Cassette/Insert Stove Questions

Cloud

Hi all -

Happy New Year!

I have some questions regarding cassette/insert-type stoves. We have a fair sized fireplace opening in a new house, and want a contemporary insert for it.

I first found the Stovax Riva 40 in shop #1 and by all accounts here it sounds good.

I then went to another shop #2 where the salesman was wary of the way that the Rivas are installed, that they are just being shoved in without proper connecting to the flues. Also, there was some concern from the salesman about the company [Stovax] being in existence for a shorter duration of time compared to other manufacturers (with decades of experience). He also cited the fact that they are being marketed as multi-fuel when they should only be used for wood/peat to avoid warping of the sides with higher temperatures encountered e.g. with coal.

He recommended:

• Jide Maxivision 5675 - see http://www.jide.be/index.php?page=page&idp=22 (around 2k?)
• Stuv 16/58 - see http://www.stuv.be/en/Dimensions16.cfm?F=1658 (expensive I hear)
• Broseley Inserto 50 - see http://www.broseleyfires.com/catalogue.php?Level=3&CatPage=22&SubCatPage=48&ProductPage=66

Any opinions on this would be welcome. We're getting conflicting stories on whether they are in fact multi-fuel (wood and peat) or just wood... We'd prefer to have a number of fuel-burning options and not be dependent on just wood for example.

Thanks for your help!

John.

fmcc

Hi John,
Rivas are multi fuel but are more efficient on wood and the same goes for most stoves. Some efficiencies quoted by manufacturers are based on wood burning only.
I'm also a bit confused by salesman no.2 as any stove can just be stuck in not just Rivas.
Stovax are a good while on the go and a very big outfit so i would not be be worried about that end and never heard of any warping. The most common pices to go in a stove are the inners and these can be replaced. In most Rivas these are skomolex type boards which is like a high temp chipboard but has very high temp insulation properties.

Just looking on the site and stovaz is from 1981 while Jide was 1983 I'd probe a bit more as i dont like salespeople knocking one company to promote another.
Give you the punter the info and let you decide.
On the fitting it depends on the stove and the flue. If the gather hood is very close to the top of the stove all you can do is flaunch off the sides if its high enough you can fit an adpater and flue liner or drop a liner all the way down .

Cloud

fmcc - Thank you, of all the comments on related threads I've found, yours have always been the most useful and insightful - I value your membership of boards.ie.