WhatStove?

Review of Esse W35 range cooker

Does everything we hoped it would.

Ruth Buckley 10 years ago

I was a little anxious having read some mixed reviews of this stove but after 4 months use (continuously in the colder months and just in the evenings now) I am relieved to say we are really pleased with its performance. It heats 4 smallish radiators (approx 1 - 1.5kw each) to piping hot and does all our hot water and most of our cooking with no problems at all. I make all our bread, cakes and evening meals on it even now (June). You can boil a kettle about 20min from lighting. Keeping fire in overnight is very easy with the right wood - our seasoned hornbeam still left a bed of embers 24 hours after last loading - other woods burn much quicker. It gives out surprisingly little heat to the room - definitely an advantage for summer cooking but if I had known this I would have installed a radiator in the kitchen for winter use. It does get through a lot of wood - we use at least one large basket of logs an evening but this would probably be less if I didn't do so much baking (requiring the oven to be on 'Very Hot').

Overall rating:

4.5 flames

Build Quality 4.5 flames (avg 3.4)
Quality of finish 4 flames (avg 3.6)
Value for money 5 flames (avg 2.6)
Ease of use 5 flames (avg 2.5)
Ease of lighting 5 flames (avg 2.8)
Firebox size 5 flames (avg 3.3)
How well does the airwash work 5 flames (avg 2.2)
Controllability 3.5 flames (avg 2.7)
Handle operation 5 flames (avg 3.1)
How likely are you to buy it again? 5 flames (avg 2.2)
What is your overall satisfaction? 4.5 flames (avg 2.5)