In years gone by there were serious concerns about the quality of “cheap” wood-burning and multifuel stoves from places such as China. It is fair to say that over the last 10 years the quality of relatively cheap entry level stoves (both wood-burning and multifuel stoves) from overseas has increased dramatically. We have the Firefox range and the Tiger selection of stoves both of which are going down extremely well with level entry consumers.
Solid and reliable
If we look at the Firefox range of stoves they offer a heat output of between 5 kW and 12 kW. Prices range from just over £400 to just under £800 offering excellent value for money and surprising reliability. The Tiger range of stoves tends to focus on the mid-range heat capacity of between 4 kW and 6 kW. Like the Firefox range, while they may be imported from China they are solid machines and built to last.
Unsurprisingly as the Firefox and Tiger stoves have grown in popularity so there is a readily available pool of spare parts, as and when required. This has been an issue for some of the more established stove companies which have perhaps changed hands on a number of occasions and seen their reputation demise. The more popular Firefox and Tiger stoves become the more competition this will inject into the market and the better value for not just stoves but also spare parts and accessories.
Filling the economy gap
In years gone by the cheapest of stoves were around the £700 level although it has to be said there was nowhere near the same kind of competition that we see today. Realistically you were probably looking towards £1000 plus installation charges to take your first step into the wood-burning and multifuel stove market. For many people this was a step too far but the introduction of stoves now available at under £500 is obviously catching the interest of new converts.
It is fair to say that the Tiger and Firefox stoves do what they say on the tin, they are solid reliable stoves without the bells and whistles. They are the perfect entry-level model for someone uncertain about whether to jump lock stock and barrel into the more expensive stove market or watch traditional heating costs continue to rise. Interestingly, the feedback we receive from customers indicates that while they may have acquired a Tiger or Firefox stove for its relatively cheap price, with the intention of upscaling in due course, many are perfectly happy to retain the Tiger/Firefox stoves going forward.
Safety is paramount with entry level stoves
Over the years we have seen some major tightening of regulations surrounding the way in which stoves are manufactured and their safety. Stoves for sale in the UK have to abide by local regulations and there is no hiding place with regards to the materials used, standard of production and their output. Everything is transparent, everything is up front and the fact that more and more people are looking towards the likes of Tiger and Firefox stoves would suggest that this tightening of regulations has been very successful.
The entry level stoves we see today are of much greater quality than those of yesteryear – just ask the converts!