First impressions of the Clock Blithfield

[@davidv.8655]

I sell these for a living . This is quite simply the finest stove i know. The build quality is ridiculously good . This all pales into insignificance when you start using it . This leaves every stove i have ever tried in its wake (.we currently have 70 on display) The control system is on another level . The precision on the primary (right) and secondry (left) control are beyond responsive and so good you have to see it to believe it. I was so impressed i put one in my own home. The only stove manufacturer that excites me like clock is clearview, but i have to say i think these are better. Made in England . It makes you proud to be British.

[@TheTortoise]

Fair enough, they both make lovely stoves to be sure! How do you get on with the Sudbury by the way???

[@sbsgardening6722]

I’m Also Enquiring about the Sudbury , how is it compared to this ?

[@TheTortoise]

I expect it to be excellent, and I have spoken to Clock about testing one of those too. It will happen next year, but I’m quite excited to test one for comparison.

[@fitfurnuffn]

Would you recommend a 6” flexi liner over a five inch even the clock has a 5 “ collar thanks in advance

[@TheTortoise]

Always better to have a 6” flue if possible.

[@jakeagusta]

Just had one fitted. Excceds expectations. Superb piece of engineering and the controls are as accurate as they say. 7 year warranty highlights how good this really is.

[@neilbissett1240]

I have the compact version and love it 👏😎

[@LRDefender1968]

Looks like a fabulously engineered bit of kit, looking forward to the review!

[@TheTortoise]

👍 it is lovely! And it’s a beast in terms of power too.

[@nigelmackie9237]

I have clock blithfield 5 and it is so good. The room gets hot so quickly I can’t fault it. 👍👍

[@TheTortoise]

Great to hear 👍

[@RichardDandy-do8qh]

Just bought one can't wait for weather to cool down so i can put it to the test!

[@TheTortoise]

Sounds good, you’re n for a warm winter 👍😆

[@VapourTrailz]

Good to know if your buying one which hopefully I am this week!

[@TheTortoise]

Very exciting! You’ll love it.

[@tangm6969]

Just bought a clock Sudbury and getting it fitted in August we have had it on order for three months, I hope it as been worth the wait.

[@TheTortoise]

I’m very confident it will be, the Blithfield is really superb and the Sudbury is a very similar thing.

[@TerryJamesCole]

The review wait is always a killer. I didn’t get on with Clock burner on holiday but I’m not convinced on the quality of fuel so it will be interesting to see what you think about this one.

[@TheTortoise]

That’s interesting. It certainly seems quite an impressive thing right now.

[@DrRock2009]

Not having a rear flue outlet means it’s now off my list of stoves to audition. Rats! 🤷‍♂️

[@TheTortoise]

Ahh, we’ll nothings perfect 😆

[@scrimmy45]

What a lovely , high quality stove. I notice it has an ashpan. I have just had a DG Ivar 5 stove fitted ( partly based on your personal review ) which does not have an ashpan or grate. Does the grate and ashpan make it more or less efficient ?

[@TheTortoise]

Generally less efficient. Although this one is a top notch bit of kit. Definitely with your stove, it will perform far better as is, and not with the optional grate and ash pan.

[@daisyb5646]

Excellent review once again. Can I please ask what your view is on the Clock Sudbury and whether you have reviewed it? Many thanks, Daisy

[@TheTortoise]

I haven’t yet. The big change is the magnetic door, which I’d be keen to try. I imagine the stove is excellent, the handle and door catch seems to be the only controversial bit.

[@gordonadamson5854]

I bought one, it’s brilliant

[@TheTortoise]

Awesome, glad it’s working for you.

[@ashleywaller7074]

I recently moved into a property that already had a hunter herald 4 ce v11 installed. I find it has very little control and after watching this video there seems to be a big difference in controllability of a more modern stove. If you were in the same position would you be happy to stick with the herald 4 or would you look to upgrade to something like the Clock Blithfield?

[@TheTortoise]

What you have is an old stove that is based on a design from the 90’s so it is definitely dated now. A stove like a Clock is superbly controlled, but not all modern stoves are. If you’re swapping for a Clock then without a doubt it’ll be one hell of an upgrade!

[@Swerve744]

Any chance of a few more insert stoves. Love your reviews. 👍👍👍👍👍

[@TheTortoise]

That's the plan, currently just running through everything I can get my hands on 😆

[@Swerve744]

@@TheTortoise thanks. We have just had the Mendip christon 400 fitted. Only had a few kindling fires and a longer hours burn. It certainly pumps the heat out. The reason we chose it was because we have a lovely Edwardian/ Victorian house and didn't want to destroy the fireplace and surrounding mantlepiece.

[@TheTortoise]

@@Swerve744 that sounds good. From memory the Christon 400 is the same as the Westfire Uniq 35, they’re certainly great at driving heat forward!

[@jonnygunner65]

Hi again- I take it you have a ‘top hat’ connector on your plate there as your reviews are all in the same opening?…if so, what make do you have? Thanks in advance

[@TheTortoise]

I will pull apart installations all the time. The liners in my chimneys have been swapped around, replaced with different sizes and swapped back again. I don’t have a top hat, but sometimes I wish I did 😆. Each time I swap them there is normally a certain amount of modifying that goes on.

[@grahamramsden4200]

Can I ask if you have come across Dunsley as a brand. We are looking at getting an Avance 500 and just wondered if you had used one and if so what I’d your opinion of it. Cheers.

[@TheTortoise]

I’m hoping to have a go with one at some point this year. I have seen one and my gut reaction was that the build quality wasn’t stunning, but other than that it looked business as usual. I’m keen to try one though.

[@rabbit7able792]

I bud, We've just lit up the Town and Country Rosedale, I used gorse bush sticks to get started and I have put in 3 logs...2 and half inches round and 8 inches long and the wood is hawthorn and I can tell you it burns hot. we're up to 250 in no time. and the fire box looks empty cause theres not much in it. you need to try that type of wood.

[@TheTortoise]

Yea that stuff can go! 😆 The flip side is it’ll tend to need reloading a little more regularly, but for lighting and getting temperature it’s good as gold! 👍

[@CraigK80]

When I was looking for my stove this was also recommended by my installer, I ended up with the DG Ivar 5 for very similar money and am very happy I did. What put me off the Clock was the air control system which was too fussy compared to the DG Ivar and also the handle was as you spotted too small and fiddly. I also wondered about the longevity of the handle and lock up over time as it’s a threaded adjustment as opposed to a chamfered wedge like the Ivar. Also the window is obstructed with the guard, which reduces the view. All under consideration when looking at not only aesthetic’s (as they’re great to watch) but also reduced the aperture. As daft as it sounds the weight is also a consideration and I could argue just because it can be heavy doesn’t mean it should be. Most quality built stoves will last a lifetime anyway so weighing 116kg, that’s right 116kg for me is probably 30kg heavier than it needs to be. Lead times and manufacturing were also a bit sketchy at the time. A great stove none the less, just a few things for me made it a non starter. Regards warranty claims, not 100% that the claim of zero claims is true either 😉 working towards maybe but a quick Google will reveal some customer issues. Another fantastic vid guys looking forward to the main event and your take on this one.

[@TheTortoise]

He definitely said he is working towards no claims, but I’m interested, what claims have you found? The controls are as you say, a bit fiddly. But they’re also part of the fun and character. Also the weight is really useful in stoves, because the bigger the weight, the bigger the thermal mass, therefore the longer it stays hot. I agree on the handle, it would be nicer longer, but I don’t think it’ll break 😆

[@Jamesarcherstoves]

There were more warrentys on the mk1 but this is the mk2 been out for 3 years and a less than 0.2% warrenty claim so we are working towards less Every stove manyfacture has claims but we improve every day.

[@tombroome1527]

Have this stove installed myself since January. Love many aspects about it, it’s very well engineered, but I do get smoke/ash spilling out when re-loading with fuel. Interested to see if you find the same during the full review!

[@TheTortoise]

Thanks for the comment, interesting that you’ve had that. I’m surprised to hear that’s an issue!

[@Zerobob26]

My stove fitter said he had the exact same issue with his Clock, and his wife kept complaining about the smell. Mind you, I also have the same issue with the Woodford Turing that he fitted, unless I'm quick and careful when refuelling. Such a basic design flaw, yet so many stoves seem to suffer from the issue. May also be down to how your chimney behaves though.

[@TheTortoise]

@@Zerobob26 the best advice I have is allow the stove to burn down more before re-loading. If you wait for the flames to stop there basically isn’t any smoke being produced, which should negate the issue entirely 🤞

[@Zerobob26]

@@TheTortoise Yeah you're absolutely right, and that's exactly what I do. However, sometimes you don't have a choice - the fire could smouldering and struggling to burn down to coals for whatever reason (unfortunate log placement, damp wood, etc) even with the stove opened up, in which case you simply have to open the door and throw more wood on. Even putting new logs on a bed of coals can cause my stove to smoke out the door sometimes, so I just have to be super quick.

[@TheTortoise]

@@Zerobob26 that’s interesting to know, as you say a lot of it is just working within the situation. You could look at drier fuel or higher temperatures, but as long as it’s working for you just carry on.

[@MarietaJeske]

Hi, My last question clock b. or clearview ? Thx

[@TheTortoise]

Hell of a question. Tricky thing is, I don’t know how you’re going to use the stove. But On the other hand, they’re both excellent bits of kit!

[@beckygee6486]

I’d love to see the Charnwood Skye 5 reviewed please!

[@TheTortoise]

Yea I’d like to try that stove. Charnwood have had such a stock nightmare on their hands that I had sort of given up on doing too much with them for a while. I think they have a full order book until around June 2024 🤯🥵

[@beckygee6486]

@@TheTortoise 😳🤯That’s not good news…..was pretty much settled on a Charnwood - either C-5 or the Skye, which is obv more money, but seems to perform much better. Maybe I should consider the Clock Blithfield?! Finding your reviews very helpful/ informative, thank you.

[@TheTortoise]

@@beckygee6486 the clock is certainly better value for sure, but look is also an important part. You can still get Charnwood stoves from dealers, it’s just that Charnwood themselves won’t have stock for some time. This one is up to you!

[@beckygee6486]

@@TheTortoise ah ok, thank you. Yes, I guess so!

[@johnbell909]

What’s the law with eco 22or was it eco23 can’t remember? Does it mean that I need to replace my current Stove because it isn’t one off these ?

[@TheTortoise]

Not at all. These regs have been blown way out of proportion by the media, these rules are actually like the difference between “euro 4” and “euro 6” in cars. In 2025 “euro 7” will come into force for cars, but this like stoves does not mean we can’t use our old cars or stoves. People still use open fires and classic cars, so there are no restrictions at all.

[@johnbell909]

@@TheTortoise great thanks , panic over! Plus saved me a few quid 😀

[@EddRandomCrap]

👍

[@AndrewDiggens]

Must admit to never having heard of Clock so I looked them up. Being in the market for a pure log burner I was drawn to the Sudbury model. Having listened to your comments regarding build quality, I was expecting a high end price but was pleasantly surprised at the price. If its performance is as good as the quality of build then this range of stoves would seem to be a bit of a bargain. One thing I also read was that the Sudbury comes with a somewhat left field magnetic latch which does not work too well. It was also stated that the makers are working on a replacement normal handle/latch design which can be retro fitted. I wonder if, with your contacts within the company, you can find out if there is any truth in this story?

[@TheTortoise]

Apparently it’s not in the pipeline yet. The designs are owned by James Archer, and currently he has no plans to change them.

[@tangm6969]

I'll let you know we are having a Sudbury fitted in August

[@TheTortoise]

@@tangm6969 very keen to hear what you think.

[@tangm6969]

@@TheTortoise will do when we get it installed and up and running

[@AndrewDiggens]

@@tangm6969 Would be interested to see what you think. The comment I saw basically was saying that the magnet was really strong and was damaging the rope seal in that area of the door.

[@justyouraverageshaun89]

It was quite an expense but dont let the price put you off, you’ll never need to buy another, more than chuffed with ours

[@nikprenga2796]

What's your opinion on the Henley stoves

[@TheTortoise]

I haven’t tested one yet. They seem like a nice simple stove, I would expect they’re imported from the east, very simple, tough and reliable. But hopefully I’ll get a chance to try one out and that’ll be fantastic once I get that chance.

[@nikprenga2796]

@TheTortoise they are made in Republic of Ireland

[@TheTortoise]

@@nikprenga2796 oh that’s interesting, Waterford Stanley I guess???

[@nikprenga2796]

@TheTortoise I'm not sure about that to be honest, I know that they are based I Kerry Ireland and also they have a distribution centre in Cambridge England,

[@TheTortoise]

@@nikprenga2796 I’ve looked a little closer at them, I very much doubt they’re made in Ireland, I’m 99% convinced they’re imports (not that that is a problem), but sometimes people will paint and bolt a door on in a place and say it was made there. I’d definitely still like to try them out!

[@leeb3644]

It’s a nice looking stove but the controls do sound awful, it put me right off when I was looking to purchase.

[@TheTortoise]

Yea the controls are a bit marmite, but if you like that character, design or feature then it does add a layer of interest and conversation.

[@asifditta8745]

Ive had a clock blithfield 5 mk 2 stove for 3 years now it's running awesome the controls are very good for controlling the primary and secondary helps with efficient burning of fuels excellent stove made to last

[@TheTortoise]

@@asifditta8745 glad to hear it 👍

[@leeb3644]

@@asifditta8745 I’m not suggesting the controls are poor at adjusting the burn rate, it’s the sound of them that I disliked. Looked at about five to make sure the first wasn’t faulty and they all sounded like an old boat anchor being dragged across a tin roof. Glad you enjoy yours though, happy burning.

[@davidv.8655]

They are so good you wouldnt beleive it. When you start using them , it all makes sense . You would never want to go back. A bit like intermittant windscreen wipers and electric windows . You actually cant believe how backwards everyone elses are.

[@CoconutandFamily]

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[@TheTortoise]

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