Hitzer 30-95, 30-93 or Kodiak?

No I don't think you will get a better price on the alaska at the showroom . They sell at MSRP only unless they are having a special. As I said earlier Alaska sets there prices no matter where your at. The stove you looked at maybe it was a left over from last year. I was qouted $1350 last year + $150 for the blower last year when I priced the Kodiak to compare to the stoker.

jpen1 wrote:No I don't think you will get a better price on the alaska at the showroom . They sell at MSRP only unless they are having a special. As I said earlier Alaska sets there prices no matter where your at. The stove you looked at maybe it was a left over from last year. I was qouted $1350 last year + $150 for the blower last year when I priced the Kodiak to compare to the stoker.

just ordered the Kodiak. $1400 + $123 for blower. Hence with class A chimney, install, damper, & interior pipe, I'm paying $3700.

Interesting that you just ordered the Kodiak, as I shot out on Route 84 from Middletown NY so that I could re enter NJ in Milford and on down Route 206 to 15 to where I live. I must be about 38 or so miles from Luhrs in Milford where I too visited today to check out the Kodiak. I decided I would make a point of seeing as many of the stoves I was considering between this weekend and next week and try to place an order.

Having never shook a coal stove before, I wondered if those round grates loosen up a bit, since they seemed quite resistant to moving....at least compared to the standard alligator style that the Harmon and other like stoves have. I also don't understand how the round grate system would be better, but I did like the look of the stove. The lines and the arched door is more pleasing to my eye anyway. Also wonder however if having to slide that little door aside to then slip the handle onto the shaker does not pose any potential problems. Would have seemed simpler to place it in a better position or set up like the Harman and Hitzer.

In pricing it out, I included the bi-metal damper which adds an additional $76 to the $123.00 blower and $1400 base price. In my case however, since a delivery would have to be made, I was most impressed with the low fee. In the case of other stove dealers, the delivery fee ranged from $125-200.00 The dealer in Milford agreed to $50.00.

In fact, I am considering purchasing the mid sized Quadra- Fire wood stove as well, and found that combining the delivery would not affect the price. That is almost unheard of. Finally, I feel I am getting a deal, or at least a fair price for a stove or two that I am leaning towards.

Upon recommendation from several of you, I also checked out the Channing Stoker. I do like the styling and the price, but need more time to decide if that is the route I am heading. While I was out, I did have a mason open up the two basements with a 36" door opening. No doubt in my mind, that even a handfired stove could heat the better part of the house, now that there is a true direction for all that heat to go.

Well, TGIF! On my way out the door to South Jersey...and with any luck at all, may drop in for a visit to Bobkat in hopes I can check out his Hitzer 50-93.

Thanks for all your suggestions and comments...I may even look into a torch system for lighting the fire in the future.

Jersey John

Hope everyone had a great weekend! Nice weather for sure...

Today I had the good fortune to take some time to visit Bobkat in South Jersey where he was most gracious in showing me his Hitzer 50-93. Since the heating season has yet to start, he had it mostly apart for a thorough cleaning and explained the individual functions of the entire stove.

Now this is the type of hospitality that makes belonging to a forum of this sort so enjoyable. Not only did I enjoy the ride down and back,but found a friend whom I hope to share more thoughts about Hitzer with in the future.

Since a few of you commented on my last post regarding the questionable grate system of the Kodiak, I just wanted to see how different the Hitzer was. In fact, I will plan on posting some photos once I decide where the best belong. I essentially captured all the angles of Bob's stove, inside and out so that I would have a better visual for future reference.

And where I was set on purchasing the 30-95, it does seem that having the ability to fill 50lbs at one time is more important than the few times I might be tempted to burn wood in only a 1 cubic foot area of the 30-95.

So, the chore is now to find a local dealer or order direct with Hitzer. Having just called on Friday, Hitzer will ship direct from their manufacturing facility in Indiana for aprox. $150 shipping, which in many cases is the same as the cost to have one shipped by a local dealer. As others have posted on this forum, Hitzer stands strong in their commitment to Customer Service, and will provide whatever support needed to keep their stove working properly.

BTW, I was quoted a price of $1382.00 + shipping from Hitzer. This coming week I hope to find a dealer closer with a comparable price.

If anyone is interested in some pics of the stove and hopper, let me know where to post them. Otherwise, I'll forward them to Bob and he can post them along with his own profile.

Have a great week...Thanks again Bob and Kathy for taking time from your day and sharing your thoughts with Katie and me

Jersey John

Jersey John wrote:Since a few of you commented on my last post regarding the questionable grate system of the Kodiak, I just wanted to see how different the Hitzer was. In fact, I will plan on posting some photos once I decide where the best belong. I essentially captured all the angles of Bob's stove, inside and out so that I would have a better visual for future reference.Jersey John

what is the downside of the kodiak grate system compared to the hitzer?

From what I have seen in person, and gathered from others, the ability for the sliding grate system to fully shake down larger pieces of coal is questionable. Having myself not experienced burning coal, I do understand the need to thoroughly remove small and large ash from the grate system.

However the round grate system that Kodiak has, unlike the alligator system that other stoves offer, simply slides back and forth in a circular motion, never actually dumping anything down. My biggest concern is the access door that has to be slid aside, and a handle inserted in to even grab the shaker handle.

If you're able to do that without getting on your hands and knees, you may have better luck than I. In my case, I literally had to get down to even see the short bar behind the thin walled bottom ash door. Once the handle is slid over the shaker handle, the movement back and forth seemed unusually static. Rather than a simple forward and backward motion of traditional style shaker arms, this requires a side to side motion of heavy cast against heavy cast.

Jim in Bloomsburg confirmed with the Alaska Stove representative that this motion is more limiting than in past stoves manufactured. Alaska stove company without a doubt produces fine heating units, but if their own company representatives acknowledge this shortcoming, then I feel I will refocus my energy to the Hitzer as before.

I'm sure there will be varied thoughts about this, but as a newbie to heating with coal, I am simply looking for the least amount of learning curve.

Have a great week!

John

The hitzer is a great stove. As far as a learning curve, its easy as can be. On the smaller model the coal hopper is removable so if you want to have a wood fire early in the season you can. We have 3 of the bigger 50-93 models that we burn, and are able to dampen them down and barely run them for an entire weekend and have just enough fire to get her going on sunday. This wont the be case with the smaller one, but I dont think 36 hours is impossible.

Good to hear another great story about the Hitzer stove...

Whereas I was ready to jump into the purchase of a coal stove, having as I felt researched all the different angles, as I type my contractor and his mason are working on my main floor stove installation, a very efficient wood stove.

Do to a damaged flu however that needed repair, I have suspended my purchase of a coal stove temporarily since the chimney repair cost equals the cost of the Hitzer and then some.

Instead, I am going to quantify exactly how much wood I will be using with this new stove, as well as the Vermont Castings stove now placed in my office. If in fact I find that I am not able to keep the house warm or get it back up to warmth quickly, then the Hitzer will be purchased and the Defiant Encore will be removed.

Already decided to take the Fisher out of service since it burned too much wood too fast. It did give off a lot of heat, but would never give me a full night's burn. The VC stove regularly gave me 9-10 hour burns.

As for everyone who has contributed a wealth of information and support to my questions, I thank you. There is no doubt I will be heating with coal in the future, but for the moment will conserve some of my finances and enjoy the free wood I have available. Thankfully the early part of this season is still unseasonably warm.