WES Blog

Tax free holiday is approaching in Massachusetts. On the weekend of August 13th and 14th Massachusetts sales tax will be put on hold. So if you have been thinking about buying a new grill, or contemplating your home heating options for the winter, this tax free weekend will be the time to buy.

But you don’t have to wait for tax free weekend! Do your shopping now. Come on in to West Sport and take a look at our inventory. Ask some questions, see what interests you, and pick out a new wood burning or gas stove.

Have you always wanted a fireplace in the living room, but don’t have a chimney? No problem. We can find a fireplace to fit your décor in any room of your home and install it too. You don’t have a chimney, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a fireplace.

If you have been thinking about adding gas logs and custom glass fireplace doors to your existing fireplace, let us show you your options. Gas logs make a fireplace easy to use, and custom glass fireplace doors make your fireplace even more beautiful. At the flick of a switch, you can have a realistic fire burning in your family room.

Avoid the tax free holiday rush, and come on it to look at our spectacular lines of stoves, inserts, fireplaces and grills. You pay enough taxes; take advantage of the Massachusetts tax free holiday.

Even though it is warm there is still interest in wood stoves. I guess here in Metro-West Massachusetts we still haven’t really recovered from the winter. Alternative or supplemental heating for the winter is still on a lot of people’s minds.
In fact a report by a nonprofit group Alliance for Green Heat shows that wood heating dominates the residential renewable energy market, even with virtually no government subsidies to support it.

At the Fireplace and Grill Shop at West Sport, we have been fielding quite a few questions about wood heat. There are many styles and sizes of wood burning stoves and inserts.  Options that can fit in any style home, from rustic to contemporary and that can either heat the whole home or can heat a few rooms.

A wood burning fire offers you increased heating efficiency as well as ambiance. We offer a wide variety of wood burning stoves at West Sport, and we take care of the installation as well. With brands like Hearthstone and Napoleon, no one knows more about wood burning technology in the Metro West area than the professionals at West Sport. Many of our wood burning stoves and inserts are the cleanest, most efficient wood burning stoves on the market. They meet or beat EPA standards and wood has a much higher BTU capacity than gas, as well as being a renewable resource.

A wood stove is one of the most romantic and efficient ways to heat your home, providing a beautiful focal point in any room. If you have some questions about wood as a means to help heat your home this winter, contact us at West Sport.

Backyard grilling is an American pastime. Choosing which grill to buy can be a challenge, and it is true: you get what you pay for.

Today’s most popular and versatile gas grills have lights, accessories, side burners and different fuel options: gas, propane and charcoal. Stainless-steel grills are also the most popular.

But buyer beware. Stainless steel is a process not a product. Many grills look alike when they are new, but over time, and not that much time, it is very obvious which is the better grill. So shop with a magnet because actual stainless steel isn’t magnetic. If your magnet sticks to the grill, keep on shopping.

High end outdoor grills

Grill technology makes a difference whether you’re looking for a backyard grill for minimal grilling or a professional-grade gas grill.

When you are talking about high grill temperatures, good materials are essential. That’s why better grills cost more, $600-$1500. Higher heat means better cooking, grilling, searing and more consistent temperatures, but it also means the grill needs to be built better. In high end outdoor grills, customers will begin to find American-made products. There is a resurgence in American-made grill products. American consumers are growing more wary of manufacturing and quality-control standards.

The costlier the grill, the more it has to offer. When you start looking at grills around the $2,000 range, they are even better, heavier and hotter, around 1,000-degrees. These grills will often last 20 years or more, and customers that buy these grills love their grill. Food tastes better when it is cooked on more expensive grills.

There is a definite difference in the flavor and juiciness of the food; and if you are building a built-in grill, you must consider higher end grills. In Massachusetts we have seen an increase in outdoor entertainment areas and built-in grills are back. Many homeowners in the Metrowest area are putting in full-size outdoor kitchens. The best grill for an outdoor kitchen is based on your needs, how often you grill, and what you grill.