Living With An Esse Ironheart Wood Burning Stove

[@JMHM3170]

A tip. If you haven't used the Woodburner for quite some time & the outside temperature is really cold, where possible, it's wise to 'warm' the Chimney before lighting. Otherwise the smoke won't go up the Chimney, but out into the Room. I use a Hairdryer Richard, but in your case you might need to find an alternative means!! Great Video!

[@mariaridler1831]

I’m here watching your video recorded in much simpler times. Thank you for what you do Richard 🙏

[@lizziel4876]

Hadn't heard of you in the days when you made this video, but certainly have now... we had a Rayburn in each of two different houses (farm/tied cottages) for 35 years. have now moved back into the one we originally lived in and the Rayburn has gone. At least we still have a woodburning stove (albeit an inset one, which isn't as useful in my opinion) ) in the front room, which is very cosy, but oh how I miss the Rayburn!!! Give me the work of running it (even now in my sixties) any day over central heating. There is nothing like a wood burning range for creating a cosy and welcoming and wonderful smelling kitchen.

[@bladerunner9646]

Thank you very interesting!

[@brianmccullough8673]

Hi Richard , lovely to see your videos and to learn how much you enjoy your Esse stove , very much an art rather than a science ! As a fellow woodburning stove devotee I agree it is a luxury and a wonderful way to spend your days - health to enjoy it is wonderful 😎

[@borderlands6606]

I also once bought a house with an old Rayburn. It was lovely but didn't fit my work, commute, single male lifestyle at the time. Among my earliest memories are visits to aunt who had a solid fuel range. She lived in a tiny semi-detached house, and the stove was equally downsized but managed to fit the fire, hot plate and water heater into the chimney space. You see similar things on the continent but I don't recall seeing anything so diminutive in another British house, especially as it looked more 1930s than Victorian.

[@RichardVobes]

Yes, they are a life style choice and wouldn't suit everyone for sure.

[@georgetimperley8906]

The Esse looks great, it is never good to have a cold house but with the Esse that won't happen as you say, well done great video

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks George - I can pretend it is an old steam train's firebox! :)

[@beautynotstatic2419]

Self sufficiency is key. Don't want to leave life support systems totally up to others. It's too important.

[@JulioTijuana01]

Thank you for sharing, It always makes me happy when I see wood stoves as I know my grandmother used one when my dad was a kid. They are very useful indeed.

[@RichardVobes]

I love 'em. Thanks for watching Julio!

[@promenteryrobbins]

What a lovely thing

[@claire76leach]

Such a lovely video of something that gives you such joy Richard x

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks Claire - I do love my Esse. :)

[@Red_____________]

Different but awesome

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks very much - I like to do something a bit different for a change. :)

[@oldgoat5589]

Hello, Richard. I moved to France 12 years ago, and had a hankering for a wood-burning range, plus a wood-burning stove - they are very common here, and there's plenty of wood. So, in 2009 I bought an Esse WN - this looks very like an Aga, but of course, burns wood. After some initial problems as a result of manufacturing errors (I nearly made 'em take it back), it was fired up and worked pretty well. Since then, it has been in use every winter between November and April, and has been brilliant for warming the kitchen, and cooking. Unlike yours, this doesn't heat water. I had a problem last year, when I inadvertently over-fired it, which required quite a major firebox renovation, but all is OK now. It's also advisable to have the flue swept annually (a requirement here, for insurance purposes). So I'm about to commence my tenth winter of burning! I also installed a Jotul F600 stove for the salon (lounge) - the room is cathedral-like, and takes quite a bit of heating. The stove is 12 Kw. Like you, I enjoy the concept of burning wood, though as I'm getting on a bit, shifting it each year is becoming more and more of a chore.

[@RichardVobes]

Hi Chris, thanks for sharing your story. I think once bitten by the bug and experienced the real fire heating, you can't go back. Well done to you, sir.

[@bodo9387]

Hi Chris, really considering getting one of these but trying to gauge how much wood i'd need. After 10 years of using yours for half the year, how much wood do you find yourself getting through? Is yours without a back burner? Cheers

[@cabinlife2347]

Greetings from Canada. Very nice video Richard. Great cook stove! It looks like a very efficient burning stove too. A little story/// We knew a lady who always burned 'low and slow' because she was so afraid of having a chimney fire that she inadvertently created the perfect conditions to have a runaway chimney fire. You mentioned how of frequently clean the stove, but didn't mention the upper chimney lining. If you have not already done so ... Please make certain the upper part of the chimney is cleaned too!!! This should be done before your next 'hot' burn. That's the most important part to clean, since that is where the cooled smoke will build up.. on those cooler surfaces...so that when you decide to fire it up nice n hot one chilly evening, it could start a chimney fire, but you probably are aware of this already. During the months when we were only having low fires, and not burning 24/7 - one thing we would do to help lower the risk of chimney fire, was to do a 'hot burn' once a week - open the windows if need be, but if you do this just AFTER your chimney has been serviced (inspected) and cleaned, doing a 'hot burn' of 650F 325C in the chimney once a week for a few minutes will prevent creosote buildup by burning the smoke and particulate as it goes up the chimney. Burning good seasoned dry wood helps too. No artificial kindling with wax and chemicals, no magazine paper etc, as these can foster creosote buildup and corrode metal chimney lining. Perhaps you are already aware of this, but some viewers may not be...so maybe this post could save a life. Thank you for sharing your video. Glenn & Maureen. Ontario, Canada

[@davidbooth3285]

Bex Bisal,it beats as it sweeps as it cleans! Richards Esse, it heats boy,it heats and it swings! Very informative!!

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks David - talking of which, I need to clean it. :)

[@Ursaminor31]

I aspire to have an esse. Thank you for sharing

[@RichardVobes]

Go for it!

[@lindakane7771]

Different content today! Great video. I envy you the smell of the wood smoke but not the cleaning every day!

[@RichardVobes]

Always good to do something different for a change. Thanks Linda.

[@davidkitchen7941]

The Esse Stove looks ideal for your cosy home Richard. I have more of a rambling house and so I would need central heating as a back-up.

[@RichardVobes]

I just ramble through my house!

[@kennethgoodman3230]

Enjoyed your account of living with your stove. I had a multi fuel stove installed in September 2016 and I keep wondering why I waited so long as it’s changed living in our 1900 fairly large detached house in north east England. Now the house is much warmer and the heating is turned down so saving money. I have tried smokeless solid fuel and wood. Wood being my preference. With wood I agree you get a nice feeling on entering the room. Wood I find heats up quicker whereas solid fuel requires less attention and will keep in longer, normally it will stay in overnight if you wish.

[@RichardVobes]

I didn't mention too much about the wood storing and constant shoving in logs, but I love mine. I haven't tried solid fuel.

[@malcolmcog]

Mrs C wants a woodburner, I like the idea. It would have to be just a heat source for the main rooms, not dor heating water

[@RichardVobes]

Yes they are nice too, make you dozy with a book in your hand - lovely!

[@huwbishop6995]

Grew up with wood, I don't care what people say, it's a different kind of heat. I heat my house with a 4kw cheap multifuel stove burning wood. Only turn the central heating on to keep it running. So far only three times all winter.

[@markrutlidge5427]

Can smell the wood smoke from here😀

[@RichardVobes]

Great!

[@MaZEEZaM]

For me, as someone who has grown up with wood fired heating my whole life, for me the bonus of the wood burning stove is if you would normally be burning a wood fire for heating, it’s a huge bonus to be able to take advantage of that heat to also cook meals and potentially to heat your water essentially as a by-product of heating your home. As these stoves cost an absolute fortune here in Australia, it’s still a dream of mine to own one, saving, saving, saving 😊

[@RichardVobes]

Good luck with the savings - I love mine!

[@mazman8343]

great Range love your video 👍👌

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks so much.

[@MrGreatplum]

The memories of my parents’ old Rayburn when I was a kid! That was able to also power the radiators; my memory was they used coal for that , we still had coal deliveries! Dad used to throw the ash onto our little driveway which was basically just ash and mud! What do you do with your ash? Deliver it to Mr Suggett’s allotment?

[@RichardVobes]

I can save the ash if it is useful! Thanks Matthew.

[@mickymantle3233]

Very interesting Richard. Sting Spider agrees but says it can get a bit chilly under the floorboards.

[@RichardVobes]

Don't hide under the floorboards! :)

[@annosborne7365]

Well it looks great, the smell of the logs must be a pleasure.

[@RichardVobes]

It is Ann, it really is.

[@aurora04444]

I grew up with antique US made wood cookstoves, all we had. The water heater slab you showed that came later, and you had to onstall yourself... where on the stove does it go and how is it attached?

[@octagon12011]

I call mine Ron. As in "The 1 Ron He Art". But I'd really like to get an "X" and turn it into an ESSEX.

[@BronwynMurray-sc2xu]

You replaced a Rayburn with an Esse. Could you explain the differences and/or benefits of one over the other. Rayburn has alway the been the King of wood stoves. Was it purely cost or availability?

[@Bishopton]

hi, do you prefer the Esse to say something like a reconditioned Rayburn? Also can you confirm the Esse Ironheart is multifuel? Ie, takes coal as well as wood?

[@RichardVobes]

I love the Esse. I believe it is multifuel.

[@Bishopton]

thanks, the Esse looks good, sure is expensive tho

[@gus4522664]

Hola Richard, ¿para qué sirven las encimeras de la cocina? ¿Deben cubrir la comida mientras se cocina? Si es así, deberías ensuciarte mucho, gracias. Un abrazo desde argentina

[@RichardVobes]

The counter tops are the hobs. Underneath the covers is where you put your pans to cook food.

[@robertbaxter4021]

Hi Richard great video. It might be an optical illusion but at 6:50 it looks like you have your electric cooker plugged into a normal plug socket. I did that once but luckily didn't turn it on as someone told me it should be wired into a proper cooker socket as the wire is a lot thicker and carries more current. I'm sure it's just an optical illusion though I'm sure most people would know not to do it unlike me

[@RichardVobes]

I have always had the cooker plugged into a domestic socket - but then it is a gas cooker (was) and only used the electric to light the gas!

[@robertbaxter4021]

@@RichardVobes I should have known that actually because we did that for a bit too

[@vestafairie]

thank you - very informative. when growing up, my dad (from New York City but living outside of DC) would go out onto public lands, find fallen trees, and cut up wood for our fires. do you have the option to do so there?

[@RichardVobes]

It is illegal now to do that without permission.

[@WG1807]

Up here in Lancs, tree surgeons and fellers who contract to the council, usually leave sawn limbs, and trunk rings in a pile nearby and often invite the locals to take it if they wish. It saves them disposing of it, having space to store it, and time and tools to chop and split it, etc. If it's not gone within a few days, they will come back to move it - they say. It's never about for much more than a few hours at best. Local people usually jump on it immediately and take it away.

[@MrNas42]

Clearly very satisfying (once installed and running properly!) but how cost effective ...? Ten-years ago we chose to get rid of a wood burning stove (like the one in your front room/office) - partly on child safety grounds, but also because the wood cost was looking to be about £20 per week in winter - and we were living on the edge of the Ashdown Forest at the time! If we enlarge our kitchen, I'd still love to get a stove like yours as it would keep the house so warm during the cold months, but it just does not look to be worth it in time and cost. It all comes down to a life style choice really, but it would be nice to be at least partly independent of energy suppliers.

[@RichardVobes]

I think it is likely to cost more. I can only justify it because I have no central heating or comby boiler. So this heats house, cooks food, drys clothes in winter and heats water. Otherwise it is a luxury.

[@barbaralcharles]

I love videos that add to my knowledge. This system, however, seems to heat only the first floor. How do you heat your second floor (where I assume your bedroom is)?

[@RichardVobes]

If by 'second floor' you mean the next floor above the ground, then I don't heat it - the Esse's heat rises up the stairwell. I have lived in a cold house since moving in 28 years ago, so this takes the edge of the upper floor. However, you could easily had radiators and a pump to provide heat to the rooms.

[@RichardVobes]

Indeed. Thanks Sirron.

[@lindsayleonard952]

Great video - really helpful. A question….how many strong men did it take to wrestle it into the house? I ask because there is a brand new Esse ironheart sitting on a palette outside and I’m scratching my head as to how you shift 800lbs of stove. Any tips gratefully received. ( the stove shop have been a bit useless).

[@RichardVobes]

Hi Lindsay, I hope you managed to solve the issue. There were two delivery men and they put the Esse on metal sheets and slid it along. I hope this helps! Good luck

[@lindsayleonard952]

@@RichardVobes thanks for this!

[@MaZEEZaM]

Hang-on, you paid for the stove with the boiler but the company you purchased it from wouldn’t replace it when they sent out the wrong version and they refused to pay for the parts and installation of the boiler? I don’t know what it’s like in the UK, but in Australia, if a company did that, they would be in major trouble if you went to consumer affairs. They are contractually obligated to supply you the product you purchased.

[@RichardVobes]

Yes well I am sure I could have argued my case - but then it would have taken months to get the replacement.

[@oakashthorn5714]

Great stuff..does the boiler fit on the outside of the esse fire box or does it go inside of it?.. Also does it heat radiators as well as hot water?👍

[@RichardVobes]

Yes inside fire box and radiatiors although may need a pump to move water

[@oakashthorn5714]

@@RichardVobes Perfect.. Thanks Richard…

[@aurora04444]

So the hot water heater thing you showed, gets fitted into the firebox. On the side, which side? So it makes the firebox smaller? Thanks!

[@oakashthorn5714]

@@aurora04444 It fits on the side or the back next to where the fire is,No the fire box is no smaller it fits in a gap,it’s basically a metal box that has water in side of it..

[@0044512]

Great review, do you plan on doing an update after a year of ownership. I’m interested in getting one, but they’re expensive...

[@RichardVobes]

Good plan - I will do that. Nearly a year now.

[@susanolson3611]

Thanks for the great video, that seems like a wonderful stove 🙂 Do you use it for all of your cooking or do you have another stove for that?

[@RichardVobes]

I personally use it for all my cook, my son on the other hand (20s) uses the microwave! :)

[@spencerwilton5831]

Richard Vobes You might find a portable induction cooktop useful in extending your cooking options when it's too hot to justify lighting the stove. They are down to less than £50 now, economical and take up very little space. I find them invaluable when the Aga is let out for summer.

[@azelkhntr4992]

what is the purpose of the cooking plate covers?

[@RichardVobes]

To keep the heat in.

[@Riddlestar01]

5110,- € that's not bad. --- 9.7 kW It makes you sweat :-)

[@RichardVobes]

I am sure it does!

[@keithwright4921]

Having big problems with mine,every time I open the door,it fills the room with smoke,and when cleaning under the oven,last month,Big holes down the right hand side, .?? Seen other post,with someone with the smoke problems as well,😡😡😡😡

[@RichardVobes]

Is your chimney warm? Are you opening the door too quickly (vacuum effect), have you opened up the chimney value fully and put the other two sliders to the left? (No idea what the big holes could be!)

[@alexyardley1548]

Could this generate enough hot water for a bath?

[@RichardVobes]

Oh it does - loads of hot water. It's brilliant.

[@jesuslovesus4002]

Enamel can contain lead. You don't want enamel

[@MrWasim83]

What is its price

[@RichardVobes]

I think about £3500

[@jmeyer3rn]

You say homey. I say homey!!!🙄 👨‍🦲!!! Rule Britain 🇬🇧.

[@RichardVobes]

Very homey.

[@jmeyer3rn]

Wait. You say “homely “

[@xendarcodm]

She left to find someone with electricity didn’t she? So hard to find a good woman these days.

[@RichardVobes]

Maybe