Re: Cosy!

Can I ask why you wouldn't want one now? I have also had one in the past, and one of the things I like is their efficiency as well as the fact that they are cleaner than an open fire. It will pay for itself in savings on central heating and fuel in a couple of years.

I confess I am a person who could not live without one or the other - open fire or stove.

Re: Cosy!

I like our multi-fuel stove - it puts out fantastic heat. We're fortunate to get a good supply of well seasoned wood from our coalman, but it takes a lot of space to store it. I scrounge as much kindling as I can , otherwise it's a silly price. One good source is a local builders merchant who is glad to get rid of old packaging timber, broken planks etc... They have a large wood bin with a sign saying 'Help yourself'.

We get the chimney sweep to call once a year to sweep the flue.

Re: Cosy!

My house is surrounded by a steady supply of kindling so that's no problem! But my own wood supply was only cut in March, so needs another year to dry so I suspect I will splurge on one lot of kiln dried wood for this winter. Along with cheaper smokeless fuel.

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I just found them dusty and setting it going each time was a pain, I know you're supposed to be able to keep them going on a low burn but I never mastered it. My sister has one and loves it.

I wouldn't have one now mainly because I have a young grandson and I would be concerned leaving the room with him in it, he is an inquisitive little soul at times.

They are much better than an open fire though admittedly.

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Very cosy can see myself curled up an a big chair reading a book on a cold and frosty morning.

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My partner has an open fire. Have to say in the dead of winter we'll be sitting by it, glass of wine in our hands, enjoying it. There's nothing quite like it. Okay - more work involved. Not quite the same, sitting next to a radiator

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So far so good. I have a bag of each of three different types of smokeless fuel to compare and decide which is best. Never knew how many choices there were! And lots of wood.
Today it has been on since about 1pm and the room is very cosy. and I've not yet turned my heating on this year

Re: Cosy!

Ah!! Love seeing somebody else enjoying their fire!
We burn wood all winter long in our wood-stove, and it gives off a wonderful cosy heat. It's our only heat source.
We're lucky enough to have lots of wood in our area (surrounded by forest), so the cost is a lot less than electricity, gas etc.
We're prone to losing power a lot when it snows (cos of all those trees!), so the wood-stove not only provides us with heat, but is also another cooking source.



(Above picture is the wood-stove we have, but not our place!)

What kind of wood are you burning?

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I'm using lots of ash at the moment, as well as a few bits of softer stuff that I got before the ash arrived.

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We have mostly birch, but as long as the wood is seasoned it doesn't really matter what you burn.
Enjoy that cosy warmth!

I had to share this picture.
It's a house in France that looks like a firewood house, but its actually a stone house with its good-sized roof overhang used as a convenient and effective place to store firewood.
Sure beats our wood shed!