They make 2 versions of the Woodford Charlton. Both are made from steel, are designed for wood burning and the same 5KW size, but the lower version is designed to enable installation into fireplaces rather than the taller version we have, which will primarily be designed as a freestanding stove.
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Lighting: 8/10
This stoveĀ is fairly simple to light and the main door handle has a notching for holding the door ajar to make things quick and easy.
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Cleanness: 7/10
The Woodford Charlton runs at 75.5% efficiency and has all the DEFRA and Eco-Design approvals. What is particularly impressive is that even with these modern approvals, this stove could run overnight and run cleanly throughout.
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Controls:Ā 7/10
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You don't get a tool with this stove because there is no grate or ash pan, which is the reason why we're able to get very long and yet clean burns. However you do get a big glove that makes re-loading nice and easy. I also found that I could open the door and adjust the vent without the glove,Ā which was very convenient and easy, and then you get to the control itself. Interestingly even with the DEFRA block in place I found that the stove could run overnight if good technique was used, but if you removed it then the control would achieve that very satisfying instant change from raging to very gentle flames.
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Economy:Ā 8/10
This stove was running for 10-11 hours on a net of logs, and we tested it a lot as throughout our time with it, we found it to simply be rewarding and enjoyable to use. The stove itself is relatively affordable, the design itself is simple and tough enough for things to last well, and we could get a good fire to burn for 10 hours if needed so all in all the economy of this stove was really excellent.
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What I thought:
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This stove in this cylindrical, Scandinavian freestanding stove market is fairly entry level, both in terms of engineering and price. However entry level has become a very high standard over the years, and actually its simplicity has achieved a couple things that exceed expectations. This stoves lack of grate and simple controls mean that the stove was actually more functional than many of its competitors, with its ability to stay lit over night and shut right down immediately if needed. The fit, feel and finish was fairly standard, but again its stay cool handle and click open log store again exceeded expectations adding functionality and ease of use. If you're looking for fantastic value, and fantastic finishing touch to your room without breaking the bank then the Charlton is a fantastic option, and if like many of these projects this stove is going into a highly insulated or sealed building then another thing that exceeds expectation is that it comes with Direct Air as standard too.Ā