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Little Wenlock stove

Overall Rating:

4 flames

based on 64 reviews    (View rating breakdown)
Aga Little Wenlock stove

The Aga (Coalbrookdale) Little Wenlock is a classic cast iron stove suited to the smaller room. The Little Wenlock has airwash to keep the glass clear and an impressive 79% efficiency rating.

The woodburning version is approved for burning wood in smoke control areas.

Technical Data
  • Height: 525mm
  • Width: 380mm
  • Depth: 359mm
  • Flue Diameter: 125mm
  • Fuel: Multifuel
  • Nominal Heat Output: 4.5kW
  • Efficiency: 81.1%

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Review Ratings Breakdown

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

Most Recent Review

  • Continued black sooty glass door...

    Fred Hines 2 years ago

    A great little stove, BUT... Since it was fitted some ten year ago the glass door inside continually goes black with soot. Major job to keep cleaning it. I''ve tried several types of fuel, but
    makes no difference at all. Any answers please???

    Stove expert replied: I believe the early Little Wenlock stove didn't have an airwash to aid the cleaning of the glass. Use a damp cloth, dabbed in wood ash and wipe clean.

    Overall rating:

    4 flames

Most Popular Review

  • The AMAZING Little Wenlock Stove

    Bob 13 years ago

    This is an excellent & highly economical solid fuel and wood burning stove.Easily adapts to larger firebox size for burning wood, or using supplied firebricks for solid fuel.The stove is
    very easy to control, clean and use. Remarkable heat output - care is needed not to overload as this stove as it is capable of putting out a surprisingly high level of heat.The riddling system is easy and effective.Overnight burning is very controllable using the air valve on the door. This easily enables a nice warm room to greet you in the morning.Top of stove can be used to boil water, cook and with the use of an old penny under a heavy pan to act as a slow cooker - Great way to produce excellent porridge for those without an AGA!If there is a weakness - and this is really being a bit picky it is that the airwash system to keep the glass clean is not as effective as you might expect - especially if you are running the stove on the overnight 'miser' rate to save fuel.Having said that this blackening of the glass also tends to burn off if you run the stove hot!Will burn all types solid fuel and wood - suggest that something like smokeless ovals should be used for overnight as they are a very economic burn in this stove.You may find if using smokeless that a pile of 6-8 ovals are sufficient to keep your room warm, there is no need to fill the the whole firebox.

    Stove expert replied: Great feedback for such a small stove, good to hear it is so versatile

    Overall rating:

    5 flames

More reviews for Little Wenlock stove (page 1 of 7)

  • Perfect for a 2 up 2 down house

    Phil Davies 5 years ago

    Bought one of these 4 years ago and had no trouble with it whatsoever, being the first multifuel burner I've owned, getting used to how it best operates took a few weeks, but soon enough after
    practice, hot fires were soon warming up our entire house from just one source of heat, this one. Burns hotter using logs, but most efficient using smokeless fuel, and when dampened down can still be lit in the morning

    Stove expert replied: Nice comments

    Overall rating:

    5 flames

  • Good but goes out.

    Henry Barnard 5 years ago

    I have just had a Little Wenlock installed. It is way to light and gives out a good amount of heat. However, I can't get it to stay in over night. My previous stove was a Countryman 6 and that
    stayed in with no bother. This stove either goes out, burns all the fuel or produces loads of creosote. Beginning to wish I had bought another stove. It's our only heat and the house is freezing when it goes out.

    Stove expert replied: OVERNIGHT BURNING To achieve an overnight or a slow burn rate, close the spin valve fully, then open about half a turn, or less, depending on draught conditions. If the fuel load is too small or the draught too strong the spin valve may need to be closed even further to sustain the low burn rate. This will be found by trial and error by adjusting the amount of air depending upon the amount of fuel left over at the end of the burning period. Do keep trying as this should be possible, perhaps try an alternative fuel as they do vary greatly on how they perform, and the amount of air required etc. A smokeless fuel will be the most likely fuel required for an overnight burn as it is not recommended to burn wood on low settings as this will produce tar deposits and can lead to problems in the flue system, short periods of fast burn are required to maintain a clear flue.

    Overall rating:

    3.5 flames

  • Little Wenlock Mk 2

    Dave Patchett 5 years ago

    Great Stove, warm and efficient but after replacing a cracked glass and glass seal ( rope ) the glass now goes black to the point where i cant see the fire. The glass seal i replaced didn't
    cover the top part of the glass which i didn't think was right so sealed all the way around with the new rope. May be tha'ts the cause of the glass going black, other than that its a brill stove.

    Stove expert replied: The replacement glass and seal should match the original as this is how the stove was manufactured, if a change has been made then the glass may well blacken. Do insure that the air wash control is open and that the fuel is dry and well seasoned with a moisture content of less than 20%.

    Overall rating:

    3.5 flames

  • Great stove

    Alasdair Johnston 6 years ago

    This is the third one I've fitted in four years. I've two in my own home and the most recent one I bought in February this year I've just fitted in my partners Mum's home.It's a great wee stove
    at a good price, very simple to use and the first two [four years old now] have never given me any bother. Delivery time was quick. Mine stays on for weeks at a time without going out - just a top up before going to bed, damp it a bit and it stays on all night. Brilliant!

    Stove expert replied: Do make sure that you give the stove short periods of fast burn between 15 and 20mins due to the long time the stove will be slumbering.

    Overall rating:

    5 flames

  • Problem with glass going white

    Hamlyn Waring 6 years ago

    Have been using my little wenlock 3 for 8 years. Overall a fantastic stove, BUT I have just changed my fuel to ovoids and fitted a new glass as the last one was pitted. The new glass has started
    turning white. According to the manual the fire grate bars should be fitted with the slats facing down to the back of the stove. Would this be correct for the airways system to work correctly?

    Stove expert replied: The bars should be fitted as per the manufacturers instructions. The glass going cloudy is indicative of the stove being over-drawn (running at too high a setting for more than 20mins at any one time). The stove should be controlled so that short periods of fast burn only are undertaken where the controls are left fully open.

    Overall rating:

    4 flames

  • Aga Little Wenlock - great stove but not without problems

    Edward Ferguson 6 years ago

    Great little stove for heat output. Used daily, for seven years, in the colder months and definitely raises the overall warmth of our home. Like the stove a lot but it has its problems. We
    use a recommended solid fuel and it''s kept dry but the glass blackens every time. The glass clouds and pits and needs to be replaced annually and, warning here, the screws holding the glass in place are always really difficult to loosen/remove. (Re the glass - we have a really cheap stove with the same size glass and use the same fuel but it never blackens.) Also on first use this month the back blanking plate fell off in two pieces making the stove unusable. We will now need to get a qualified installer to take the stove out of its recess, disconnect the top stove pipe etc etc to deal with this.

    Stove expert replied: If there is enough space behind the stove you may not need to have the stove taken out, some blanking plates fit by twisting into place once it has been slotted into the hole. As you have two stoves, the flue draw may be poorer on this flue and therefore more airflow into the stove may be required to maintain clear glass or even more free air in the room itself. You could also tey an alternative fuel as they do vary and another may not have the same effect on the glass.

    Overall rating:

    3.5 flames

  • Great for its size

    Jim FINDLAY 6 years ago

    Purchased this AGA Little Wenlock a couple of years ago to replace our 7 year old COALBROOKDALE Little Wenlock as I was fed up with the glass sooting over.This newer version has a priceless
    benefit of an airwash glass cleaning system so the glass only requires a wash or wipe over every month or so rather than daily as before.Lovely looking classic stove, door handle doesn't get hot. Ash pan has a good depth but could be wider - some ash inevitably falls past it into the bottom of the stove. I use an ASH-VAC which hoovers up the remnants from the firebox, sucks up all the ash from the ash pan so I don't have to risk carrying this through the house, and then hoovers up beside and behind the ashpan where it's spilt.Plus points - convenient size for its output, nice view of the flames, multi-fuel, easy controls.Bad points- some bought logs are too large for the fairly small firebox. Ashpan should fill the space below the griddle/firebox.

    Stove expert replied: Ash pans rarely fill the whole width of the stove due to opening that it passes through being narrower than the main stove body, this has to be smaller to give the stove strength. Plus points for this type of design means a larger fire grate for fuel and ash spilling outside the ashpan can be annoying but is easily cleaned with an ashvac. Ashpans usually have 3 high sides so it can be used as a shovel to collect any spilt ash on the back part but can mean that ash falls off the back when removing - there is no easy solution I feel!

    Overall rating:

    4.5 flames

  • LITTLE WENLOCK SE

    LEIGH WOOTTON 7 years ago

    We''ve had this Aga now for around 7 years. It''s great...easy to light, gives out plenty of heat and is well made. Downside is...if your flue is top mounted, the baffle plate will need to be
    removed to sweep (unless you have an access door in the stove pipe). To get this out, it will more than likely require cutting out or breaking out as I do (a sharp, pointed hammer and it breaks easily.) Then you will have the misfortune of having to deal with Aga customer services. That said, I would buy another...it''s a quality burner.

    Stove expert replied: If a stove flue pipe with access door in it is required, fitting this instead of breaking the baffle plate for each sweeping would seem a good way to resolve the issue. The baffle plate should be removed regularly to check any build up in the flue and I would suggest monthly which may prevent it being a problem when sweeping time comes around which is less frequently. Routine maintenance is suggested for all stoves and is often not undertaken except once a year when sweeping takes place, removable parts should be removed so the stove can be cleaned out thoroughly monthly.

    Overall rating:

    4.5 flames

  • After 25 years use moving house means i need the new model

    7 years ago

    OK I have the original Little Wenlock. It has provided heat & cooking during power cuts. I live in a hamlet & power cuts are frequent. The stove has Excell smokeless beads put on & these last
    for 9 hours. The house is 4 bed detached the living room is 5M x 10M & the dinning room double door is opened when the stove is on. Yes I built my own home with underfloor heating & yes I do have a generator. However this little stove has never required spare parts & heats through with surprising efficiency. If the new model is any thing like the original I will be very pleased.

    Stove expert replied: Wonderful comments - a great testimony for this stove.

    Overall rating:

    4.5 flames

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