Large Gifts Come In Small Packages,
May 14, 2008
By handyman303 from Mansfield, OH
"This little, but mighty beast is quite a little stove. I have built a tin covering around the firepot (the firebox) and installed a furnace blower up to the tin work. By doing this I have increased the heating value of this stove. I heat my 30 by 60 garage with in being ducted like so. I would definately recommend this to anybody, but make a tin covering and duct it for more even heat."
What is your level of technical expertise? Home Handyman
Greatest Pot Belly Stove,
April 21, 2008
By grk0120 from Narrows, VA
"I have enjoyed many hours of warmth and pleasure with my pot belly stove. We have an old-fashioned home and this stove has really given just the right touch. While it keeps fire for long periods of time with just wood, it will also burn coal. I have had a lot of compliments on the stove. We have even used this stove to heat water, etc when the electricity has been out. I would surely recommend this to anyone who has a need or just wants to install a wood/coal burning stove."
What is your level of technical expertise? Beginner
Potbelly Wood Coal Stove,
January 21, 2008
By short1 from Cohocton, NY
"We bought this stove this year because we have a large house and this product claimed to put out the most heat. We needed something to hold fire for at least 8 hours while working and sleeping. This unit does just that. All we need to do iis shake it out, throw wood into it and the fire takes off fast. Although it does take small pieces of wood we are able to keep a wood fire going for about 1 1/2 hours before throwing more in, have to be careful not to shut the damper down too tight or it will smoke, but you get use to that quickly.
We use wood from the time we get home from work until time for bed. I use wood on weekends when I am home, if not throw coal in and off we go.
It is very easy to start this stove with wood and then within an hour go to coal.
We are very please with this stove. Although it does have a personality of its own it doesn't take long to adjust to it. We are able to heat using just the wood and coal this year and not have to use a keosene heater in our front room. That is a real blessing.
We are thinking of getting another one to put in our shop that is how please we are with this unit."
What is your level of technical expertise? Home Handyman
good stove for the cost,
July 10, 2007
By adpcdiver from Barnegat, NJ
"stove work very well, even if the door is a little too small. starts easy and heats quick, and does not smoke as bad as I have heard the potbellys do when starting them."
What is your level of technical expertise? Home Handyman
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.
rock solid coal heating,
May 15, 2007
By Phydeaux37 from southeast Kentucky
"Although described as a coal and wood burning stove, the pot belly stove is all about burning coal. The only wood that I use in this stove is a few scraps to get the coal started. To keep a fire all night, you have to "bank the fire". Simply take some of the ashes from the bottom door and pour them back thru the top door onto the burning coal. Then close the draft completely. When morning comes, open the top door and stir the ashes to reveal enough nice hot coals to get a new load of coal burning. The most important thing to keep in mind about this stove (safety issues aside) is that you should NEVER allow the ashes in the bottom to build up to the shaker grate. Doing so can cause your grates to break and it only takes one time for this to happen.
Coal burns much hotter than wood and is almost impossible to regulate the heat output to the same nice even heating that you get with wood. Instead you have to make seemingly constant adjustments with the draft. When the room cools down, you open the draft. This is also a good time to stir the fire and add more coal if needed. When the fire gets too hot, close the draft.
While requiring a little more attention than a wood stove, it can generate at least twice as much heat (up to 200,000 btu). Even on the coldest days, this stove can heat your entire house in a matter of minutes rather than the couple of hours it takes a wood stove to do the same.
It takes some practice to master this stove, but its not all that complicated. The more you use it, the more you will like it. By the time Winter is almost over, it will seem like an old friend."
What is your level of technical expertise? Home Handyman
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.
Ok for the price. More for coal that wood,
November 18, 2006
By wolfedc from Coudersport PA
"It
burns coal much better than it does wood. Unless the wood is cut short
it must stand on its side and doesn't seem to burn very well in that
postion. If its cut short it doesnt hold very much so frequent loading
is required. Coal (anthricite) burns well the only problem is that it
is tough to damper down when using coal so burns fast and puts out a
lot of heat all the time. The sides have discolored (turned white) from
the heat. I'm currently using it im my house but will probably move it
to my garage next year and buy a higher priced unit for the house. If
you are looking for something to heat a small house garage etc this
will do the trick. It is not airtight and if using wood you can fill
your house with smoke if you damper it back too far. It does look good.
The first couple of times you use it you will smell the paint curing it
is not pleasant so i suggest firing it on a warmer day when you can
have the windows open."
What is your level of technical expertise? Home Handyman
12 of 13 people found this review helpful.
