Sitting comfortably in front of the fireplace or stove and listening to the fire - a nice idea. But before that happens, the first thing to do is to buy a stove or fireplace. The question of whether a quality stove or fireplace is worthwhile compared to an inexpensive version is actually self-answering. Instead, we would like to give an impression of how a premium product is created and how it can be recognised.
Quality is always in the mind of the manufacturer. Accordingly, it is often the supplier's claim that decisively determines the quality of the products. The requirements specification, which is created during the development of the product, is to be seen as an "implementation catalogue". It determines all the requirements for the product.
The following characteristics stand for high-quality stoves and fireplaces.
Whoever decides on a fireplace certainly wants to have something from it for a long time. The longevity of fireplaces and stoves is a result of the building materials used and the quality of the construction.
The low price of lower quality wood stoves is usually a result of the building materials used. Robust materials are more expensive, but essential for the longevity of a stove or fireplace.
With a quality-oriented construction, special emphasis is placed not only on material strength and workmanship. All components, such as doors, the integration of the ceramic glass window, the combustion air ducting in the firebox and heat exchanger surfaces of the appliance are taken into account.
The issue of safety and environmental friendliness also plays an important role when choosing a fireplace or stove. To ensure that the fireplace does not pose any potential danger or health risk, well-made stoves should be chosen.
Good brand manufacturers are concerned with the continuous optimisation of combustion results. Here, it is the pride of every brand and every designer to achieve the best results while producing as few emissions as possible.
To obtain a good wood fire device with high efficiency, particular attention should be paid to the recommended load of the stove or fireplace. In order to achieve high efficiency, the loads should always be appropriate for the device. The heat exchangers are tested for different fuel quantities, in accordance with the respective manufacturer's specifications for the tested fuel quantity and heat output.
Example: A device with a specified heat output of 5-6 kw always requires approximately 1.5 kg of wood per hour. The efficiency of a device refers to the load. If it is exceeded, the flue gas alone is increased, it disappears through the chimney, the efficiency decreases and the device is thermally overloaded.
Even if you are not an expert, you can check whether it is a quality wood stove by looking at various features. In addition to the information about efficiency and filling volume, other criteria provide special information about the quality:
Weight: The weight tells you a lot about the thickness of the material. A high weight usually indicates a thicker wall, which is particularly robust when exposed to heat and, in contrast to a thin stove body, cannot easily warp. Nevertheless, high quality cannot be deduced from weight alone. Here, it is particularly the construction of the firebox and the reheating surface that is important.
Tightness: With doors, it is important that they close flush and are tight so that no gases can escape. A leaky door and construction will obstruct a clean combustion air setting. When it comes to tightness and durability, cast iron constructions represent the highest level of quality.
Welds: The weld seams can serve as a sign of high-quality workmanship. Here, care should be taken that no welding spots are visible due to spot welding. Instead, the seams should always be stretch-welded, which provides more stability and thus contributes to the durability of the stove.
In addition to the environmental and safety aspects, a high-quality stove or fireplace is also convincing in terms of its high efficiency and durability.
In particular, the construction of the stove or fireplace determines the quality. For example, the Iron Dog from BRUNNER is a particularly stable construction with screwed cast iron.
It is on the highest quality level in terms of tightness and durability. Due to its fire-resistant and durable material with the highest value, you will enjoy the appliance for a long time.
When it comes to replacing individual parts, such cast constructions are unbeatable. Because they are screwed together and not welded, the individual parts can be replaced quickly and easily.
When buying a stove, attention should be paid to the quality in order to not only enjoy the stove for a long time, but also to be able to operate it safely and satisfactorily.
When buying a stove, look for the following features:
Weight - a high material thickness usually also indicates good quality
Working - the welds should be continuous and not spot-welded
Tightness: the door should seal tightly so that no gases can escape.