Traditional
If you’re looking for a quintessential log burner or multi-fuel stove for your period home, Stovax has a wide range of classic designs, all combined with thoroughly modern, efficient heating capabilities. The Brunel has an apt, industrial feel, whilst the Stockton cooking stove has a durable, polished cooktop with the bonus of providing heating and cooking capabilities – perfect for a kitchen or dining room space for a modern, rustic feel.
Modern
If your home is more sleek and simple than period country cottage, there is a woodburner for you. British woodburning stove company, Charnwood – based on the Isle of Wight – builds its own highly efficient, beautifully modern stoves here in the UK. The tall, Cove model stove offers a curved, portrait window of the flames, while the Tor style on its elegant stand gives an elevated, three-sided view of your roaring fire.
Small space
If you’d love the look and feel of a real fire but don’t have much space, or a traditional recessed fireplace, never fear. The Varde Bornholm stove has a slim profile, so it doesn’t take up precious space, while the Stovax Vogue stove can be wall-mounted, to visually free up floor space.
Statement
If you’re looking for a stove with both style and substance, the Agorafocus is guaranteed to steal the show. Ceiling hung, the spherical fire gives 360-degree views of the flames and optimal heat throw. The Invicta Pow-Wow woodburner is another show-stopper – with its tepee style window and elegant tripod legs, it can stand proud in the centre of any room.
Inset
Inset stoves are a great option if you want a sleek, minimal look. Set flush into the wall, they provide a mesmerising picture-window into your roaring fire. The Uniq stove is a Danish design with a large window and sleek, chrome detailing; while the Paris side inset woodburning stove cleverly wraps around a corner, giving a wide-angle viewpoint of your embers.
Wood Pellet
The latest in modern wood burner technology, a ‘wood pellet’ burner does as the name suggests: it burns small compressed pellets, made from the leftovers of wood processing, making them cheaper than logs as a fuel source. Taking the mess and fuss out of wood burning, you can light them with a flick of a switch, while many come with thermostatic and programmable options, too.
They’re also an environmentally friendly option, using a sustainable heat source and producing a neutral carbon dioxide emissions level. The cons however are, as with many new technologies, the costs are considerably higher than a standard woodburning stove, starting at around the £5,000 mark; however there are government grants available to help towards installation costs. Space could also be a factor, as storing of wood pellets takes up a large volume (up to 200 cubic feet). Many lack the style of a classic wood burner, however the Duroflame range has the look and feel of log burners, with the technology of a wood-pellet stove.
Boiler stoves
‘High Output Boiler’ stoves are designed to not only warm a room and provide an atmospheric focal point, but also to supply, or supplement your domestic hot water and central heating, too. One woodburner can heat up to 19 radiators, making a great alternative to fossil fuels, or for those looking for a back-up option in rural areas.
Top tips for when choosing your stove
1. Consult a professional to ensure you have the right flue and external venting location for your burner and that it meets all building regulations.
2. Use a stove calculator to work out the kW output of stove you need for the size of your room. There are many other factors to take into consideration: other heat sources, insulation, window size; be guided by your stove provider.
3. Think about your colour scheme. Woodburners don’t have to be black! There are now many coloured enamel options on the market, from pale neutrals to lighten rooms, to bold brights to make a stylish statement.
4. Do you know if you live in a smoke-controlled zone? Some towns and cities have a smoke-controlled zone, in which case you will need to get a DEFRA-exempt stove or only burn smokeless materials.
5. Consider storage. If you are using your woodburner as a regular heat source, or investing in a pellet burner you will need to factor in adequate space for storing logs or wood pellets somewhere dry, yet close enough to the house for you to access easily when you need to re-fuel.
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