I am excited to introduce to you Roger Lehet and his new Made in America Kimberly Stove. I have been communicating with Roger since back in July when he contacted me about his soon to be manufactured stove. Though initially designed for boats, he felt it would work great in small and tiny homes. Roger’s design really intrigued me and I was impressed with the extreme efficiency of this unit. Roger has asked me to become a distributor of this stove, and future variations, to the Tiny House community. I am excited to take part.
This multi-fueled wood burning cook stove was originally designed for cooking and heating in small spaces. Spaces such as boats, cabins, yurts, RV’s, and ice shanties. This extremely efficient cook stove boasts performance levels much greater then EPA certified wood stoves available for residential use. It’s compact design, measuring 30 in. tall and 10 in. diameter allows it to be installed and used efficiently as well as cleanly on an averaged sized boat (30 ft). This unit can also be used to heat up to 1500 sq ft of living space.
It’s flexibility in fuels allows the owner/operator to regulate it’s heat production for different operating modes. In cold weather a 5lb extruded pressed log performs the best. It gives you an 8-10hr burn time with the cook top temperature exceeding 1150 degrees Fahrenheit. For Spring into Summer weather use, 1lb of standard charcoal a day will run the stove at a lower temperature range with an even cook top temperature. Pellets and gases/oils are also optional fuel choices.
This stove is completely portable including its venting system, weighing about 65lbs. This unit would be easily deployed during disaster relief efforts. Where this stove differs from rocket stoves would be our patent pending secondary combustion system. In this area the stove gasses from the primary fire are funneled through our all fuel combustor pack. During this process temperatures up to 1600 degrees Fahrenheit completely incinerate soot and smoke before either hit the chimney. Due to these efficiencies our stove burns far less fuel then any rocket or primary burn stove. Although our stove as well as the rocket stove produces clean burns, our stove stands apart when it comes to consumption of that fuel.
Brill Metal Works is an amazing state-of-the-art computer-controlled metal fabricating company http://www.brillmetalworks.com/ and their artisans do a fabulous job of building this stainless-steel Kimberly Stove.
Some things to consider about the Kimbely Stove:
- Latest Technology
- Durable
- Eco friendly
- Convenient
- Low installation cost (around $250)
- Easy installation
- Made In America
- Time saving
- Return of investment (heat for years to come)
- Attractive
- Warranty (the best)
- All stainless steel (cool to the touch)
- Multi fuel (wood, coal, etc.)
- Safe
- Pride of ownership
- Green construction
- Nice ambiance with windowed door
- Dry heat
- No smoke (stop smoking after 15 minutes)
- Cooking on stove top
- Baking (oven coming soon)
- Power production (coming soon)
- Hot water (coming soon)
- Security
- Perfect for off grid locations
- Sustainable
- Tested and retested
- no planed obsolescence
Here is a link to the Unforgettable Fire llc http://www.unforgettablefirellc.com/website with all the detailed information or call Roger at 206-850-2322. The attached photo is of Roger and his wife Bridget celebrating the arrival the K6 Stove. Mention Coupon Code THB25 and receive $25 off of shipping charges when you purchase the Kimberly Stove.
Download a Kimberly Stove brochure here: Kimb_Brochure2
Looks interesting. Too bad the website isn’t working, I would like to be able to look at the specs and prices.
Roger has told me it will be up any time now so please keep checking back. He is also supposed to send me a pdf with all the information and I will add it to the blog post as soon as I have it.
Where’s the website?
This is the link http://www.unforgettablefirellc.com/ it is still not up yet, Roger asked me to publish the post and told me it would be live any time now…
Very interesting! I can’t wait to see the website. This is really a needed device.
Hello Jerry…..the website is up and I appreciate your comments.
Roger must really have it together to ask you to go on and publish this post, without the website working yet. Sharp…
Sorry Jay……Don’t want to disappoint anyone. There is so much “little stuff” to overcome on a project this size, I hope you will understand my challenges, and look beyond the technical issues. This stove really is well designed and crafted by the best in the Northwest. Employing American workers was also a big part of our overall picture.
Can you cook on it also? I wanted a heat stove that I can cook on also. Patty
Yes, you can…
Thank you Patty,
When we moved onto the boat (with our 9 year old daughter) we knew we needed something that would keep us warm, DRY, and have cooking ability. We also knew we needed something that would burn all night on one load of fuel, run nearly smokeless, and fit into a 16 inch wide dish cabinet. We ended up inventing the Kimberly as nothing was available in the market place which offered these capabilities. We have cooked everything from hamburgers, to bacon and eggs, and she makes the BEST hot buttered rums, lol.
thanks for asking
Where is it drawing it’s combustion air from?
Hello Arlos, good question….
Being an industry professional since 1985, I personally do not care for outside combustion air. I have seen 5 appliances which truly needed this. I prefer to draw fresh air onto the cabin through “leaky” doors or windows (that’s most boats, and or rv’s as a sort of “fresh air exchanger” and burn cabin air. We can easily provide an outside air source if needed however.
thanks for asking
Very interesting, and only 65 pounds! Nice! Having a glass viewing panel is a plus also. I look forward to the upcoming website.
Hello Alice,
http://www.unforgettablefirellc.com is up and running. There are also downloadable brochures.
Thanks for asking
Roger and Bridget Lehet
Here are two other links for information and photos:
http://blog.kimberlystove.com/
http://site.kimberlystove.com/Home.php
Probably what you are all looking for …
Sounds like a great possibility!
Hello Freth……
Thanks for posting those sites, and the nice comment. I hope people enjoy this product as much as we do. I also look forward to getting lots of feedback from field use. I think this will be our best form of product development.
Here are 3 more links:
http://www.firesidehearthshoppe.com/kimberly.htm
http://vashonguide.com/classifieds/kimberly-wood-stoves/
http://rvdailyreport.com/news/id/16319/inventor-creates-wood-burning-stove-for-rvs
Just a note: That is a fairly large physical size as compared to most heaters one would reasonably install on a 30′ boat. That’s not to say there aren’t any 30′ boats it would fit on, but just comparing it to the typical boat stove and/or boat.
Also, a question: Can it burn “real” wood? I don’t see that mentioned (I do see Presto-type “logs” mentioned, but not actual wood.)
It sounds like the inventor probably has this figured out, but with many solid-fuel boat stoves it’s hard to switch from, say, coal to wood because one burns much hotter than the other (so, say, a particular stove is designed for wood, but not coal, etc.). Just something to be aware of when comparison shopping.
Pen
Hello Pen,
Yes there are many boats where size and budget will be prohibitive. We are working on several other designs, some smaller and less expensive. This unit fit into our galley in a dish cabinet which was 16 inches wide and 21 inches deep. It was also designed to burn anything…..salt water drift wood, charcoal, coal, scrap wood, cord wood…..as long as it fits through the door you can burn it. Our warranty even covers the use of these fuels.
Here’s a quote from an above web site:
The first batch will have stainless exteriors and be priced at $3,500, and Lehet plans to also offer models with copper, brass and anodized aluminum exteriors.
YIKES………..
Pretty amazing efficiency…if it can be used to heat up to 1500 sq ft, at what outdoor temp? Would be interested to see it’s specs on heat output. It’s pricey, but if that efficient possibly worth it. Copper would be neat. 🙂
Hi Mel….
When we moved back onto dry land we ended up in a beach cabin with lots of single pane glass and very little insulation. The main part of the home is about 1100 sq/ft, and the master bedroom is 300 sq/ft. Both areas have the Kimberly operating as the only heat source. We are able to keep the main part of the house at 75 degrees when the outdoor temperature is getting down into the lower 40″s. The bedroom is easier as it does have insulation. I load one “pressed” log into the house stove and a half one in the bedroom and wake up with plenty of hot coals to re-start without kindling and a warm room.
I’m curious if the interior temps get hotter than 1,000 degrees, how hot does the outside of the stove get? How do you regulate the temperature for cooking? Is it only a one burner deal?
Hello Foy,
At this time the stove has a ten inch diameter cook top. The temperature is controlled by the draft setting. We have found that the temperature of the cookplate is easily kept at a steady temperature, and this can also be determined by fuel type. For a slow simmering such as crock pot foods, we like standard charcoal. This gives a soft heat with a long and even heat at the cook top. During the winter months we like the prest logs. They store easily and will provide plenty of heat for the cabin while also providing a higher cook temp for frying foods. With a little practice one can get very good results in the kitchen and the overall warmth of the living quarters. This is also by the way how the old kitchen cook stoves were operated, we are just doing it in a cleaner way with allot less fuel and smoke. We are also looking into other designs and add on equipment to make cooking easier.
I used to use a cast iron open framework sort of piece to keep the stewpot above the actual cooktop on our old wood heater so it would simmer instead of boil, not sure where it came from, it was some decorative thing or other in it’s previous life but sure worked. I had another fakeup sort of thing that kept it higher still when the stove was really going or to just keep tea hot.
Very interesting product,nice sized, like the upright design. I feel more needs to be done before marketing. Basic and vague information on the web site. Remember none of these claims are verified by an independent lab. Wood stoves should also be EPA Certified.
Thanks for your response Bob. I will apologize for my being a little less than “polished” in our attempt to get our website off the ground. After 3 years I really needed to get some form of communication running….we will be making improvements there. We are also working on our certification for residential. Many applications do not seem to require this including (from what I have found) boats, campers, and many jurisdictions. Hopefully by early spring however we will be certified for all 50 states and Canada.
Good luck Roger on your web site & product. Kudos on the manufacturing in the U.S.A. We all need to purchase more items closer to home.
Hello Tiny House World, and Thank you Tiny House Blog for the great write up. I would like to thank anyone visiting our new website for your patience. Although I can make a darn good wood stove, I am having to get allot of help with the site, and it will be improving. The stove however is finally done. I had been in the wood stove industry for 25 years when we lost everything due to the economy. We invented this to keep our 30 foot Bayliner warm and cozy enough to live on, and for cooking. We NEVER dreamed that this little unit would be so welcomed. The most common comment I have gotten is about price. Yes I agree that it’s pricey. It is however built to burn ANYTHING you might desire, including salt water drift wood, charcoal, and coal. The All stainless steel construction means that this product will last a lifetime, and give flexibility in fuel choices and operating modes, including various temperatures needed for cooking and heating water. We are happy to announce that with good dry fuel and good operating habits, this stove will run for hours with little to NO visible emissions. Due to our process of “gasification” and our patent pending re-burner, this stove rivals anything I have ever seem in my now 27 years in this industry. The design we came up with also does not require a class “A” chimney so the end cost of a complete package comes back in line cost wise with a standard residential stove installation. We will be soon going through EPA certification for residential use in all 50 states and Canada, and have some “un verified” statistics listed on the web site. Any other comments or questions are welcomed at unforgettablefire66@gmail.com or by phone at 206 293 2035.
We sincerely thank you for your time and interest.
Living in a tiny house with my husband and child, this stove looks fantastic and I would love one.
That said, I could not see myself ever being able to afford one. One of the great things about living a minimalist lifestyle is that I don’t spend much money. Right now that is a good thing, very good because now that my husband has gotten his Bachelors degree he can’t find a job anywhere.
We live on a very modest income and if I had that kind of money to spend, I would probably be more likely to spend it elsewhere.
I would like to point out, as a small business owner, that the look of your website will drive potential buyers away. If the website is that unpolished and unprofessional looking one can assume that the product is the same way. Once you are producing and selling this I would really suggest you find a good camera and take professional pictures and have someone more web savvy work on your website.
Good luck! I wish you the best.
Hello Becky
I certainly feel for all of us who are caught in the “recession” or “depression”. We totally understand. We have spent the last three years with no income to make this stove a reality. The cost of this stove is steep, yes. It however does not require the class “A” chimney normally associated with a standard stove installation, in fact can be vented with pellet stove pipe and therefore costs about the same in the end, even with the all stainless steel construction. It is also built for a lifetime, not just the 5 years many stoves are built for. Our warranty includes, but is not limited to, full replacement with only two exclusions….owner abuse and gasket/glass replacement. It will burn anything you can fit through the door, and it will pay for it’s self typically in a two year period. It is also made right here in America by fellow Americans, we are doing our part to help feed our neighbors, and always will.
I’ll be interested to read more tech/ installation info Roger & see some pics, the stove looks interesting for sure. The price is scary but I wouldn’t rule it out on that factor alone – more info will be helpful for comparison shopping. I know you mentioned you were working on other models and accessories, I just wanted to mention that water heating ability (aside from stove stop) would be a good add-on.
Hello terminalcitygirl
Yes, the stove is pricey. It does not however need the $1200.00 class “A” normally associated with a standard stove installation. We are able to utilize pellet stove pipe and therefore our package price becomes close to what other packages would cost. We recommend a 16 inch wide by 21 inch deep area for installation with a reflector wall on the two sides and rear. Thank you for the suggestions. We are going to be offering the water heating coils as well as fall away handles, sea rails, bulk head mounting kits, and many other options as well as other stove designs both larger and smaller.
Thanks again…….Roger
Any chance you’ll have an oven version or waterjacket/ wetback? Would that even be possible? FWIW My dream stove is a simple to install, use and monitor clean cook stove that will also heat my tiny house and make enough hot water for a couple showers in a day. Personally I think that’s where the market is although I imagine getting EPA cred would be difficult…
Hello terminal
You just hit the nail on the head, We are now done with Kimberly as far as development, I am now working on an oven which will sit right on top of the stove. We also are trying to develop a water coil for the inside of the stove, and electrical power generation. All will be bolt on items so what we sell today will fit future applications. I think this will actually make certification easier, as we might just qualify for an exemption once the oven is done.
Hello Tiny House World (yes, I stole that from Roger).
I’m the person that is helping Roger with the website. I know that the current site is small so stay tuned as it evolvs and grows.
I don’t know all of the specs for the stove, so will only relate a little of my personal experiences and impressions.
I met with Roger on October 29th of this year to discuss a website. When I arrived and didn’t see any smoke coming out of the chimneys, I assumed that the stove wasn’t burning and was starting to think of excuses that would justify Roger starting a fire.
It was the wrong assumption to make.
Not only was the stove in operation, but the building was warm enough that I had to remove the extra layers needed for a cold day’s motorcycle ride. The only time I had experienced something similar (with a wood stove) was living in a 1400sq. foot home with a “small” (8 foot x 5 foot x 18 foot from foundation to ceiling) “Russian Fireplace”. Needless to say, being impressed doesn’t come close to how I felt, and still feel, about the Kimberly stove.
We talked a little about how it was constructed, the materials used and the evolution from conception to production. I won’t go into details about what the different materials are, but Roger has put a lot of thought, study and tinkering into making it the best stove for smaller spaces.
It has gone through an evolutionary process and as a result, has the look and feel of quality that often marks old word craftsmanship. It truly is his passion to produce the best quality stove possible, something that flies in the face of today’s products with their planned obsolescence.
This really is an impressive stove and based on my experiences (4 hours with it and 25 years with wood as my only heat source), it really is an ideal solid fuel stove for small spaces. For larger spaces, you may want to buy a second one or give up a room (goodbye Chris’ office, hello kitchen table!) and have an $8,000 (in 1994 dollars!) Russian Fireplace installed, like my family did.
I honestly believe that this stove will be seen as a new standard for solid fuel stoves.
This sounds like an advertisement, for which I’m very sorry. I have already been paid for the full site creation (including everything that’s to come), so if Roger sells only one stove or one to every person in the world, it won’t impact me financially.
Roger doesn’t know that I’m posting this nor has any discussion taken place (or will take place) about payment for doing this. I just wanted to add my voice as someone that has first hand experience with this stove.
c-h-r-i-s-h-i-l-5-4-@-h-o-t-m-a-i-l-.-c-o-m (remove the hyphens if you need to contact me for any reason).
Wow Chris,
I am both surprised and honored that my little creation pleased you so much. I appreciated it very much when I checked out the comments this morning and found this. Your view point is very rewarding, complimentary, and gives me more incentive to make the next one even sooner. The next one will be much smaller, and then we will go larger for bigger spaces. Again, thank you for your kind comments.
My original comment was YIKES when I saw the price, but second thoughts will have me considering this stove. I’m in the market for a new stove, I’ve been using a Hot Blast No 72 for two seasons now, and as anybody knows these old potbellied stoves just aren’t consisient overnight. There’s plenty of scrap wood here and a couple hundred pounds of anthracite out back waiting to be burned..will it burn coal? I’ll be waiting for the website to come alive and see some specs, then I will decide if it will work to heat this old one room 1920s home.
Hello Joe, and thanks for asking. We have been playing with Utah Lump coal which I believe is no where as nice as good Anthracite. The stove is built to take the abuse of burning coal, yes. With the lump coal we did have some issues with the left over soot in the “combustor pack” it tended to “plug up” the combustor which then needed periodic cleaning. This process is easy and only takes a few minutes. I am looking for a way to keep this from happening. I wish I could get a sample of what you are burning, it is hard to get any coal here in the Seattle area. The heat output was actually less than the 5 lb extruded log manufactured by Home Fire Prest Logs in Surrey Canada. The log burns just as long and cleaner. If you are using coal in any stove I would suggest bringing batches inside to dry out a bit before use….just like regular cord wood, it does better when dry.
Thanks again…..Roger
Roger, email me off site with your address and I’ll send you a sample…Joe
PS..then you send me a stove and I’ll try it 😉
Hi Joe….I do not get your e mail address through the site, so you could send it to me at
unforgettablefire66@gmail.com
Roger
What an amazing little stove. We’re planning some day to move to a little place that already has a wood insert for heating. However, it is lacking the ability to cook on it in the event of a power failure (which happens a lot in the area it is in, in Canada). This little stove would be perfect for such a use and also super for a tiny house. I can see lots of uses for it. When you get your web site a little more developed Roger, it would be great to see pictures of the stove with someone cooking on it, just so we have a “visual” of actual height, size, etc. This is amazing and there is nothing else like it that I have seen. Nicely done. I wish you tons of success.
Heather
Hello Heather…..Our website is much further along, pictures are still our worst part I guess, but we do now have Amazon.com checkout so folks can order by credit card. I would love to have your business. Please let me know if there is anything can do to earn it. Thanks!
http://www.unforgettablefirellc.com
This site has been a treasure trove for me, having a small piece of land in northern Minnesota by Lake Superior. I wish I had discovered the Tinyhouseblog before I got started making plans for scaled down living. It’s been a huge resource in my ongoing plans and projects on my small cabin.
I work in the hair styling biz, and don’t make a large income (yes, many do, but the high end salon’s and their clientele never appealed to me. I like the more common, and they come rich and poor),so this endeavor has been lead by budget limitation’s as well as the desire to live a more sustainable.
My comment is how excited I was when I saw this article about the Kimberly Stove. Having read up on many forms of heating, I’m attracted to it’s efficient and clean burning of fuels as well as it’s size. But the PRICE! Honestly, it’s way out of my league and for many other people. I understand the costs for a small scale business and manufacturing, it’s just unfortunate that it cuts off many of us that really live a ‘sustainable’ live style. I just have horrors of this site becoming a attraction to high earning folk that find this a funzy cute hobby (I’ve had a client who was from Vancouver, and built a 10 X 14 near his 2000 sq. ft. vacation home because he was bored and it was a “Hoot”) and the rest of us are left to search other more affordable options.
I’m hopeful that the idea Joe Chipman has with a version of the rocket stove has someone with me in mind.
I honestly wish Roger the best with his stove, it’s beautiful, just wish this technology was more affordable to all.
Kent, I’m a big fan of yours, don’t let me down.
My best to you all.
James
Dear James…..Sometimes one must ask more questions. The first one might be…..what is the total package price? If you bought a standard wood stove and had to also install a class “A” chimney you would most likely end up with the same end cost for a stove that has far fewer features and life span. We can vent this puppy for about $200.00, bringing the end cost close to any other appliance.
Roger
i love this little stove,would it be possible to get one shipped to Australia?
Hello Carol……I don’t see why not!
Hey Carol….
Another batch of stoves are nearly ready for shipping.Did you want one shipped to you? Our website nowhas Amazon checkout under the purchase tab.
What an intriguing idea; we have just moved into a mobile home and I was looking into vented gas stoves that look like wood stoves, but wasn’t really comfortable with the whole thing. Then I see this on the Tiny House blog…
If you could, how much clearance does it require from walls? Our home is 14′ wide. I am on a mission to make the old single-wide trailers energy efficient and attractive, starting with our own! Thanks!
Hello Devon,
The way we apply insulation between the walls of the stove forces most of the heat out the front door and the top. The sides and back are much cooler. On our boat we actually have this installed in a 12 inch wide space with flammable walls on either side. I AM NOT TELLING YOU TO DO THIS, but we did it and it works. I really want folks to be smart when working with any stove. I have seen 3 people die in a car fire and it was horrid. Always err on the side of caution
Roger
Oops, just downloaded and read the brochure, duh. The clearances sound unusually small for something that gets so hot – is there a reason the stove doesn’t need bigger clearances? Thanks again…
Hi Devon, Part of the engineering and material types used in our design project the heat mostly from the cook top and the door area, resulting in a much smaller foot print. Yes the sides do get hot, but not nearly as the front and top.
You lost me at $3,500. However, I congratulate you on your engineering.
Hi Charlie….So what would you expect to pay for a freestanding wood stove with a 6″ diameter all fuel chimney system???? The chimney alone would be a good $1200.00, yes? We can vent these stoves for around $200.00 using pellet vent piping. That should bring us to about even with other stove packages.
This is a brilliant little stove. Is $3500 a lot of money? Yes, but for those of us who live in more northern climates, we are accustomed to spending more on heating solutions versus cooling solutions, so I didn’t get sticker shock. I recently saw standard propane burning stoves at a local showroom that require a lot more space and can only utilize one form of fuel (propane)and cost as much or more than this unit. We have been looking at a Jotul wood burning stove and because it is imported and is cast iron (read – very heavy) it was going to be as costly if not more so, and once again, can only burn one type of solid fuel. What really caught my attention was that the warranty even covers the use of beach wood. I will be watching to see how the certification goes and plans to export to Canada.
Hi Katherine,
We are looking forward to exporting to our neighbors to the north. And yes we have a very liberal warranty. This thing is built to last a lifetime. I can’t stand the fact that so many products have a “planned death rate”. Our planet can not sustain the way we exploit natural resources for the sake of money. I would be proud to know that I sold only one to each customer because they lasted that long.
Roger
What are the dimensions? You have clearances on the specifications page, but not the actual dimensions of the stove.
Also, how well does it handle high resin woods like junipers/cedars? I have access to a lot of juniperus ashei but it’s not good to burn in regular wood stoves because of the buildup in the flues.
-M
Hello Michael…..
So far we have burned just about everything I can think of that could be an issue in this way. We have only had problems with two fuels burned either at fire up or low temps. Utah lump coal and the lower trunk of a pine so soaked in resin that the wood was translucent. In both cases our combustor plugged up. An easy cleaning and the stove was ready to go. I have made some changes at the factory level to avoid this. Our aim is to incinerate everything before it has a chance to escape the secondary combustion chamber so nothing has a chance to build up in the chimney. Creosote to me represents wasted fuel, as well as a point of danger. We look forward to customer comments to help us constantly improve our stoves.
Materials for the stove should be in the $600 – $800 range maybe. The $3500 price tag for an appliance without moving parts will be a hard sell. Good luck though.
Well Mark…..thats what we thought, until we started building them. Then there’s all the other things to take into consideration. Certification alone is well over $20,000. development, web site, brochures, labor, tooling, processing credit cards…..the list goes on. Now compare this stove with a $200.00 venting system to a standard residential stove needing a $1200.00 chimney. I sold and installed wood stoves for 26 years and this is really not much different in the end cost.
Roger
Winter has definitely settled in for the third time since Kimberly came to be. In an uncertain economical time with a different sort of stove which many folks don’t understand price wise, I wanted to reflect on how this unit serves us on a broken budget. Our bedroom is nice and warm, and like on the boat we are also relieved of the moisture issue that makes getting into bed less than enjoyable. gone are the days of musty clothes and bed sheets, Mold and mildew common to small concrete structures, boats and rv’s. Gone as well the fear of power outages. We cook and heat for just a couple bucks a day worth of whatever wood product we wish. In total the cost of a Kimberly is about average to the total cost of an average stove and chimney, but the fuel savings and the peace of mind that both consumption and emissions are kind to our environment. The idea that this family run business practices green production methods, and employes fellow Americans in a time of exporting jobs, to build the finest with out planning the life span so as to sell you another one. Yes we are aware this stove is priced at $3500.00, but we invite you to REALLY compare. Write us for help in understanding how there is no better “complete” price for the value packed into this all stainless stove with as comprehensive warranty as we offer. Free yourself from long hours at the wood pile and sit in comfort, warmth, security that you will have heat anywhere, any time, with little fuel or cost. This overcomes the initial price.
Humbly,
The inventor
To burn Oil when available and wood when it is not
would be fantastic. Of course I’m assuming it burns Oil from all I can find out on the Net. At this point.
Also please make an oven attachment with temperature adjustment and Temp. gauge.
MORE PIC’s PLEASE.
Tracy
Dear Tracy…..besides a bit of disdain for politics, and a little blue humor, there are some pictures of Kimberly and the whole line of prototypes, on our face book page at fireside hearth Kimberly stoves. We will soon be making a you tube video, and more pics are on the way. The oven is something I wish to do soon, as well as a bunch of add on’s. An oil drip for diesel and bio diesel, fryer oils, and pellets. Hot water production and low voltage electrical production will also be worked in as add on options. This way we will not have to run additional production lines for different stove bodies, we can just add things to the stove for different features. Folks buying our early units will be offered new developments for free or at cost as an incentive to take part in our growth in research and development.
Thank you, Roger and Bridget Lehet
Great looking product. Lot’s of talk about the price, but really it’s quite competitive in my opinion. I live in northern new York with very cold and snowy winters. Many people around here have a primary heat system, then add a second for power outages and the never-ending efficiency battles. I would put my money with a highly efficient system like this. I start building this spring on my little house. Whether in 2012 or 2013, I’ll be keeping this stove in mind. For my needs, it appears to be the best device I’ve seen so far. As far as price, I would suggest we all think about the life use of the items we buy.
Good Morning Scott,
Thank you for seeing the light! We are well aware in these difficult economic times that this investment would not be taken lightly by anyone. It is however, a product with long term benefits as it should last a life time. We would suggest you consider not waiting as folks who buy now will be able to take advantage of our need to develop working relationships with our first few hundred buyers. We’re offering incentives now that won’t be available later, like free future products. Thank you for the compliment, stay warm.
Sincerely,
Roger & Bridget Lehet
Hello Scott,
Thank you for seeing the value in our product. While we do recognize the start up cost is a hurdle to get through in these tough times, it is also important to recognize that this is a once in a lifetime expenditure. We have built these stoves to outlast their owners. If I may, I might suggest that you make the commitment sooner than later as we are wanting to form a long term relationship with our first couple hundred buyers. This symbiotic relationship will help us know what to improve with this product, and would qualify you for future give aways, or new products at our cost, in exchange for sharing your experience as an owner of our exciting new product. For those wondering how and where to purchase one, we have set up an Amazon account complete with shipping and credit card check out through the Amazon secure pay site. Just go to the “purchase Kimberly” button on the website and Amazon will pop up.
Sincerely, Roger and Bridget Lehet
Please explain to me what the ” hybrid technology ” is. Its a wood stove right? How many do you have in production? on hand? I am a hunting guide in NW Montana with about 30 hunting cabins. I currently use a potbelly stove, military type. From the pics it looks like its riveted together right? What it the rivet material? It all looks great and the small foot print would be great in the cabins but I’m kind of a gadget guy and would like a bit more info on details. thanks
Hello again RG……and to all tiny house blog readers. We have had to change phone numbers, sorry. We can now be reached at 206 850 2322.
Hello RG, we use this term to label our patent pending two part combustion process and the equipment we designed to do this job. The bottom of the stove is a pyrolizer which exposes the fuel load to only enough heat to allow the fuel to “smolder” giving off it’s gasses. These gasses then are reburned in our combustor pack which will attain temperatures of up to 1600 deg f. The hybrid moniker is our way of describing the use of both catalytic and non catalytic functions with out a catalytic combustor as has been used in the past. We do not use any rivets actually, we use stainless steel screws on the outer shell and all combustion chamber joints/seams are continuous weld. Everything but the glass and gasket material are made of high quality stainless steel. Orders taken today will be filled on or about the 19th December. For larger orders we would need to talk in more detail. We have a new phone number set up just for tech help and questions, it is 206 293 2035, you will reach me directly. And by the way our warranty DOES cover the use of fuels such as saltwater drift wood, charcoal and coal. Thank you very much for your complimentary comments and I would love to earn your business.
Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Hello Tiny House readers. I need to announce a new phone number just for our fellow firebugs. (206)850-2322. We are available directly at any time. The other thing is that we have 2 factory burn units to let go of at a reduced price. We have personally been using these two for several months and they operate beautifully. We do have a new version coming out however, and these are available in the next two weeks. Shipping will be extra at $150.00 anywhere domestically. They will be polished to near new with new door gaskets.
First come first served as there are only two and it will most likely be sometime before we have more seconds available.
Thank you very much.
Happy Holidays,
Roger and Bridget Lehet owners
Wow, I must be working too many hours, I forgot to mention the reduced price. $2600.00 down from $3500.00, get em at our cost. And while I am at it, we will be soon producing an oven for the stove top which will get us an exemption from epa certification, and therefore satisfy EPA regulations for residential installation. We are also now focusing on hot water production, add on electrical production capability, and a fan system, which nearly silently, increases heat output dramatically.
Thanks again!
you would please let me know if this kimberly stove is mobile
home approved. thank you earl
please answer at cjenne@mail.ircsd.org
Hello Earl, The subject of mobile home approval is one best answered by volume of people wanting a Kimberly in their Mobile Home. At this time we are looking for an exemption from certification with some new additions to our stove. This would make the testing required for your application an extra expense we would need to be able to re coup through sales. We will still at some point wish to have all certifications and applications tested, however these tests can run into tens of thousands of dollars, and we must be able to account for this through sales.
Hello –
I am interested in purchasing this stove but wonder how it would work in a regular house in town. The house is about 1600sf and has the strangest construction I have ever seen. It is full brick exterior then has an air gap then a second full brick interior. The walls are covered in lathe and plaster and there is absolutely zero insulation anywhere.
Heating is a major expense/issue and we have looked into radiant floors but the cost and complexity are dissuading. Has anyone else installed this heater in a house?
Hello Rowan. The answer is YES. When we moved back onto land we brought the stoves with us and LOVE it. My first piece of advice would be to drill some have lose fill insulation blown in between the brick layers. You construction is not weird, just old. Once insulated you would enjoy a draft free warm and easy to heat home. We have an old beach cabin with no insulation and tones of glass. One stove is in our kitchen and one in the bedroom (master) We used to have a large cast iron stove which ate more fuel than we are using now with two stoves. Depending on your insulation level and outside temperatures one Kimberly might do the trick, but this would be with real good dry hard wood….and you will not be getting 12 hour burns on a fuel load….more like 6. A fuel load however is pretty small. I am available by phone at 206 850 2322. Roger
Two questions:
Is this stove lined w/firebrick?
Is this unit’s ash cleanout door airtight also?
Photos and PDF are not clear on this.
Thanks!
Hello Brad.
At this time there are no firebrick in our stove, we have had ideas about a ceramic liner but are pretty happy about the stainless liner system we have been using for over three years now. At the bottom of the primary burn chamber is a cover plate for the ash pan, when removed ashes fall into the ash pan. We only burn wax free presto logs which are around 10% moisture content. With this fuel we only empty the ashes every other day into the ash pan, and the pan is dumped about once a week.
Where can I buy standard charcoal for
my Kimberly Stove ?
Or is it just Kingsford ?
Tracy
Hi Tracy, according to Roger you can use any charcoal available on the market today. If you are still unsure please feel free to call him at 206-850-2322. -Kent
Hi Roger,
Your stove sounds great!The price to me is reasonable. The cost of a cord of hardwood in my area $200+ I am not a rich guy so the savings in fuel costs (I burn about 3-4 cords)is very attractive. I figure a unit payoff in 6-7 years.
My biggest concern is will the stove be certified is WA state which has the toughest std
best regards
Bernie Crane
Hello Bernie…..
At the moment we are adding an oven to our stove which SHOULD qualify us for an EPA exemption. We are interested in gaining the certification once we can sell enough units to spend the $30,000.00 for testing. I have been told by the testing facility that I can add an oven and the stove falls under the designation of wood cook stove….these are exempt from certification and legal to install in Washington. I also am a washington resident and am very familiar with the EPA regs.
Thank you….Roger
Dear Roger,
I have perused the whole blog so far and seen as many videos on Kimberly as I can find. It has all been thought provoking. My first question involves the secondary burn. I read a reference you made to the “combustion pack” in the stove. Can the Kimberly stove be described as either catalytic or non catalytic?
Hello Matthew,
We would have to say both, however we took the best of both worlds and made it bullet proof as well as more effective ( in our mind at least). We also stayed with only one air control and did not incorporate a catalytic bypass, so the stove is as easy to operate as any one could be.
Thanks for asking!
If the stove can be described as both; does potentially mean that the catalytic portion of the secondary burn will ever wear out and require replacement parts?
My next comment is really just a comment. Throughout the blog I have noticed the argument for money savings due to the use of pellet stove pipe. That does sound nice, but I am surprised that less mentioned is the fact that the stove is a multi-fuel stove; an attribute that must add some value.
To make the best of the multi-fuel claim, I would LOVE to see some videos of the Kimberly burning different fuels! One video per fuel. That might help convince a lot of people, esp. me!
Thanks
Hello Mathew,
Sorry it took so long to ge back to you. First, the Combustor and it’s life span. Yes in time this unit will wear out and need replacing. We have built the stove for easy and inexpensive replacement. This part is covered under the warranty, however will cost about $155.00 after warranty coverage ends. We at this time do not limit the coverage to a lessor time frame than the rest of the stove (5 years) which is unusual in the industry.
The video clip showing different burns with different fuels will most likely be done as soon as we can, but it will be sorta boring. We pretty much get the same response from a wide variety of fuels. One MUST clarify that moisture content (not a good thing for any stove) is key to the success of a clean burn. We mention salt water drift wood and coal due to the fact that these fuels are destructive to cold rolled steel stoves and cast stoves as well. We also like the use of the recycled presto logs for good dry fuel and saving our trees. We were doing some filming the other day on a boat belonging to a fellow who bought a Kimberly. He was using small branches from a felled tree. The stove did produce more smoke, but still not nearly what one might expect from a stove loaded with less than dry fuel…..but it is never recommended to use anything wet!
Hello from Norway
Wery interesting product, even here in woodburning North.
My experience with stoves is that cast iron stoves are wery long lasting before you burn them to pieces.
Steel plated stoves need some very presice covering with heat recistant tiles, if not, the steel plates will not last for long..
How do manage the stainless steel stove survive this long, or do you have som ceramics in the hottest area?
Hello Norway,
Our firebox is completely stainless steel of a high grade which handles high temperatures and corrosive activity. The steel is quite thick in all areas where this environment is at it’s worst. In my experience mild steel will last many years (I have been selling and installing stoves since 1985) this stainless should outlast any stove I have ever seen.
Our warranty covers everything but the glass window and gaskets for 5 years, including the use of salt water drift wood.
Thanks,
Roger
How many chevy Volts would you expect to see parked outside of any typical budget structure likely occupied by impoverished folks just barely getting by? NONE! It’s fine to milk as many marketing angles as you can – but this is NOT realistically priced for impoverished folks with a concience. Nor is the Volt a “people’s” car, with its exorbitant price tag. This thing will go the way of the Volt, which is a colossal taxpayer funded failure. You can’t market caviar to the poor. For anyone with access to search engines, do your homework, please. There are many many solutions that are targeted at third world (impoverished) demographics that do allot of things right, first and foremost – price. Also, this is not rocket science; it is quite old, but quite good technology. If you just love your concience more than your $3500 (more with water heating/oven/ect options), consider at least, the many offerings by folks who are actively trying to bring gasification cooking/heating to the poor masses. The poor will never buy this stove, and their consciences will be more firmly intact than probably the soles of their worn out boots.
Regardless of setting, most of the claimed btu’s are of course going up the flue, which will heat the flue very close to the stove and maybe the first 18? or so to maybe 350F. Doesn’t matter what TYPE of stove is attached to the flue; only the btu’s moving through it. On this stove, there are roughly 1000 square inches of surface area to a 25? tall cylinder x a 10.5? diameter. That is about 997 square inches total. Of those, roughly 5 or 6 inches are below the grate area and are therefore not actively absorbing and radiating heat. But I’ll treat those square inches as if they are also actively radiating heat and are roughly the same temps as the sidewalls further up the firebox. 2*pi*r squared = 2*pi*r*h. That is the formula for surface area of a cylinder. It comes out to 997 or so. Of that area, only the window/door area and the “jamb” area for the door is directly exposed to the combustion chamber, and so reaches temps typical to any regular woodburner. The rest of the surface area is separated from the combustion chamber by air ducts to the secondary burn chamber. That is the chamber at the top of the stove where reformation of the gases takes place when those gases are introduced to O2 (room air). The reformation process produces “woodgas” , if it is efficiently done, and that gas is then instantly ignited in that core, and then expelled out the flue. The benefit is reduced visible emmisions (the tars and other pollutants that make smoke visible). One constituent gas found in woodgas is carbon MONoxide. Yes, the oderless, tasteless KILLER gas that people sometimes use to commit suidide in their cars. The builder knows this, but doesn’t mention that anywhere. Strange.
Now, other than the door, the only direct radiating (think “heating” surface) is the top. It is a circular 10.5? area, or about 86 square inches; or about .6 sq ft. The door area looks to be about the same area overall, but I’ll liberally give it a whole sq ft of heating surface. Add that to the surface at the top, and you have a whole 1.6 square feet of heating surface. The sides are obviously not that hot as evidenced by the extremely small distance to a combustible listed on the builder’s site. That is not appreciable heating surface, then (but dang it’s shiny for the rich boaters).
In all fairness, the top surface can attain quite high temps on the high setting but since the radiating surface area there is SEVERELY RESTRICTED, where then are the supposed 40,000 btu’s going? Into your room? No. Outside? Yes. Most of it. But for $3500 (kWHAT?!!?) dollars, those btu’s are mo’ betta’ than nasty ole’ black smoke btu’s, because you can’t see it. Don’t breathe it though, unless suicide is what you’re after.
Oh, and the watts that the thermoelctric option can produce at a surface temp of 500C, is only 15 watts and so someone better tell youtube Timmy that his little 12VDC vac isn’t really running directly off those 15 meager watts; it’s obviously got capacitive plates storing the charge in that little black box. Watts, by the way is current times voltage. The amperes that vac needs to run at 12VDC is well in excess of the 15 watts made available by the TE device. Watts = amps*volts people.
There’s no free lunch in physics. What that means here is that this stove is probably great as a single burner stove, or a water heater with allot of user ingenuity and more hard-learned lessons. But it would be the best use. Don’t expect this can or will produce a largish tempurature gradient (you know, 10 below oustide, 70 inside?) in anything larger than walkin closet. For your $3500 (YES! $3500) you have a stove, not much of a heater, and a battery tender that you obviously can’t use in your living area in the summer, unless you are at a one of the earth’s poles.
That TE device is on ebay for $300USD plus shipping to the US from germany, just as an indication of what that option is likely to cost, ballpark. Add the ability to blow yourself up by adding water heating to it, and you are well in the 4K orbit. Shipping costs will go up up up with weight too. But in the summer when it’s way too hot to light it indoors you can strap it to little Timmy’s go cart and he’ll be the coolest 10 year old on the block.
That = sign in the area of a cylinder formula should read +. Typo.
The those is awesome but not awesome enough to pay $4,000. I live in a 300 sq ft RV. I have a Hobbit wood stove that will heat my 40 ft 5th wheel in a heart beat with everything installed for less than $1600.00 works great in the winters here in Colorado.
Like I said it is a awesome stove but is not awesome enough to pay $4,000 It ain’t worth it!
We looked around at a lot of small stoves to heat our 33′ 5th wheel trailer here in the California mountains. From Jotul to Morso, Sardine and the Kimberly, all were either too big or too expensive ($3500 for a Kimberly!!). We ended up buying a Hobbit stove from Salamader Stoves in Devon, England. It was delivered to our door in 5 days for much cheaper than all of the above options, plus we got custom paint and a secondary air input installed so combustion oxygen is mostly drawn from outside the trailer. The stove is about 12″ x 12″ x 18″, with a 12″ clearance to combustibles. It’s also aesthetically quite beautiful, and has been keeping us warm and happy this winter.
It took about 2 months to finally find this stove, and it’s been absolutely perfect for us. Give them a look; the website isn’t great, but fortunately the stove is. http://www.salamanderstoves.com
Oh, they also sell a *smaller* stove called the Pipsqueak if you really need something tiny.
I currently have a kimberly stove i’ve only used a couple of weeks. I no longer need it. its still like brand new. I’m willing to lose alot on it if someone would want it. dusroh@yahoo.com
Hello, I am interested in buying your Kimberly Stove. Could you please let me know how much you are asking for it.
Thanks,
Lynn Fisher
I have sold mine
Hi Dusty,
I’m considering a used Kimberly but am unsure how much to pay. If you don’t mind me asking–how much did you get for yours?
still for sale?
Roger is still selling Kimberly stoves but I don’t know that this particular one is still for sale.
It looks like a great stove! Unfortunately, at $3700, it’s well out of my range.
Looking for a used Kimberly or Katydid.
rob007bailey@gmail.com
Like your stove looking to heat my camper vane I am from ireland