Solid fuel ovens

[suffolkhens]

We are in the process of re-designing our kitchen and are considering a solid fuel rayburn/aga. I've had a look on ebay and it appears that they can be acquired fairly reasonably.

One of the factors that appeals is that it would also heat the kitchen and dog!

Does anyone here use a solid fuel oven, if so how effective are they and are they reasonable to run?

[Dave]

i know a couple of people who have them
problem with them is in the summer(ha ha)
the kitchen gets too hot because the ovens on all the
time one of my mates even cooks by a barbbie all through the summer even when its raining(because the cookers off)
that way he can shut the thing down and he can use the kitchen
without sweating like a pig whenever he goes to the kitchen

[Richard]

We semi use the Rayburn, mainly for slow cooking and having constant hot water for the washing up etc.

Certainly you can't beat them and they seem to give food a bit of a flavour which is nice.
The down side is the work of course and having to keep an eye on it.

The old lady two doors down still uses hers and she's over 90! She's had it since 1948 and she polishes it every day - immaculate.

Our old neighbours used to use theirs and I agree the kitchen can get hot suring the summer, with a bit of smut around as well of course.

The problem second hand is the transportation. You can't believe how heavy even the smallest one's are - you'd need a crane or a ramp with a powered winch to get it onto a Van / lorry.

[spudley]

we have a stanley. It heats my hot water, radiators and is the sole cooker in the cottage. We brought it new, they are very heavy we had two delivery men three plumbers and Mr spud, it knocked the kithcen door off its hinge, I would not try to buy one second hand, the transport would be a niightmare.
In the summer we only light it once in the evening to cook tea on. Reading the instructions last night to check, it is better for the flu to have one large roarer in the summer as opposed to a constant low fire (this causes condensation in the flu)
We burn wooden pallets to get the temp hot enough to cook and in the winter we burn logs that we have scaveneged and dried through the summer. From September 06 to September 07 we spent £120.00 on heating hot water and cooking (bought two ton of logs and 6 bags of coal for the worst of the weather to keep the fire in). The low cost of running the stove out weighs what a pain it can be to wait for the oven to heat up. As for the cottage getting too hot in the summer we can adjust the temperature as to when the heating pump kicks in, and as the cottage walls are about 2 foot thick and the floor is just flags, the kitchen needs the heat cardies in there even in the summer.
sometimes though when hungry of needing to boil the kettle when i get in from work I do find myself hankering for a bit of piped gas.

[Mo]

How about a 2 ring camping stove and medium sized bottle of gas. I've got 2 rings and a grill and various family members borrow it (for camping or in emergencies, breakdowns and powercuts).

[spudley]

we do have a camping stove, but I only used when the plumbers were in had no water or cooker, though to be honest i hadnt thought of getting it out in the summer for boiling the kettle what a good idea. It can go outside and i can put in on while with the chicken so i can hear it whistle when ready. Thanks