The best wood burner for every setting – from cosy cottage to modern home

• Growing numbers of people are turning to wood burners as energy bills rocket
• The stove industry says wood burners can cost around 75% less than electricity

As the cost-of-living continues to soar and energy bills show no sign of falling soon, many could be forgiven for trying to find cheaper ways of heating their homes.

Growing numbers of people are turning to wood burners as an alternative way of keeping warm, despite warnings from environmentalists over particulates and pollution they cause.

Advocates for the stoves claim when using the right wood it can cost less than half the price to heat your home than central heating, and newer models are more environmentally friendly than a traditional open fire.

According to the Stove Industry Alliance (SIA), using a wood stove can cost 74 per cent less than electricity and 21 per cent lower than gas when used.

But for those of us who have never had a wood burner, it can be difficult to know where to begin when looking into buying one, with size, design and cost all important.

More and more people are buying wood burners to heat their homes amid the cost-of-living crisis

Members of the industry claim it can be nearly 75 per cent cheaper to heat your home with a wood burner compared to electric central heating

Soaring energy prices, which have given oil companies record profits, have left many homes and businesses in Britain struggling with the cost of staying warm this winter.

Wood-burning stove could leave you with a £300 penalty or criminal record under new regulations – READ MORE HERE 

Ofgem’s energy price cap for the average family home has risen to £4,279, and despite the Government’s Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) keeping prices to around £2,500 a year, many are still feeling the pinch.

With the likes of Martin Lewis have suggested using electric clothes and sitting in your sleeping bag at home to keep temperatures up, some are going back to the tried and tested method of burning wood. 

There are dozens of wood burning stoves on the market for people who want to try something different.

These can cost from as little as £600 to more than 10 times that price, although installation can bring these costs up further.

When looking at wood stoves, it’s important to get the right size as if you have to use it too much to keep the room warm you could damage it, and if it’s too big there could be issues with not using it often enough.

According to ExpertReviews, you should determine the volume of your room (by multiplying the width by the length and then by the height) and dividing the answer by 14. 

This will give you the number of kW your wood burner should be giving out to heat your room appropriately.

When burning it is important to use dry or seasoned wood, rather than wet wood. The latter contains moisture, meaning it takes longer to burn and it more inefficient, as well as releasing a lot more smoke and pollution.

You should be mindful of the type of wood you are burning when using your stove, with dry or seasoned wood the best

In recent years the Government has tried to crack down on pollution associated with wood burners, with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) claiming emissions from these make up 38 per cent of UK air pollution, a figure the SIA disputes.

New rules have meant that from last year new stoves sold in the UK have to meet Ecodesign regulations by becoming more efficient and limiting emissions.

And some people face being fined £300 and given a criminal record as local authorities enforce smoke control rules, meaning households have to limit the amount of smoke released from their chimney and can only burn specific types of fuel.

But some have called for a complete ban due to the amount of particulates these new stoves will still release when used, something the Government says it is not planning to do.

In the meantime, while wood burners are available, these are some of the best on the market for potential owners: 

Best option for a budget – Esse One

The Esse One is one of the best options for potential buyers who are on a tight budget when looking for a wood burner

This stylish wood burning stove is one of the best around and is on the cheaper end of the scale, available from some retailers for £525.

It puts out 5kW of heat at an efficiency of 82 per cent, making it ideal for those looking for wanting heat that won’t break the bank.

On its website Esse says the stove will ‘make easy work of keeping your living space cosily warm in a clean and environmentally responsible manner’.

Best for small homes – Stovax County 3

The Stovax County 3 is among the best value stoves out there, packing a remarkable amount of heat in a relatively small body

While slightly less powerful than some competitors (it puts out 4.8kW), this burner has the advantage of being much more compact.

Stovax says it has a ‘compact rustic exterior designed to suit both traditional and modern interiors’, and at less than 30cm deep, it can certainly squeeze into those smaller spaces.

The stove, which can be bought from £789, also comes as a multi-fuel burner, meaning it can be used with wood or with mineral fuel for those living in Smoke Control Areas.  

Best for larger rooms – Charnwood Cove 3

The Charnwood Cove 3 puts out 12kW of heat and can release up to 16kW in the right circumstances

Putting out a sweltering 12kW of heat, and capable of up to 16kW, this stove is one of the best around for those with bigger rooms.

With big heat comes a big body and an even bigger price tag – this device is almost twice as big as the some other wood burners and will set you back £3,346.

But if you want something powerful to keep you warm in the winter, this could easily do the job, with Charnwood calling it ‘ideally suited to a larger room, hall or open plan area’.

Best traditional burner – Arada Holborn 7

The Arada Holborn 7 is an almost textbook version of what many people would think a stove would look like

When you conjure up an image of a wood burning stove in your head, the chances are it will look almost exactly like this.

This medium-priced stove – it can be bought for around £1,500 –  pumps out 7kW of heat while burning, with the device itself showing off a classical style that comes with a lifetime guarantee from its manufacturer.

Devon-based Arada says it features ‘the latest and best new Arada heating technology that combines a traditional stove appearance with credentials’.

Best modern burner – Morsoe 6140

The Morsoe 6140 is designed to give a more modern feel compared to some other wood burning stoves

This Danish-built stove is almost the exact opposite of the Arada Holborn 7 – replacing rigid straight lines with contemporary curves.

Available for £2,000 and putting out 5.5kW, it’s not the most powerful wood burner around but its hidden hinges and ease of use make it a stylish addition.

Morsoe calls the device ‘simple in design and timeless in style’, and its Nordic Swan Ecolabel mean buyers can be assured its as eco-friendly as you’ll get.

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