Woodburners old and new

[88v8]

Never had a woodburner before. Most impressed with the 8kw Yeoman we inherited - ease of lighting, output, duration. Heats most of the house. Thinking of installing another stove in the only room that doesn't receive the heat, the sitting room, which is a couple of feet down from the rest of the house. Would be looking for something in the 4kw range to replace the existing inglenook which smokes and is a pain to light.
Thinking of one of these
http://www.thorstoves.com/Antique_Stove_Gallery.html
Well, not the very tall ones.... not cheap but look very good.

However, they are all top-loaders, whereas all modern stoves are front loading. Anyone have experience with using a top-loader for wood?

Ivor

 

[Penners]

I've some experience of a top-loader in a friend's house. I'd definitely avoid this design because:

1. When open it up to shove the wood in, smoke can billow up into the room.

2. If you open it up when it's burning well, you may end up with no eyebrows.

3. They can be a b*gger to clean out.

Front-loading is, in my view, a much better and safer idea. Some front-loaders also have a useful side door to enable you to squeeze in the maximum length of log.

 

[Johnboy]

I have seen a wood-burner that opens up completely at the front so you can burn large logs on it (bit like an open fire I suppose?). It also had a fancy hanging bracket and cast iron pot fitted for your rabbit stew!!

 

[88v8]

I've some experience of a top-loader in a friend's house. I'd definitely avoid this design because:

1. When open it up to shove the wood in, smoke can billow up into the room.

2. If you open it up when it's burning well, you may end up with no eyebrows.

3. They can be a b*gger to clean out.

Thanks.
I am duly deterred.
Front doors it is. I have asked the Antique Stoves site owner whether they have any antiques of that nature in stock.

Ivor

 

[Feltwell]

I have seen a wood-burner that opens up completely at the front so you can burn large logs on it

Probably not quite as large as one I saw in an outbuilding at a farm once - it was designed so you could put pallets in it, in one piece!

We've got a new large wood burner near here - it's called Ironbridge Power Station, apparently they are now burning wood pellets to eke more life out of this coal-fired station. Something to do with environmental legislation forcing it to close sooner if they carried on burning purely coal.