Quality/durability of different makes of wood burning stoves.

[Bogieman]

I’ll give my vote to Charnwood.

My CW50ib is now 33 years old and apart from a replacement throat plate every 3 years or so and an annual renewal of the stove ropes it has never needed any spare parts, not even firebars. It burns approximately 8 hours per day for around 9 months of the year (this is NE Scotland!) and supplies ample domestic hot water as well as heating 7 or 8 radiators.

As a boiler stove, this model is no longer in production but the company certainly is, and in the unlikely event of ever needing a replacement they would be top of my list.

[Stubby]

Burley for me .

[GarethM]

Go to an actual shop, don't buy online if you can avoid it. Everyone will have a bias but the shop, installer and sweep will have volume and experience on their side.

 

Plus they're the ones you'll be moaning to if/when it needs maintenance.

[Mik the Miller]

I bought a Stovax to replace my old cast-iron stove It was a mistake.

Stovax look nice, they have a big window so you can see the firebox etc but they push smoke into the room as soon as you open the door.

The ropes/seals are made from flimmsium, the firebrick too is soft and fragile.

I ordered a new set of bricks last May and they are still not available.

Customer service is pityfull.

The cast iron top sits on the steel firebox, it isn't fastened by anything other than gravity.

An expensive (to buy) stove made with cheap low cost materials.

Awful, awful awful.

 

[spudulike]

7 minutes ago, Mik the Miller said:

I ordered a new set of bricks last May and they are still not available.

Customer service is pityfull.

 

 

Measure each block and order off one of the eBay suppliers. If the block is oversize, just trim it down with a wood saw, pretty easy stuff to work with 

We have had a couple of Stovax stoves and they aren't as bad as this. The Riva was pretty good, the current one is OK so far

[Jase hutch]

Morso for us  , we have a Morso Badger and an 04.

[difflock]

Old Morso, yes,

newer ones since they closed their own foundary in Denmark,

and for cost driven reasons started "buying in" the CI components(from the old E Germany)

not so much.

Since our 2 No. 1997 vintage Morso stoves that were each, and 1 in particular, stupidly overfired and abused by an unsober me for a good number of years are still mechanically perfect.

But the one we bought about 5 years ago and that has never been overfired or abused, has an easily visible crack in the CI top plate, between the flue and centre front.

Which crack occurred relatively soon after purchase.

This poor quality CI issue may well have been resolved since our experience.

I also admired and rate Astroflamm from Austria, since they appeared to be very well constructed.

[trigger_andy]

On 27/10/2023 at 21:55, cessna said:

We are considering installing a wood burning stove to replace  our open fire.  So if you have used a wood burning stove on a daily basis  (not just weekends)  for your main source of heat for heating your cottage/house over many years , I would be interested to know what make of stoves have stood the test of time.What metal are they made out of, I ask as I have heard that some makes of wood burning stoves "buckle over time" as they are made of poor quality materials. Not fussed what country the stove is  made in , I just want a really well made durable stove,which I know will come at a high price !!!

Thanks in advance for any,to the point info /advice.  

     

I burn over 30m3 bags of firewood a year, almost 50/50 split between my living room stove which is an Aarrow (Arada)Ecoburn 11 and my Esse Ironheart. They’re both on almost all the time all year long. Only the Livingroom stove gets a rest in the height of Summer. 
 

Over the last 5 years I’ve only ever had to change out Fire Bricks twice and a set of Rope Seals on Both. 

[trigger_andy]

On 27/10/2023 at 22:17, Muddy42 said:

I like Clearviews, they are strong and look nice. Personally I have had bad experiences with modern ‘eco design’ stoves in old houses. These are designed to burn well at full pelt in perfect laboratory conditions NOT old houses with long/windy flues. I have one and its pants - hard to light and smokes back into the room. My clearview with an identical flues (same stack) lights easily and draws like a steam train.

I’m in a Sandstone Farmhouse from 1880 and don’t have any of the issues you’re having. Both my stoves are modern Eco designs. 

[Steven P]

Mine is a fireline, but I suspect there is a potential to list a lot of manufacturers. Looked at most of the above, and came to the conclusion that the £750+ market (10 years ago) were all going to be reasonable. Stove +  installation, liner and so on, I can't remember what each part cost but in total about £2500.

 

Over the time I replace the firebricks every couple of years (Make my own from a castible refractory, but you can cut them yourself from a sheet of vermiculite as a bit cheaper, or buy aftermarket ones (the stove manufacturers bricks are nothing special apart from price), a new window, like above when door was shut enthusiastically onto a log, 1 new door seal rope (needs another now), and a new grate (ours is multifuel, pet-coke ate it away). Running costs apart from fuel I would say about £100 a year (parts and annual sweep).

 

When we replace it I am going for one that sits out into the room more instead of fully in the chimney breast, so a chimney further back or an angled piece, I believe this will deliver more heat into the room. (It will extend maybe 6" into the room)