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Whether it be out camping under the stars or settling in for a cosy night at home by the fireplace, the crackle and pop of a well-stoked fire is hard to beat. That's why log burners have, and always will be, a great addition to any home. Brands like Royal Fire, Lincsfire and Kingfisher have really put a modern touch on what has come to represent a log burner.
From wood burning stoves and multi-fuel burners to electric fireplaces and outdoor garden chimineas, you can find every kind of burner big or small on Amazon and Argos. Luckily for you, we've already discovered and reviewed the best of the bunch! Moreover, we partnered with interior designer Belen Dakak to review and fact-check the article to deliver the best information.
Belen is an interior designer (residential and retail design), having worked for top retail brands including Estee Lauder, Seasalt and John Lewis, as well as working with private clients on residential projects and RoomLab, an online interior design platform.
A recommendation service that carefully researches each product and consults with experts across many disciplines. We are constantly creating new content to provide the best shopping experience from choosing ‘cosmetics’ to ‘food and drink’, ‘home appliances’ to ‘kids and baby’ products, reaching users all across the United Kingdom.
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Belen is an interior designer (residential and retail design), having worked for top retail brands including Estee Lauder, Seasalt and John Lewis, as well as working with private clients on residential projects and RoomLab, an online interior design platform.
Belen is also a landscape garden designer with an RHS Level 2 in Principles and Practical Horticulture.
From this simple buying guide, you'll come to understand the different types of log burners available online today. You'll also learn a few of the more important features and aspects to look out for when deciding on your chosen burner – the one that's bound to have you warm and proud each time it's lit.
Whether you're after a simple electric fireplace or a wood-burning, fire-breathing beast that'll get your lounge sizzling hot, learning about the different types of burners available will help you to choose the right one.
Modern indoor burners can burn wood derivatives like logs, chips and pellets, as well as some other fuel types such as peat, anthracite, coal, and other smokeless fuels. These multi-fuel burners are ideal for people who live within one of the many smoke-free zones across the UK.
Besides air vents on the top of the burner designed for wood burning, they also have a grate across the bottom of the stove. This can be opened to allow air in from below, enabling you to burn these other fuel types. To help with the maintenance, they usually have an ash pan below, which can be easily removed when cleaning. You can still burn wood logs, but they will not burn as efficiently as they would on a log burner.
Most wood burners are made primarily of cast iron, so be aware that they're heavy enough to demand 2-3 people to facilitate the installation process. Another important point to look out for is whether or not a multi-fuel burner is able to burn coal. Most brands have faded out of coal compatibility due to health and environmental reasons.
Electric log burners and fireplaces are a good option if you want an easy and quick fix to warm your home. As they run off electricity, they have the ability to be used in any room with a plug socket. Some even come with remote controls and timers in case you fall asleep by the 'fire' side.
This simplicity is great when the power's on, but on the off chance that your home's power goes out, they will stop producing heat, making them less than ideal for wild winter storms. Modern designs have emphasized efficiency, but no matter how efficient they are, electricity will always be a costly way to warm your home.
While they should produce adequate warmth for a smallish lounge, their kW of heat output won't match wood burners either – most brands have two settings of between 1 and 2 kW of heat output, whereas indoor log burners kick out over 5 kW.
Although electric log burners can look realistic, do not make a mess, can have flame only option, are easy to move around and be flexible in their location (subject to a nearby electrical socket), they do not sound or smell like a real fire and generally have a shorter lifespan.
Outdoor chimineas have been used for centuries, with their origins dating back to Mexico some 400 years ago. Most modern chimineas benefit from a steel or cast iron construction which makes them incredibly durable, long-lasting and lighter in weight than the clay originals.
Their designs typically feature a big pot belly where the wood burns from, and a built-in chimney for the smoke and air to escape through. Some modern designs even include a wood store below to help dry wood and make it easily accessible for when the fire demands more.
Due to their outdoor open fire design, they can't be graded in terms of their kW heat output, making size the most defining factor in understanding how much heat will emanate from a particular chiminea, though they are incredibly good outdoor heaters and project their heat across quite a wide
distance.
Whether it's an electric or a multi-fuel stove, all burners will all have a kilowatt (or kW) number attached to them – this represents how much heat each burner can generate. Remember, outdoor chimineas won't have this kW classification attached to them, as they are classed as an open fire.
To figure out the total heat output required to warm a room, you will need to measure the room's length, width and height. If you multiply these three numbers and then multiply the total number by 0.07, you will come to the required kW. This output is calculated to warm your room to 21° if the outside temperature is 0°.
Electric burners have the lowest heat output, with most having 2 kW or less, while wood and multi-fuel burners are known to have from 4 kW to 16 kW and above. However, large windows, glass doors, open plan rooms, the age of your house and its insulation grade will all have a residual effect on the heating potential of your burner.
If you won't settle for anything less than a real fire, you'll need to consider an external air supply. This external air supply will feed air from outside straight into the back of your burner, eliminating the need for a draught-creating air vent. An external air supply is recommended for any wood burner with a heat output of 5 kW or above.
However, modern, highly-insulated homes built after 2008 will need an external air supply regardless of heat output. This is due to their designs being so airtight and well insulated that it's actually dangerous to have a wood burner without an external air supply, resulting in potential fumes and a lack of oxygen.
Also, to give the initial push to the fire, you might need a firelighter, it will also save your time, so check the link below.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Price | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Adam Wyoming 2 kW Electric Fire Suite | £199.99 High Mid | Contemporary Electric Fireplace With a Reversible Black and White Back Panel | ||
2 | Kingfisher Outdoor Black Steel Burner With Built-In Log Store|FPIT3 | £124.95 Mid | All-Black and Steel Outdoor Log Burner With a Handy Wood Store | ||
3 | HOMCOM Freestanding Electric Fire Place | £99.99 Mid | A Freestanding Electric Log Burner With a Vintage Appeal | ||
4 | Dimplex Cheriton 2kW Electric Freestanding Fire | £199.99 High Mid | Realistic Modern Fireplace With a Brass Effect Finish | ||
5 | Vonhaus Electric Stove Heater With Log Burner Flame Effect | £84.99 Low Mid | A Fine Electric Replica With an Included Thermostat | ||
6 | La Hacienda Extra Large Steel Chiminea |Bronze Finish | £70.00 Low Mid | A Cheap Chiminea to Prolong the Summer Nights Outside |
This extremely popular electric fireplace will become the focal point of any contemporary lounge room. It is simply designed with clean lines of style, lending itself to an enveloped air of sophistication.
The back panel is double-sided so you can choose between black and white, depending on your existing decor. With the ability to choose between 1 and 2 kW of heat output, you'll be able to benefit from its warmth as soon as you feel the slightest bit of cold.
This large, simply-designed log burning chiminea looks sleek and modern with its all-black powder-coated steel construction. It has a large belly to allow for plenty of cosy wood-burning potential.
The built-in wood store also makes it quick and easy to keep the fire raging, and as a bonus, all this wood-burning will even aid in the drying of your stored wood before use. Before long, this chiminea will become an irreplaceable part of any summer night spent outside.
Homcom have designed this electric log burner with copious amounts of vintage appeal. The tempered glass door with black trim makes for a striking mid-century look that will become a favourite feature of any traditional-style home.
Like most electric log burners, it has two heat settings, reaching a maximum heat output of 1.8 kW, though it does have an inbuilt thermal safety cut off switch to prevent overheating. We think the LED log effect will have just about anyone asking, "Is that the real thing?"
This is a clever electric fireplace that has hundreds of reviewers raving. It has two respectable heat settings reaching a maximum of 2 kW, and a real coal bed to give even more of those real-fire feels.
The flame effect option can be used independently of the heat so you can have it on in the background at any time of the year. The shiny brass finish with black trim makes for a very modern and fresh design to compliment just about any lounge or living room.
Vonhaus have gone for the classic log burner look with this classy electric option. It has two heat settings of 0.9 kW and 1.9 kW which are both fairly minimal compared to the real deal, but perfectly acceptable for electric burners.
This burner also has the inclusion of an adjustable thermostat, so you can set it to your preferred temperature and let it do its thing. It's recommended for well-insulated spaces or occasional use on account of its size.
This stylish steel chiminea is the perfect way to extend your summer nights outside with the sense-evoking sounds of a real fire. It'll look great in the garden or on the patio too – the industrial design is complemented well by the bronze-effect paint, giving it a certain rustic charm.
The mesh door will ensure an element of safety, especially if there are kids or pets knocking about, plus it comes with a protective rain lid, metal safety tool and carrying handles. However, it isn't the largest of chimineas, so if you're looking to heat a large space this one probably won't be sufficient.
A good log burner deserves ample seating as close as safely possible to it. So now that you've found the perfect log burner for your lounge, why not check out some stylish and comfortable seating options? The whole family will be drawn to the fire this winter, so a new sofa, bean bag or floor chair may not just be smart shopping but a necessity!
Author: Connor Macanally
No. 1: Adam|Wyoming 2 kW Electric Fire Suite
No. 2: Kingfisher|Outdoor Black Steel Burner With Built-In Log Store|FPIT3
No. 3: HOMCOM|Freestanding Electric Fire Place
No. 4: Dimplex|Cheriton 2kW Electric Freestanding Fire
No. 5: Vonhaus|Electric Stove Heater With Log Burner Flame Effect
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