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Stovax Brunel 2cb stove

Overall Rating:

3.5 flames

based on 11 reviews    (View rating breakdown)
Stovax Brunel 2cb stove

The Stovax Brunel 2cb is a cast iron multi fuel stove.

This stove has an external riddling grate & ash pan

&

there are longer legs available for this model of Brunel stove.

1 plain door has a glass panel - the air wash keeps it clean.

It is available in matt black & 2 enamel finishes.

Technical Data
  • Height: 640mm
  • Width: 437mm
  • Depth: 335mm
  • Flue Diameter: 125mm
  • Fuel: Multi fuel
  • Nominal Heat Output: 6kW
  • Efficiency: 79%

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Review Ratings Breakdown

Build Quality 3.5 flames
Quality of finish 3.5 flames
Value for money 2.5 flames
Ease of use 4 flames
Ease of lighting 4 flames
Firebox size 4 flames
How well does the airwash work 3.5 flames
Controllability 3.5 flames
Handle operation 3.5 flames
How likely are you to buy it again? 2 flames
What is your overall satisfaction? 2.5 flames

Most Recent Review

  • Design Faults

    Falcon Hildred 5 years ago

    1. Is messy. Ash falls out the front. 2. Had to make alterations to clean ash away. 3. Inadequate handles to doors had to use awkward tool or cloth. 4. Ash pan not big enough. 5. All
    this would have been clear even on the drawing board. So this inexcusable. 6. I speak as an industrial designer.

    Stove expert replied: The ash pan is designed to be big enough, it is not recommended that ash is left in the pan for long periods, it should be removed regularly to make sure the airflow remains unobstructed. Stoves will produce a certain amount of mess, this is normal with a wood or multifuel stove. It is important to use either the tool (if one provided for opening the door) or a glove as handles normally get hot when the stove is operating. Most manufacturers will provide these if required. Stovax stoves will have gone through a thorough design process, they will have been adapted to produce the best stove possible. As an industrial designer you will know how products are developed and adapted before they go into production.

    Overall rating:

    3.5 flames

Most Popular Review

  • Not as good as the Stovax 1A

    Dave Sutch 15 years ago

    After installing a Stovax 1A and finding it excellent I fitted the 2CB in the back room (similar size) with the thought that a bigger stove would see me through the depths of winter more comfortably
    . How wrong I was. With hindsight I should have installed another 1A which I find significantly more efficient both in control and fuel efficiency. As it is I tend to use only the 1A as I keep warmer at significantly less cost. The 1A is really cute but the 2CB is a rather ugly older brother. The 1A burns Taybrite fuel very efficiently but the 2CB uses twice the quantity for a similar heat. Both are good woodburners but again the 2CB requires larger quantities for similar output. For a room size 12' square the 1A is perfectly adequate. In a room of similar size the 2CB is considerably more expensive, both to buy and to run
    Overall rating:

    2.5 flames

More reviews for Stovax Brunel 2cb stove (page 1 of 2)

  • cover plate problems

    7 years ago

    I don''t know if any one else has had this problem but the back cover plate has fallen off twice in the six years we have had the stove. When it first happened we had it put back which involved
    stripping out the inside,( which saved having to remove the complete stove) all completed, then fell of again this year, tried to remove baffle inside to gain access bolts sheared with rust. Stove now will be dumped and I say never again.

    Stove expert replied: The back cover plates should twist and lock into place and if they fall off can usually be repositioned with fire cement or heat proof silicone. If the failure is due to rust of locating lugs then replacements can be purchased. A shame to discard a 6 year old stove.

    Overall rating:

    3 flames

  • Enamel - never again!

    Kathryn Harris 8 years ago

    We have now had 3 Stovax woodburners - our first a Stockton 6 steel stove is a fantastic can't-fault-it stove. However based on our satisfaction with the Stockton we installed a Brunel 1A finished
    in green enamel in another room and that's when the trouble started. Within 2 years the top had developed not just enamel cracks, but a central crack in the fabric of the stove. We contacted our installer who contacted Stovax, who came to inspect it and swiftly agreed to replace it - great! However the replacement (we upgraded to the 2cb) has now gone the same way and Stovax are responding very differently - they won't inspect it but have offered to send a replacement top casting which they say should be installed by the original installers, before they inspect it to see if the problem was caused by poor installation!!? Interestingly they have also claimed that this is not a problem they've seen before - but a quick internet search found this site with others reporting not dissimilar problems.

    Stove expert replied: A great pity to have a similar problem with the second stove but good that a replacement part is being provided. It would be worth checking the installation complies with Stovax's requirements to eliminate further problems in the future.

    Overall rating:

    2.5 flames

  • enamel failure

    Elaine Baguley 10 years ago

    I'm afraid I cannot recommend. The enamel on my stove seems very brittle and easily damaged and now a large area on the lid has cracked and is flaking off despite relatively light usage. I am
    not sure if this is just a poor example but beware as it certainly detracts from the appearance.

    Stove expert replied: What a shame, how old is the stove? There is a 5year warranty on Stovax Stoves, have you made a warranty claim?

    Overall rating:

    2.5 flames

  • First Winter with 2CB

    William Fraser 10 years ago

    First winter with the 2CB. We burn smokeless fuel and seasoned logs. Because it is a multifuel stove it has a riddling mechanism which does not riddle the whole firebed.We have found that this
    mechanism can be easily jammed requiring intervention with a poker or letting the fire go out in order to clear the obstruction. Manufacturer's instructions give good general guidance but effective control is a matter of trial and error. It's performance is quite weather dependent. Airwash works well. Ash box is small and twenty four burning requires it to be emptied once or twice which is not so easy with the fire going. The fire door is interlocked with the ash compartment door so you have to open both to access the ash pan.This I was told is a safety feature so I guess it has to be like that. Fuel efficiency and economy is excellent. We love having a multifuel stove but based on what we know now I'm not sure that we go for the 2cb.

    Stove expert replied: You say the stove control is affected by weather conditions, it is draws too well in windy conditions then it is advisable to have either a flue damper or stabilizer added so that you maintain control, if left unchecked there is a possibility that the stove will over-draw which can lead to problems of components as they will be exposed to higher than normal working temperatures during these situations. Perhaps try a different smokeless fuel as they do vary greatly and an alternative one may be better in this unit. I would always recommend emptying the ash pan twice in every 24hrs if the stove is being operated 24/7 as if the ash is left to build up in the pan it can lead to overheating of the grate and again this can lead to problems in the future.

    Overall rating:

    3 flames

  • stovax brunel 2cb

    Dcarradice 11 years ago

    Within 12 months of installation it was noticeable that the enamel was flaking in several areas. I contacted the supplier/installer who contacted Stovax with the problem and after several months
    a new one was supplied. However within 12 months of this one being installed I now notice that the enamel is flaking around the collar,I have contacted the supplier/installer and are presently awaiting further investigations.The stove itself performs well although I haven't used it that often and have only used wood.I would be interested to know if anyone has encountered similar problems as I cannot believe that I am the only one.!

    Stove expert replied: Disappointing for two stoves to suffer similar failures!

    Overall rating:

    3 flames

  • Brunel 2CB Good and Bad

    Tom 12 years ago

    We have had the 2CB for about 22 months now and, in the main, it works well. No problems with the stove as far as lighting it and the heat output. Only issues there are with wind direction/weather
    , which is not the fault of the stove. Heat output is pretty good (we use mainly dry seasoned logs), but not as much as I expected for a stove that we were told was more than sufficient for a 20' x 12' room. I have never got it to stay in overnight using logs, though. Main grumble is with the firebricks. They all need replacing after less than two full winters. They are very difficult to remove as they are held in by a line of screws which have seized in position (several of them will not be going back in) and the cost of the firebricks is crazy - c£28 each, and it takes three! Is there any alternative? I know you can buy the compound for making your own, but this is not something I would feel comfortable in trying. We are putting off using this stove until we can afford to replace them.

    Stove expert replied: Firebricks will require replacing and the premature failure may in part be due to over drawing during windy conditions, this should be investigated and ideally rectified as it may affect other components on the stove.

    Overall rating:

    3.5 flames

  • Can't fault it!

    Neil Fox 13 years ago

    This is the first stove I have owned and have used it for a couple of seasons now. The heat output is great and is as controllable as a lump of cast iron can be! I generally use logs as a fuel
    and agree with the other reviews that the flames are rolling in view of the glass which generally remains clean and look great! Its easy to light, I generally use newspaper and some smaller logs and it normally goes a treat. A word of warning to new stove users - I have found it important to burn dry seasoned wood in the stove. The air wash ceases to work effectively and the glass soots up quickly if new or damp wood is used, it also makes it a pain to light even with fire lighters and kindling! Occasional use of solid fuel has proved that the stove is a great little all-rounder 'easily staying in' all night - brilliant if the winters are as cold as the last! All in all I think you get what you pay for, obviously there are cheaper equivalents out there, but would they last or perform as well as the 2CB? I think probably not - its worth the extra for a quality little stove which looks great.
    Overall rating:

    4.5 flames

  • High quality.

    Barney 14 years ago

    Can't follow the logic of the first reviewer, who says the heat output from the 1A is similar to the 2CB, despite the fact the 2CB is a physically much bigger stove with a lot more cast iron
    . It's a bit like saying a 400mm wide radiator gives the same heat as an 800mm wide one. Perhaps what they really mean is that you should buy a stove with the right amount of heat output for a particular size room, otherwise you won't be running the stove efficiently. If the 1A is sufficient for a room, then the 2CB would be overkill and you'd just end up restricting the air intake to lower the heat output. Anyway, as someone who's had lots of stoves over the years, i can say this is a high quality stove that does its job extremely well. I burn smokeless fuel overnight without trouble. The design is traditional which looks great in my traditional stone fireplace. I'd also question the first reviewers scores for 'ease of lighting', 'controlability' and 'airwash'. This stove lights really quickly, but like any stove it relies on a decent flue. It has 3 air controls rather than most stoves which have 2, so is very controlable. The airwash is excellent, although like all stoves the glass will soot up if run at low temperature.
    Overall rating:

    5 flames

  • A good stove

    Paul Kemp 14 years ago

    We have the green enamel finish of this stove. In my opinion it is worth the extra money. One small gripe - the colour match between the various parts is not perfect - the doors and stovepipe
    are slightly darker than the body. Build quality is very good - the castings are flawless and the engineered parts very well made. The large glass door panel gives an excellent view of the logs burning inside (we only burn logs). The airwash keeps the glass clean. You will find the glass next to the bars at the bottom does get blackened to some extent, but this does not spoil the view. The clean burn function is excellent - you can achieve a row of blue flames coming from the clean burn air jets at the top of the stove. The clean burn air combined with the air wash air make the flames roll in a circular motion downwards past the glass and then up the flue resulting in a very clean operation with little smoke. The heat output is very good with re-fuelling intervals of about 1.5 to 2 hours (adding 2 or 3 logs - depending on size). You have to get the air settings right - get the stove hot after lighting with air wash and clean burn air at max. Now turn the air wash air to minimum and reduce the clean burn air to about 1/2 - just make sure you can still see flames coming from the clean burn air jets. Overall - very pleased with this stove.
    Overall rating:

    4.5 flames

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