Need a Bigger Stove. Suggestions?

Hi everyone.

I'm running a non blower Chubby stove for my second winter now. It's been a little cool lately and the Chubby has been leaving me wanting for more heat. I have a 1900 square foot home and it doesn't seem to be keeping me as warm as I like.
I follow the instructions per the Chubby videos available online and grew up woth a few styles of coal stoves over the years so I'm pretty confident that I'm getting as much out of it as I can.
The only way I think I can up the output is to run it hotter and fill more often but I don't want to stoke it 4 or 5 times a day.
My parents are running a Harman Mark III which seems to keep their house toasty as can be. It has a much larger capacity and has a blower which is nice.
I would really like to up my game and heat the house better.
Does anyone have a suggestion on a new coal stove? I don't mind going for a used stove as long as there are replacement parts available. My parents had a great Russo stove but once parts weren't available it became a burden. Replacement grates would cost as much as a new stove and that's when they ordered the Harmon.
I see lots of models of hand fired and stokers on Craigslist for short money but want to make sure they're a good stove and have parts and support if needed.
Thanks for any suggestions guys and gals!

Either the Mk lll or Hitzer 50-93 would be tried & true. I heat around that much w/ my 50-93 comfortably go through around 40 lbs. anth. a day no matter what the temp. Real controllable.

Hitzer 50-93 will come highly recommend by many on here it's a rock solid platform. If I didn't find or go the antique route I'd be sitting next to one as I type this and not my glenwood. What do you have for dealers in your area? That may move ya one way or another. The chubby is a good stove but has its limits. I love mine but I only heat my basement pipes and floors with it. The stone foundation and dirt floor soak up a lot of btus.

I believe there is a hitzer dealer 20 minutes away from me.
They seem like a solid stove. I can't find any videos or details on how the hopper works for this stove.
Is there some type of mechanism to open the hopper so the coal dumps right on top the fire?
I'm totally new to the idea of hoppers

It just falls down as the bed burns and settles. I'm sure Fred will be back with a more detailed description, after all he has had one of these stoves for many years.

M, nothing powered by elec unless you choose to get the blower . Mine has a blower which I RARELY ever use. Lotsa power outages here. The hopper is gravity fed, feeds/falls as needed. No muss no fuss. To start the season I throw a bag of self light in-let it be going real good & slowly add NUT to the bottom of the hopper--then fill the hopper-around a 5 gall. pail. covers that--around 50-60 lbs total. It's got a bi-metallic thermo on her which you will have to adjust according to your needs--I have a MPD in my set up & always have it closed about 2/3-- open it for tending every 12 hrs--shake a few short quick shakes till red embers start in the ash pan--top off hopper & wa-la--empty ash pan twice daily. When/if you go this route, more questions?? more simplistic answers available.

MSpangler wrote:I believe there is a hitzer dealer 20 minutes away from me.
They seem like a solid stove. I can't find any videos or details on how the hopper works for this stove.
Is there some type of mechanism to open the hopper so the coal dumps right on top the fire?
I'm totally new to the idea of hoppers

Awesome info from all of you.
Thank you.
Ok I'm definitely going to keep my eyes open on craigslist for a hitzer of mark III.
The hitzer seems like a nice way to go for sure. I love the idea of the hopper.
Also is it as dusty as a Chubby or sealed better like the mark series?
Chubby leaks a lot of dust and the pan inside is small so I'm always shoveling out a ton of overflow ashes which makes a mess.
Seems the mark III pan is a better fit and the whole stove seals up tighter for less dust while shaking.

The above stoves mentioned are very good and I would like to throw one more in the ring. The Vermont Castings Vigilant 2310 coal burner, it is rated to heat 2000 sq ft and you can burn wood in it as well. It is made of cast iron which means it can be run around 700* if needed, has a nice flat top if cooking is needed during a power failure or simply to roll back time I run one on approx 30lbs of coal per day when it's 20* or 45-50lbs when it's -20*. I heat 1100 s ft un-insulated brick home in cold central Maine.
Good luck with your choice as they are all good

...the stove has a swing out ash pan and comes with a lid that slides on, just lift out and dump, no spillage

Mike

Another option for you to consider. Take a good look at the current Alaska Kodiak stove it too has hopper option along with the bi-metal temperature control.Then if you are looking for a used stove & run across a Kodiak named stove you will know which 1 is the right 1. Alaska has a very mixed up naming system over the yrs & others have used the Kodiak name as well.

https://worcester.craigslist.org/for/6034219430.html

What do you guys think of this one?
Looks like an older model not the newer magnafire ones. Is there any difference?

The pics don't show the grates,but if the grates are in good shape that should be a very good buy.

Real similar to the 50-93--sounds like a real good deal. Like stated--grates need to work. Looks like it was well taken care of. I would prefer a hopper.

This looks like a great find. It's one of the older Mark IIIs but parts are available. I do see some surface rust but it appears that could be easily taken care of with elbow grease, Navy Jelly and new paint. It looks like someone attempted to do some sanding and painting on the top. Depending how bad it actually is when you get there, you may be able to get the price reduced.

Also check the ceiling baffle for signs of over firing. You may find that flyash has been allowed to gather on top of the baffle. There's just room to stick your hand up between the door and the baffle opening and feel around. That isn't a deal breaker or price reducer but it should be removed.

Be aware that the ashpan is smaller then the ash compartment and you will be digging ash out with each tending. That's a pain for sure but at the price it may be worth it.

The condition of the grates should not be a deal breaker as new ones can be found on line but clearly that would be a price reducer. The existing grates should not be warped and swing freely. Good luck, Lisa

MSpangler wrote:Ok I'm definitely going to keep my eyes open on craigslist for a hitzer of mark III.
The hitzer seems like a nice way to go for sure. I love the idea of the hopper.

You will love the hopper even more once you have it. I had the smallest Harman (Mark I), and switched to a DS Machine with hopper. Tending / fueling the stove is MUCH easier and quicker with the hopper.

The hopper is the way to go. I cannot imagine a stove without one. Friends of mine used to bank the coal on non hopper units, that is a pain in the a$$.