Quality/durability of different makes of wood burning stoves.

[Stubby]

On 09/03/2024 at 12:42, Alycidon said:

Must have been a very old Charnwood,   are you getting ash build up on the left hand side of the glass or have they now redesigned them ?.

 

A

I have an early version of the Burley 5KW and I don't get an ash build up on the left hand side of the glass . Probably had it 10 years ? Some times get a " bloom " in the centre but it rubs off quite easily . 

[sandspider]

I have a more modern (6 years old maybe) 8kw Burley, the Brampton I think. I don't get much ash buildup on the glass, but the airwash isn't great and the glass blooms constantly. It can be cleaned, but eventually it will become permanently opaque. Also, the nut that holds the airflow control on works itself loose really quickly, so the air control doesn't stay where it should - I gave up retightening it and just rest the ash shovel on it!

 

Apart from those niggles, I love it - burns really well, very efficient, takes a decent sized log, hardly needs the ash cleaning out. 

[NJA]

On 07/03/2024 at 15:17, Alycidon said:

Sorry a bit late here.

 

I am a Charnwood major dealer so am perhaps a bit biased but in my opinion Charnwood are probably the world leaders in combustion technolgy at this time.    The bigger C series ( 6,7 and 8 ) and great stoves but most people dont have rooms large enough to allow them to work hard.   The smaller C4 and C5 are by far the more popular and I usually have 6 or 8 of each in stock at any one time.  

 

I have a Skye 7 live in my local showroom in Northants and live Aire 5 and live Haven in my Buckinghamshire one,  and my daughter has an Aire 7 in her home.      Usually for bigger stoves we sell Aire 7, Skye 7 or Island 2 as they have slightly larger glass areas although I did sell a C6 around Xmas time. 

  

I rebuilt a grate on a Charnwood boiler stove installed in 1984 a couple of summers ago,   all it has had done to it previously was a couple of door ropes,  38 years use for almost zero maintainence cost.  .    My Skye 7 in the showroom has now done around 7000 service hours,    the only part that required replacement was the baffle fire brick,  cost about £70 from memory,    cost of ownership with these stoves is very low as they are all well made in the UK from British made steel and cast iron.

 

Many of the cheap stoves  I see championed here would be nearing the end of their service life in 7 years.

 

Enjoy,

 

A

Thanks, yea we struggled to find any dealers who stocked anything bigger than C5, had to just order going off C5.  

They do seem really well built, should last a lifetime.  I'll give you a shout in 40 years for a rebuild!😅

We liked the combination of traditional with a slight modern twist, single door, single air control etc.

Once its hot we push air control in till it clicks (which isn't full way in) and room sits at about 20°c probably all day.  Too many people buy a stove thats too big, have the heating on as well and wonder why it soots up when they have it running on minimum!

Sorry I didn't realise you were a current Charnwood dealer would have given you a shout.  Probably too far away anyway.

[NJA]

19 hours ago, Stubby said:

I have an early version of the Burley 5KW and I don't get an ash build up on the left hand side of the glass . Probably had it 10 years ? Some times get a " bloom " in the centre but it rubs off quite easily . 

We looked at burley at west dean.  Nice stoves but no decent traditional design offering between 4kw and 11kw (no 8kw and the 5kw looks like a wine fridge we thought).

Probably more efficient than our Charnwood and look well built.

[sandspider]

My Brampton is 8kw nominal, though possibly 12kw max. It certainly pumps the heat out.

[NJA]

On 12/03/2024 at 10:57, sandspider said:

My Brampton is 8kw nominal, though possibly 12kw max. It certainly pumps the heat out.

Looked at that one, just too big for our room nice stove though