Hey all, I'm new here and to burning. I have been looking since last fall at stoves. Almost got a quadra but it sold. Then after more research I found harman stoves, they look ok. Now I have found Magnum country and they look built tough.

So my question is , out of those three brands which is best and what model? Any other brands/models that I don't know about that are good burners??

currently really interested in the magnum , not sure which one baby or 3500 ??

My home is a cement stucco story and a half. Only the main floor is finished.
its around 1200 sq feet. I hope to finish the half attic bedroom sometime soon, and eventually the basement, maybe, but who knows on the basement. (its a bad layout, old 1900's house) I do have blow in cellulose in the walls, and the interior walls are latthe and cement plaster and exterior cement stucco. The attic is insulated with r13 roll, and blow in cellulose in attic floor joists.

Would the baby heat the house in the basement , I'm pretty sure it would on my main level,...correct ??

Multi ,I think any of the three would be good for you. My son has a 3500 and likes it. Harmon is a good stove also.

As for myself I run 110 Bixby now for six years and it has been a good stove a bit more high tech than others stoves. But the rewards have far out numbered the few problems.

Most people that have stoves in a unfinished basement have not happy with the set up.

Buying a stove is like buying a car some like Fords some like Chevy no right or wrong choice. What ever you like or fits your needs.

Good luck

hay there multi,I have a 3500L five years runing with stir free pot.it burns corn straight 100% as well as wood pellets.I heat 2000 sqft house 12 years old.I thing the magum baby is s little small for your purpose.I thing you will be happer with the 3500.I know some people with harmins they tell me that they are not able to burn corn straight but a mixture of wood pellets and corn 80/20 mixture.but they can burn wood pellets straight.

Excellent post Oldschool, there is no wrong choice. Just make sure you pick a stove that is negative draft. There are stoves out there that are positive draft, but in my eyes they are unsafe, and should be converted to negative draft. I have a quad and a bixby, bixby is a tuners stove, till you get it setup right, the quad castile is a very simple easy to use stove. There are a few people on here that have basement installs and they work fine for them, but most people put it on the main level of their home. If you have not, check out the old forum, there is a link-button to get there, at the top of this page........

Oldschool wrote:


Excellent point...and within Ford and Chevy...you can buy a Focus or a Mustang....a Chevette or a Corvette. Same thing with stoves in many cases.

Do your homework and decide what you need vs your budget vs convenience, etc and you'll make a good choice.

I had a baby and 1200 sq ft would be pushing it if you live in the northern climates. Most of the time you would probably be alright, but on the coldest of days, you might find it wide open and even then may not be able to keep up. I would say it depends on your location and your house exposer to winds.

I have owned Harman PC45, Quad AE, and Bixby 115. They all work and all have their little plusses and minuses. I know people who had Countryside stoves and if you convert to a potstyle they are pretty good but they seem to have had the worst reports with regard to outside walls getting black with soot. Again I think that was with the stirrer type stove.
I would also recommend buying a multifuel stove.
If you are bumping the edge of the BTU needed go to a larger stove because a lot of stoves don't run well on their highest temp setting. Also be aware you can always turn the stove down but if its on high and your wife is still cold nobody will be happy.

rona wrote:


Truer words have never been spoken.....

rona is correct about the fly ash on the side of the house.this is tipical of burning corn in the 3500 with the factory burn pot and stir however burning wood pellets in it for one winter with the stir system showed me that fly ash issue was gone.or burning corn with the tri stage stir free burn pot.thats one of the reasons I chose a countryside,it has a wide range of fuel options.just a tid bit of claraficationfor for ya,other wise my next choice would have been st croix or harmin...one note the fly ash came off with a garden hose and nosel on a warm febuary day.

That's right. Pellet ash is heavier and doesn't fly with the stirrer, so cleaning the pot everyday isn't necessary. I go a week without any cleaning, and then it's because a hard buildup forms on the bottom holes.

With corn, lots of ash will fly with the stirrer and clinker is a constant problem to deal with, so the clinker pot is ideal for corn. That's the beauty of the 3500, since it offers both pots.

The magnum stoves will perform when they're run wide open, but with the increased air flow needed, more heat is lost out the exhaust. For increased efficiency and longevity of the stove, it's best not to buy a stove your pushing the limit all the time.