Alaska or Keystoker?

Thanks to all the replies, it's all very helpful and informative.

I am still looking at the various Alaska, Keystoker and Leisure Line models, and leaning toward the Koker.

I am going to ask the dealer if he will throw in and install a hot water coil - my current h2o heats with fuel oil - anything to limit my oil use.

I'm hoping to get the whole shebang installed in my basement for $6k even, including direct vent, plenum into existing duct work. I'm going to ask him about dampers in the plenum (jnar mentioned these), and the cold air box from Keystoker (also referenced by jnar).

I'm also going to ask the dealer if paying cash can get me a discount - I'm trying to shave as much off the bottom line as I can. Any ideas for negotiating angles are appreciated too!
Many thanks,
the duck

My dealer came down about $300 but I don't think they have a lot of room to play with. I didn't have to pay sales tax on mine as long as I signed a capital improvement form saying that I was using it to heat my house exclusively. Some other dealers did not mention this and it saved 8%

I have never learned any negotiating angles,i walk into a store,pick up what I want ,go to the check out & pay what the total is.I do not treat a hardware dealer or stove dealer or car dealer any different in that respect.If I am going to do business with some one the last thing I would do is to negotiate his profit away from him so 5 yrs down the he can still be there for you.The profit the dealer makes is what pays his bills,ins.,taxes,employees ,etc. Without profit he will be labeled a fly by nite business because he was only in business for a few yrs. For customers who have tried to negotiate my already low prices I ask them if I gave them the unit & a check for the total cost of the unit would it then be a good enough deal? Having my own repair shop is why negotiating prices is a pet peeve with me.

Windy, I know you've got your reasons for paying sticker price, but lets not scold a new member for seeking a bargain. It is easier to spend less rather than earn more, and it is up to the stove shop to know what price they need to get in order to run the business.

Asking for a cash discount sure seems reasonable to me (no sense giving the credit card companies a cut), and the capital improvement form is good also.

the duck wrote:my current h2o heats with fuel oil

You have an oil fired water heater? How much heating oil does that thing consume?

To Rob & the duck ,i gave my opinion on price negotiating,not meant as scolding,was not meant that way. I will attempt to keep all my opinions to my self about anything & everything from here on,i will try,i might fail at times.

No offense taken about the negotiating topic - all good points.

I certainly appreciate all the overhead that goes into running a small business, and I also will want dealer support if and when a problem arises. The small business owners that I've known over the years are 24/7 invested in their businesses and ride a fine line between profit and loss.

All that said, $6k is a big investment and a lot to throw at a problem all in one fell swoop. I will ask about the capital improvement form (one of three dealers I've talked to has mentioned this). For better or worse, I'm in a position (wife, two young kids etc.) where every hundred bucks is a big deal. I've got to get the kids on board with a coal stove for Christmas!

All valid points Windyhill, no offense taken!
Thanks again for all the input on the different stoves and prices - it's been very informative for me.

ps - Rob - I'm not 100% sure how much the hot water heater uses.

I didn't fill my tank since last May, and just topped it off with 90 gallons, so I guess that's a pretty good gauge over the past 6 months - 15 gallons a month @ $3.21/gallon currently - maybe $47/month in hot h2o with oil cheaper than it will be in the coming months...

I've never lived in a house that uses fuel oil, let alone a hot water heater that uses it too - I didn't know they existed! So, I'm going to look into the coil that comes optional with the Koker - the money that I've spent on keeping my house cool/cold with fuel oil is unbelievable, and it's not a badly insulated house - pretty average early '90's house.

Still adapting to winters in upstate New York and not having access to natural gas in my area... Great information on the NEPA site, really glad to get all the feedback and information. Thanks!

Those oil fired hot water heaters have great recovery and last a long time, the downside is they are expensive to buy and heating oil is no longer cheap. $50 per month seems very reasonable if there are 4 of you using hot water. For that cost I'm not sure I would mess around with the DHW coil in the furnace.

Thanks for the info Rob.

I guess my concern is how old the existing hot water heater is - approximately 22 years old - and the fact that fuel oil prices will climb over the winter making it another expense on top of the already high cost to heat the house.

If I get the Koker installed that should help take some of the financial pressure off over the winter. Somewhere down the road nonetheless, I'll have to decide on a new water heater - any thoughts are welcome!
Many thanks