Estate Heatrola - opinions and info?

I've got one local to me that seems to be in great shape other than a few minor issues, mostly a crack on the cast outside shell, but the firebox looks good. The price is $550.




I'm not sure what the large handle on the front is for, and it doesnt seem to move ir do anything on this particular stove. tRe shaker grates are operated by a lower triangle shaped shaft, which is missing the handle.

Are these good stoves? There seem to be a lot of different models.

That's too much in my opinion. Had one of these, paid 10 dollars for it. Had to feed it often.

I'd agree that it's a somewhat high price for a Heatrola. If I'm not mistaken, you're the gent in Idaho that just got a load of sub bit or bit? I don't know how common coal burning stoves are in your area so that might make it worth more in that way. I see a lot of Warm Mornings and Heatrola's for sale in PA. They're usually looking for $300-$500. With so many stoves for sale, I seriously doubt that they're selling them.

I've never examined the firebox on a Heatrola, but do they have hollow corner bricks like Warm Morning? The Warm Mornings were designed for burning bit and have the corners to help burn off the high volatiles from bit/sub bit. A WM would be the thing.
I ran a 80 lb. WM cabinet stove for a couple years on Anthracite. Heat monster but ate too much. Bought it for $100 and gave it away to a forum member. A friend of mine ran a Heatrola on Anthracite for years to heat a sizable pig and deer butcher shop. He ran it full tilt most of the time but he messed up several stoves doing that. Not a lot of coal sense.

Yes -- I just took delivery of 23 tons of Utah bit (lump from 4" to 12"). Another forum member called me who had operated one of these and said to call Hitzer about a modern stove if I value my sanity when operating this in a commercial shop where it needs to work well every day in the winter. a Hitzer 55 is $1400 and looks like a really nice unit.