Best 4kw stove for under 650

[Polishicebreaker]

I've been out the game a while, any recommendations??  multifuel ideal

 

cheers   Ed

[Tonka]

New or second hand?

[Kendorr]

https://salamanderstoves.com/product-category/the-hobbit-stove/

 

They have increased in price a little bit, but excellent little stove.

[Chewbacka]

I like my Salamander Hobbit stove.  So would recommend that to you.

https://salamanderstoves.com/product/the-hobbit-stove/

 

Added - Hobbit owners obviously love their stoves as 2 out of 2 so far.

Edited January 10, 2023 by Chewbacka

[Alan de Enfield]

We had the Pipsqueak (Salamander) only about 3Kw but more than enough for a 30 footer.

 

Loved it but it was not so much a 'log burner' as a 'twig burner' it only had an 8" firebox.

 

 

 

 

[Mike Tee]

^^^ 3 out of 3

[dmr]

Esse now do a relatively low cost stove so have a look at that. Its welded steel which I think is a positive, though quite light so I suspect its thinner steel than some. I have seen one and they look quite good, though the owner said the air control is not the best so not possible to throttle the stove right back, dunno if this is the stove or operator error 😀

[booke23]

32 minutes ago, Chewbacka said:

I like my Salamander Hobbit stove.  So would recommend that to you.

https://salamanderstoves.com/product/the-hobbit-stove/

 

Added - Hobbit owners obviously love their stoves as 2 out of 2 so far.

 

I don't own one but just installed a multifuel stove at home and did a lot of research. No question the Hobbit is the best choice in this price point and well worth stretching the extra £60 to buy it. You can buy cheaper machine mart stoves but I fear the quality could be poor.

 

 

[GUMPY]

Hobbits been in the boat for 8 years, combined with Ecoal 50 its the best.

[Rob-M]

1 hour ago, Chewbacka said:

I like my Salamander Hobbit stove.  So would recommend that to you.

https://salamanderstoves.com/product/the-hobbit-stove/

 

Added - Hobbit owners obviously love their stoves as 2 out of 2 so far.

I like my Hobbit stove and would recommend it.

[___]

1 hour ago, Chewbacka said:

I like my Salamander Hobbit stove.  So would recommend that to you.

https://salamanderstoves.com/product/the-hobbit-stove/

 

Added - Hobbit owners obviously love their stoves as 2 out of 2 so far.

Me too. It’s a nice little thing but not too small to do the job or to load, clean and operate.

 

It is cast iron rather than fabricated steel. Some will prefer that, some won’t and most probably won’t be too bothered either way.

 

[GUMPY]

I did find that changing the front bars to the taller version made managing the fuel load and keeping it in overnight much easier.

 

 https://salamanderstoves.com/product/small-stoves-coal-bars/

[Mike Tee]

Mine was badly abused before becoming ours - low front bars are seized in place and riddling mechanism is also seized. Tried many times to sort both but no luck. Even so, it does what I want it to so happy with it despite the problems. I also have a coal cage in it - the fire is a bit close to the wooden wall behind it which gets (I think) too hot, so the coal cage brings it down to a more reasonable temperature. It's only in the back cabin, so doesn't have to do a lot of work.

[David Mack]

4 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

We had the Pipsqueak (Salamander) only about 3Kw but more than enough for a 30 footer.

The Pipsqueak is no longer made by Salamander, but is available from https://pipsqueak-stove.com/products/pipsqueak-small-cast-iron-stove

[magnetman]

It is worth considering a DIY stove.

This is what I came up with in collaboration with a gentleman who is very good at welding. 

 

8 inch box section and 70mm stainless exhaust tubing for the flue. 

 

I can run this fire with wood with the porthole open and it puts no smoke into the boat. It did take quite a lot of work to make it. We put a grate in so it stays in for about 15 hours on smokeless with door shut. 

 

The thing to do if using a small section such as the 8 inch box is to make the fire tall. This thing throws out at least 3kw probably more like 4. I've never had any parts of it flowing red ... Great little stove. 

Edited January 12, 2023 by magnetman