WhatStove?

Review of Woodwarm Fireview 20kw

Built like a battleship, looks like a ballerina!

Peter Harris 9 years ago

After suffering two very cold winters in our new house, we decided to swap our old - and just not capable - Villager stove for a more modern upgrade. The task in hand for the new arrival was a substantial one: to heat our 21,000 cubic feet 'lounge'. Yes, 21,000 is not a typo. BTU calculations suggest 50-60KW needed for that room alone. The closest spec to that (apart from the monstrous Bullerjan stove) was the 20 kw woodwarm fireview.

We are into our second winter with this stove and it has transformed our heating and comfort levels. It looks stunning with it's clean lines and large glass window; giving a great mix of convected and radiant heat - the latter perfect for a large room. The airwash system controls make for incredibly simple and effective heat output. On 'full throttle' the stove thermometer can easily reach 500-600 celsius, but obviously that's overheating, so it's adjusted back to a comfortable 300 celsius. It will burn overnight without the need for solid fuel also. Simply shut down all the vents and with a few logs packed inside, our stove has 'ticked over' for 9 hours. Great for overnight: simply open the vents when you wake up and within minutes the stove is up and alight again. Any soot on the glass is easily burned away within minutes.

It will easily keep our lounge/hall heated to 18 degress even on a cold day - and that's with a 24ft ceiling.

Overall, an incredibly stylish and superbly functional stove that I would recommend in a heartbeat!

Overall rating:

5 flames

Build Quality 5 flames (avg 5)
Quality of finish 5 flames (avg 4.8)
Value for money 5 flames (avg 4.8)
Ease of use 5 flames (avg 5)
Ease of lighting 5 flames (avg 5)
Firebox size 5 flames (avg 5)
How well does the airwash work 5 flames (avg 5)
Controllability 5 flames (avg 5)
Handle operation 3 flames (avg 4.6)
How likely are you to buy it again? 5 flames (avg 5)
What is your overall satisfaction? 5 flames (avg 4.8)