WhatStove?

Review of Jotul F 602 stove

Really good stove

David 12 years ago

Bought this 602 N on ebay 18 months ago to replace a Jotul no1 that I had had for 38 years. It has exceeded all expectations.

Last winter it was used 24/7 from the middle of October until the beginning of April and was superb. Stayed in overnight ok and was so easy to manage. Even my wife, who is not a stove addict like me, thinks it is brilliant which is a bit unfortunate as I was thinking of putting a boiler stove in this position to help with the central heating. However that has been vetoed due to her attachment to 602N.

I use the top flue exit from the stove and have had no problems with a build up of deposits on top of the baffle. The flue is a twin wall stainless steel system and the wood I was using last year was mainly well seasoned ash and hawthorn. In my experience the flue and wood are just as important as the stove to get the optimum performance.

Compared to the last stove the wood has to be split slightly thinner but it can still be up to 16 ins long.

The hotplate has proved very useful on several occasions and the door is light and simple to operate. This model has a solid door which would be a disadvantage if the fireplace is the focal point of the room but in our case the TV and the computer are the room's focal points so it is not an issue and besides this with the stove being on continuously it means I don't have to worry about blacking the glass! I just put two or three logs on get it burning fiercely and then turn the vent to the setting I want. Quite often the vent is only open a fraction but it really depends on the prevailing weather conditions and how long I want to leave it ticking over. Also this model is not cleanburn so at times when the air vent is nearly closed there is a little more smoke output to contend with.

One thing I would recommend is a pair of stove gloves. The stove is quite deep and it is useful when refilling with shorter pieces of wood to be able to place some at the back of the stove.

The black paint finish is easy to maintain with stove and grate polish or a spray can of black stove paint.

If I was getting another one I would go for the cleanburn with a glass door (just to be up to date and a little more environmentally friendly) but overall I am extremely happy with my 602N.

Stove expert replied: Nice review for this stove.

Overall rating:

5 flames

Build Quality 5 flames (avg 5)
Quality of finish 5 flames (avg 5)
Value for money 5 flames (avg 4.8)
Ease of use 5 flames (avg 5)
Ease of lighting 5 flames (avg 5)
Firebox size 5 flames (avg 4.6)
How well does the airwash work 5 flames (avg 4.6)
Controllability 5 flames (avg 4.9)
Handle operation 5 flames (avg 4.9)
How likely are you to buy it again? 5 flames (avg 4.9)
What is your overall satisfaction? 5 flames (avg 5)