WhatStove?

Review of Clearview vision 500 stove

fitted in a tight(ish) space

Dave Kent 12 years ago

Like most others here, we rate this stove very highly - Like most blokes, I love just staring into flames (no - I'm not a pyromaniac! - it's just therapeutic). The airwash is very effective, quality is excellent, smoke control works a treat (observations of the lack of smoke from the chimney)\n\nwrt to the person who though that it was an ornament, I suggest a visit to a local seller and a request for how to use it - or possibly use logs that have been air dried for a year or so - wet logs need quite a bit of the energy to boil off the water. I'm not being sarcastic - it's just that the unit belts out more than 4kW when used properly so if it's not fitted into a vast hall I just don't see how it can't warm a room up.\n\nwrt the person who spoke of having to fit it into a small alcove, I semi-agree - we have 20cm at each side, 5cm behind and 25cm above - the stove sits on 12cm legs that are stuffed with kindling.\n\nThe alcove does heat up, but that helps to keep the room warm towards the end of the evening when we allow the fire to burn down. The heat output is so great anyway that the cry in the house has changed from "close the door" to "open the door" - it keeps the hall, stairs and landing comfortable! But - you can create a fan heater effect. I was given a small (7.5cm) diameter retro style "desk" fan - dinky little thing - Black like the hearth and stove. Put on the corner of the hearth for 5 minutes and angled at the edge of the stove it moves the heated air from the alcove about incredibly quickly - an instant boost! We rarely need to use it anyway and usually only at the start of the session to get the room warmed up - the stove manages perfectly well after that! Popped on a high book shelf and angled across the room it stirs the risen hot air, again giving an overall warmth boost.\n\nwrt to the comment about smokeless fuel - we went in eyes wide open and are happy burning logs, rafters, joists and any other scrap I get from work - not ply, mdf and heavily painted wood of course!\n\nWe did a lot of research - Clearview came out very well. Our local seller confirmed the choice and we haven't regretted it. I only regret that we can't have one in another downstairs room - we could lose the central heating totally then! (and give me a second boys' toy to play with!)\n\n

Stove expert replied: Only use dry seasoned wood with a moisture content of less than 20% for best results. Great review.

Overall rating:

5 flames

Build Quality 5 flames (avg 4.6)
Quality of finish 5 flames (avg 4.6)
Value for money 5 flames (avg 4.1)
Ease of use 5 flames (avg 4.5)
Ease of lighting 5 flames (avg 4.5)
Firebox size 4 flames (avg 4.5)
How well does the airwash work 5 flames (avg 4.5)
Controllability 5 flames (avg 4.5)
Handle operation 5 flames (avg 3.9)
How likely are you to buy it again? 5 flames (avg 4.3)
What is your overall satisfaction? 5 flames (avg 4.4)