Wood Fueled Cooker

[stevec]

I would be interested to know if anyone on here is using a wood fueled cooker as their main cooker? We have an electric Aga which is getting far too expensive to run. I have looked at the Esse Ironheart, but I have heard very mixed reports, mainly about it being difficult to control. I have a friend with an older Esse and he loves it, fuels it twice a day and has had no issues and it is his only cooker.

The Wamsler cookers seem to get a very good write up but I don't know anyone with one.

The cheapest option would be a Rayburn but I understand that they are difficult to run on wood alone. I like the look of the Thronhill range cookers but I have no idea what they are actually like. Similarly, I have read a lot of bad things about the La Nordica cookers but the only person I know who has one loves it.

I am keen on wood, as we have a large kitchen with no heating and access to a lot of processed wood.

Any experience appreciated.

 

[stevec]

@VSS - Do you have any views on this? I hoped you might!

 

[nic531]

I would suggest that you also check on the regs for where you live. I believe the rules re wood are changing... not sure but heard that is has to be kiln dried???
may effect choice.

I used to have a fire with an oven and cooked on the top... it was basic, a pretty but I needed one quickly at the time and it was available

 

[polranny]

We have had Rayburn cookers for a long time. When we first had one we only used wood but found it was not easy to control the temperature and needed quite a lot of attention (feeding wood). It was difficult to keep it going overnight. We now use wood, and some smokeless coal when we’re going to be out for a good time, and for keeping it going overnight. Despite this we love it and wouldn’t be without it.

 

[old keeper]

Some near neighbours bought a wood-burning cooker and had endless problems with it. Heat regulation was a problem, it used shed loads of wood which had to be really dry, etc. After a year they gave up and returned to a standard Rayburn.

 

[Bo Diddley]

Life is too short unless you truly want to embrace "The Good Life". It's bloody hard work and frustrating.

 

[VSS]

@VSS - Do you have any views on this? I hoped you might!

Currently we do not have a wood fired cooker, despite owning several acres of woodland and having forestry on our boundary. Long story why not, which I won't bore you with!
Previously we had a solid fuel Rayburn that we fuelled primarily with wood. That did all our cooking and hot water.

 

[Sellars]

I have been using a Wamsler 90 for heating, hot water and cooking for 20 years, before that I used a Bosky 60. I think they are great and Wamsler was the only boiler cooker I could find with the output I required at the time. They do need to be fitted properly and for central heating require lots of dry wood. I have a back up electric cooker for summer. The oven needs watching to keep a steady temperature so for baking or other temperature sensitive cooking you need to be prepared to watch and tend to them. If you plan to just use it as a cooker and not for hot water it should be relatively straightforward and only need lit around mealtimes. I've always had a back up electric cooker for summer and using a timer or some baking.

 

[stevec]

Thanks for the comments everyone.

I spoke to my friend again and he looked at a lot of cookers and came to the conclusion that the older Esse wood burning cookers were the best, not the ironheart. The one he has which is no longer in production apparently is very easy to control and burns little wood. He tells me that it will run for about 14 hours between fuelling.

We will keep looking.

 

[stevec]

Currently we do not have a wood fired cooker, despite owning several acres of woodland and having forestry on our boundary. Long story why not, which I won't bore you with!
Previously we had a solid fuel Rayburn that we fuelled primarily with wood. That did all our cooking and hot water.

Thanks. Did the Rayburn take long to heat up or stay in for long with wood only?

 

[VSS]

Thanks. Did the Rayburn take long to heat up or stay in for long with wood only?

Very quick to heat up with wood. Not so good for staying in overnight.
You need a good Rayburn, not one that's old and crumbling.

 

[croydbay]

Rayburn for me, only use wood, radiators and all cooking, never try to keep it overnight, firewood needs to be your hobby.

 

[reiver]

I fitted this for a customer who is a chef .
He is highly delighted with it .
When we first lit it for testing I boiled the kettle in around 5-6 mins from cold ! La Nordica Rosa 4.0 Maiolica Wood Burning Range Cooker

 

[Taff]

The advantage of firewood is it keeps you warm twice, once when you cut it, and then when you burn it.

 

[243ack]

Does anyone know of an outfit that could supply and fit a good woodburning range cooker here in S. Ayrshire?. (Yes, I have googled local outfits and contacted them - that's why I'm asking here!!).

 

[reiver]

Does anyone know of an outfit that could supply and fit a good woodburning range cooker here in S. Ayrshire?. (Yes, I have googled local outfits and contacted them - that's why I'm asking here!!).

Where abouts in south Ayrshire are you ? We are Hetas reg and fit stoves in the south west /The borders
We love a good trod up to Scotland every now and again from here in Cumberland
Reiver

 

[243ack]

Hi Reiver - pm'd you.

 

[stevec]

I fitted this for a customer who is a chef .
He is highly delighted with it .
When we first lit it for testing I boiled the kettle in around 5-6 mins from cold ! La Nordica Rosa 4.0 Maiolica Wood Burning Range Cooker

That is the same model I have seen before. The lady who has it really likes it

 

[Bavarianbrit]

We looked at Wamslers in 2002 but then learnt that they had moved production from Germany to Hungary so we bought an Austrian "Lohberger" one which has been fantastic I still love using it after 20+ years.

 

[timbrayford]

I would be interested to know if anyone on here is using a wood fueled cooker as their main cooker? We have an electric Aga which is getting far too expensive to run. I have looked at the Esse Ironheart, but I have heard very mixed reports, mainly about it being difficult to control. I have a friend with an older Esse and he loves it, fuels it twice a day and has had no issues and it is his only cooker.

The Wamsler cookers seem to get a very good write up but I don't know anyone with one.

The cheapest option would be a Rayburn but I understand that they are difficult to run on wood alone. I like the look of the Thronhill range cookers but I have no idea what they are actually like. Similarly, I have read a lot of bad things about the La Nordica cookers but the only person I know who has one loves it.

I am keen on wood, as we have a large kitchen with no heating and access to a lot of processed wood.

Any experience appreciated.

Yes. Until this summer we used a lincar Ilaria wood burner for cooking , heating and hot water. When we got it I was getting a significant amount of wood from my landscaping business however now I've retired that supply has dried up and we have moved to less labour intensive solutions. Stove is now up for sale