Are Stovax Woodburners a load of rubbish?

[BowlandStoves]

We have sold a number of Stovax stoves over the years with minimal complaints from customers - indeed many customers have been very complimentary about them. There are now at least 8 different brands under the Stovax umbrella so there is literally something for all needs, boiler stoves, traditional style, contemporary style and low to high heat output (then we have gas and electric). I am not sure I would class Stovax as a budget brand - I would suggest pricing is mid to higher depending on the individual brand.

[Ratman]

Have a stovax stockton 5 midline fitted with smoke control kit, plenty of heat, no problems lighting it what so ever! Burns mega clean to the point it leaves practically no ash, takes ages for me to get a bed of ash built up at start of cold season.
My only criticism on the stove is that when you fully shut it down (close all vents) the stove still draws that little bit too much air (in my opinion) thats the smoke control kit not allowing you to shut it fully down tho, not a fault of stovax’s original stove design. If you could just get the air intake down slightly then you would get more burn time from your logs, which would make YOUR (the human) efficiency better, in the fact that you would use less wood. But for the STOVE to be at its peak efficiency for emissions then it requires that bit extra air intake, otherwise it would produce more smoke.
Same principals of an engine, not enough air and too much fuel = plenty of smoke out your pipe. Good amount of air plus good amount of fuel = nice clean pipe with no smoke [emoji108]
I find that people not understanding this concept and how the control of emissions through the stove works often ends up with them blaming the brand, in this case Stovax.
In short tho, i rate stovax and are a well known long established brand! [emoji106]

[BowlandStoves]

@ratman Stovax have been around for a long time and seem to know their target market very well. In the past they have perhaps been best known for their more "traditional" style stoves but now they also incorporate a number of contemporary designs. Maybe not as "in your face" as some brands but dependable stoves and fairly priced.

 

 

[Tanat Valley Firewood]

We have a large isolated but insulated farmhouse in the Welsh Boarders. We heat it with a Stovax Stockton 14 HP stove feeding a thermal store, supported by solar panels for summer hot water. It produces 15kw in to the water and 7 into the room, it runs continuously from August and we dry our clothes, heat or water and the house. It was around £2000 including a thermostat, although I suspect that they have gone up since then. 

We have been delighted with the stove and have no complaints at all. It has been in for 5 years and this year we are replacing the baffle at around £80. Works well for us, takes logs up to 28 inch. I am a firewood merchant so we burn the crap that we would not sell to others and the best stuff that others would not want to pay for, so best of both worlds. Good Luck

[BowlandStoves]

Hi @Tanat Valley Firewood

 

It does sound like you have the best of both worlds there lol

 

Interesting to see that the feedback in 2011 was not good at all for Stovax but the more recent feedback is much better. We have supplied many Stovax stoves over the years and had no complaints at all.

[JimP]

I can honestly say Stovax stoves are the worst. I have owned and used over 8 wood burners and the Stovax Stockton 11 has give us so much trouble, smoking every single time we want to reload it. The Stovax customer service was defensive and very unhelpful. I swear I will never buy a Stovax stove again. See the video below.

[JimP]

See the above video

Edited 17 hours ago by JimP
please delete, I didn't realise I had already responded.

[Muddy42]

I havn't used stovax, but have used three other 'eco design' stoves that have been utter s**** - hard to light and smokey. Ive posted on this topic here before.

 

The problem (as I see it) is that these stoves are designed to divert/restrict exhaust so it recirculates and re-burns the gases within the stove repeatedly. These is also less control of air going in.  These stoves need very exact operating conditions - airflow in the room, flue length/straightness/temperature.  They may work fine in a new airtight house (that is warm already) with a perfectly straight/lined and insulated flue, but conditions in older properties are much more variable.

 

Give me big old Charnwood or Clearview anyday.  These stoves have massive air intakes that can make them roar like a steam train on lighting.  Yes more heat goes up the chimney and you use more wood, but it doesn't smoke into the room.