Northern Tool + Equipment’s year-end sale includes the Drolet High-Efficiency model #DP00045 wood pellet-burning stove for $1399 (25% off the normal price) plus free shipping.
The stove is 25.5″ W x 28″ D x 33″ H and burns hard or soft wood pellets up to 60 lbs. at a time, which can run up to 45 hours, presumably on a low setting. It includes an electronic automatic igniter, a 3-inch vent, and an ash pan (which, if you empty into your garden plot through the winter, provides great fertilizer for the spring).
The Drolet provides 8,200-45,000 BTUs, and they claim it can heat up to 2,000 square feet. If you look at the math and use Northern’s own heater buyer’s guide, at maximum capacity this stove can heat 10,000 cubic feet about 35 degrees from the starting temperature. Realistically, this is meant to be a supplementary heat source. We had one of these when I was a kid in upstate NY, and along with our fuel oil furnace, it did a nice job heating the main living areas of the house. Since most homes only have a couple of thermostats, pellet stoves can burn hot in one room and leave others cold, but it can be a reasonable alternative to saving energy on heating the entire house.
Some people like pellet stoves because they reuse wood waste, which can be eco-friendly, though they don’t necessarily burn cleaner than natural gas or even fuel oil. The other major drawback is that they can be complicated and require more maintenance than you may want to deal with. However, they do qualify for the Federal Consumer Tax Credit. Consumer Reports has an excellent buyer’s guide to pellet and wood stoves for the complete pros and cons.
Drolet High-Efficiency Pellet Stove [Northern Tool]
Buyer’s Guide to Pellet and Wood-Burning Stoves [Consumer Reports]
