Looking for an alternative heat source to keep energy bills low? Or to do your part to conserve natural resources? Or both? Check out Bixby Energy Systems' MaxFire Biomass stove, which wins our Smart and Cool As It Heats Your Home award.
The stove uses dry-shelled corn as fuel and can cut home heating costs by as much as 50 percent. Bixby states that MaxFire appliances can heat a 3,000-square-foot home for about $1.50 a day. The stove also uses wood pellets if required and doesn't need a primer fire to get things started. Unlike wood pellet stoves, the window in the MaxFire is designed to stay free of soot build-up, so the fire's warm glow stays visible. Nice.
The aesthetically styled unit stands 33 inches tall, 28 inches wide and 30 inches deep. The 55,000 BTU MaxFire holds about 100 pounds of corn, allowing round-the-clock operation. As with many alternative products, getting started may seem pricey, but the payback is quick, Bixby says. It's heat without hassle.
Bixby Energy
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