What Freud Can Teach Us About Best Woodburners

The Best Woodburners

Wood burners are believed to lower blood pressure and help relax. What about the tiny soot particles released by them?

Fortunately, the latest stoves are built with the EcoDesign directive in mind. You can have a warm and cosy home without breaking your environmental responsibilities.

1. Ekol Edge

The Ekol Edge is a simple-looking wood burner that doesn't scrimp on performance. It is a great choice for people who live in smoke-free areas, since it has ClearSkies Level 5 certification. This means that it can burn dry and seasoned wood logs, or approved solid fuels. Its large heat output makes it an ideal option for larger spaces, and the generous fire glass offers a beautiful view of your flames.

It is made of modern steel, and therefore can be installed in both traditional inglenooks as well as freestanding ones. It is equipped with an air wash system that keeps the glass clear and helps prevent soot build-up. The stove has excellent seasonal efficiency, which means that a significant portion of the heat produced is transferring to your home, rather than being lost to the chimney.

Wood burners have come under a lot of criticism recently since it was shown that they can cause microscopic sooty particles in the air, known as PM2.5, which has been linked to lung and heart problems. However, modern models that comply with the Eco design Regulations are much less likely to generate these particles. They are just a small wood burner portion of the total pollution created by burning fossil fuels such as gas and coal, however there is no doubt that wood burners are the primary source of this pollution.

The right wood for your stove is crucial to ensure the best heating and combustion. There are a myriad of wood that can be burned in your stove, including eucalyptus hazel, beech, and hazel. Eucalyptus, which is quick-burning, but also offers a lot heat, is a great option. However, it needs to be well-seasoned. Beech is also a good alternative, but it's hard to handle because of its thorns.

The Ekol Adept is designed to comply with the new regulations. It's clearSkies-rated and Defra-exempt, which means you can use it as long as you follow the guidelines. It is a heavy-duty, durable burner with a 10-year body warranty and a sturdy construction. Its heating performance is also impressive.

2. Arada Holborn 5 Widescreen

Wood burning stoves remain popular despite the confusing guidelines that are thrown at them. Some groups have called for tighter regulations and even a ban on log burners. It's worth checking out our guide to stove pollution and regulations, prior to shopping for the latest multifuel or log fire.

One company doing its bit to keep the popularity of woodburners high is Arada Stoves, who recently released a widescreen version of their popular Holborn 5 Multifuel/Wood Burning stove. It's a DEFRA-approved, SIA 2022 Ecodesign Ready stove with a wide door glass, which gives you an excellent flame picture and an airwash system to avoid soot accumulation.

This stove is easy to use, and has an output of 4.9kW. The curving lines and classical design make it suitable for traditional and contemporary style. The flat back design ensures it can be fitted into shallower recesses and it's very easy to install a direct air system using this model to improve the efficiency of the system.

Another excellent aspect of this stove is its built in ash dump which makes it simple to clean up and remove the ashes regularly which reduces the risk of odours and dust that escapes into the room. You can choose between two kinds of flue adaptors depending on your chimney type. It is also available with a wireless remote control.

Wood-burning stoves create a beautiful atmosphere in our homes, regardless of whether they're good for our health. It is crucial to consider the health effects of indoor air pollution and particulate matter. If you're planning to have a woodburner installed, it is recommended that you keep the door closed when you're not working on the fire, and clean the stove to ensure the air is as clean as possible.

3. Go Eco 5kW Plus

It's relaxing to watch the flames flicker and help reduce blood pressure. But there's not a lot of good news. Studies have shown that older stoves are dangerous because they release microscopic particles of soot that could be absorbed into your respiratory system. New regulations have been put in place to ensure that stoves have higher standards. This will reduce smoke leakage, creosote accumulation and more importantly, harmful gases like carbon monoxide.

New woodburners must be in compliance with a new standard and this is where the Go Eco 5kW Plus stands out, this multi-fuel stove does not just meet but also exceeds the new standards. The stove comes with a widescreen viewing glass that allows you to see the flames clearly. It is also kept clean by the powerful air cleaning system. This stove boasts an impressive 80% efficiency rating. It's DEFRA exempt, meaning it can be used wood burning stoves in smoke-free areas. It is also SIA Ecodesign-ready, which means it is already in compliance with European emission standards for wood burning stoves that will come into effect in 2022.

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

This stove comes with an clearSkies label, which indicates that it has been independently tested and verified as environmentally friendly and efficient. This goes above and beyond the fundamental requirements of Ecodesign. This is one of only the stoves on our list to have the full five-star clearSkies rating.

4. Chilli Penguin Defrost

Chilli Penguin is a feisty Welsh wood burner brand with an unorthodox style that shouldn't be overlooked. Chilli Penguin is known for its small multi-fuel stoves that come with various features and sizes. This 4.7kW model is a prime example of their focus on brand and also demonstrates that they can still provide the best quality product at a cost that won't break the bank. This DEFRA-approved woodburner can be used for use in Smoke Control Areas, and is fully in compliance with the current 5g/hr emissions limit. It also has ClearSkies level five certification. It is a great option for those who are not sure what direction the directive is going and want to be confident that their log burner remains exempt from smoke control regulations.