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Hitzer Stove Company

Posted: Thu. Oct. 19, 2006 4:43 pm
by Jersey John
Yes, I do write to this forum frequently, and am always thankful for the return responses. Since I know that there are very content Harman and Vermont Casting owners out there, wondered how many Hitzer owners there were as well.

While checking out the used stove listed in the For Sale section, I decide to read more about the stoves in general. After a quick Google Search, found that Lehman Catalogue company carries the line, and that they are remarkably affordable.

The part I like the best, is the 50# hopper that self feeds without electricity. Not that we lose electricity all that often, but this stove apparently can put out some decent heat for up to 50 hours. More precisely, the sales rep. said between 40-60 minutes per pound.

If that is accurate, then this stove may be the direction I am heading in a year....or by next Spring when the season is over, and maybe I can pick up a good deal.

So, please tell me all about your Hitzer stove.

Re: Hitzer Stove Company

Posted: Fri. Oct. 20, 2006 9:47 am
by davemich
I have a 503 insert and love it! This is my 3rd year of burning and just stocked up on 2 tons of coal. I usually start burning about mid November and stop sometime in March. I love the EZ flow concept. I fill from the hopper everytime I shake my grate. Its easy and there is very little mess and NO odor!! Hitzer does make a good stove based on my experience.

Re: Hitzer Stove Company

Posted: Fri. Oct. 20, 2006 5:30 pm
by bigdog
JERSEY JOHN,

I JUST PICKED UP MY NEW HITZER 50-93. I DON'T HAVE IT SET UP YET IN FACT IT IS STILL SETTING IN THE BACK OF MY TRUCK! ANYWAY THE REASON I BOUGHT A HITZER IS I KNOW 4 OTHER PEOPLE HERE IN MY AREA OF MICHIGAN THAT HAVE THE HITZER EZ FLOW STOVES AND THEY ALL LOVE THEM! THE BURN RATE YOU HAVE BEEN QUOTED IS PRETTY ACCURATE. AND YES THEY ARE VERY COMPETIVELY PRICED.

HOPE THE INFO HELPS.

MARK

Re: Hitzer Stove Company

Posted: Sat. Oct. 21, 2006 11:52 am
by Jersey John
That's great to hear!

Having lost electricity just yesterday for 5 hours, it seems probable that this is going to be the trend in the future as well. When I first moved to my town 16 years ago, we lost power on a regular basis for up to 2 days. Though it certainly has gotten better, we now lose power after any major wind or rain storm, which has become more frequent. I'd be interested to hear more about your stove, as well as see some photos once it's set up.

Thanks for your comments

John

Re: Hitzer Stove Company

Posted: Mon. Oct. 23, 2006 10:00 am
by Jersey John
I have read that some of the Hitzer stoves burn both wood and coal. Can you explain what you have to do to switch between fuels. Having called the Lehman company, they explained the 30-93 could burn both by removing the hopper, but that the 50-93 could not remove the hopper, and therefore could not burn wood. It also seems that the insert can burn both, but then I guess it is only hand fired, without the ability to add a hopper. Is that correct?

Trying to make up my mind if I want to place an insert into one basement replacing a Defiant Encore, or if I want to place a wood/coal burner in the other, where I just purchased a small Consolidated Dutchwest FA224CCl. I know I can easily sell the Dutchwest stove since I only spent $100 for it, complete with the coal kit, which alone is worth that or more.

If the quote of 40-60 minutes per pound of burn time is correct for the 50-93, is that also accurate for the handfed units? Also, when the hopper is self feeding the fire, how often do you need to shake it.

Being in the position of not having burned coal before, I am trying to fully understand the idiosyncrasies of each of the stoves I am considering.

Thanks for you added comments!

Re: Hitzer Stove Company

Posted: Mon. Oct. 23, 2006 10:45 am
by davemich
With a bag at 40 lbs, I go thru about 1 to 1.5 a day. I have mastered the stove enough where I can shake it only once a day as well. I would strongly urge using only coal in that it will be less fuss and will burn hotter than would. My insert has the hopper and it works great. Good luck!

Re: Hitzer Stove Company

Posted: Mon. Oct. 23, 2006 8:36 pm
by hgmd1
I bought my Hitzer insert last year and it works well. It is undersized for my house and I will likely get a stoker to put in my garage and duct into the house. The Hitzer is a quality unit that weighs almost 600 lbs. It puts out 65,000 btu. I heat over 4,000 sq feet. My natural gas bills were usually <$125 last winter and that includes hot water. I went through 50 lbs of coal a day. By spring 2007 the unit will have paid for itself. It is a quality unit and I have no regrets.

Re: Hitzer Stove Company

Posted: Tue. Oct. 24, 2006 12:08 am
by Jersey John
From reading on Hitzer's website, it seems the 503 Insert has a hopper that can be used, though it does not specify the amount of coal that can be filled. The 983 on the other hand does not have a hopper. Since they are both inserts, do they have the ability to burn wood on the warmer days?

I'd hate to give up my fireplace entirely to a dedicated coal burner. Wouldn't mind a free standing unit in my office, but even with that, still prefer the ability to burn wood on the warmer weeks in early fall and spring.

Which model insert that you mention is underpowered? If it's heating even 1/2 of a 4000 square foot home, that seems pretty substantial. I would imagine it would easily pay for itself if you're able to keep that size home warm from one stove.

Curious if Harman or Baker have a similar insert that will burn as long as the Hitzer. Perhaps I'll set another topic regarding that thought.

Thanks for your responses. I am like a sponge when it comes to all the information being provided. Probably will be an expert by the time I make the decision to purchase a real coal stove. Sure felt like that when I made the decision to heat with wood pellets 6 years ago.

Re: Hitzer Stove Company

Posted: Tue. Oct. 24, 2006 9:40 am
by Frank B.
Jersey John wrote:From reading on Hitzer's website, it seems the 503 Insert has a hopper that can be used, though it does not specify the amount of coal that can be filled. The 983 on the other hand does not have a hopper. Since they are both inserts, do they have the ability to burn wood on the warmer days?
I bought the 983 last year and can burn both wood and coal(503 is coal only). I burn wood when when its warmer. Before owning the 983 I burned strictly wood with a buck woodburning insert. The 983 has several advantages over the old woodburning insert namely:
-your wood/logs sit on a grate which is a couple inches below the bottom of the door opening which means less chance of a burning log rolling out onto your hearth
-with a wood stove you should let the fire burn out when its time to shovel out accumulated ashes(every 1-1/2-2 days in my case). With the 983 ashes fall thru the grate and into a tray which can be emptied anytime without affecting the fire so you can burn continueosly.
-wood burns more completely because combustion air enter beneath the wood rather than at the same level or above the wood.
I've only burned coal for one season but it is very easy and reqires far less time tending to the fire. The only reason I got 983 is because I get some(not enough to heat my home for the entire winter) free firewood. If I didn't get this free wood I would probably opt for the 503 because It would reqire even less time to maintain the fire because its gravity fed vs the 983 which is hand fed.

Re: Hitzer Stove Company

Posted: Tue. Oct. 24, 2006 2:32 pm
by Jersey John
OK! That sounds like a great plan for me as well, since I am currently cutting my wood for next season, and will likely have 6-8 cords available to me after all is said and done.

With the thought of a nice efficient insert that can burn both fuels, I can then consider using a full time coal burner such as the Hitzer or Harman in my office. Of course, everyone here who has posted, mentions that wood can also be burned in either stove. The gravity fed 50-93 cannot burn wood, but then again, nearly 50 hours of non electric assisted heat is very appealing.

Thanks much for you explanation!

Re: Hitzer Stove Company

Posted: Tue. Oct. 24, 2006 2:50 pm
by Frank B.
Jersey John wrote:OK! That sounds like a great plan for me as well, since I am currently cutting my wood for next season, and will likely have 6-8 cords available to me after all is said and done.

With the thought of a nice efficient insert that can burn both fuels, I can then consider using a full time coal burner such as the Hitzer or Harman in my office. Of course, everyone here who has posted, mentions that wood can also be burned in either stove. The gravity fed 50-93 cannot burn wood, but then again, nearly 50 hours of non electric assisted heat is very appealing.

Thanks much for you explanation!
The 30-95 can burn wood & coal but the firebox is a little small/shallow for wood. You are correct the 50-93 will not burn wood because the chute is not removable

Re: Hitzer Stove Company

Posted: Thu. Oct. 26, 2006 1:26 pm
by Tom
Jersey John,
I used a 50/93 EZFLO in the basement of a 1200sf ranch before moving and going with a stoker. It easily heated the 2400sf. The automatic bimetal damper was pretty much set and forget unless there was a big temperature/weather change. Three tons from Nov 1 to the first week of April every year. Quality product.

Re: Hitzer Stove Company

Posted: Thu. Oct. 26, 2006 9:06 pm
by Jersey John
This is really great news! Of course, I know that there are diehard Harman owners, which for good reason love their stoves. And there are many, as you now include yourself that prefer the convenience of an automated stoker.

But as we aren't even into the winter season, and have lost power for better than 5 hours recently, I am leaning towards the gravity fed hopper design, since it can burn significantly longer without refills than the standard front loaders.

Aren't there other stoves that are gravity fed. I seem to recall the name Kodiak, or a similar name that is a gravity fed unit. I have found with amazement that the Hitzer stove is condiderably better priced than most other dedicated stoves I have inquired about.

Appreciate your reply. I just need to find a local dealership that carries their line. I know that Chimney Sweep in Middletown NY does as well as a number of dealers in Pa.

Anyone have a dealer name in Eastern Pa they would recommend? I am about 40 miles east of the Delaware Water Gap. Easton, Pa. is about an hour away.

Thanks!

Re: Hitzer Stove Company

Posted: Fri. Oct. 27, 2006 12:50 pm
by Lucky1
I bought two hand fired Hitzer stoves, double door front loading with auto dampers. This stove was the dirtiest, most unsafe stove ever built, the dampers :evil: on both would stick wide open and the fire would run wild. The ash pan is another joke, built like a dust pan.

Re: Hitzer Stove Company

Posted: Fri. Oct. 27, 2006 3:40 pm
by Jersey John
Well, that is quite surprising information, based on the approval of others. Could you please tell me then which model it is you purchased, and how long ago? The free standing units I have been reading about only have one glass door, and as at least one other member mentioned, they have had no problems at all with their insert units.

Perhaps you had a lemon, or maybe if purchased used, that the gaskets were bad. I can't imagine however if it were purchased new, that the manufacturer wouldn't bend over backwards to resolve the problem.

Look forward to additional information about the stoves you had trouble with. Just as I am looking for positive information and satisfied owners, I am equally interested in any shortcomings of a particular stove.

Thanks!