The Best Woodburners

The relaxation, blood pressure-lowering benefits of a wood burning stove have been well-documented. But what about the tiny sooty particles that they release into the air?

Fortunately, the latest stoves are designed with the EcoDesign directive in the back of your mind. This means you can enjoy a warm and cozy home without breaking your environmental obligations.

1. Ekol Edge

The Ekol Edge wood burner is simple in appearance but does not sacrifice performance. It is a great choice for those who live in smoke-controlled areas, as it has ClearSkies Level 5 certification. This means that it can be used to burn dry and seasoned wood logs as well as approved solid fuels. Its large heat output makes it an ideal option for larger rooms, and the generous glass firebox provides a stunning view of your flames.

It is made of modern steel, and therefore can be used in both traditional inglenooks as well as freestanding spaces. It comes with an air wash system which keeps the glass clean and helps prevent the accumulation of soot. The stove is extremely efficient, meaning it can transfer a significant amount of the heat generated into your home instead of being emitted up the chimney.

The criticism of wood burning stoves has grown, since it was discovered that they could contribute to the creation of microscopic sooty air particles known as PM2.5. These particles have been linked to heart and lung problems. Newer models that comply with the Eco design Regulations will be less likely to generate these sooty particles. These are only a small part of the total pollution created from burning fossil fuels, such as gas and coal, however there is no doubt that wood stoves are the main source of this pollution.

It is important to choose the correct wood for the stove in order to get the most efficient efficiency of heat and combustion. There are a myriad of portable wood fireplace that can be used for burning in your stove, including eucalyptus, hazel and beech. Eucalyptus is a great choice because it's fast-burning and offers a great deal of heat, but it needs to be well seasoned. Beech is also a good alternative, but it's hard to manage due to its thorns.

The Ekol Adept is designed to comply with the new regulations. It's cleared by ClearSkies and Defra, so you can use it so it is if you follow the guidelines. It's a heavy-duty burner that's built to last, with a robust construction and 10-Year body warranty, which is supported by its impressive heating performance.

2. Arada Holborn 5 Widescreen

Wood burning stoves are still popular despite the confusing guidelines that are thrown at the use of these stoves. Some groups have pushed for stricter regulations, and even a log burner ban. It's worth reading about our guide on stove pollution and regulations, prior to shopping for an all-fuel or log fire.

One company making an effort to keep the popularity of woodburners high is Arada Stoves, who have recently released a widescreen version of their renowned Holborn 5 Multifuel/Wood Burning stove. It's a DEFRA-approved, SIA 2022 Ecodesign Ready stove with a large door glass that gives you the best small wood burning stove flame view and an airwash system to prevent soot from accumulating.

With a maximum heat output of 4.9kW, this is a great stove for the majority of rooms. It's extremely simple to use and maintain. The curving lines and classical design make it suitable for both traditional and contemporary style. The flat back design ensures it can be inserted into smaller recesses. It's also very simple to set up a direct air system with this model to improve the efficiency of the system.

The stove also comes with an ash dump built-in that makes it simple to clear ashes and clean them up regularly. This helps reduce the risk of dust and odours escaping the room. There are two flue adaptors (standard or pre-fabricated) dependent on the chimney type you have, and it's equipped with a remote control.

While the debate rages on about whether or not woodburning stoves are beneficial to your health We can all agree that they provide a lovely ambience in our homes. But, it's important to keep in mind the impact of particulate matter as well as how burning wood burning stove for a shed or other forms of fuel can affect our indoor air quality and health. If you're installing a woodburner, it's recommended to shut the door when you are not working on the flame. It is also recommended to regularly clean the stove to ensure that the air as clean as it can be.

3. Go Eco 5kW Plus

It's enjoyable to watch the flames flicker and help lower blood pressure. There are some issues however, studies have revealed that older stoves can cause a lot of harm as they produce tiny particles of soot that end up in your breathing system. This has resulted in new regulations being put into place and new log burners have to be able to meet the highest standards. This helps to cut down on creosote leakage, smoke build-up and most importantly - harmful gases such as carbon monoxide.

New woodburners must meet the new safety standards. The Go Eco 5kW Plus is a multi-fuel stove that not only is in compliance, but even exceeds these new standards. The stove comes with a widescreen viewing glass that allows you to see the flames clearly. It is also kept clean thanks to the powerful air cleaning system. This stove has an impressive efficiency rating of 80. It is DEFRA exempt, which means it is able to be used in areas that are smoke-free. It is also SIA Ecodesign-ready. This means that it already meets the European emissions restrictions for wood stove for shed-burning stoves that will be in effect in 2022.

As if that weren't enough, this stove is supplied with an air venting kit for free making it much easier than ever before to set up. This is a sturdy stove made of high-quality steel. The finish is a classic matte black. It's easy to clean as the body has been coated with an enamel that wards off dirt.

The clearSkies label on this stove indicates that it has been independently tested and confirmed to be eco-friendly and efficient, this goes over the minimum requirements laid out by Ecodesign. It's one of the very few stoves we've reviewed that has the complete five-star clearSkies rating so you can be confident that this woodburner is as good as it gets.

4. Chilli Penguin Defrost

A spirited Welsh brand, Chilli Penguin has become a major player among wood burner brands with a unique style that is not to be missed. They specialize in small, do-it-all multi-fuel stoves that have gained an enviable reputation due to their low flue-draught requirements stove tops with hotplates, integrated ovens and a variety of features and sizes. This 4.7kW model is a great example of their brand focus and shows that they can deliver a superior product for a price that's not too high. This DEFRA-approved woodburner can be used for use in Smoke Control Areas, and is fully in compliance with the current emission limit of 5g/hr. It also has ClearSkies level five credentials. It is a great choice for those who are not sure where the directive is heading and want peace of mind that their fireplace will remain exempt from the smoke control regulations.