DS Machine or Alaska Kodiak, Which to Choose?

lsayre · Post by **lsayre** » Sat. Jan. 08, 2011 8:33 am

Considering that this will be a living room stove install, and considering hand fired only, which would you choose between a new DS Machine DS-1500 (96K BTU's) and a new Alaska Kodiak (100K BTU's), and why? I've narrowed my search to these two hopper fed stoves (though the DS-1600 is still in the running as well).

Your reasoning might include things such as:
Aesthetics (Looks)
Durability
Function
Grates
Shaker system
Performance
Etc...

Coalfire · Post by **Coalfire** » Sat. Jan. 08, 2011 10:05 am

I would by both use one one year and the other the next you can never have to many stoves

I'm On Fire · Post by **I'm On Fire** » Sat. Jan. 08, 2011 10:29 am

Just watch out for the misses. She will probably became agitated. Mine did when I had 3 stove at one time.

Chubby - in use at the time
Wood Stove - in a small shed on my deck
DS 1600 - currently still on a dolly in my living room.

Man, she was annoyed until I sold the wood stove and told her I traded the Chubby for a ton of coal.

CapeCoaler · Post by **CapeCoaler** » Sat. Jan. 08, 2011 10:41 am

Love the DSM Basement #4...
Not a 10 on the beauty scale...
Will pass for 8...
But 10 on everything else...
She is a keeper...

lsayre · Post by **lsayre** » Sat. Jan. 08, 2011 12:26 pm

Does the current Alaska Kodiak stove vent from the rear (top rear) like the DS, or is is a top venting stove?

rji68 · Post by **rji68** » Sat. Jan. 08, 2011 12:41 pm

I think your missing another great stove that fits into this fight, Give the Hitzer 50-93 a look. I had the choice of all 3 from 2 local Amish dealers in Western Pa.

coal berner · Post by **coal berner** » Sat. Jan. 08, 2011 12:45 pm

lsayre wrote:Does the current Alaska Kodiak stove vent from the rear like the DS, or is is a top venting stove?

Top rear vent on all the Alaska Kodiak 29" from floor to top of flue breach .
Look at it like this Alaska stoves has been around since 1977 so they must be doing something right .

D.S. Machine has been around for only 2 or 3 years so I would stick with the company that been around longer making stoves . Also I know of two members on here that got D.S. stoves with bad viewing door the doors were cast wrong / bad cast not sealing up correctly But The Company did make good for it As they should of.
I do have a kodiak for sale if your interested. PM ME

lsayre · Post by **lsayre** » Sat. Jan. 08, 2011 12:57 pm

Thanks, but I'm not mechanically inclined enough (or motivated enough) for the "do it yourself" approach, and I will need a professional install, so I believe that I want to stick with new.

CapeCoaler · Post by **CapeCoaler** » Sat. Jan. 08, 2011 1:00 pm

Business Contact & ProfileBack to Top
Business Name: D S Machine Inc
DS Machine Stoves
Business Address: 238B Old Leacock Rd
Gordonville, PA 17529
See the location on a Mapquest Map
See the location on a Google Map
Original Business Start Date: 1/1/1978
Type of Entity: Corporation
Incorporated: 1989 in PA
Principal: David Stoltzfus, President
Phone Number: (717) 768-3853
Fax Number: (717) 768-3524
BBB Accreditation: This business is a BBB Accredited Business

Date Accredited by BBB: 11/5/2009
Type of Business: STOVES-WOOD, COAL, ETC.

http://www.bbb.org/washington-dc-eastern-pa/busin ... 155948202/
Either stove will do you right...
Just like the Ford/Chevy debate...
Coal Berner has a nice Kodiak for sale...
I went with the New DSM because I had to have the hopper feed...
After using the 'rents Hitzer hopper fed stove nothin like it...
You can hire the installer to install a 'new to you' stove...
Not just brandy new ones...

lsayre · Post by **lsayre** » Sat. Jan. 08, 2011 1:20 pm

I thought the Kodiak was also hopper fed. I also want the hopper feature. Am I missing something here?

lsayre · Post by **lsayre** » Sat. Jan. 08, 2011 1:22 pm

Is it true that DS Machine has only been around for 2-3 years? That concerns me greatly with respect to their long term reliability.

budster · Post by **budster** » Sat. Jan. 08, 2011 1:26 pm

coal berner wrote: D.S. Machine has been around for only 2 or 3 years

..I don't think this quote is correct..

..I bought a used DS Machine circulator (96,000 BTUs)..the guy I bought it from said he had it for 7 years..I really can't give you a recommendation being a newbie at this myself..I can say that I really like the stove and don't have any problems keeping it going..I almost bought the Hitzer 50-93 until I found this DS Machine on craigslist..I don't think you could go wrong with either one..I don't know anything about Kodiak..

coal berner · Post by **coal berner** » Sat. Jan. 08, 2011 1:35 pm

CapeCoaler wrote:
Business Contact & ProfileBack to Top
Business Name: D S Machine Inc
DS Machine Stoves
Business Address: 238B Old Leacock Rd
Gordonville, PA 17529
See the location on a Mapquest Map
See the location on a Google Map
Original Business Start Date: 1/1/1978
Type of Entity: Corporation
Incorporated: 1989 in PA
Principal: David Stoltzfus, President
Phone Number: (717) 768-3853
Fax Number: (717) 768-3524
BBB Accreditation: This business is a BBB Accredited Business

Date Accredited by BBB: 11/5/2009
Type of Business: STOVES-WOOD, COAL, ETC.

http://www.bbb.org/washington-dc-eastern-pa/busin ... 155948202/
Either stove will do you right...
Just like the Ford/Chevy debate...
Coal Berner has a nice Kodiak for sale...
I went with the New DSM because I had to have the hopper feed...
After using the 'rents Hitzer hopper fed stove nothin like it...
You can hire the installer to install a 'new to you' stove...
Not just brandy new ones...

Alaska Kodiak is a hopper fed stove the older ones like mine have big tapered fire bricks on the sides with the S.S.
screen in front of the fire chamber behind the viewing door it funnels the coal onto the grates as it burns down You feed the coal from the top hopper door not Thur the viewing door because once the screen is in correctly there is noway you can load coal thur there That's why there is the hopper door on top under the stove hood that lifts up to expose the hopper door it has a prop rod that slides into place to keep the hood up until your done loading thur the hopper door .
The New style Kodiak uses standard smaller fire bricks which you need the optional hopper insert to funnel the coal onto the grates . Mine also has the right hand outside shaker Handel on it The Newer stoves does not have them you must slide the little door on the ash door and insert the combo tool to shake it down you have about 4 to 5" of movement on
them Mine with the outside shaker Handel will move 10 to 12" of movement making shaking the ash down better .
Mine also comes with a brand new blower fan and the optional rear removable heat shield so you can install closer to combustible materials Also has the extra ash agitator if you want to shake with combo tool by opening the ash door
to shake down the tool slide onto the end of ash agitator.

lsayre · Post by **lsayre** » Sat. Jan. 08, 2011 1:52 pm

What does Alaska's "load view" hopper feature mean vs. a standard gravity hopper? Does it hold as much coal as a conventional hopper? Does it really eliminate seeing the hopper in the window of the stove as they claim? My problem right now is that the nearest Alaska Stove dealer (King Supply in Kingsville, OH) is 95 miles from me per Mapquest, and with the snow we're having currently I can't see making the trip to snow belt country to see one right now. OTOH, Coalway in Applecreek, OH is a DS Machine dealer who is only about 30 miles from me, and Applecreek is south where they get much less snow. Therefore, I've seen the DS Machine stoves, but that's about it.

coal berner · Post by **coal berner** » Sat. Jan. 08, 2011 1:56 pm

budster wrote:
coal berner wrote: D.S. Machine has been around for only 2 or 3 years
..I don't think this quote is correct..

..I bought a used DS Machine circulator (96,000 BTUs)..the guy I bought it from said he had it for 7 years..I really can't give you a recommendation being a newbie at this myself..I can say that I really like the stove and don't have any problems keeping it going..I almost bought the Hitzer 50-93 until I found this DS Machine on craigslist..I don't think you could go wrong with either one..I don't know anything about Kodiak..

The D.S. stoves where introduced in late 07 early 08 according to two of the member on here that are dealers for them stoves