Stove Satisfaction Survey

I thought it would be interesting to get a feel for user's experiences and satisfaction with their stoves and dealers. I guess I'm first.

Dealer: Rella Coal, in NY.

Dealer's Customer Service: Extremly poor customer service, condescending attitude, cooky mother who runs everything. They don't have your back in a pinch.

Stove Brand: Alaska Stove

Company's Customer Service: I've called the company with questions and have always gotten great service. Staff is knowledgeable and somewhat friendly.

Level of satisfaction: Just wanted to say that I've had my Alaska Channing stove for about 4 years with zero problems and am very satisfied. I am extremly happy with this stove and its operation. My friend has a Harman DVC500 and has had many problems with his stove. I don't know if this is typical but I want to thank Alaska for making a great product.

Problems with stove: Stove pipe had a few pin hole leaks but Alaska sent me out a new pipe.

Comments: I would buy this stove again in a second. The Coaltrol has made this stove even better. No complaints at all.

Good idea then I guess I'm next:

Dealer: Cornwall Coal NY

Dealer's Customer Service: Extremely good customer service, attitude OK. Cooky Son and father run everything but as I am the only normal guy on the planet, take that from where it comes - I like eccentric. I try to plan so my back has never been pinched but I suspect they are fine. We need to evaluate coal quality when we do not know where it comes from. With them it's probably Jeddo (rice) and that's fine by me.

Stoves,

I have quite a number, but all PA born and bred and if it's made just to burn coal any problems are just getting to know your new friend.

Cornwall coal source is a mystery. It's like getting a beer at my Uncle's in Florida, it come in a glass and we are told it is a premium beer

Got a Harman Mark III.

Stove has been great, but my biggest complaint is lack of access to the top of the baffle plate in all the Mark series stoves. Pain in the ass cleaning flyash out of there .. and for the price paid, there should be some access IMHO .... The rope gasket should be GLUED in place at the factory too, while I'm bitching here.

Dealer I bought from is an absolute ripoff. Coal way over $320/ton 3 years ago! I won't even give them the publicity. I've mentioned the place years ago, so you can search that if so inclined. Only went there to buy the stove (Mark I). Only went back again to buy another (Mark III). Was working close to 60 hrs a week at the time, so I didn't have the time or energy to go another route. Knowing what I know now, I would've not bought either stove & just got a used AA boiler or something along those lines.

As far as warranty goes, not much to claim on a hunk of metal. I don't even use the warranty on my truck ... so I sure as hell ain't gonna use it on a stove.

I traded up from the Harman Mark III to the Magnafire SF and ended up using less coal almost 2 tons less. I've used the firebox reducer since the March heatwave and finally got the hang of using it. Turns out the dealer suggested installing it to the rear of the box but I found it works way better using it in the front of the stove.

Maybe the weather is responsible for using less coal but even my wife agrees that the house was way warmer this year. So thumbs up for the SF 250!

I started with a Hitzer Model 82 stove that I purchased direct from Hitzer. It was built tough, worked very well, and I never needed to test their customer service.

Since I gave up hand-firing I have installed three refurbished EFM 520's. #1 in my dad's house, #2 in my house, and #3 in my uncle's house. Each EFM was from a different dealer, and they all run excellent. I made some friends along the way, and we've never been warmer for less money. Three boilers, three houses, zero excuses.

As for coal, I have purchased two loads of bagged Kimmel's from Joe @ Pennkeystone Coal Co. The coal has burned very well, and the service has been excellent also. I call for a current price & send a check, and a while later the truck shows up...How much easier can it get?

I have a whole house furnace, vice stove, but how much I like it is still germane.

Furnace: Yukon-Eagle IV "Klondike" I absolutely LOVE this combination wood/coal burning furnace. It keeps our 2500sqft ranch in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan warm and comfortable. It puts out some serious heat, and on many occasions when the daytime temps are expected to exceed 40degF, my wife isn't always happy about all the heat it puts out! Support by the company in terms of tech or parts is excellent. Any problem I've ever had (few) was resolved quickly and to my satisfaction.

Coal supplier: KW Feeds, Inc located in Farwell, MI. Great service and great pricing, particularly for pre-season buys in April & May of each year. Given that Michigan is a ways from the NEPA anthracite fields, what I pay for coal from KW Feeds is quite reasonable, IMHO.

Rob R. wrote:As for coal, I have purchased two loads of bagged Kimmel's from Joe @ Pennkeystone Coal Co. The coal has burned very well, and the service has been excellent also. I call for a current price & send a check, and a while later the truck shows up...How much easier can it get?

Do you order T/L quantities of bagged from Pennkeystone, or do you order LTL? Will they fill an order for only 5-6 tons?

lsayre wrote:

Rob R. wrote:As for coal, I have purchased two loads of bagged Kimmel's from Joe @ Pennkeystone Coal Co. The coal has burned very well, and the service has been excellent also. I call for a current price & send a check, and a while later the truck shows up...How much easier can it get?

Do you order T/L quantities of bagged from Pennkeystone, or do you order LTL? Will they fill an order for only 5-6 tons?

Full truckload orders only. A load of bagged coal is normally 22.5 tons, and you better have a way to unload it when it arrives.

Rob R. wrote:Full truckload orders only. A load of bagged coal is normally 22.5 tons, and you better have a way to unload it when it arrives.

Can they ship on a flatbed that carries its own towmotor for off-loading?

I doubt it. Let's not derail this thread any farther. If you have other questions go to PM's .

DS Machine Stoves Basement #4...
Bought direct from MFG in PA...
Rock solid Amish Hand Fed stove with Removable Hopper...
Rated 130k btu/hr...
Holds 160#-180# of coal from empty...
easy 12 hr between shakes in winter...
No fans needed so it is quiet...
Not the best looker at the dance but she sure does put out...
Best stove I have bought so far...
Have not needed any parts or repairs other than a locally sourced standard door pin...
If I needed anything from them that was reasonable I am sure they would oblige...
238B Old Laycock Rd, Gordonville, PA, 17529, 717-768-3853
Good Thread here...
A Visit to DS Machine

Hitzer 50-93 removeable hopper (all Black or Gold or Pewter accsents)
110 to 120 lbs form empty
90000 BTU ? + maybe another 20 or 30 thousand they don't tell you about
fan to wash the heat as needed, does not need to be run
easy 12 hours @ 600* stove temp (winter)
24 to 36 hrs between shakes spring and fall stove temp 150 to 300*
purchased from Dennis Coal in Fabius NY (Good people)
Coal from Poso Coal Dryden NY (blashic) spelling? but you get the gist, $245 ton
I'm loving it, had a very small crack in the corner of the glass and Dean
at Hitzer sent me a new one no charge (Great to deal with)
Great Stove

I've got to go with a DITTO on what fastcat said minus the glass crack & just useing POSO for coal--it don't get any better then this Hitzer 50-93 in my particular situation. Nice write up George.

Dealer: Dave Wendel of Wendels Poultry Farm, East Concord NY.

Dealer's Customer Service: Very good. He doesn't have the insurance for full installs but he comes out on first firing, checks your set up, shows you how to light it and adjusts the barometric damper with a manometer. After a week of running, he checked in with me to see how things were going and haven't needed to talk to him since, until a week ago when I was ready to stock up on coal for next winter. I know he will go out and visit past customers if they have problems arise.

Stove Brand: Keystoker Koker

Company's Customer Service: Haven't had to call them but I believe other forum users have gotten answers from Keystoker.

Level of satisfaction: Very satisfied so far, but I am just wrapping up my first year of burning coal so we will see what the future holds. I am not anticipating any big problems in the future. My chimney drafts very will, never lost it this spring even when it was in the 70's and I never lost my fire other then when I took too long setting up my coal trol and had to re-fire.

Problems with stove: none so far

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