I've heard many positive things regarding Pyroclassic models: highly efficient, low emissions, can operate with a wetback and can be used for cooking (so an ideal civil emergency device!), and most importantly comes in a range of cool colours.

That said, I see on Ecan's website there are a number of "ultra-low emission" wood burners available now, which on the key stats front out-perform the Pyroclassic IV.

What's the reason for your question?

Yunca.  Built well, burn well.  Great to deal with.  Easy to get parts.

Kent. Don't know about their new stuff, but we have 2 of their early models with wetbacks (actually wetsides) installed.
One's been burning - 5 months a year - since 1986. The other since 1990. Often the cast outlet and lower flue's cherry red.
We purchased a third one on trademe - for parts, but so far we've just burnt baffles and a couple of sets of flues out.
Minor erosion in the fireboxes but nothing that'll require replacement for a long time yet.

Not clean air approved but reasonably efficient the way they came - though we've modified the baffling a bit.
Load them up each night, shut the vent down, flick it open again in the morning and whoosh. Same again when the Kids get home from school.
With the fires over winter and our small solar panels in summer we rarely have the electric element kick on in the tanks.
And - most importantly - Glass doors - must be able to see the fire!

Unless you can get free or real cheap wood I wouldn't bother these days..   Buy an aircon instead..

I assume Pellet fires don't make the list, but we like our natures flame one, though the pellets have jumped in price from the $6 we paid year one. Very convenient.

We've had Metro and Jayline. Happy with both.

Liked the Metro, as we could cook on it if needed.

i would only buy one off the approved Govt list in case your council makes it a by law to do so. In Rotorua to install or use a wood fire it has to be on the approved list if it isnt you cant sell your house until it's removed.

neb: How do those, which all seem to be variations on the conventional design, compare with newer, less traditional designs like a rocket mass heater? They're always touted as being much more efficient than generic standard stoves, but I've never seen a rigorous comparison between best-of-breed standard vs. non-traditional newer designs. By "comparison" I mean actual measured figures, not anecdotal stuff. Everyone who knows about them also "knows" that they're much more efficient than standard stoves, but like high-end audio it's all done without the benefit of taking any actual measurements.

The Pyroclassic isn't a "conventional" design, but it's certainly far from a new design. I understand it's based on research many years ago by an NZ Govt agency. Interestingly, the Consumer test of this shows poor results with a measured output of only 4kW, but user feedback on that site is that the testing methodology doesn't provide  an accurate measure, given the unconventional design.

We have this one

http://westcityheating.co.nz/product/bosca-firepoint-380-wood-fire/

http://www.bosca.co.nz/wood-fires/limit-380/ 

Small footprint with high efficiency.

We put it in the winter just been and it has been great.  We also have a heat pump and it just wasn't quite enough to make the house toasty. (5.8kw for a 90sqm house open plan).

With the fire place we can open all the internal doors and warm the whole house.  We can open the windows and dry clothes and the house is still warm.  No condensation on the windows and everything just felt dryer.  

The fire place was around $2000 including hearth and flue with instillation was $1000 including consents.

Best thing we did to the house. 

We have an Ethos Ares (insert), we love it but FYI the fire box is maybe a bit smaller than others.

Since I cut almost all my own wood it doesn't affect me much, only when friends donate logs I usually have to cut them in half

old3eyes:

 

Unless you can get free or real cheap wood I wouldn't bother these days..   Buy an aircon instead..

 

I don't really agree. I was consistently getting $400-$500 month power bills over winter because my house was freezing and the large mitsubishi heatpump could barely heat the lounge, let alone the rest of the house.

On August 6 I installed a Masport Mystique ultra low emission log burner - this was the same day I got a $480 bill for the previous month. On that day I completely stopped using the heatpump, and since then my power bill has dropped to a little over $100/month, every month. I generally let the fire roar for about 2 hours and the house remains warm through to the morning. If anything it's too hot in the lounge, but I am hoping my heat transfer kit will solve this once I get around to installing it.

During August and September (and much of October) I was lighting the fire every night. I have used it maybe 3 or 4 times in November. I have spent $50 in total on wood since August, and that came from a mainstream firewood merchant. I buy their timber offcuts which are $25 for 1/2 a cubic metre (basically a car bootload). I have enough wood left for maybe one more fire, but probably won't need it now until next year. I assume offcuts are available from a lot of firewood stores but I'm not sure.

Admittedly I did re-insulate my lounge's cathedral ceiling at the same time as getting the log burner installed, so the log burner cannot take all the credit. With the new insulation I may have seen a reduction in heat pump running costs anyway. But I am extremely impressed with the log burner's performance all the same.

Another vote for Yunca.  We've had a Yunca Wegj in our present house for ten years, love it.  A neighbour bought one on our recommendation and loves his.  Ours has a wetback driving two radiators at the opposite end of the house and still throws plenty of heat into our cavernous lounge/dining room. 

Got a Yunca Monte in the holiday house in Arrowtown and it heats the house ridiculously well even when its -10.