What Multi fuel stove to buy? First time buyer - help please!

MonsterMonster

Woodwarm are very good stoves. Reasonably priced under the £1,000 bracket, more for the larger models.

Although a cheap stove, sub £500, might look okay from the outside check the build quality of the ash tray. On poor quality models these tend to be made of thin folded steel and are flimsy. Those of better quality stoves tend to be welded or at least made from folded sturdy sheet metal.

highrisklowreturn

"reasonably priced" - mine cost 370, now down to 320, and was superb before I disconnected it for a 80s parkray, still going strong after 3 years.

DarylJMoran

I myself am looking at buying a stove for the first time. My father in law recommended a clearview as he has three of them in his home and says they're the best thing he's ever bought. But they are a little too expensive for me as I am looking to buy 2. I have been looking at the Aga range most notably the Ludlow 6.5Kw multi fuel stove. Anyone had any experience with these at all? Thanks in advance.

samsamesggsandham

For a good all rounder take a look at Gallery Fireplaces. They do a good reliable range and have some nice 5kw choices like the Firefox5. This is a multi-fuel stove so you get the choice of wood and coal (and others) to burn.
We burn a mixture of coal and wood - The wood gives a nice flame but burns quicker - The coal is great and longer burning between top-ups so better to suited to those times when you are busy and cant keep your eye on the fire to see if you need to put another log in. Nothing more annoying when you turn your back and the fire is out!

When you have chosen make you will need to get a good chimney sweep and some good stove accessories.

Swipe

Probably the worst time of year to be buying a stove right now: installation + accessories prices sky high, installers rushed off their feet and more likely to cut corners to move on to the next job or come back in a timely fashion if you get snagging problems.

Chimney_Sweep_3

I see a fair few of the Aga stoves and dont think much of them, poor design parts expensive always look shabby quickly, only my opinion they are a reasonable price compared to a woodwarm or clearview. Charnwood C range nice choice bit cheaper.

Greenfires

Didn't Aga move most of their production to China a while back? I'd agree there are much better stoves out there. Aga seem to be relying somewhat on their old reputation and frequent ads in "Country Living" and similar glossy magazines...

A._Badger

Greenfires wrote: »

Didn't Aga move most of their production to China a while back? I'd agree there are much better stoves out there. Aga seem to be relying somewhat on their old reputation and frequent ads in "Country Living" and similar glossy magazines...

They certainly closed down the world famous Colebrookdale foundry and stopped production there, moving stove making to Ireland. Perhaps it has gone from there, too, now - nothing would surprise me.

I had a Colebrookdale stove once and the service from Aga was complete rubbish. As Greenfires says, there are better products on the market and as Chimney Sweep says, Charnwoood are a good choice - not silly money like the 'lifestyle' brands but well made, solid engineering from a British company. If I ever need to replace my current stove, they will be high up my shopping list, as will Esse.

Greenfires

I used to sweep an old Coalbrookdale stove in Lancaster. Absolute gem of a stove. No good at keeping the glass clean and probably not much to shout about in efficiency stakes either, but it was just so well made and the castings were as fine as you like. Even the ash pan door must have weighed about 20 kilos and was about an inch thick. Told them not to part with it, and if they did - to call me first!