Forge & Flame Montpelier II

The Forge & Flame Montpelier II is rated to heat 1,400–2,800 sq ft, turning a drafty open fireplace into a real heater. It's a cast iron insert crafted with Vermont Castings, offered in Classic Black or Majolica Brown, with a large glass front that gives an open view of the fire.

The Montpelier II is approved only for a masonry fireplace with a masonry chimney, including ones with metal heat-circulating parts, not factory-built or zero-clearance fireplaces. The opening must be at least 23-3/8 inches high, 32 inches wide at the front, 24-1/8 inches wide at the back, and 18-1/8 inches deep with the steel surround, and a 6-inch stainless steel chimney liner is required.

A full load runs approximately 5–7 hours in the Montpelier II's 2.37 cubic foot firebox, which takes logs up to 20 inches. It carries a 71% efficiency rating on the higher heating value and is EPA certified at 1.9 grams per hour under the 2020 standard.

The Montpelier II is a single burn rate heater, so there's no burn-rate lever to adjust. You push the start-up air control back each time you light or reload, and it manages the fire from there; you set heat output by how many logs you load and whether they're split, since split logs burn faster.

A variable-speed fan comes standard, with five speed settings and an AUTO mode that turns it on and off with the insert's temperature or a MANUAL mode you control. It plugs into household power at 115 volts, and the manual says to leave it off for the first 30 minutes of a cold start for the best efficiency.

Ember protection must extend 17-1/2 inches in front in the US, or 19-1/2 inches in Canada, and if the insert sits less than 4.5 inches above that floor, it needs an R-value of 2.9. For mantel height, multiply the mantel's depth by 0.78 inches and add 38.375 inches, which puts a 12-inch-deep mantel 47-3/4 inches above the hearth.

No. The installation manual says the Montpelier II isn't approved for mobile or manufactured homes, and installing it in one would break code compliance, may void the warranty, and may create a fire hazard. It's listed only for a masonry fireplace with a masonry chimney.

A surround is required and sold separately: the Mead II cast surround, 44 x 30-1/4 inches, in Classic Black or Majolica Brown enamel, or a metal surround with black trim at 43 x 31 or 51 x 34 inches. Add-ons include an extended trim plate, a 3-inch cast trim riser, a Micore hearth extension, an outside air kit, and wood or non-combustible mantel shelves.