I bought the Vigilant to replace a wood stove, heating a cottage of 1000 sq ft, in Agricultural Zone 6 (SW KY). It is meant to cover up to 2000 sq feet, but it depends on the house of course. I am still delighted with it after 3 winters. I like the top load (just pour it in from the bucket) and I love the cook top. People around here don't remember coal, and when they come in the house they are amazed at how cozy the whole house is. You have a bigger space and a colder climate, but mine is more heat than I need except for Dec. 15--March 15, and then it runs with the thermostat turned down most of the time. It is one of the prettiest of the modern stoves and if you ever sell your house that is a plus, just as a fireplace is.DanInMAE wrote: ↑Thu. Aug. 26, 2021 10:13 amHi all,
New to the forums and new to coal burning. I purchased a house with about 1.5tons of coal in the garage and a way outdated coal circulator. I’ve been looking for awhile and doing research and though I had settled into buying a new Hitzer 30-95, but I’ve come across a 2015-ish Vermont Castings Vigilant that’s in mint condition while also being used. It looks great, is about half the price of a new 30-95. I only need to heat about 1500 or so sq feet here in our house. Is the Vigilant a good buy or would I be better served to spend the extra 1k on a new Hitzer? Thanks in advance
The doors lift off if you want an open fireplace (use a fireplace screen for sparks), and I sometimes make a wood fire in the fall or spring (or for the heck of it on holidays, and it puts out a lot of heat with wood, but you have to poke around with wood (unlike coal) and it will hold a wood fire only a few hours.
Many people here on this site have the Vigilant 2 like mine; there were several earlier models that were designed for efficient wood fires or coal (the coal model can burn wood; most people make a wood fire to get coal started), and most owners are happy with them. No doubt different people like other models, of course. I got mine because I got a good price on it. I too was about to buy another coal stove (Comfort Max 75) but it cost much more.
I also have central gas heat which I use until it gets really cold day and night. If we stayed below zero degrees for weeks, with high winds, I would probably use both for heat at times. Eight or ten years ago we had a winter like that but I had the wood stove then.