The best and worst aspects of a wood burning/multi fuel stove?

[BowlandStoves]

Looking over the forum there seems to be a lot of mixed opinions on many different matters regarding wood burning and multi fuel stove.

 

It would be interesting if you could list:-

 

Positive aspects of owning a stove

Negative aspects of owning a stove

[neiln]

Positives:

chainsaws are fun

axes are fun

fire is fun

heat is sooo comfy

heat is free

stove shifts air an dries the house loads

i get to feel smug using a sustainable fuel

the stove look good

processing wood keeps me fit

ash is good for the garden

 

negatives:

feeding small stoves every hour or so for 6 months of the year starts to drag.

stoves are expensive

saws are expensive

finding the CH has kicked in because i forgot/wasn't about to feed the stove

the fiancee is scared of the stove/won't feed it

fiancee doesn't like how much time i spend with the saw or axe

scrounging up wood can be obsessive...nowait...that's a positive!

dirt from the wood in the house

[daveatdave]

positive for me was burning the stuff I produced  from work it saved tip costs and kept me warm now I have retired  so not a lot of wood coming in

the negative is the wife she struggles to light it, complains its dirty, and says when I leave this earth she will get it taken out and replace with a gas fire

we have gas c/h  but forgets the time when the beast from the east was here we had a power cut for 4 hours and the stove kept us warm     

[Peasgood]

Biggest downside is the mess it makes. If you are a tidy person that enjoys cleaning it isn't a problem but if you are normal like me it makes a mess. Dust, ash, sawdust and soot.

Benefits outweigh the downsides as long as you are fit and able to cut and cart the wood. My Dad isn't (or doesn't want to any more) so he has ditched his.

[neiln]

dave has another good point, back up heat.  gas central heating still needs he electricity for the boiler to run and although i thought power cuts in built up areas like London were a thing from the 80s I had 2 or 3 last winter.  all short, 10-20 minutes, but it was nice to not be plunged into complete darkness as the stove's glow lit the room, and to know the house would be warm however long it lasted.

[BowlandStoves]

A lot of the people we speak to mention the "different" kind of heat a stove gives off - more deep seated and relaxing.

[neiln]

radiant heat feels different, feels like it is warming you more than the convective heat from radiators.

[BowlandStoves]

I totally agree @neiln

[Ashes_Firewood]

Only 1 negative - The log basket always seems to need filling up when it's raining!

Edited August 29, 2018 by Ashes_Firewood

[Stumpy Grinder]

Has anyone tried the cast iron potato baker thingies that you can get to go on top of the stove?

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=cast+iron+potato+cooker&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwju8c6zy5LdAhWMAcAKHTwnC5AQ_AUICygC&biw=1280&bih=878

I reckon it would smell lovely!

SG