Hi - I purchased my home this past June. Just me and my daughter us 2 city girls now in the country. I don't know much about burners other than I need one as my propane heat is going to make me end up in foreclosure, LOL!

Anyways I have 1,836 sq ft ranch home in Northeast Ohio, about an hour southwest of Cleveland. My kitchen, living room, dining room is all one big open room, 3 bedrooms and 2 baths. There is also a basement which is currently not finished or heated. I know I need something managable for myself and my 14 year old daughter, so I don't think a wood burner is an option. I am looking at pellet/corn or multi fuel burners, but there are so many I don't know what I am looking for. Then I have had some friends suggest to install it in the basement and the heat will rise and heat the entire house and others who say know put it upstairs, ugh.

Can anyone help me? Have any suggestions, brands of burners that are dependable? Where to install it? I'm so confused and of course not a lot of money to spend. What about buying used from like Craigslist?

Thanks so much! Leslie

I would make sure I bought a true multifuel stove which could burn either 100% corn or pellets. I also would strongly suggest you locate the stove on the main floor as that will be where you need the heat.
Our home sounds much like yours with close to the same design. Open between kitchen, dining room and living room with 3 bedrooms and bath on main floor. We put the stove on the main floor after two years of trying to heat the main floor from the basement.
The basement walls absorb a lot of heat plus it is unfinished so you probably spend most of your time up on the main floor anyway so heating the basement is not needed.
Be aware that you will be getting dirty from soot and doing some maintenence from time to time. It will also be helpful if you are willing to learn a few new skills rather then depending on a stove tech to service your stove.
The best case scenario would be to have a neighbor or friend that owns a stove and can help you decide on a brand.
Stoves can be push button start and run off a thermostat. They can also be bought as a manual start and set the stove temp to a constant heat.
I prefer to push a button and set the thermostat on 70 and walk away after filling the hopper.

leslie218 welcome to the pellet/corn burners site.everybody will have a opinion on stoves. however it needs to be abele to handel just about anything you throw at it. which means multi-fuel. i personaly am on my sixth year with a magum countryside 3500l multi-fuel stove.it has taken very good care of me.www.magumheat.com I would say would be a good place to start to get some imformation for yourself. keep us all posted.....

Picking a stove will take some homework, and your own decision, but main thing is to install upstairs as rona mentioned. You will be much more satisfied with the results. kap

Leslie218, I agree with no basement stove, keep it upstairs. Very few of us has had experience with more than one brand. I personally have a Magnum furnace (American Energy)and it's a good brand, but from what I've seen on this forum, I wouldn't be afraid of Bixby, Harmon, St Croix, etc. You can pan down the index categories and see these brands and look up there products on line. Don't just compare price. Compare shipping weight, as the heavier ones usually have thicker fireboxes, heat exchangers, or exhaust chambers. Some have basic electronics and others are computer driven. Compare efficiency too. Very important, see if there is a dealer in your area if you need support. You don't want a non tech person reading from a troubleshooting book in another state trying to guess your problem, and wait a week to get a part that may or may not work.

As you narrow your search, you can post on these categories and see what owners like or dislike about their stoves. If you can't afford a new stove, post on the wanted section, as someone in your area might have a good used one.

Do your homework, don't be in a hurry, all good advice in the previous posts. These folks have yrs. of experience and they know what they're talking about. Maybe you can locate someone within resonable driving distance that has a setup you can see operate....tough to beat "hands-on". Lots to consider, fuel availability, sometimes purchasing in off season will save you quite a bit, all pellets are not equal [heatwise, cleanliness].Where will you store your fuel? 2-3 ton will take some room. Is delivery available? You don't want to tote it any distance, it'll get old in a hurry.Ask questions....beware of some sales folk, they may want to sell you something you may not need. This is a great site, look over the "Old Forum"...lots of good advice. Myself, I've had good luck with my Mgnum 3500P for the past 7 seasons. Whatever you decide, you can't go wrong with w multi-fuelstove. Good Luck.

Hi again!

Not exactly sure how this works, so I hope I am replying correctly.

I went to a local store. I found a Heatilator EcoChoice (is that the brand, I thought it was a quad something or other)PS50.

After reading everyones suggestion and advice I have decided for sure it is not going in the basement.

Here is the offer I recevied:
Stove/Burner with 80lb hopper which I like. It will burn pellets or 50/50 pellets and corn, and auto ignition.

Corner Hearth
Piping - Double Wall
Installation
Delivery
5 year warranty on parts and lifetime on the casing of the stove
Sales Tax
$2,583.69 (ugh)

Is this a good deal?

I really like that they are local, I don't have to worry about how I am going to get it here, or who will install it or service it in the future and the hearth is taken care of as well.

So all I have to do is pay for it and keep it full. LOL

Thanks again for everyones help! - Leslie

Oh yes I almost forgot, I think the salesman said that this stove and Harmon are made by the same manufaturer. Is that possible? Am I remembering correctly? So much information. Ok any thoughts on this offer?

Thanks again!

That isn't a true multi fuel stove. Most pellet stoves will burn a mix of corn and pellets but not 100% corn. Quadrafire and Harman were two separate companies and are now owned by a large conglomerate.
If you are going to depend on this dealer I would try to find some people who have bought a stove like that from them and ask how they like it plus ask how they like the dealers service.
I thought the Heatilator Eco Choice was made to compete with the Harman p43??
At any rate look at the Quadra Fire section and Harman section and you should be able to find some feedback from people that own them.
If you don't find anything on this website go to Hearth.com and look there for that brand or model. I wouldn't be in a big rush to buy anything this late in the season as during the spring and summer there won't be much demand and dealers will be anxious to deplete their inventory

leslie218 rona is 100percent right.at the risk of being bold.I would back out of that one.you can do yourself better than that.listen to the folks on this site they have a true intrest in helping you get what will do you right in the long run .sorry for boldness, we all just want to help knowing that this is new to you....