How Much Should a Stove Cost?

When it comes to picking the right stove for your home, it’s not advisable to simply choose the one you think looks the nicest. In fact, there are many elements to consider, from fuel type and heat output to the flue, hearth and how it’s installed.

So, here are your key options and a rough guideline for how much you’re likely to pay overall for your ideal appliance.

Read more: Stoves and Fireplaces for Every Look

Stove Fuel Options

Your stove will be set up to function alongside a certain type of fuel, and the different parts needed cause variations in price. Thinking ahead, bear in mind that the availability and cost of fuel will affect how much you’ll spend on running your heating appliance in the long term.

“Woodburners are usually less expensive to manufacture than stoves that burn coal or other mineral fuels because the latter usually has an additional grate (to allow air to circulate from below the fire) and an ash pan,” says Mark Blewitt from Esse.

Find heating products and suppliers in the Build It Directory 

Expect to pay from around £500 for a good quality 4kW woodburning stove, but as with all appliances, prices vary dramatically depending on style, features and output. Timber is generally an affordable and readily available fuel, especially if you have a local supply.

Top Tips: Stoves for a smoke control area Michael Coke from Stovax says: You should only use wood to fuel a woodburner. It is okay to burn wood in a smoke control zone, as long as the stove you are using is DEFRA exempt. A multi-fuel stove gives you the option to burn alternative smokeless fuels, which is particularly useful if you live in a smoke control area. Some dedicated woodburning stoves can be fitted with a kit to enable the combustion of different types of smokeless fuel. Learn more: How to Choose a Woodburning Stove

Multifuel units have all the tech of a woodburner, along with the parts and features needed to burn other fuels (including anthracite, briquettes and smokeless products), meaning they are likely to be priced higher (from approximately £600). Their setup means they offer the convenience of being able to switch to whatever the cheapest fuel is at any one time.

Electric stoves generally work on a lower heat output (1kW-2kW) and are therefore a cheaper option, starting from as little as £300. They are simply plugged into your home’s mains supply, meaning no flue. But bear in mind that mains electricity is an expensive commodity and energy prices are likely to rise in the future.

Available flued or flueless, gas units are one of the more expensive stove types, but often benefit from the cheapest fuel price per kW of heat produced. You can get a good quality gas stove from around £750.

Stove Design and Materials

Cast iron offers a traditional look and therefore remains a popular choice, but many modern stoves are constructed using welded steel plate.

“Cast iron units usually cost more to produce so can be priced higher; but there are designs made from a combination of materials,” says Ariana Hardison-Moschopoulou from Stovax. So it’s possible to get a heritage aesthetic at a more affordable price.

The post How Much Should a Stove Cost? appeared first on Build It.

Article reference How Much Should a Stove Cost?