WhatStove?

Review of Morso 04 stove

Morso 04

Nick Donaldson 15 years ago

we've had this stove for 3yrs now and it's put up with lots of abuse having been installed for the first year temporarily in a dripping wet chimney. It survived and now has pride of place beneath a new liner, rebuilt chimney, lead tray and rain cowl.

Negatives: The fire bricks all cracked and fell apart (yr1) and the door rope fell off, the fire box really is tiny and ash falls out of the front easily. I have now re-lined the stove with light weight fire brick cut to fit, as well as replaced the steel baffle with one made of the same firebrick material. It now heats up twice as quick, and burns hotter and cleaner as a result.

Positives: Having lived with a number of stoves (Clearview Pioneer, Hunter Oakwood, old Jotul) this stove knocks the socks off them all for efficiency. The handle arrangement is much better than a Clearview and the air control is very clever (although Clearview equally so), and I still think it's one of the best looking stoves around.

If you buy one make sure they've fixed the glitches.

Overall rating:

4 flames

Build Quality 4 flames (avg 4.4)
Quality of finish 5 flames (avg 4.6)
Value for money 4 flames (avg 4.2)
Ease of use 5 flames (avg 4.7)
Ease of lighting 5 flames (avg 4.5)
Firebox size 2 flames (avg 2.9)
How well does the airwash work 5 flames (avg 3.9)
Controllability 5 flames (avg 4.3)
Handle operation 5 flames (avg 3.8)
How likely are you to buy it again? 4 flames (avg 4)
What is your overall satisfaction? 5 flames (avg 4.3)