There’s no doubt about it, adding a stove to your home creates a warm, cosy and unique ambience. They really do make a fantastic addition to any living space! However, there are some different options to choose from, one of them being woodburning or multifuel. We’ve put together this article which tells you everything you need to know about both options to help you make a more informed choice.

Multifuel stoves

First up, let’s talk about multifuel stoves. The clue is in the name, essentially multifuel stoves can burn more than just wood, they can also burn peat briquettes, coal and other smokeless fuels. It’s worth considering which type of fuel you’re likely to use before making your decision. House coal for example, can’t be burnt in smoke control areas although smokeless coal can. If you’re wanting to burn wood in a smoke controlled area you’ll need to make sure you opt for a defra approved multifuel stove (which all of ours are!).

When compared to woodburning stoves, the inside of a multifuel stove is slightly different. Multifuel stoves feature a riddling grate which sits just above the base of the stove. This grate essentially allows air to flow more easily to help the combustion of smokeless fuels. The riddling grate also allows for ash to be collected and cleaned easily after use. It’s really important that the ashpan is cleaned regularly to ensure that air can flow freely around the stove and burn fuel efficiently.

Woodburning stoves

Let’s move on to woodburning stoves. Again, as the name suggests, woodburning stoves are purely designed to just burn wood logs. Woodburners feature a flat base on which the logs are placed, the flat base is where the ash collects. Unlike multifuel  stoves, the ash on the floor of the woodburner actually aids in combustion. Essentially this means you don’t need to worry about cleaning out the ash to the same extent that you would with a multifuel.

A common misconception is that if you live in a smoke control area, you can’t have a woodburning stove. However, this isn’t the case, just make sure that you opt for a defra approved stove which are permitted for use in such areas. All of our wood burning stoves are defra approved.

The main differences between woodburning and multifuel stoves

Aside from the points mentioned above, here are some of the main things to consider when choosing between a woodburning or multifuel stove.

Design

There are a few small differences between the look of multifuel and woodburning stoves, such as the riddling grate we’ve talked about above. However, both multifuel and woodburning stoves are available in a wide range of styles and sizes so you can ensure you find an option to suit you and your home. On our website, we have a tool you can use to design and create your own stove! Try it out here to see just how many different options there are.

Cost

There isn’t much difference in price between woodburning stoves and multifuel stoves and there are different options available to suit all price ranges. The cost of actually running the stove will greatly depend on the type and quality of fuel that you’re using.

Our build your own stove tool gives you a range of different options and offers a price for each so you can find the best option to suit your budget. Try it out here.

Ease of use

When it comes to ease of use, many would argue that a multifuel stove is most convenient as you aren’t limited to one type of fuel. This means you can easily switch fuel suppliers and types depending on the cost and availability at the time. While you don’t have the same luxury with woodburning stoves, it is easy to find lots of local suppliers of wood. 

In terms of actually using the stoves, both options are extremely easy to use and it doesn’t take long before your stove is lit and ready to be enjoyed! 

Maintenance

Whilst both options are relatively low maintenance, the ash in woodburning stoves doesn’t require cleaning out to the same extent as it does with multifuel stoves. As mentioned above, this is due to the fact that ash actually helps aid combustion in woodburning stoves.

Closing thoughts

So there you have it! Everything you need to know about the difference between woodburning and multifuel stoves. If you have any additional questions, don’t hesitate to contact us and our team will be happy to help.