Log burning stoves. Ever regretted yours?

[GalaxyInMyPants]

Our gas fire packed up last winter and I told dh I wanted a log burning stove. He wasnt keen. Was worried about the hassle, mess, dust, etc. he's had a real fire before and says I'll soon get bored of clearing the grate, etc.

We still haven't replaced it. Dh has now come round to the idea. So much so that he's on about getting a bigger one and somehow connecting it up to the central heating system to heat the radiators. Just as an extra.....will still keep normal boiler. He reckons it could save heating bills. I think this sounds like it will be more expensive initally for little benefit.

I've also seen some gas fires which look like very realistic log burners and am wondering if the advantage of flicking a switch beats the crackle of a log burner?

So; gas fire, normal log burner or central heating log burner???

We have a multifuel stove and I only regret that we didn't go for a straight woodburner as our firebox is small as a consequence. We love ours, get a few ton of wood delivered each summer for about £150 and it lasts all winter. Except the last one when we had no central heating for a bit and the French windows had been replaced by a sheet of ply. Thanks mr builder. Then we got through quite a bit more. We have a very open plan downstairs and our 7.5kw heats most of it when it's going. What we find us that having it on all day or at least every evening in the winter builds up a sort of thermal store in the house and the whole house feels warmer. It looks lovely straight away, but it does take a while to heat the place up. It's a very cold house though.

meant to say ours cost £2K in total, including knocking through the chimney breast, making a hearth etc. Well worth it

We have a multifuel stove and I only regret that we didn't go for a straight woodburner as our firebox is small as a consequence. We love ours, get a few ton of wood delivered each summer for about £150 and it lasts all winter. Except the last one when we had no central heating for a bit and the French windows had been replaced by a sheet of ply. Thanks mr builder. Then we got through quite a bit more. We have a very open plan downstairs and our 7.5kw heats most of it when it's going. What we find us that having it on all day or at least every evening in the winter builds up a sort of thermal store in the house and the whole house feels warmer. It looks lovely straight away, but it does take a while to heat the place up. It's a very cold house though.

I didnt know that multi fuels have a smaller firebox. The one I've seen which I like best is a multi fuel. Though I'm not planning to use coal.

Its this one. Comes in a double or a single door.

Would it be better to get a straight wood burner then? I don't mind the extra cost, but don't want to be annoyed by a small box!

I don't like all the stoves with silver or brass door handles. I want something which is black all over which is limiting me. It must have 4 legs and a flat top.

no need for glass cleaner - one piece of damp kitchen roll and some ash. Or a used washing up sponge (NOT a brillo pad!)

Just seen this pic and I love the log store idea.

Multi fuel is handy as I have found a little coal put on last thing at night keeps the stove ticking over. In the morning I put on a couple of bits of kindling and a log and the fires away again. Keeps going like this for days!! It tricky to keep wood going overnight.

I miss my log burner.

I was definitely a lot calmer back then ( I'm sure it is because I could take out any bad moods whilst log chopping!! I got surprisingly good at splitting logs! )

Mine did link in to the central heating and was awesome - I had a multi fuel grate and had a bed of coal, topped with logs and never let the burner go out. My house was unbelievably toasty warm, even in the darkest depths of winter and the bathroom went from being an icebox to positively tropical after I installed the burner! Coal and log combo was a lot cheaper than just logs. It ate logs.

I'm going to fit one in this house too next month. (Mainly because we had a long spell of no power last winter with all the storms, as they couldn't find where the pole had come down to fix it - very rural here! - and we had no hot water, no heat, no lights - couldn't even make a cup of tea )

If you like plain ones, look at morso. And check if you're in a smoke free are because you'll need a defra approved one if you are. And I would get a multi fuel as coal stays warmer longer

I saw a morso one I liked but it had a squirrel on the side which I didnt like. Will find out about the smoke free thingy.

They don't all have squirrels on - I'd love a squirrel on mine though!

Mine's a firefox.

I have a morso panther, look at my profile pics...very plain with a large firebox. It is another member of the family

Oh, that looks lovely. Mine's smaller and has one door. It does the job though.

Have fallen in love with this Dovre one here

But its 7kw output which I'm worried would be too much for a 13ftx14ft room. I don't want to be sat in my undies all winter. Plus the bloke today said over 5kw I'd need my hearth reinforced or something, and special air bricks. Sounds like hassle.

But I love the fire. They do a smaller kw one but I don't like the shape.

This is mine.

I think you'd be boiling with a stove that big in a room that size unless it's a very cold house

LadySybil. Yours is nice. I can't decide if I want a traditional one or a sleek, modern one.

Have decided I don't like the morso, even the squirrel free version.

No, house isn't overly cold at all.

Have a think. Mine's perfect for boiling the kettle (it's a metal one which goes on the cooker, not an electric one) and for heating soup/the coffee pot. You can't really do these with a curved top one.

That's true.

Look at morso and charnwood. Morso can have plain sides if you don't like the squirell.

I love ours. It's in the dining kitchen and I find the whole family would rather sit in there with books/radio than in the sitting room where the TV is... and we've got teens!

That said, I am thinking of investing in one for the sitting room too...

The house is so well insulated that we only have the heating on for two hours, morning and evening and the temp stays pretty constant, but the burner just makes that room extra cosy.

We have that one LadySybil bloody love it. Not expensive but it was recommended by the independent fitter.

That Dovre stove looks like an old fashioned tv to me .