chilli penguin stoves

[deletedaccount]

I've read back through a bunch of stove threads now and one of them that is jumping out at me is the chilli penguin. I grew up with agas and rayburns and I'd love to be able to cook on my stove as well as warm my toes. What appeals to me is that it's not wide like an epping or similar, as the space available for a stove is minimal. Height I can cope with, width I can not.

 

 

So has anyone actually got one? Is it any good?

Edited July 27, 2009 by deletedaccount

[Chagall]

I've read back through a bunch of stove threads now and one of them that is jumping out at me is the chilli penguin. I grew up with agas and rayburns and I'd love to be able to cook on my stove as well as warm my toes. What appeals to me is that it's not wide like an epping or similar, as the space available for a stove is minimal. Height I can cope with, width I can not.

 

 

So has anyone actually got one? Is it any good?

 

I like the look of them too so Im really hoping somebody comes up with a positive.....

[casper ghost]

They're not cheap and impossible to buy second hand.. That's all I know.

[carlt]

Can't see the top getting any hotter than a slow simmer and the oven looks about tall enough for a deep pan pizza.

[deletedaccount]

Can't see the top getting any hotter than a slow simmer and the oven looks about tall enough for a deep pan pizza.

 

what are the alternatives? An aga or rayburn, even the small half size one would be too big, not to mention too expensive.

[carlt]

what are the alternatives? An aga or rayburn, even the small half size one would be too big, not to mention too expensive.

There aren't that many small alternatives, unfortunately.

 

I had a Stratford, that was bigger than a back cabin stove but a lot smaller than a rayburn, which I also use to have (and miss!).

 

I think I'd rather have the oven on the bottom (sacrificing a bit of baking heat), ensuring that the top plate got to a good boiling temperature.

[Lady Muck]

what are the alternatives? An aga or rayburn, even the small half size one would be too big, not to mention too expensive.

 

You can get half size ones for boats but AFAIK eveyone I know that has one complains that it makes too much heat for the small space on a a nb, they don't use it in spring and summer, you'd bake alive.

 

You can cook in a normal stove, mines an Arrow, you bung potatoes inside it, but it has to be really piled high with fuel in order to boil a kettle, which often means the boat will be sweltering as a result, its surprising how much heat these things can chuck out.

 

Theres a thread on here somewhere about cooking in a normal stove.

[O'Mali]

That cannot be right (for various reasons IMO) having the oven right above the fire box like that, on a range cooker they are always at the side of the fire box.

 

you bung potatoes inside it

A "lady" who bung's.

[Lady Muck]

That cannot be right (for various reasons IMO) having the oven right above the fire box like that, on a range cooker they are always at the side of the fire box.

 

A "lady" who bung's.

 

Well I'm not really a proper Lady am I, just a pretender....

[O'Mali]

Well I'm not really a proper Lady am I, just a pretender....

No s*@t!

[Chagall]

The oven size is shown here along with other features, which include a block to put into the oven when not in use thereby making it something like a storage heater. I thought that seemed a nifty idea and I guess one could use fire bricks as an economy alternative?

 

http://www.chillipenguin.co.uk/features.html

 

as for the hob, granted you probably cant bring something in a pan to a quick boil but it seems it might work as a secondary heat for slow simmering and the oven at 100mm high would be ample for a small casserole dish or pizza, potatoes, lasagne....

Edited July 28, 2009 by Tanis

[deletedaccount]

The oven size is shown here along with other features, which include a block to put into the oven when not in use thereby making it something like a storage heater. I thought that seemed a nifty idea and I guess one could use fire bricks as an economy alternative?

 

http://www.chillipenguin.co.uk/features.html

 

as for the hob, granted you probably cant bring something in a pan to a quick boil but it seems it might work as a secondary heat for slow simmering and the oven at 100mm high would be ample for a small casserole dish or pizza, potatoes, lasagne....

 

they'll also customisee it (it looks like they're built to order) meaning I could get one at the exact height of my kitchen worktops...

 

*starts saving the pennies*

 

How much would it cost to have it installed for me? I could probably manage the tiling etc with a bit of advice from here but I'd be worried about putting a hole in the roof and sticking the flue in.

[barge sara]

We have a Chilli Penguin, the standard model, and are pleased with it - very efficient and easy to use and control. And it looks good too.

On the down side the top oven is nearly too small to be any use - we're still trying to find suitable dishes to fit!

A kettle on the top reaches simmering point in a couple of hours - but actually there is very little space on top, a lot being taken up by the 5 inch flue and its flange fitting.

 

Given that it is significantly more expensive than other similar stoves if I were buying again I would have a good look at what else is available.

 

Hope that helps,

 

John.

MV Sara

[deletedaccount]

hmm. I guess that's out then.

 

[Chagall]

We have a Chilli Penguin, the standard model, and are pleased with it - very efficient and easy to use and control. And it looks good too.

On the down side the top oven is nearly too small to be any use - we're still trying to find suitable dishes to fit!

A kettle on the top reaches simmering point in a couple of hours - but actually there is very little space on top, a lot being taken up by the 5 inch flue and its flange fitting.

 

Given that it is significantly more expensive than other similar stoves if I were buying again I would have a good look at what else is available.

 

Hope that helps,

 

John.

MV Sara

 

 

That does help me quite a bit....thanks, is the oven perhaps big enough for dishes for just 1 person? .....always supposing I find the dishes the right size. My lovely Le Creuset pans will be too big for the hob by the sound of it. I will have a gas oven for main cooking I was just hoping to use the oven of the stove as free cooking heat whilst keeping warm in winter. ... I'm pleased to 'hear' you say it is efficient and easy, that really is the priority, it wouldn't be good to have a larger stove that might take mountains of fuel to keep it going.

Edited July 28, 2009 by Tanis

[casper ghost]

Have you tried using on dutch oven on your existing stove, they work fine. Good for pies, jacket potatoes etc.

[casper ghost]

I personally just wanted a stove that works well, looks good and has the added bonus of being able to simmer stews....Im a Lancashire girl, I cook 'hot pots'.... ...as well as buns...which seems to cause much hilarity elsewhere on this forum

 

If you only want a hot plate there's a Queenie stove on fleabay, ref 250471777417. I'm not selling it by the way..

 

I have a little cottager stove, I boil my kettle on it and heat pans etc, no probs.

[Chagall]

Have you tried using on dutch oven on your existing stove, they work fine. Good for pies, jacket potatoes etc.

 

 

sounds a good idea, I think Mali? suggested something similar i.e welding a small box to the side so that the hob still has enough heat.... I don't actually have a stove yet, Im still planning and happy to 'hear' useful advice. I have to admit Id prefer it to look good in my 'floating cottage' as well as practical. I did consider the Epping but it will take up too much room as my living area will be smaller than average....

 

If you only want a hot plate there's a Queenie stove on fleabay, ref 250471777417. I'm not selling it by the way..

 

I have a little cottager stove, I boil my kettle on it and heat pans etc, no probs.

 

Thanks...I think I do want a small oven as well.......I say I think because I may change my mind as I learn what works and what doesn't. I suppose that a stove is one of the things that can be changed if I discover it doesn't work for me. Im trying not to fixate on such stuff and aiming to get the big things right that I'll be stuck with otherwise.

[WotEver]

the oven looks about tall enough for a deep pan pizza.

 

Funny you should say that...

 

[withoutapaddle]

they'll also customisee it (it looks like they're built to order) meaning I could get one at the exact height of my kitchen worktops...

 

*starts saving the pennies*

 

How much would it cost to have it installed for me? I could probably manage the tiling etc with a bit of advice from here but I'd be worried about putting a hole in the roof and sticking the flue in.

 

Being as they do perform customisations I wonder if it would be possible for them to raise the height of the oven sufficiently to allow a kettle to fit in it for quick boiling on the oven's upper surface directly; course you'd need someone to invent a side handled kettle.

[Chagall]

Being as they do perform customisations I wonder if it would be possible for them to raise the height of the oven sufficiently to allow a kettle to fit in it for quick boiling on the oven's upper surface directly; course you'd need someone to invent a side handled kettle.

 

or you could use a lidded saucepan perhaps?

[wrigglefingers]

There's a place in Cardiff that sells Chilli Penguins, but you could try Leekes in Melksham for something different. i do know somebody who has one and he invited me in for a coffee. It did take about 2 hours to boil the kettle which was about 1 hour and 59 minutes longer than I wanted to spend on his boat though .........

 

I've sourced a new multifuel Rayburn for Cobbett. It's surprisingly small - and the scale seems about right in a boat - she's a 216SFW which is about the size of the old Rayburn Royal. She'll have four radiators and a skin cooling tank for any overheating plus moderate size hot water tank. I think fitting and flueing has been an interesting source of debate between David Harris (builder) and Paul Smith (surveyor) but we seem to be getting there.

 

Photo may work but apologies for quality - Ellen used her camera phone to do it.

 

 

Yay! I worked out how to post a photo. I'll find some of Cobbett now ....

Edited July 29, 2009 by wrigglefingers

[Chagall]

There's a place in Cardiff that sells Chilli Penguins, but you could try Leekes in Melksham for something different. i do know somebody who has one and he invited me in for a coffee. It did take about 2 hours to boil the kettle which was about 1 hour and 59 minutes longer than I wanted to spend on his boat though .........

 

I've sourced a new multifuel Rayburn for Cobbett. It's surprisingly small - and the scale seems about right in a boat - she's a 216SFW which is about the size of the old Rayburn Royal. She'll have four radiators and a skin cooling tank for any overheating plus moderate size hot water tank. I think fitting and flueing has been an interesting source of debate between David Harris (builder) and Paul Smith (surveyor) but we seem to be getting there.

 

Photo may work but apologies for quality - Ellen used her camera phone to do it.

 

 

Yay! I worked out how to post a photo. I'll find some of Cobbett now ....

 

 

very nice stove, so I guess you wont have another style of oven on Cobbett but will you be having another stove for heat or will the Rayburn be all you need?

[wrigglefingers]

There's a place in Cardiff that sells Chilli Penguins, but you could try Leekes in Melksham for something different. i do know somebody who has one and he invited me in for a coffee. It did take about 2 hours to boil the kettle which was about 1 hour and 59 minutes longer than I wanted to spend on his boat though .........

 

I've sourced a new multifuel Rayburn for Cobbett. It's surprisingly small - and the scale seems about right in a boat - she's a 216SFW which is about the size of the old Rayburn Royal. She'll have four radiators and a skin cooling tank for any overheating plus moderate size hot water tank. I think fitting and flueing has been an interesting source of debate between David Harris (builder) and Paul Smith (surveyor) but we seem to be getting there.

 

Photo may work but apologies for quality - Ellen used her camera phone to do it.

 

 

Yay! I worked out how to post a photo. I'll find some of Cobbett now ....

 

 

very nice stove, so I guess you wont have another style of oven on Cobbett but will you be having another stove for heat or will the Rayburn be all you need?

 

The Rayburn will provide everything in winter but for summer I'm going to fit a two ring hob and use a Remoska for an oven. Actually, for fast cups of coffee in the morning too; my getting up schedule requires less than fifteen minutes to boil the kettle. We'll also have a Kabola Old Dutch in the boatman's and for Ellen, who couldn't bring herself to live on a boat without a Squirrel, a Squirrel to love. I think David and I designed the heating system on the coldest day of the year! Plus, everything on Cobbett has a backup system, including Ellen-the-pole-woman (hydraulic b*wthr*sther)!

Edited July 29, 2009 by wrigglefingers

[sueb]

Having a rayburn should provide plenty of heat for your boat by it's self. We had one on our boat and it was hardly ever at cooking temperature because of the heat problem. We have a gas oven & hob as well.

I wouldn't have thought you needed extra unless you were in a house.

Sue