WhatStove?

Jotul 118 stove

Overall Rating:

4.5 flames

based on 9 reviews    (View rating breakdown)
Jotul 118 stove

The Jotul 118 stove is a very traditionally shaped cubic stove. Because it is a long stove the 118 can take long logs.

Technical Data

Add your review of this stove

Review Ratings Breakdown

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

Most Recent Review

  • Used Jotul 118 40+ years so far

    Alison Long 8 years ago

    I should have said we''re on our 2nd but that was because we had a chimney fire in the ''80''s and the firefighters took the first one out in the rain. Crack! We still have it and could replace
    the side panel and be back in business.The 2nd one has been in use as our primary heat source ever since. It''s between the kitchen and the dining room but we doubled the size of the house when we were energetic still and doorways have required us to put in oil heat for some spaces. However, our central living area is dependent on the Jotul.Our only problem is that we must replace the side burn plates every decade. They warp. I wonder if they''d last longer if we switched them from side to side each summer.We do keep it going overnight. There are a couple of tricks to getting it to go for six or eight hours. First, rake coals forward. Next, select the logs either for long ones or two short ones end to end. Select also for smaller diameter at the bottom (to make sure you continue to get coals) and as many large ones as will fit snugly. Arrange them with each layer back a few inches so lower levels burn the fronts of upper ones. On top, I sometimes push a log or two well back so that it doesn''t start to burn until later. Then, after you make sure the bottom is burning well, cut the opening down to a very thin slice of light. If it isn''t burning well before you do this or you don''t have enough coals, of course it will go out. If you leave it too open, it won''t last, so it takes practice to get it right (and an assortment of hardwood logs). We burn about 4 cords per winter, though this winter a relative is living with us who needs the heat up all the time, even when we''re at work or the day is warm. We''ll probably burn 5 this year.I''m up several times in the night (age 75 is like that) and notice if it''s warm. Unless I screwed up in stacking it or did it too early or whatever, it continues to give off pleasant heat all night. By morning, it may be down to smallish coals but the sides are still radiating some warmth. It takes 10 minutes to bring it up to speed.And the tea kettle is just a couple of minutes away from boiling for a big pot of tea.Enjoy!

    Stove expert replied: Happy customer

    Overall rating:

    5 flames

Most Popular Review

  • Jotul F118 Black Bear review

    Angus Robertson 17 years ago

    Excellant stove, stick a log on in the morning and away it goes again for the rest of the day, we lit the fire in late October and it wasnt out until late March !! Easy to use, the ash needs
    emptied about once every 4 or 5 weeks of constant use !! The work involved in cutting the logs is greatly reduced, it takes logs twice the size of a normal stove, so its half the cutting, half the splitting and half the handling and stacking. High quality cast Iron, yet much cheaper to buy than some of the rubbish on the market !
    Overall rating:

    4.5 flames

More reviews for Jotul 118 stove

  • Best Woodburning Stove Ever!

    CMS Raeburn 10 years ago

    True to its inscription: "I count down my fire late at night, until the day's final end, until my age extinguishes out .... God give me my fire ..."

    Stove expert replied: Great words of praise!

    Overall rating:

    4.5 flames

  • Value for money

    Angus 12 years ago

    I ve had the Jotul f118 for 5 years now and wanted to review it again.This is still an excellent stove. The glass stays clean, it always has plenty coals in the morning, and unlike the previous
    reviewer, there is no hallucinating that the fire is still going the next morning, it doesn't matter if it is coals or a fire the next morning, the fact is you can keep this stove going for months without re-kindling! We load it at night, and put a log on it when I get up, we load it in the morning, its still going when we come in at night. Pretty much does all out heating and is the most user friendly stove I've owned.It works best if you sit 2 logs side by side, so I split the logs quite narrow, about 15cm wide, but cut at approx 55cm long. I don't think there is anything on the market of this quality, user friendliness and heat output for such a low price. Jotul always were (probably) the best!

    Stove expert replied: All stoves should be let out once a month to check that the airways remain clear!

    Overall rating:

    5 flames

  • Jotul F118 - Excellent

    Joe Harbinger 13 years ago

    Best stove I've ever used - and I've tried a lot of them! This beast will efficiently heat a medium to large home. High quality stove, good value for money.. and it will outlast you.. and your
    children!

    Stove expert replied: Not a lot to say - short and sweet - a great review!

    Overall rating:

    5 flames

  • kirlhill

    John Buck 13 years ago

    I have been burning wood my entire adult life. I have had many different stoves and those who say the Jotul 118 has an all night burn are hallucinating. If you load the 118 you will get approximately
    , (depending on the type of wood,) a 2.5 hour heat output, after that your are surviving on coals. Others are correct in saying there is a bed of coal the next morning. I do like this about the stove. If you depend on this stove for your main source of heat you better get up during the night and add fuel or put on the blankets, as I do. I do like the 118 but was sucked into the eight hour burn claims. How stupid was I? I should have known better from past practice. Cold in New York

    Stove expert replied: Over-night burning can be difficult to achieve and may not be the most efficient way to use a stove!

    Overall rating:

    3.5 flames

  • Had this model for years

    Andy MacLeod 14 years ago

    It works well and burns all night when required. Through years of operation spars are no problem to get (baffle plates) Don't burn Coal in them as you will crack the side plates. You get a lot
    more heat from your wood if you get the stove going and then turn it down, don't burn the stove with the door open as all that will happen is your heat will go up the flue if you must play with a fire get an open fire as you Granddad had. PS There is no airwash was on the model I have

    Stove expert replied: This is true - although it can feel like the stove gives out more heat when you open the door this is limited to a small area infront of the stove. In actual fact the nett result of burning with the door open is a reduction in heat output which can sometimes seem counter intuitive when you are sat infront of a stove burning with the door open.

    Overall rating:

    5 flames

  • Excellant!

    Angus Robertson 14 years ago

    We have been using the 118 for 2 years, and it is an excellant stove; Its takes a 60 cm log, and if your cutting your own wood, that is half the cutting, splitting, stacking and handling. It
    burns overnight and relights easilly with a rake of the ash and a new log in the morning. Last winter ours was never out between October to April, we even kept it going while emptying the ash, which we need to do about once every 3 weeks. Its very easy to use. You are better to get a stove thermometer as a guide as to getting it hot and slowing it down! It burns better if you sit 2 logs side by side!
    Overall rating:

    5 flames

  • Classic class

    Jon 16 years ago

    The old classic; takes 18" logs (less sawing) and is very contollable with just the draught adjuster (no damper). You just need to keep raking the fire forward for maximum heat output.
    Overall rating:

    4 flames