to think if it, the stove in our garage is my parents' old one. It had been in their house for 30+ years when it cane down here. And has been heating away in the garage for 12 or so years, so they might have a linger lifespan than I was thinking.

seagullplayer · #7 09/22/11, 06:43 AM

My inside wood stove came from TS, we have been using it for about 10 years now.
I broke the door glass out once, but was able to order another and replace it.

foxtrapper · #8 09/22/11, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Qhorseman

USS is chinese made stoves. I had one of the small box stoves and heated just fine with it for 5 years.

Not according to USS.

https://www.usstove.com/index.php?ro...formation_id=4

WhiteWillow · #9 09/22/11, 07:19 AM

Thank you for all of the knowledgeable replies.

Here is the product that I am looking at: Wood burning stove from TSC

What are your thoughts?

WhiteWillow · #10 09/22/11, 07:20 AM

I should add that my house is approximately 1700 square feet. This stove says it will heat up to 2,000 square feet.

BarbadosSheep · #11 09/22/11, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foxtrapper

Not according to USS.

https://www.usstove.com/index.php?ro...formation_id=4

Their web site only says they are located in the US....it does not say anywhere that their products are made in the USA. Not that I could find at least. They could be made in china and assembled in America. It looks like a good stove though. I'd be really curious if their web site actually states anywhere that they are American made.

foxtrapper · #12 09/22/11, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhiteWillow

Here is the product that I am looking at: Wood burning stove from TSC

What are your thoughts?

Seems to be a typical box unit. Numerous scathing reviews complaining about lack of customer support and fan problems. Never gone and looked it over at TSC, but when things like this are so fantastically low priced, the build quality usually is matchingly low.

sawman65 · #13 09/22/11, 10:51 AM

my friend has one the only problem he has is the wood size it will not take a 21" log when you want to fill the box. more like an 18" is his take on it. no one stacks wood in the fire box as you would stacking it outside or in a rack.

HermitJohn · #14 09/22/11, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhiteWillow

Thank you for all of the knowledgeable replies.

Here is the product that I am looking at: Wood burning stove from TSC

What are your thoughts?

Its rated to be used in mobile home. Most wood stoves arent. So that is impressive. If you are happy enough with something like a 15 to 20 year lifespan (though might last longer with good care) then go for it. Like all plate steel stoves, rust will be big enemy. Dont overfire it and clean it out completely in spring and oil the interior of the firebox down with old motor oil. Nobody ever follows that advice, but it will make plate steel stove last lot longer.

If wood burning common in your area you could probably find one of the high dollar stoves in good condition used for even less. Thats luck of draw though.

**Cabin Fever** · #15 09/22/11, 11:35 AM

This stove "looks" like a quality stove, but it appears to me that this stove is made of sheet metal or very thin plate steel. The reason I say this is that it weighs only 285 pounds. A similar sized and rated quality stove (Lopi Endeavor) - which is made from 5/16" and 3/8" plate steel - weighs 485 pounds. With that said, the USS stove may be quite adequate for a cabin or for occassional use, but it would not be my choice for around-the-clock winter home heating.

bee · #16 09/22/11, 11:48 AM

totally off the subject of stoves but on Tractor Supply. They just this week lost my business. I was making a cash purchase(goat water buckets) and the cashier asked for my phone number. I asked her "my phone number?? I am paying cash?" She told me it is a new policy and the register will not complete the sale without a phone number. She even told me to make one up if I did not want to give mine and that the company was not going to call me...soo why DEMAND my phone number for a cash purchase?

I have completely had it with tractor supplies invasive demands..it used to be my zip code now it is my phone number, what can they ask for next?

WhiteWillow · #17 09/22/11, 11:52 AM

Wow, bee that would have ticked me off too. I always refuse to give my number.

Jolly · #18 09/22/11, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BarbadosSheep

Their web site only says they are located in the US....it does not say anywhere that their products are made in the USA. Not that I could find at least. They could be made in china and assembled in America. It looks like a good stove though. I'd be really curious if their web site actually states anywhere that they are American made.

Depending on where you live, you may have to "underfire" it on some days, to keep from getting too warm. If you do catch yourself choking it down routinely, just keep a check on creosote build-up in your chimney and you may have to clean it a bit more often.

As for wood length, my stove will take a 22" inch stick of wood, but I never cut my stuff that long...I usually load from the side and wood that long is a bit tough on my wife's arthritis...so I tend to cut "stovewood" (12-14"). You may wish to check the inside dimensions and cut what works best for you.

As others have said, the weight of this stove doesn't lead one to think it will last a lifetime, but I suspect it will more than pay for itself over a period of several years.

WhiteWillow · #19 09/22/11, 12:11 PM

Thanks a lot for all of your opinions and guidance.

I have decided to go with the stove from Tractor Supply. It just seems to make sense.

JuliaAnn · #20 09/22/11, 12:36 PM

As an ex-TSC employee.... the stoves are ok. They're obviously not high quality. We assembled one of each of the stoves the store carried for display, and we had a little trouble fitting some some pieces, but nothing major. The one with UL rating for mobile homes sold best. A significant caveat...you will NOT get good customer service from TSC if you have issues with their wood stoves. You can call TSC's help desk, but they will refer you to the manufacturer, who will likely tell you to take the stove back to TSC. I didn't interact with the manufacturer other than that, so I can't say what else they'd do. The stove may say 2000 sf., but it will NOT heat that large a space, especially if your home isn't an open floorplan. Not a long-term stove either.

ETA if you are able, try to open the box, at least the top, to make sure the components aren't cracked before you leave the store. If the box the stove comes in is damaged, there may be damage to the stove. TSC isn't known for qualified forklift operators.