WhatStove?

Review of Westfire 5 stove

A tip for keeping the glass clear

Silas 12 years ago

The correct name for this stove is the Westfire 'Uniq' 5 not Westfire 5 as this website suggests.

The Uniq 5 is essentially the same as the Uniq 4 but without the roll over top, (which is another excellent stove and worth looking at if you are considering the this one, as the extra surface area of the 4 in practice makes it a little more efficient than the 5).

This is a really great stove, it does exactly what it's supposed to. It Heats my cold living room (14ftx21) very nicely. Much better than my previous much more expensive stove. I will be fitting another Westfire in the front hall next month.

A tip worth noting that isn't mentioned in the user manual. If the glass regularly soots up despite using good dry (20% moisture or less) wood, it's almost definitely the fire brick that forms the roof of the stove has been knocked backwards (easy to do when throwing a log in). To fix it, when the stove is cold, simply reach into the stove and slide it forward as far as it will come... no more sooty glass! I have made it part of my lighting routine to check each time.

I'll also comment on the overnight burning rating. This is a wood stove. Like all wood stoves it likes to be worked quite hard with air from the top. Slumbering wood stoves is a very bad idea as they will soot your chimney. If you want overnight burning by a multi-fuel.

The downside is that multi-fuels tend to be mediocre wood burners, so you'll probably end up running on anthracite more than wood, and will be spending much more on fuel than if you had just stuck with wood.

If you really want overnight burning from Wood, consider an Esse wood burning range cooker. Totally different beasts but are the only wood burners that can truly match the overnight capability of a multi-fuel.

Stove expert replied: Do check on the instructions of the stove as by changing the top brick may mean this is not in the correct manufacturers location and could cause a problem of the heat generated going to the wrong part of the stove.

Overall rating:

4.5 flames

Build Quality 5 flames (avg 4.9)
Quality of finish 5 flames (avg 4.9)
Value for money 5 flames (avg 5)
Ease of use 5 flames (avg 4.9)
Ease of lighting 5 flames (avg 4.7)
Firebox size 5 flames (avg 5)
How well does the airwash work 5 flames (avg 4.9)
Controllability 5 flames (avg 4.7)
Handle operation 4 flames (avg 4.1)
How likely are you to buy it again? 5 flames (avg 5)
What is your overall satisfaction? 5 flames (avg 5)