There is no accounting for taste. To discover your preference, ask yourself the following questions:
- Do you like the look, sound, and smell of real burning wood? Then your choice should be a woodburning stove;
- Or are you more into sleek, modern designs, with a fire that you can control at the touch of a button? Then perhaps a gas or electric fire is a better choice. In short, decide which type suits your home and lifestyle.
What is your budget?
The cost of a fire or stove depends partly on the one-off purchase price and partly on the monthly running costs. The difference in purchase price depends on the quality of the appliance and the cost of installation:
- Are you opting for a freestanding stove? In which case the installation will probably be simple.
- Do you want a built-in fire or stove? This requires a more complex operation, usually involving the construction of a false chimneybreast sometimes incorporating an integral TV above the fire.
Not only do the purchase costs differ - so do the monthly running costs:
- Can you chop your own wood? Then a wood-burning stove is for you.
- Do you prefer a gas fire? Then you should know that the Eco Wave Flame, with its realistic fire effect, consumes less energy but still provides optimum warmth. Read all about the consumption and output of a gas fire or stove in our blog.
The amount you pay monthly is entirely dependent on energy consumption. Do you want a purely decorative fire or stove, or do you want it as a primary source of heat? The answer will determine your final choice.
How important to you is ease of use?
Everybody likes the look of real flames, but convenience is also an important factor. It takes longer and more effort to light a woodburning stove or fire than a gas or electric fire.
Gas and electric fires
With a gas or electric fire or stove, all you need is the touch of a button, and the flames will burn for as long as you want. You can also control the strength and height of the flames.
Going to bed? With one touch of a button, the fire is turned off. So, your fire or stove will perfectly align with your daily routine.
Woodburning stove
A wood stove takes more time and effort to light. You will need perfectly seasoned, dry wood, to light the fire yourself and to keep it burning. A wood stove is all about the experience. Gather and store the wood yourself, light it and keep adding logs to the fire. The time you spend on it is all part of the experience.
The difference in maintenance
Each type of stove requires different maintenance:
- There is more to maintaining a wood stove. Besides the removal of the ashes, you will need to have the chimney swept by a qualified chimney sweep regularly;
- An electric fire requires virtually no maintenance;
- A gas fire needs little maintenance, but there may be a need to replace components occasionally.