WhatStove?

Review of Aga Much Wenlock stove

Pretty stove. Good overall. Some niggles.

Robert Lea 9 years ago

Having read some of the other reviews of the Much Wenlock, I'm surprised to hear that other users have experienced problems. Our unit has been trouble free and we are pleased with it as a purchase.

The Much Wenlock is the Big Brother of the popular Little Wenlock Stove (which we also own and use on another fireplace). Looks wise, the Much Wenlock is a handsome Stove and is essentially a scaled-up version of the Little Wenlock.

In terms of performance, the Much Wenlock is easy to operate and draws well - aided by the 3 separate air controls. However, we find shutting the stove down completely to be less easy than on the Little Wenlock, as a little air still leaks into the stove, even when all controls are closed. That said, this isnt much of a problem. The airwash does work, but is a bit temperamental and I assume is also dependent on what wood used and running temperature. We find the glass on the little Wenlock can blacken easily - unsurprising, as it has no airwash.

The stove appears to be constructed of an internal steel firebox, with external decorative Cast Iron panels. As a result, the Stove is slow to heat and it takes a good 45mins+ for the exterior of the stove to become very warm. In other words, the stove gives out little heat for the first 3/4 of an hour. That said, once the Stove is hot, it retains the heat for longer. The is in contrast with the Little Wenlock, which heats-up quickly and can also be shut down more effectively.

One last point. The airwash system of the Stove 'throws' the internal air (Combustion products) forwards towards the front of the stove. As a result, a little smoke can escape when opening the door. Again, this is not a problem we find with the Little Wenlock.

Overall, the Much Wenlock is a Pretty stove, which does the job. The price was reasonable and I think you get good value for money, for what you get. Given this is the first larger stove we have owned, I'm not sure if it's niggles are shared by other larger stoves? I suspect some might, but would expect some of the more expensive stoves are a bit better engineered. For a mid-range larger Stove, I rate the Much Wenlock as a 3.5 out of 5. As I can't choose half stars, I've rounded up below!

Overall rating:

4 flames

Build Quality 4 flames (avg 3.6)
Quality of finish 4 flames (avg 3.8)
Value for money 4 flames (avg 2.6)
Ease of use 5 flames (avg 3.3)
Ease of lighting 5 flames (avg 3.6)
Firebox size 4 flames (avg 2.6)
How well does the airwash work 4 flames (avg 3)
Controllability 4 flames (avg 3.4)
Handle operation 5 flames (avg 3.8)
How likely are you to buy it again? 3 flames (avg 2.7)
What is your overall satisfaction? 4 flames (avg 2.9)