WhatStove?

Review of Jotul F3 stove

Jotul 3 CB Smoking Dragon

Bob 11 years ago

I bought this stove back in 1999 thinking the company had been around awhile and should make a good product. I wanted to be a happy owner and could have given it a good review when I first bought it. It worked well for about four years and then one winter I started it up and the stove back drafted really badly and would not stop. It would not draw no matter what and I ended up having to take the burning wood out to the driveway to get the smoke to stop - what a nightmare! I re-did all the maintenance and had the chimney checked and everything else I could think of, but no good, just lots of smoke everywhere any time I burned it from then on. I burned under different outside weather conditions, the best driest wood,etc. but I have never found a reason it stopped working and became such a terrible smoking monster. I had to completely stop using it, although I have tried it again few times over the last ten years - it always reminds me as smoke comes out it in all different directions what an evil dragon it's become. It's been just sitting there now for years, a total waste. Unfortunately, I have not been able to get any support from where I bought it and if something is wrong with the stove I have not been able to find a good source to help me troubleshoot it - something to think about when buying. I can not recommend it to anyone as it was an expensive stove that I had hoped would last a long time.

Stove expert replied: Have you got trees surrounding the property which have grown that could be caausing the problem. Might be worth getting the flue checked as this may need lining! Seems strange that it worked well inititially, very disappointing!

Overall rating:

2 flames

Build Quality 1 flames (avg 4.3)
Quality of finish 4 flames (avg 4.5)
Value for money 1 flames (avg 3.7)
Ease of use 1 flames (avg 4)
Ease of lighting 1 flames (avg 4.1)
Firebox size 3 flames (avg 4.2)
How well does the airwash work 1 flames (avg 3.8)
Controllability 1 flames (avg 3.9)
Handle operation 4 flames (avg 4)
How likely are you to buy it again? 1 flames (avg 3.6)
What is your overall satisfaction? 1 flames (avg 3.9)