The reason that most people choose solid fuel stoves over single burning wood stoves is that it allows for more choice when choosing fuel to warm your home. It can often be the case that wood can be expensive or unavailable and thus you need a stove that can use other fuels to sustain your home heating.

Solid fuel/multi fuel stoves can dramatically decrease the amount of money spent each year on heating bills. I know in the UK the heating bills have been increasing year on year and my parents heating bill was totally outrageous last year  ( I have tried to move them onto a solid fuel stove but sadly they won’t budge…!)

Once you have decided that you want a solid-fuel stove then you need to decide on budget… and make sure you don’t spent more than you can afford. Choosing a multi-fuel stove is a way to reduce expenditure – not add to it!

The two main materials for a solid fuel stove are:

• Cast Iron (More expensive and thus last a lot longer and slightly less efficient as use firebrick or cast panels)
• Steel (Cheaper but again this can effect how long it lasts but you still should expect at least 10 years – however can be more efficient as they have a skamolex heat board.)

Multi Fuel Stoves are usually placed in a prominent position so do think about the design and look as it will be a major focal point of the room. As with most material objects.. better design usually comes at a premium cost. I would suggest going down to a local showroom to see what each stove looks like.. but don’t buy just yet!

The Major manufactures for these type of stoves are:

• Stanley – Cast in China but good stove..
• Mulberry - Cast in China but good stove..
• Efel  - Cast in Europe so expect to pay more, good quality though
• Nestor Martin - Cast in Europe so expect to pay more, good quality though
• Charnwood – Highly recommended as have high efficiency
• Arrow - Highly recommended as have high efficiency
• Esse – Well liked brand.. very similar to Charnwood and Arrow
• Stovax – Well liked brand.. very similar to Charnwood and Arrow
• Hunter – Another highly recommended brand as has similar efficiency as Charnwood

Ok so now you have some idea of the type of stoves available your next job on your to-do list is to arrange a viewing at the relevant showrooms. Make sure you explain your needs to the salesmen/women but be wary of heavy sales tactics.

Remember – you are not going to buy the stove today.. you just want to get an idea about design and price plus any other info.

I hope you have enjoyed this little article about solid fuel stoves, make sure you also check out my future article that will explain how to purchase your choice of stove online for far less than the price in the showroom…so stay tuned.

P.S: if you have any questions.. feel free to shout in the comments and I will try to answer straight away (seriously, I am happy to help)

Solid fuel stove is a term which refers to any type of stove that burns a solid fuel to generate heat. This can technically means stoves which burn coal, wood or pellets since these fuel sources are solid in composition. However, the term is more specifically used to refer to stoves which burn solid fuel pellets such as hexamine or trioxane.

Solid fuel stoves can be very simple, only consisting of a metal plate to hold the fuel above the ground when camping, legs to keep it from ground contact, and a support for a cooking pot. Tiny, lightweight camp cooking appliances are a great invention to help campers who plan to be on the trail for several days. These Erich Schumm Brennstoff (Fuel) in Tables (ESBIT) stoves as they are commonly called allow backpackers to keep their loads light. A single table of solid fuel weighs only about ¾ ounce when taken out of its wrapper and the stove’s weight is negligible compared to other campsite cooking devices. The metal plate keeps the fuel from soaking into the soil and acts as a heat reflector as well as retaining the residue once the fuel has finished burning.

The same idea can be used on a larger scale for by using solid fuel in a rocket stove. This is a barrel-shaped container seen frequently in videos of underdeveloped countries where wood is a scarce commodity. The barrel-like sections are made of steel and may have double walls to provide insulation and increase efficiency. By providing at least partial biomass gasification, the BTUs can be increased and the efficiency is greater still. These stoves burn quite cleanly and the fuel burns almost completely. Wood and dried weeds can be added to the solid fuel to provide the biomass. This way of cooking and heating in underdeveloped nations emits less hydrocarbons into the air than burning the small amount of precious wood which can still be found.

In the United Kingdom, solid fuel stoves are becoming ever more popular as heat sources for heating homes, providing hot water and even cooking. The freedom from fossil fuels is a major advantage and as more people become eco-conscious, the popularity will increase even more. Not only does it provide reliable heat, it ensures that even when the electricity goes off, the family can be warm and cook hot food.

Hexamine, one of the two common sources of solid fuel for stoves can be purchased in different sizes and shapes from many different manufacturers. It is smokeless, odorless and, as long as a proper means of allow gases to escape either because the stove is outdoors or because there is a stove pipe exiting the roof, it is safe to burn as fuel. The flame tends to burn bright yellow.

Trioxane, the second of the two common solid fuels is used by the U.S. military. It is available in bars and has a very long shelf life. The bars of fuel are inexpensive and can often be found in military surplus stores. It provides about half the heat generated by the same amount of hexamine but the cost is so much less, it is remains practical. The flame of this solid fuel is light blue.