FIND YOUR FIRE

How to Choose Your Stove

Navigating the world of wood burners can be confusing. Use our guide to understand fuel types, heat output, and styles before you book your survey.

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1. Choose Your Fuel Type

The first decision is what you want to burn. This dictates the internal design of the stove.

Wood Burning Only

Dedicated wood burners are designed to burn logs on a flat bed of ash. Air comes from above (airwash), keeping the glass clean and the fire dancing.

Best for: Maximum efficiency, beautiful flame patterns, and eco-conscious homeowners.

Multi-Fuel

Multi-fuel stoves have a raised grate and an ash pan, allowing air to circulate from below. This allows you to burn approved smokeless coal, peat, or wood.

Best for: Flexibility. Ideal if you want a fire that stays in overnight (using coal) or if you have limited wood storage.

2. Calculate Heat Output (KW)

Bigger is not always better. If you buy a stove that is too powerful, you will have to burn it at a low temperature, which causes soot build-up and blackens the glass. You need the right size.

The Calculation

Measure your room in metres (Length x Width x Height) and divide by 14.

The Average

Most standard UK living rooms require a 5kW stove. This provides ample heat without overheating the room.

Ventilation Rule

Stoves over 5kW usually require a permanent air vent in the wall. Stoves under 5kW generally do not.

3. Select Your Style

Freestanding

The classic choice. Sits on a hearth within a fireplace chamber or freestanding in the room. Available in traditional cast iron or modern steel curves.

Inset / Cassette

Designed to sit flush with the wall or chimney breast. Perfect for modern living rooms where floor space is at a premium. Offers a sleek, “window of fire” look.

Double Sided

Have a large open-plan space? A double-sided stove sits in the middle of a room (or dividing wall) and heats two areas simultaneously.

What is “EcoDesign Ready”?

All stoves we supply meet the 2022 EcoDesign regulations. They burn 70% cleaner than old open fires and are highly efficient.

Brands We Trust

We don’t supply cheap imports. We partner with established manufacturers who offer long warranties and readily available spare parts.

Charnwood

British made, exceptional build quality.

Contura

Scandinavian design, huge glass windows.

Stovax

A vast range of traditional and modern styles.

Clock

Award-winning British stoves.

Common Questions

Yes. You simply need to choose a DEFRA Exempt stove. Most of the stoves we supply (EcoDesign Ready) are approved for use in smoke control zones, meaning you can legally burn wood in Dundee, Arbroath, and Angus towns.

Neither is “better,” they are just different. Cast Iron is traditional, heavy, and retains heat for a long time after the fire goes out. Steel heats up faster and allows for more modern, sleek designs with larger glass windows.

We prefer to supply the stove to ensure it is compliant, compatible with your flue, and covered by warranty. However, if you have already purchased a stove, we can offer an “installation only” service subject to a site survey to check the stove’s suitability.