Review of Clearview vision insert stove
Mixed feelings
Needed an inset (not "insert") stove & Clearview seemed the best/best rated.
I think if it had been a third of the price (paid c.£1.5k) I'd be rating it higher, but for the money I think it should be better. The handle gets hot, although after a week it's fallen off so perhaps it's meant to be removed (or the tiny allen key bolt wasn't done up properly). I find it very hard to light, with no obvious reason why - can put a match in to some newspaper as tinder & it'll instantly die, despite the door being open. Once going, it burns well with the wheel open, less well with it closed, until really hot (about half an hour). The ash doesn't seem to sit as a layer on the bottom, it falls through the riddling grate. It still smells after 5 burns, possibly a result of buying a coloured stove rather than black? I've no doubt it's chimney-related (mine's two storeys, thermocreted) but if it's windy outside, it does seem to affect the interior of the stove. Perhaps the worst thing about the stove is the constant "click-click-click" from the glass whenever you open the door, and close it again - presumably from the double-glazed window that isn't sealed unit so air escapes on the slightest pressure change. They claim to have the only d-g door but that's patently untrue. So overall - it works, looks nice, the manual was fairly clear (albeit with surprising English errors for something non-Chinese!), it seems solid, and the interior of the stove is larger than I'd expected. However, for that money, I'd have expected more - my cheaper Charnwood, with its removable handle and big ash box, is nearly as good.- Show oldest comment first
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David Campbell said 11 years ago:
Adam, sorry to hear you are having problems with the stove. We are agents for Clearview in Northern Ireland, and would often send potential clients to this site for impartial reviews. You have a wonderful stove, but perhaps some clarification on the issues you are having might help. The handle gets hot because it is solid brass. This is a feature on the stove that forces you to use the heavy flame and heat resistant gauntlets provided. These protect your forearms and hands when loading fresh fuel and generally working with the fire. A short sighted manufacturer may have provided a "cool touch" handle but if you inadvertently touch another part of the appliance you will leave skin. You have probably realised that the allen key grub screw needs a slight tighten, but to be belt and braces we put a wee drop of superglue on the square spigot first to keep it snug. The issue you are having with the performance of the stove is as you have guessed chimney related. We would NEVER consider fitting an inset stove into a chimney without a steel lining. The Thermocrete system will more than likely be the wrong size for the stove, and it will struggle to come up to the correct working temperature for a very efficient stove. An open fire is only about 10-15% efficient meaning a tremendous amount of heat goes up the flue, and the thermocrete product of clay liners will warm and create a draught. My suspicion is that you would be better advised to reduce the diameter of the flue down to suit the stove...in this case 150mm diameter. Building regulations in the UK state that an oversized flue can be unsafe,m but what it doesn''t say is that it compromises the performance of many stoves also.You will see a different stove if you fit it the way Clearview expect it to be fitted. My concern about fitting an inset without the steel liner is what happens to soot and deposit as it falls from the chimney during usage or sweeping. It will accumulate around the back and on top of the stove and can''t be removed without taking out the appliance. This could be a fire risk in itself. The clicking noise is expansion and contraction. If you are sure it is coming from the glazing units, there are four screws holding two glass retainers. Try loosening these slightly to allow for movement. They don''t need to be held tight. If this doesn''t solve the problem get in touch with Clearview themselves. It could be a weld problem and will normally be sorted out under the warranty. The door is double glazed but not in the manner you think it is. It can''t be a sealed unit or it would explode. It is two panels of glass with a rope gasket holding them apart. The theory is that the pocket of air heats up and insulates the inner glass meaning the room temperature does not have an adverse effect on the inner window which helps to keep the focal point of your fire unobstructed. The ash will always fall into the ashpan, so don''t panic about that. The reason some people like to build up a bed of ash is to throttle the air feeding combustion from underneath, but your stove has the air wheel which will stop that air feed anyway. Once the flue issue is resolved you should find that the wheel will be used to get the stove up to temperature, but afterwards, this is normally closed down and the airslide is used to control the burn rate. I truly hope this helps you fall in love with the stove you have spent money on, and it performs the way you expect. I am perplexed as to how the stove was allowed to be fitted into the Thermocrete liner without first advising you that the steel would be safer, but it can be remedied without too much hassle. Kind regards David Campbell