Review of Firefox 8 stove
Firefox 8
Being very new to multifuel I did a lot of online research regarding the type and size of burner that I would need...I did not have a large budget so I was initially looking at some of the Far Eastern imports but the reviews put paid to these. I settled on the Firefox brand as it is distributed by a well known UK fire place manufacturer by the name of Gallery. I chose the middle ground 8kW model for my installation. When I collected it in it's packing crate I thought it to be a small stove then I found the legs inside the firebox that needed bolting in place. The build quality is fab...everything fits beautifully and the finish is not a flat matt or a gloss it is a nice crystaline textured finish in a very nice shade of charcoal dark grey. It comes with an installation manual with comprehensive spares listing and a complementary stove glove to protect your pinkies, so spare parts should not be an issue, fingers excluded!.\n\nHaving had the stove in action for about a month I find it very easy to light. I have only burned wood so far but having it burning away all day the ashpan is more than accomodating, in fact you could get away with cleaning out every two to three days. I have been able to keep it burning for around 4 hours between refills using dense woods. The airwash works to a degree but I find that the marks on the glass burn away when the stove is up to temperature anyway. Heat wise ?....I have a very modest 3 bedroomed house in the outskirts of Blackpool comprising upstairs: 3 bedrooms, downstairs: through lounge, bathroom, kitchen extension. With the stove ticking away and not whoomping it warms all of the downstairs no problem. After emptying the ashpan I clean my stove using the hoover to take out all the residual ash and wash down the outside with flash or similar. The finish of the stove is still as new.\n\nAs you can probably tell I am pretty chuffed with my stove. It is quite a learning curve. Controlability is not rocket science, you soon find a balance between: feed...air...dryness of fuel...temperature...\nYes it is a balancing act but it does come.\nDUST.....This one issue I thought may have affected my living space......Well it doesn't, thank God.....You need to be careful opening the stove door. The firebox has a large negative pressure when alight so opening the door to quickly causes a surge of draught into the stove causing ash to fly and the flame to expand pushing ash and smoke out. The technique is to open the door approx 10mm for a few seconds until the escalating flames have stabilised, then continue to open in a smooth fashion, hey presto no mess.\n\nFinally....Get a flue liner..Less blow back, higher flue temperature, less tar, less hassle. If you want an entry level stove to wet your appetite I would definitely recommend this one. Although I am made up with this one I know it wont be my last one....Ultimately I want one with back boiler and some radiators..Solid fuel...The way to go.\nKind regards and happy burning ..Keith B. (Blackpool).