WhatStove?

Review of Burley Debdale 9104

Just too fussy. Efficiency at the cost of practicality.

Aleks Gray 4 years ago

Having used many fires over many years, this is probably the least practical.

Problems started with the top fire brick not having anything to locate it in place and had moved to the front somewhere along the line so the heat was going straight up the chimney.

There''s a flimsy mesh plate which also does not fit well and had fallen off at the back. The mesh is so weak that my fingers went through it while trying to put it back.

I''ve never had a fire that is so temperamental, that I had to follow the instructions exactly. Yes, I read the instructions again after being disappointed in its performance. It states:

The maximum amount of fuel specified in this manual should not be exceeded.

The weight of dry wood per hour is: 1.0kg for the 9103, 1.3kg for the 9104, 1.6kg for the 9105, 2.8kg for the 9108 and 4.4kg for the 9112.

Overloading can damage components of the stove. The stove is not designed for overnight operation.

So after following and even weighing the wood my conclusions are:

It does not like logs bigger than 4" across, more than one log at a time or wood much over 15% moisture.

It also needs a lot of kindling to give it a good base as it will not draw up from a low fire, let alone embers.

But once up and running; one dry, 4 x 8 inch log once an hour will give you a lot of heat. Very efficient.

Personally, I prefer a more practical fire, even if it does mean a bit more wood.

Overall rating:

3.5 flames

Build Quality 5 flames (avg 4.7)
Quality of finish 5 flames (avg 4.6)
Value for money 5 flames (avg 4.6)
Ease of use 2 flames (avg 4.2)
Ease of lighting 1 flames (avg 4.3)
Firebox size 2 flames (avg 3.7)
How well does the airwash work 3 flames (avg 3.9)
Controllability 5 flames (avg 4)
Handle operation 5 flames (avg 4.3)
How likely are you to buy it again? 1 flames (avg 4.3)
What is your overall satisfaction? 3 flames (avg 4.4)