WhatStove?

Review of Morso 04 stove

Morso 04 Design Flaw

Tom Leahy 11 years ago

I like this stove but would not buy a Morso again. To my way of thinking it has a fatal design flaw, in fact this applies to many Morso stoves.

A few times the stove has gone out in the first couple of minutes after lighting, this seems to happen especially at the beginning of the heating season when the chimney is cold and damp. I am much more careful now and have learned to cope with this.

The problem is that you cannot completely shut-off the air intake, so when the stove fails to light as described, no draught has been established and the smoke in the chimney and firebox falls down and emerges from the stove's underside and spreads across the floor of the room. You are helpless, there is no way to stop it. The oily smell of a firelighter is not a pleasant one.

That is a minor inconvenience but demonstrates the real problem. What if you have a chimney fire? The first thing you want to do is shut off completely the air supply to limit the problem. But that is impossible on this and many Morso stoves. How could a company with such a tradition in designing stoves make such a mistake? Ensuring some air supply at all times may improve stove efficiency, but I'm afraid they have compromised on safety.

Stove expert replied: Try leaving the door a jar when first lighting so that the flue gases are lifted out of the stove. If gases are coming back down the flue then this should be looked into as there should always be a draw to insure the stove can work effectively. It may not be the stove that is at fault but a poor flue draw!! Advise getting this checked.

Overall rating:

3 flames

Build Quality 5 flames (avg 4.4)
Quality of finish 5 flames (avg 4.6)
Value for money 3 flames (avg 4.2)
Ease of use 3 flames (avg 4.7)
Ease of lighting 3 flames (avg 4.5)
Firebox size 2 flames (avg 2.9)
How well does the airwash work 4 flames (avg 3.9)
Controllability 1 flames (avg 4.3)
Handle operation 3 flames (avg 3.8)
How likely are you to buy it again? 1 flames (avg 4)
What is your overall satisfaction? 3 flames (avg 4.3)