Stove: Ironwood Ogmore
Price: RRP £2095
Heat Output: 8kw
Efficiency: 80.2%
Exempt to burn wood in London: Yes
Manufactured in: Wales
The Ogmore is manufactured and assembled in Wales, from start to finish. The steel is from Tata steel in Port Talbot. The steel body is manufactured in Bridgend. Finally, the stove is welded and assembled at the Topstak HQ in Wales. Unfortunately some manufacturers get parts manufactured over the world and then put them together in the UK and call their product ‘British Made’. Nothing like that going on here.
Who could help but love that this stove contributes to the Welsh and British economies, ensuring a low carbon footprint by keeping the process local? It can be difficult being a new player in the stove manufacturing world. That is why Adam Pedersen, Managing Director of Topstak, the business responsible for the Irownwood Ogmore, carried out hundreds of hours in R&D before production. He welcomed advice and input from various people in the solid fuel industry, from chimney sweeps, to installers to designers.
It has to be said the Ironwood is visually very appealing. One thing that is difficult is figuring out if the appearance is contemporary or traditional. In truth, it is probably a bit of both, which helps it fit in with an array of styles of decor. The handle comes in a variety of colours which can be a game changer if you want the burner to fit into a cohesive colour scheme.
The build quality is ridiculously good. The convection top plate alone weighs more than some of the cheap Chinese stoves on the market. The welds are good, the paint quality is great and it’s just an absolute tank. In terms of maintenance, it only has a single baffle making maintenance much easier, and the bricks are easy to remove. The grate weighs an absolute ton though – so be warned! With great build quality comes great weight!
The Ogmore has one simple control, making ignition and control uncomplicated. This allows the fire to be enjoyed without stress or hassle. Compared to some stoves with a plethora of dials and settings, this is so easy to use you might just feel like Hephaestus.
The lack of stress and hassle is extended to the glass. When used properly with appropriately seasoned wood, the glass on this stove remains crystal clear throughout the burn. We have this model in our HETAS training centre in Milton Keynes, and in spite of the stop start nature of its use, with constant fiddling by people on courses, the glass remains invariably clear.
Results:
Appearance: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Build quality: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ease of use: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Flame picture: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
