WhatStove?

Review of Clearview 750 stove

Great big stove

Peter Stanyer 8 years ago

Had the clearview 750 fitted 14 years ago with a back boiler on an old gravity fed continental boiler system.

The stove was fitted in a couple of days and has performed perfectly ever since.

The day it was fitted the engineer ripped off the seals from the windows and doors on the brand new stove and then replaced them with slightly larger more solid cord. The windows were about 3mm wider than standard.

This puzzled me but he said that the other 3 stoves he had fitted had all leaked slightly as the seals compressed and rather than return in 6 months he would do it now.

The stove performance was brilliant from the first time it lit. No soot on the glass ever. As long as you use good dry wood and get it hot before you shut air valves.

It heats 6 radiators gently and takes the edge of the cold in the rest of the house. The lounge being too damn hot within 15 minutes. After 5 years I had the chimney looked at which received a vacuum for some debris but did not require a full sweep.

The ash box has never really fitted properly but I wedge it in with a extra strip of seal on the bottom.

After 7 years the seals went on the glass. Soot every time you lit the stove. The man who fitted it sent me a set of replacements not by clearview I fitted them which was easy. Adjusted the doors and no more sooty glass.

After 10 years the back boiler which is steel suffered corrosion at the joint between the copper pipes and the steel. Galvanic corrosion I'm told. So boiler drained. Until spares could be found. These were located and replaced very expensive but all back up and running now.

The stove was expensive eats wood but I wouldn't swap it for anything.

Overall rating:

4.5 flames

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