WhatStove?

Review of Stratford EB 20 HE

Not a happy chappie

Jim Gordon 9 years ago

Had one of these stoves fitted 3 months ago to replace a solid fuel Rayburn not happy with it's performance or am I expecting to much ? I burn well seasoned wood (20% or under moisture)but contacted Arada to complain and was told coal would give me 3 times more heat so I bought"fireglow" (recommended)at £18.50 per 50 kilos to experiment. If I light it at 8.30am (room temperature 10c) by 12.30 it is up to 15c with wood. I then put 7 kilos of "fireglow" on, go out for approx. 2 hours when I return room temp.is 13 or 14c. Although Arada state the heat output to room as being 3-10kw my armchair sits only 4ft from the door of the stove and if I want to feel heat I have to sit forward in my chair, this burning either coal or wood. Even though I have kept it going overnight often the room temperature does not get any better than 16c .. this, compared with the solid fuel Raeburn it replaced, is pretty poor and expensive. I have done everything "by the book" but am not happy with this stove, or do I expect too much ? It heats 5 radiators reasonably.

Overall rating:

3 flames

Build Quality 4 flames (avg 4.2)
Quality of finish 4 flames (avg 4.2)
Value for money 1 flames (avg 3.7)
Ease of use 4 flames (avg 4.5)
Ease of lighting 5 flames (avg 4.6)
Firebox size 4 flames (avg 4.7)
How well does the airwash work 4 flames (avg 2.9)
Controllability 4 flames (avg 4.2)
Handle operation 1 flames (avg 2.7)
How likely are you to buy it again? 1 flames (avg 3.8)
What is your overall satisfaction? 2 flames (avg 3.8)