We seem to be finally getting the snow that has been hitting much of Europe over the past week or so. It only started an hour ago here but the forecast is for more to come.
This is when the joy of a woodburner really becomes apparent. The heat, the happy sound of it chugging away, plus the ability to dry wet gloves and have a kettle on the go…it all gives you that comforting feeling that if the weather continues to deteriorate, you can sit it out in comfort. This is also when having your fuel to hand, in the form of wood pellets or briquettes, in clean, dry bags, wins out over having to brave the snow to get more logs or chop kindling!
This week we got a sample of Hotties, the wood briquettes with the hole in the middle!
We’ve been trying them out in the Charnwood built-in stove which we now use as an open-door room heater (since its back boiler burst!) and in the small studio stove.
In the open stove, one Hottie burned through in an hour, as against a Verdo briquette, which burned for an hour and a half under the same conditions. However, in the small Windy Smithy wood stove, the first one burned very hot for 2 hours and a second one, with the stove turned down half way, stayed in all night, though it was giving out very little heat by morning. So the more you can control the draught, the better they perform…which is true of all our woodfuel.
It’s too soon to give a definitive verdict but on balance, the Verdo briquettes are better value for money, given that they have such a high and sustained energy output. Once we’ve done more tests we’ll report back again.
Take care out there, people – and stay cosy!
