Going to get a 5kw stove installed this summer. As a kid I had a little jotul in my bedroom(which I loved, we lived in the woods with burners being the only heat source) and our last place had a aarrow eco burn. I liked the aarrow for its multifuel simplicity and it stayed in quite well, anything else out there I should think about? A local dealer suggested a stovax but I’m not so keen on the looks. Multifuel not so much an issue as I have access to good wood. Any good suppliers out there worth a look at? Thanks.

We had a Morso installed. Think its an Owl… been excellent in that it burns stuff and keeps us warm when its cold. Nice design too.

I have a 5kw Clearview. It’s very easy to light, very controllable and the glass doesn’t go black. By far the best of the ones I looked at.

Scan Anderson. Must admit it’s our first but after much research very very pleased.

We have 2 Charnwoods – one is a Country 2 I think – and one a 4 – and I have to say very impressed. Mate has a Morso and less impressed.

Clearview looks great but probably a bit pricey. Morso squirrel looks good.

We have a morso squirrel . it looks ace from the front has an embossed squirrel on the side which you don’t notice on ours as its set back in the fire place but would annoy me if the side was in clear view.

most importantly for my law abiding wife it is clean burn so can be used in a smokeless zone.

it burns wood and heats the room and looks lovely when lit.

the glass gets blackened over about a week if i use poor wood but cleans off with a bit of cloth or tissue dampened and dipped in white ash

Had a Dunsley Yorkshire stove for five years, very happy with it.

I put in a Charnwood Cove 1. I can’t fault it. Plain looking, glass stays clean, very easy and effective air control, super easy to light. We even heat our kettle on the top.

The Part J building regs has changed a little and now it explicitly says (in a approximate and vague way) that you must have a “leaky” house or you’ll need permanently open airvent even for < 5KW stoves. You can still get away without for the small stoves, but your Building Inspector may take a view which is worth checking in advance.

I rather like the look of Chesney’s (esp the more modern styled Alpine, Milan and Hampstead lines).

Chesney’s

Morso Badger here it’s just an excellent Stove.

Stovax Brunel 2 here – brilliant bit of kit, and if loaded up with dense wood it’ll stay in overnight no bother. Put pine in there and it’ll burn out in about ten minutes, obviously.

All those stoves are o.k., but if you really want a good stove there is only one option…
http://www.stevedowling.co.uk/dowlingstoves/
They might not be cute and your partner might not like the aesthetics, but they are brilliant.

Morso Squirrel 5Kw clean burn here. a joy to use, appears to be efficient and looks the part. Pretty much what crankboy said too

We love our Stovax ‘stockton 4’ (4kW) as recommeded by a friend, so don’t discount just on looks.

We’ve had a Clearview Vision 500 in for 12 months and all through the last winter it has been fantastic (no heating on now, just light the stove in the evenings).

From all the threads/replies I’ve read on here, to be honest I think most people are happy with their stove and they all probably perform at much the same level.

One factor that some people do not take into account is how the stove is constructed – they used to be soley cast iron, but an increasing number are made of steel plate. The main difference between the two is that cast iron stoves can eventually start to leak at the seams due to continued expansion/contraction (this results in the stove requiring ‘rebuilding’ to close the gaps) while steel stoves are welded and thus do not get affected by repeated expansion/contraction.
Other differences between makes are probably looks, ease of control and after sales service.

I cannot comment on other makes but I bought our Clearview on eBay and refurbished it myself (simply cleaned, resprayed and installed new firebricks/door seal). When I phoned Clearview about the door handle that was a bit worn they sent a new one free of charge even though they knew I wasn’t the original owner.

The reason I went with Clearview is that I’ve heard so many good things about them from people I know and that if I wanted to sell it (which I wont) I’ll probably get my money back or better.

I’m sure the other stoves are great (I have mates with Morso and Charnwood) and whatever you get I’m sure you’ll be happy with it.
Just don’t get one from Machine Mart!

My squirell lasted about 20 years and was still going strong not really big enough to fit large logs or keep it burning all night easilt without serious damping [ reduced heat] sp not sufficient on its own fo rth ebitter months of winter but overall very god quality and will last alifetime
The boiler version has sloping boiler inside and reduces capacity even more and smoke escapes when you open it so a bit of a poor design

Little wenlock??

while steel stoves are welded and thus do not get affected by repeated expansion/contraction.

ye sthe warp instead and look crap – they are cheaper for a reason. Cast may need repairing [ mine did not in 20 years and was lit for 6 months of year without going out] but it cannot be warped. Steel will distort from the heat over time as it i swelded and still expands with heat the only issue is how much time it will take.

Another vote for Dunsley here, mine’s a Highlander.

ye sthe warp instead and look crap – they are cheaper for a reason.

Errr, Clearview certinly aint cheap and they don’t warp unless they’re hugely overheated (I wonder what temp would be required to warp 12mm steel plate?)

in that case nuclear temps I stand corrected – only seen thinner versions tbh

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/what-woodburner-smokeless-zone

More inspiration.

Have a look at faber stoves, Dutch I think, very modern looks, have a 9kw and it heats the whole place if I leave the doors open. Have been known to open windows to try and drop the temp

stovax are also sold as kensal stoves mainly through mole valley farmers in the sw and are cheaper.

I have Esse, “hand made in Britain since 1854” says the website.

Actually made in the town where I work.

Not cheap at £850 but nice quality, still on original fire bricks and door seals etc after 5 years use. Nice big window too, the door is almost full width of the stove so no probs getting big logs in. Might be a bit big for you at 8Kw but they do it in a 5Kw I think.

I bought a Jotul because with its “double combustion” system it’ll burn “resineux” (conifer with resin) efficiently without sooting up too fast.

Edit: we also cook on it.

We’re getting one installed next week.

Our fitter is recommending Morso so we’ll probably get a Badger.

He said they were about the best at that price. And he must know what he’s talking about as he’s Scandinavian. He can even say Jøtul properly.

I’ve got a Morso 04. Nice clean contemporary lines. Smokeless approved and multifuel.

Also Morso.

No idea what model but I like it – works well and lovely simple design.

crankboy – Member
We have a morso squirrel . it looks ace from the front has an embossed squirrel on the side which you don’t notice on ours as its set back in the fire place but would annoy me if the side was in clear view.

Morso do the Squirrel without the Squirrel on the side as an option.

Just out of interest how much do you spend on wood fuel per week?

Anyone got experience in fitting an external flue? We’re moving to a new build house and I really want to put a log burner in, but there’s no chimney 🙁

I get my wood for free, off to get some tomorrow that we cut last year and now need cut and split some more.

Wahey! Chainsaw day.

SprocketJockey – Member
Anyone got experience in fitting an external flue? We’re moving to a new build house and I really want to put a log burner in, but there’s no chimney

just fitting ours now, no chimney, double lined flue pipe. fairly easy to do as all the pipework slots together. the hardest thing is going to be cutting a 200mm hole in the wall to exit the flue out of the building. check the HETAS regs for distances, diameters etc 🙂

cheers… how’s it working out cost wise?

£400 ish for the woodburner
then am taking the flue out of the wall out of a single storie extension upto the desired height above the flat roof (1000mm i think)
all in all the pipework, elbows, brackets and other bits and bobs including the hearth slabs for the burner to stand on im running at £800 😯 ( you could buy a bike for that) i was quoted over £2000 to supply and install the pipework!

so all in all £1200 ish

Clearview pioneer 400 here, not cheap but kept us nice and toasty through the winter and on recent evenings adds a little cosy romance, likes well seasoned wood and will stay warm until breakfast … Anyone else tried burning bog oak in their stove?

as a heating engineer i literally take more out than i fit.. dont ‘cut’ out the hole for the fule, stitch drill it out ( just like dot to dot) should only take 30 mins max even with brick on both walls. make sure its properly supported outside and your away. nice and easy, enjoy.

http://pre65trials.blogspot.com/

we few we happy few

This is important advice from an experienced multi-fuel stove user: DO NOT allow the seller to talk you into buying too big a stove. If the stove is too big you will be burning it turned down and it will become sooted up and the glass will always be smokey. Get a smaller stove and burn it harder, the flames will be cleaner, your flue won’t soot up so fast and the glass will remain clear. For an average to large room something like a Dovre 500 is more than adequate.

The second piece of advice is that your wood storage and drying arrangements are as important as the stove and the flue. The wood MUST be completely dry; you can tell it’s dry because two pieces will ring if you bang them together.

Finally, find a good chimney sweep and make him your best friend. He will set up the flue for you and arrange a rodding port for the annual sweep. Don’t allow some rubbish stove retailer to talk you into a liner at £75 a metre if you’ve already got a good flue or a class 1 flue; your sweep is the best judge of that.

Don’t buy a stove from the very prominent retailer in Ramsbottom, Lancs. His bloke has some kind of mental issue and we caught him urinating into a box of Mrs Gti’s possessions.

^ Well, well, not something you read every day 😯

Box of shoes perchance?