WhatStove?

Hunter Herald 14 stove

Overall Rating:

3.5 flames

based on 52 reviews    (View rating breakdown)
Hunter Herald 14 stove
The Herald 14 is the lagest of the Hunter Herald stoves. A steel stove that is available with one or two doors. You have the option of having crosses in the doors or having plain doors. The height given is for the flat top version, there are low and high canopy versions of this stove available.
Technical Data
  • Height: 735mm
  • Width: 712mm
  • Depth: 540mm
  • Flue Diameter: 125mm
  • Fuel: Multi fuel
  • Nominal Heat Output: 8.1kW
  • Efficiency: 78.6%

Add your review of this stove

Review Ratings Breakdown

Build Quality 4 flames
Quality of finish 4 flames
Value for money 3.5 flames
Ease of use 3.5 flames
Ease of lighting 4 flames
Firebox size 3.5 flames
How well does the airwash work 3 flames
Controllability 3 flames
Handle operation 3 flames
How likely are you to buy it again? 3 flames
What is your overall satisfaction? 3 flames

Most Recent Review

  • Hunter Herald 14 Multi burner with wrap around boiler

    Patrick Bowyer 3 years ago

    1. Have just had the back boiler go after 6 years. It cannot be repaired. This is the 2nd one of these in 12 years, the first one had the same problem causing a flood. The guarantee is only
    5 years. So no come back there. At £1200-£1400 quid a time, this is an expensive stove for 6 years of use. It uses copious quantities of wood because air can get into the stove around the riddler and through the back vent, so it can never be properly shut down. I will be buying an alternative make this time.

    Stove expert replied: Having had two boilers fail in a short time frame it may be worth looking at the system set up, has there been suitable cold water corrosion prevention measures included. This is critical as cold water corrosion will shorten the lifetime of any boiler. Operating the boiler on a low setting for prolonged periods will also be a factor and the type of fuel.

    Overall rating:

    3 flames

Most Popular Review

  • My Hunter Herald 14

    Steve Wilson 16 years ago

    I have had this stove for a couple of years now and it does what it says on the packet. I can get lots of fuel into it, keep it in overnight, and it heats the whole house as I have a backboiler
    on it as well. I have the Herald 14 flat top, one door with plain glass version which looks a bit more modern. The finish is pretty good although I would perhaps not put it in a show home. I think that the air controls and door handles could be improved. I tap the air controls with a piece of wood which works fine and use a glove to operate the door handle as it does get hot. This might not be acceptable to everyone. It is easy to sweep through the stove and there are surprisingly few deposits in the chimney when I do sweep. I am really pleased with my stove - I had seen them in the flesh before I bought and knew exactly what to expect and it is still going strong now.
    Overall rating:

    4 flames

More reviews for Hunter Herald 14 stove (page 1 of 6)

  • Not hot enough!

    James Burke 4 years ago

    Hello,We have the Hunter Herald 14 double door and double sided as we have it in a fireplace between 2 rooms. They are both large rooms and despite all efforts, we can barely get the rooms up
    1 degree after running it for several hours. The stove doesn't even get that hot that I can't touch it so something is obviously wrong (or probably poor technique). It is a large space to heat but opting for the 14kW we thought would do the job.Can anyone recommend how to get this thing hot? We've tried it with lots of wood, just a few bits of wood, and coal. Whatever we do doesn't seem to make it worth lighting it. It seems we are just burning money to achieve a nice yellow / orange glow!

    Stove expert replied: The problem of lack of heat may be down to a poor draw in the chimney, chimney height, not enough air in the room to allow combustion to occur, poor fuel quality etc. An installer should be able to check the flue draw and free air requirements. Wood should be dry and seasoned with a moisture content of less than 20%, smokeless fuel and not household coal should be used. There is likely to be something that is causing the poor performance so further investigation is recommended so that you can enjoy your stove fully.

    Overall rating:

    3 flames

  • Hunter 14B Boiler stove

    Kitson Broadhurst 5 years ago

    Well built construction but the Air Wash vent blocks up about every month , the crosses need a grinder to fit them and the Thermostat always stops working. The thermostat is made by another
    company and are a nightmare to fit and use but legally they must be used with the Boiler stoves.
    Overall rating:

    2.5 flames

  • Not a good replacement for Villager AH Woodburner

    Jaqui Fabian 5 years ago

    Despite being recommended by the people who previously manufactured the brilliant Villager wood stoves, this is, sadly, rubbish if you''re just burning wood. It may be good as multi-fuel, but
    for just wood, the logs keep getting caught on the ledge of the front grill, and when you poke them in, the one above tries to fall out, making it quite dangerous. We are burning about half as much again in timber, so it''s expensive. It doesn''t seem to shut down as effectively as the Villager, so we end up with the heating coming on during the night, and quite often need to light it up again with kindling in the morning. Sadly, worst purchase we have ever made. Don''t make the same mistake as us if you only want to burn wood.

    Stove expert replied: Have you got the woodburning option as they make both wood and multifuel stoves? Have you a damper on the flue to help control the rate of burn, they used to have these on the Villager stoves as standard so this may be what is needed. It is not recommended to burn a wood stove overnight as it will have to be shut down on a low setting for a long period which is not good for the flue system.

    Overall rating:

    2 flames

  • Update Hunter 14

    Kit Muscillo 6 years ago

    I reviewed this stove on the site you are on when it was new now I would like to add my views 2 years of burning on.The build quality of the stove is without doubt a strong point. It is built
    like a battle ship and few stoves meet its standard. It is heavy and good looking and a very viable alternative to the modern looking stoves that are becoming so popular.Many people here have given the stove rather luke warm reviews so I thought that I would mention a few things that have made the difference to me. This stove has a steeper learning curve than most but it will be worth it if you preserver. Firstly, I had a liner fitted. The stove did not perform well without one and unless you have a modern chimney the extra money spent will bring out the best in the Hunter 14.Secondly, I ignored the tertiary air inlet. The hunter has a third air inlet in the back of the stove and this is hardly mentioned in the manual that comes with the stove. I left mine shut for the first year of use however after opening the third inlet my stove has taken on a new level of performance. The third inlet will introduce air to the top of the fuel and the heat will be stronger. My hunter only became excellent when I opened this vent. Very much worth a try if you are experiencing poor heat.Thirdly, the Hunter has a separate inset for the firebox if you intend to burn wood. These are under a hundred pounds and are reputed to make all the difference. I have indeed had trouble burning wood and have come to the conclusion that the stove performs best on solid fuel. This is the opposite of my Farthers stove that cost twice as much and burns wood beautifully but is lazy with multi fuel coal. If you intend to burn wood on the stove then ask about the additional firewood box.Fourth, the stove is big! Because of the size of the stove I spent the first year banking the fuel into one corner. The result was a luke warm fire that only seemed to reach a temperature of 250 f max, certainly not warm. After reading an article however I tried spreading a thin layer across the entire fire box about an inch high. Now I reach optimal burning temperature and save fuel. Up to 400 fFive, this stove is thirsty. Its a big stove and will require more fuel than some however by spreading the fuel across the entire box I have improved heat and paradoxically saved on fuel. Fuel burn slower when not pilled high.Conclusion: The Hunter 14 is a good stove however it has three air vents (a clean burn system) and if the third one is opened up the stove operates better. It seems to work best with solid fuel however a separate firebox is available for it and this is not made clear in the manual. The fire is warm and snug and controls well if fitted with a linear. It is built like a battleship. If you open the third air vent and spread coals across the entire surface of the box it should improve performance.

    Stove expert replied: Great comments, lovely to hear you are getting better results with all controls now being operated.

    Overall rating:

    5 flames

  • Like Triggers brush!!!

    Mel Smith 7 years ago

    Used the Herald multifuel for 10 years. Straight 2 door fire using homefire fuel.From year one we had to change at least 4 riddle bars EVERY YEAR.....plus the baffle plate once. But a stove
    with terrific for heat output.Would I have another Herald stove.....error...NO.... will look for a different make next time.

    Stove expert replied: It sounds as if the stove is possibly being over fired, but more than likely over riddled or leaving too much hot ash in the ash pan, grate bars normally last well but it seems strange that only 4 are required to be changed annually. If the four in question are in the middle, try to not over riddle the stove and leave a small bed of ash to protect the top of the bars, do then empty the ashpan straight away and not leave the ash to build up. Air needs to be able to pass freely underneath the bars to keep them cool. You can also move the grate bars around so you get a more even ware through the whole set which may help to elongate their life.

    Overall rating:

    3 flames

  • My Herald 14 ce

    Robin Tawn 7 years ago

    I have had my herald central heating wood burner for some years it works very well. In the last year it had started to smoke when opening the doors. I found that the throat plate had bent upwards
    probably from the high heat it throws out, this had enabled dust to build up inside it and slowly block the chimney outlet. After clearing the blockage the fire worked just as it should.

    Stove expert replied: The baffle / throat plate should be checked monthly to ensure that the flue way is clear of debris, normally when you undertake a deep clean of the stove firebox.

    Overall rating:

    4.5 flames

  • This stove in the house I want to buy

    7 years ago

    I was wondering if there is some way of linking in and oil fire system? I have a bad back and hip and am worried about constantly having to bring in coal and wood. I have read that it might
    be possible to link another system in. Is this possible?

    Stove expert replied: There may be a way to link in oil and a wood / multifuel stove. A heating engineer should be able to advise you further.

    Overall rating:

    4 flames

  • Great Stove

    8 years ago

    After spending a few miserable winters with another stove that was smaller and of inferior build I have been truly delighted with this stove. Being large the stove easily warms the living space
    of my two up two down style house the old stove barely warmed the room it was in and the bedrooms would be freezing, now the upstairs is almost as warm as the downstairs. Because of the large size of the firebox you have tons of potions with this stove, on warmer days you can leave it shut down with just a few pieces of coal in half of the box but when it is really cold you can crank the thing up so that it really sends the heat out. A very pleasant stove to use with a griddle that is smooth, the stove box floor moves back and forth when riddling so gone is the jerking bars that I used to have. The air wash isn't bad but will require a cloth on the glass once a day to be certain of a good view. This stove is a well constructed work horse and I do not hesitate in saying that it is amongst the very best at any price range. Only regret is that I didn't buy one first time around but sometimes you have to try before finding the best '')

    Stove expert replied: Do not leave the stove shut down for prolonged periods they need to have short periods of fast burn to maintain a clear flue system. When shut down for prolonged periods deposit can form on the glass and can lead to permanent damage as the flue gases are not being removed effectively.

    Overall rating:

    4.5 flames

  • Spares

    Glenn Millar 8 years ago

    My herald 14 has worked well for past 9 years and is in excellent condition. My problem is that I need a few new "high grate bars" and have been told that my stove is too old and the bar has
    been changed and is not compatible with my stove.. I now have been informed that I need to replace all 17 bars to get the stove going again at a cost of over £200. CE regulations have been blamed for this and Hunter offer no concessions for the 9 as new bars on the bottom row.. I am not happy with this and will definitely not even consider a Hunter for my 3 children who are setting up new homes next year
    Overall rating:

    3.5 flames

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6