# Stove replacement (Force 10 or Tasco)



## MikeOReilly (Apr 12, 2010)

I'm replacing our defunct old propane stove. Have come down to either at Force 10 Euro Compact or a Tasco 750LP.

Any experience with either brands? Force 10 seems to be the market winner, but I've read mixed reviews. The Tasco looks good as well, but I can't find much written about them.

Anyone have real-world experiences with either, or both?


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## sailingfool (Apr 17, 2000)

I put a Tasco 750 into my CS ten years ago, and for the years I used it the stove worked quite well for me. I'd certainly buy another one, plus it was nice for an American to be able to drive to a local factory to pick up a locally made product. While you may not have that chance, its a long way to France.


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## TQA (Apr 4, 2009)

I am happy with my Force 10 4 burner with oven. It is in daily use 5 yrs +.

The only thing that has gone is the spark ignition system which is a known issue. I can fix it for a while but it goes again. Easier to use a handheld sparker.


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## MikeOReilly (Apr 12, 2010)

sailingfool said:


> I put a Tasco 750 into my CS ten years ago, and for the years I used it the stove worked quite well for me. I'd certainly buy another one, plus it was nice for an American to be able to drive to a local factory to pick up a locally made product. While you may not have that chance, its a long way to France.


Thanks sailingfool & TQA, much appreciate the comment. I like the look of the Tasco, but Force 10 seems to great as well. Perhaps it doesn't really matter.


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

We have the 3 burner F10 euro version.. the stove top is excellent, the ignitor ccts work well (for the most part) and the stove top is a dream to clean (no holes/drop zones)

The oven works well but is smallish, and finding pans and cookie trays that fit is a bit problematic but we're getting by. Important that whatever pan you use that it not 'fill' the space.. you need the room to distrubute heat evenly. Broiler works well too.

The only real issue we've had is that one burners' sparker switch is intermittent.. but we discovered at ALL the burners spark no matter which button you push, so if one button fails simply push another without turning the knob.


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## Tim R. (Mar 23, 2003)

After 16 years our Force 10 3 burner stove/oven is starting to give us issues. Force 10 support has been lousy at best. The stove is clearly out of warranty and I need to buy parts but they refuse to return my calls.


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## MikeOReilly (Apr 12, 2010)

Tim R. said:


> After 16 years our Force 10 3 burner stove/oven is starting to give us issues. Force 10 support has been lousy at best. The stove is clearly out of warranty and I need to buy parts but they refuse to return my calls.


That's not good. I know they were bought out in the last few years by a European company (ENO I think). I wonder if this has changed the company's practices.


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## Tim R. (Mar 23, 2003)

Possibly. The attitude of the guy I first spoke to just seemed like he did not want to help me. Then he assured me he would call back with the information I requested and he would also have anther guy call back but neither did.

This may have isolated but it cannot hurt for you to call and see what you think.


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## boatpoker (Jul 21, 2008)

16 years liveaboard use on a Force10 3-burner with oven, trouble free.


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## MikeOReilly (Apr 12, 2010)

boatpoker said:


> 16 years liveaboard use on a Force10 3-burner with oven, trouble free.


Thanks BP, most owners seem to have similar experiences with their Force 10 stoves.


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## Wombet (Feb 26, 2011)

We put a Force 10 into our previous boat and found it hard to fault. The oven came up to temp quickly and held it well, stove top easy to clean and just love the fold away door. 
Only really had two issues with it : one was the 2-prong chopstick style pot holders that only sort of worked on certain diameter pots (they've gone back to more conventional style in recent models) and second, the lack of a guard or cover over the ceramic griller (sorry, broiler!) element which made it vulnerable to knocks from knobs on casserole lids etc - one bump cracked it rendering it inoperative.
That being said if we could have swapped the Force 10 with the Smev in our current boat we wouldn't have hesitated. Alas it is too big for the space and while there's nothing inherently wrong with the Smev I do miss that fold away door!


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## MikeOReilly (Apr 12, 2010)

Thanks all. I settled on the Force-10 (Euro-compact model). I couldn't find any huge strokes against any of the possibilities (Force 10, Tasco or Dickinson). Most people seem happy with their choices; which is good. In the end, the Force 10 seems to have a few nice features (door, broiler), and looks to be the best fit for our small space.

Thanks to everyone for your help.


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

Wombet said:


> ........ and while there's nothing inherently wrong with the Smev I do miss that fold away door!


Don't forget the grill* my darling. Oh how I do miss the F10's toast.

* broiler.

btw ... Fast mentions the small size of the F10 and he's quite right but it's the fault of the broiler. While we found it oh so useful, it does take up quite a bit of space in the oven. Mind you for the two of us we found it adequate once we had chased down suitably sized cookware.

Once we get that new BBQ I've been droning on about all will be tickety boo.


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

MikeOReilly said:


> Thanks all. I settled on the Force-10 (Euro-compact model). ......


Thanks for getting back on this, Mike. I think you'll especially appreciate the flat, easy-to-clean cooktop.


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## rifabagus (Feb 28, 2014)

The only concern is that it seems to heat more slowly than the original. My wife tends to use the other burners for this reason.I don't mean this as a criticism as it may be another component in the range causing the problem. I would not hesitate to buy from the vendor again.


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## Cruiser2B (Jan 6, 2011)

MikeOReilly said:


> Thanks all. I settled on the Force-10 (Euro-compact model). I couldn't find any huge strokes against any of the possibilities (Force 10, Tasco or Dickinson). Most people seem happy with their choices; which is good. In the end, the Force 10 seems to have a few nice features (door, broiler), and looks to be the best fit for our small space.
> 
> Thanks to everyone for your help.


Thank you for starting this thread, I have been wondering about the differences in stoves too. I see you picked the F10, what was the deciding factor, price? I ask because I am in the market for a stove for my Alberg 30. I will be refitting the boat over the next year and am starting to gather the things I need. Wife and I plan on living aboard or else we would just use a gimbled counter top unit.

Thank you


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## MikeOReilly (Apr 12, 2010)

Cruiser2B said:


> Thank you for starting this thread, I have been wondering about the differences in stoves too. I see you picked the F10, what was the deciding factor, price? I ask because I am in the market for a stove for my Alberg 30. I will be refitting the boat over the next year and am starting to gather the things I need. Wife and I plan on living aboard or else we would just use a gimbled counter top unit.


Hi Cruiser2B, the tipping point on the decision mainly came down to the F10 have a few nice features (disappearing door, broiler), price (we got a good deal through Defender) and the balance of positive comments from people here on SN and the other forum I use. In addition, my wife just liked the look of the F10 more.

For me, it was actually a tough choice ... or rather, I suspect either would be fine. But I am very happy with the look and feel of our new stove. I wish I could tell you how it performs, but we're neck deep in snow, and suffering through the coldest winter in decades up here ... and that's saying something! The stove is still sitting in the boat cabin, awaiting installation. I can't even get to my boat right now, even if I had the gumption to work in sub-zero temperatures. But Spring has to come sometime ... right .

BTW, I've always liked Albergs. Had I found a suitable Alberg 37 I probably would have jumped at it. The Alberg 30 was one of the first boats I crawled around on that opened my eyes to the possibility of achieving freedom and simplicity using a sailboat. So congrats on a great boat.


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