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Franco belge Savoy Elegance - MKII

Overall Rating:

3.5 flames

based on 41 reviews    (View rating breakdown)
Franco belge Savoy Elegance Stove

The Franco Belge Savoy Elegance has a bigger window than the Classic model.

This is a small cast iron stove with a relative big output

Technical Data
  • Height: 663mm
  • Width: 535mm
  • Depth: 407mm
  • Flue Diameter: 125mm
  • Fuel: Multifuel
  • Nominal Heat Output: 8kW
  • Efficiency: 80.6%

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Review Ratings Breakdown

Build Quality 3.5 flames
Quality of finish 4 flames
Value for money 3.5 flames
Ease of use 4.5 flames
Ease of lighting 4.5 flames
Firebox size 4 flames
How well does the airwash work 4 flames
Controllability 4 flames
Handle operation 3 flames
How likely are you to buy it again? 3 flames
What is your overall satisfaction? 3.5 flames

Most Recent Review

  • Brick replacement

    Scott Plant 3 years ago

    Cannot fault this stove for heat had the elegance for 10 yrs but like many comments have had to replace the top brick 5 times the back 3 and surprisingly 1 side.only burn wood and reports from
    my sweep always say im not burning hot enough!. I do not overtighten bolts on bricks so can only put the fault on the brick quality itself
    Overall rating:

    3.5 flames

Most Popular Review

  • good value stove

    Toby Wallis 14 years ago

    good stove for the money. looks very good lights well, burns well, wood and smokeless fuel and kicks out plenty of heatdownsideshandle does get very hotwhen door opens a small amount of ash
    tends to be sucked out onto the hearth so a bit messylow front to firebox so need to be careful nothing falls out!
    Overall rating:

    4 flames

More reviews for Franco belge Savoy Elegance - MKII (page 1 of 5)

  • Franco Belge Savoy Elegance MK 11

    Jonny Johnson 4 years ago

    We purchased this stove 6 + years ago and it has exceeded our expectations in both heat output and reliability. A flue thermometer is essential to avoid excessive temperature and subsequent
    cracking of the fire bricks. I purchased a sheet of vermiculite board from the local merchant ( approx cost £30 ) and have used less than half a sheet and none since the flue thermometer wasfitted. It is easy to cut with a hand or pad saw using the damaged fire brick as a template .Franco Belge fire brick spares are expensive so buy a thermometer. The original fire brick retaining screws are occasionally difficult to remove requiring an impact drill to '' shock '' them off. Replacement screws cost £4-5 each so used copper grease on threads to facilitate future removal; might be worth considering doing this at the outset.We managed to break the glass through our error ( overloading fire box ) but it was simple to replace, likewise door ropes.Only hardwood with a moisture content of less than 20% is burnt resulting in relatively low flue liner deposits.This is our first stove and have nothing to compare it with but would readily buy another Franco Belge based on our experience with this model, albeit hopefully not for a few years yet !
    Overall rating:

    5 flames

  • Awful

    Chris White 6 years ago

    This stove continually develops problems. The top fire baffle breaks all the time even though we monitor the temperature of the stove all the time, we are on our 3rd in 18 months. The ash tray
    fits poorly, the glass broke recently and getting parts is a nightmare. Would not have another.

    Stove expert replied: You do not say what fuel you are using, this can have an effect on the internal parts and this may be something that should be checked being that the baffle plate has failed every 6 months or so..

    Overall rating:

    1.5 flames

  • A happy cust

    Steve Jagger 6 years ago

    Had stove 7 years, lit every day October to March, burn seasoned hardwood. Always leave top air flow open ever so slightly and leave ash pan part filled. One air brick replaced which the service
    chap cut to size and fitted for £30. Stove gives off lovely heat, easy to use. Clean glass using ash, on odd occasion propriety cleaner. Can''t recommend highly enough.
    Overall rating:

    4.5 flames

  • Franco Belge Savoy Elegance

    Ingrid Ward 6 years ago

    Have had this stove for 3 1/2 years, just had the top baffleplate replaced. I am now trying to get a replacement handle to pull the ash tray out, can''t find one anywhere. Very pleased with
    the stove .

    Stove expert replied: The handle that you need should be available and I will investigate a replacement,

    Overall rating:

    4 flames

  • Not happy

    Christine Appleby 6 years ago

    I have had mine for 7 years and as others have said am constantly having to renew fire bricks each year which costs about £90 each time I have friends with cheaper burners who have never had
    this problem . I have just received yet again a replacement top fire brick and am finding it impossible to fit! The holding screws will not go back into the plate surely this could be a better design!!

    Stove expert replied: You might be able to have custom made bricks that would last longer, this may be worth exploring.

    Overall rating:

    2.5 flames

  • Corrosion.

    Declan McManus 6 years ago

    I bought my Savoy Elegance in 2012 because it fitted the bill perfectly - appearance, wattage and most of all the large glazed area.Unfortunately after 3 years there was evidence of rust internally
    and after a further year I had to replace the rear baffle due to rust at a cost of £400. Now a year later the flange holding the cover for the top flue outlet is rusted away and I either need to replace the top or buy a new stove.The top has also cracked and the rear baffle distorted due to overheating (!) and finally the vermiculite panels become friable and are expensive to replace.Our stove is red - which FB no longer offer - so a replacement black top is going to look a little odd.We live on the coast so the salt air may be a contributor but it does not appear to have affected anything else to anywhere near the same extent.

    Stove expert replied: Having a problem with rust internally may be down to water getting into the flue system and running down it, using wet fuel, not operating the stove at a high enough temperature or a combination of all three. Having said this, the top cracking normally implies that the stove has been over fired. Internal liners are consumable and will require replacing periodically and will be affected by moist conditions. No fuel with a moisture content in excess of 20% should be used on the stove a,d I recommend checking that the flue system is rain proof is made a priority due to the proximity of the installation. There are cowls available that reduce the amount of space that rain can enter which may be worth considering.

    Overall rating:

    3.5 flames

  • Build Quality and Design

    David Yates 7 years ago

    This is a lovely looking stove. The glass is kept clean by efficient airflow and the controls are sensitive.Of the eight stoves I have owned over forty years, this is the most efficient and
    elegant by far.But I''m getting rid of it. After ten years, it''s too expensive to maintain. From the start the firebricks shattered for no reason. Four years ago the handle malfunctioned and had to be repaired by an engineer. Recently the baffle plate has buckled again. Repairs and replacements would cost half the price of the stove. For that price I can get a Defra approved English designed 85% efficient model.David

    Stove expert replied: 10 years service and now finding replacement parts too expensive is a shame, wear and tear does need to be factored in as spares are often disproportionally expensive compared to a new stove price! From what you have written it is a set of liners and 2 baffle plates which seems reasonable for 10years service unless there are other parts not accounted for in the review.

    Overall rating:

    3.5 flames

  • Recently disappointed

    Bill Owen 8 years ago

    Had this stove for just over 4 years now and when it burns, it burns really nicely and gives out a lovely heat. Each year there has been the hassle of at least one, sometimes more than 1, firebrick
    needing to be replaced. Then this year in December one of the hinge pins that holds the door in place, and on which it swings open has snapped/ sheared. this has led to the door glass cracking and needing replacing. The real sting has come when trying to find someone that will fix this as our original supplier is no longer existing. The only quote I have had is £450 - this is to fit a £10 pin. The fire glass has cost £50 approx. this will bring the total repair in at over £500 - over half the cost of the new stove. It is really frustrating to say the least and as a result would not recommend this stove to anyone as it appears to have happened to others. For that matter if I could wind back the clock I would fit a gas fire as, despite the better quality heat from this, I cant imagine it would have caused as much hassle and maintenance costs.

    Stove expert replied: Perhaps another engineer would be able to do this for you cheaper, if it is only the pin that needs to be replaced it is not clear why the price is so high unless it needs drilling out, have you tried to knock out the remaining pin from the hinge with a nail or similar?

    Overall rating:

    3 flames

  • Paul Smith

    Christopher Jones 8 years ago

    Had this stove now for 7 years only once replaced the back baffle probably due to keeping it burn too hot by burning inappropriate wood for too long ie pallet wood it burns very hot. I now burn
    wood briquettes without any problems. I do use a chimney liner as well. Only downside is the glass can get dirty burning wood (seasoned) clean with a wet piece of newspaper rubbed with wood ash to clean. Then wipe clean with clean dry newspaper
    Overall rating:

    4 flames

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