WhatStove?

Review of Esse Dragon multi fuel stove

Esse Dragon multi fuel stove

Roger Clarke 13 years ago

This design is over 100 years old and works better than some modern stoves.\nIt does not have airwash. It burns really well and is controlable, if burning coal you need the special firebricks. You need to be a dedicated wood burner enthusiast as cleaning and maintenance will take time.The Flue exit point is at the rear Not the top. I would not part with mine for the world. Usually a 90 deg bend is fitted at the flue exit but the weight of the flue pipe Must be taken on a stack of half concrete blocks or the rear casting will crack. A universal damper can pe fitted in the horizontal part of the bend where it leaves the stove.\n The seperate casting joints can be sealed with black high temperatue silicone sealer which makes it usable. Be aware that spares, apart from glass, are almost unobtainable so treat it like a dear old lady and never try to lift or drag using the top plate. Mine is used as a secondary heat source in this almost 300 year old Cornish farm house almost in the middle of nowhere and looks great. To boil anything on the hotplate would take a hot fire though simmering is ok, it is not a serious cooker. The older models have larger base plates which stick out the front I suppose to stop hot ash from fallig down. The back boilers were not very efficient. Old leakey back boilers can be filled with sand DONT SEAL the pipes or it will go BANG.\nI have used Terracotta floor tiles about half inch thick cut with an angle grinder in lieu of fire bricks. We have quite a few trees and burn old wid fall timber and some coal, don.t think about being self sufficient using wood as an average family needs 6.5 acres of managed woodland to achieve this, wood has only half the calorific value of coal so you need twice as much for the same heat as coal and oil is about the same amount better than coal. Wood is getting more expensive people now steal it from my pile in the back field. Our main source of heat is an old Parkray Chevin 99 converted to oil using a Don 6 inch burner as used in AGA, works very well if done correctly and burns much cleaner than modern systems. Heating here has to work without electricity as it goes off due to wind snow etc.

Overall rating:

4.5 flames

Build Quality 5 flames (avg 5)
Quality of finish 4 flames (avg 4.7)
Value for money 5 flames (avg 5)
Ease of use 4 flames (avg 4.7)
Ease of lighting 4 flames (avg 4.7)
Firebox size 5 flames (avg 5)
How well does the airwash work 1 flames (avg 1.3)
Controllability 5 flames (avg 5)
Handle operation 5 flames (avg 5)
How likely are you to buy it again? 5 flames (avg 5)
What is your overall satisfaction? 5 flames (avg 5)