I'm not going to lie. I love my bioethanol stove. As well as the fact it's bright pink, it gives my open-plan kitchen, dining and living room a cosy focal point and emits more heat than I ever thought possible.
That said, I did enter into ownership with very little knowledge of what using one would be like. So, as I still like to believe genuine first-hand knowledge has value, I'm going to help you out if you're considering one too.
From choosing a model to using a stove, here's the five things I wish I'd known before bioethanol became my go-to heating boost.
1. Choose your model carefully
While some tabletop bioethanol stoves, such as this 30cm Bio-Ethanol Outdoor Tabletop Fireplace with Flame Guard from Wayfair, are obviously light, easy to carry and certainly portable, if you're looking to replicate the feel of a log-burning stove (as I was), then you should expect it to be equally as hefty in weight and size.
Simply because it uses an alternative fuel doesn't make it different if you want the same look. I live in a first-floor flat on a high street, and the delivery of my Arada Hamlet Solution 5 Bioethanol Stove came via a pallet on a very large lorry. Once it was inside the entrance, I had to leave it there until my eldest son came home and we could lug it up the stairs.
It was a free workout – that much is for sure. But, totally worth it. Nonetheless it's something worth considering if you are choosing a bioethanol stove for a flat or even as a bedroom decor idea.
Of course, the fact it doesn't need to be flued or vented is one of its advantages, states Jon Butterworth, managing director at Arada. “As bioethanol fires don’t emit smoke or fumes, they don’t need a flue system to vent to the outdoors which a traditional woodburning stove needs.
"This means no extra cost for materials and no certified installer needed for installation, saving time and money," he adds.
Jon Butterworth is Managing Director of Arada Stoves, one of the UK's leading suppliers of log-burning stoves and has a wealth of experience in supplying and installing them.
2. Adding fuel needs some extra kit
On the subject of fuel, one of the appeals of bioethanol stoves for many people is the eco-friendly nature of the fuel. Just in case you're not entirely sure what it is, Jon Butterworth explains.
“Bioethanol is a renewable, eco-friendly fuel in the form of a colourless liquid alcohol. Promoting sustainability, the fuel is produced from the fermentation of sugars from waste by-product of corn and wheat crops, collectively reducing carbon emissions. The liquid burns with near 100% effectiveness and produces an impressive amount of heat with only a small amount of water vapour and CO2.”
All good qualities and ones that certainly appealed to me. But, unlike wood burners or multi-fuel stoves, it's important to understand you are dealing with liquids rather than solids for your fuel. And that generally means you will be pouring, rather than placing fuel into your fire.
In my case, there's a trough for the fuel inside the stove that's accessed by opening the door and reaching inside. Bioethanol fuel, such as this Premium Bioethanol Fuel from Amazon comes in one litre bottles, and whilst they aren't particularly heavy, getting a straight pour that doesn't splash isn't always possible.
To overcome this, I purchased this DID 1 Litre Measuring Jug from Amazon and this Chef Aid Set of 3 Funnels - also from Amazon. It just makes transfering the liquid into the narrow trough a little easier. I keep them both near the fire and I only use them for pouring fuel.
3. Check the surface where you are placing your stove
If you're opting for a log-burner style fire, safety and security is still paramount. As I've already noted, they give out more heat than you might think. This subsequently means, as John tells me, "a bioethanol fire still needs to be placed on a level, non-combustible surface in a well-ventilated room and attached to either the floor or wall with a small bracket.”
Mine is located in a room with slightly draughty single-glazed sash windows so natural ventilation is sadly not an issue in my case, but worth considering perhaps in yours. You might also want to consider a glass hearth of some kind, such as this Curved Glass Hearth from Direct Stoves to protect your type of flooring.
And, although I haven't secured mine to the wall or floor as the floor is level, it's tucked away and the weight of it means there's very little risk of being moved or knocked, it's worth heeding the advice if you opt for a more lightweight model in a busy home.
Shop for bioethanol stoves
This is the same as the model I own, but in black for a more traditional log-burner look.
For a real wow factor this ceiling-mounted bioethanol fireplace would work well in a contemporary home.
For a wall-mounted fireplace, this sleek model mounts to the wall via a simple bracket.
4. It gets hotter than you think
I'll admit to being slightly sceptical about how much heat my bioethanol stove would produce before I started using it. Having owned a log-burning stove before which pumped out lots of heat in a well-insulated new-build home, I couldn't imagine it would come close. Particularly given my flat's Grade II-listing status.
And, while it clearly isn't as hot as the real deal, with the living room door pulled to and the window shutters closed, the heat does fill the room. Walking out of the room and back in also means you are met with a cosy wall of heat and the joy of a flickering flame.
Keen to add to the illusion? You can even add a fake flue to your bioethanol stove as if it was burning logs and sending the smoke out of a chimney.
However, while the heat is an advantage, it does also mean you need to think about what is above your bioethanol stove. Mine was originally placed below my wall-mounted TV – in my naivety of thinking the heat would be low. In hindsight this wasn't a great idea and I've had to pull it away now so that the rising heat doesn't damage the TV.
5. Burning times are shorter
My final learning curve was about the length of time my bioethanol stove would burn for. From a full bottle of fuel, I can certainly get a couple of hours, but you have to wait for it to all burn before you can re-fuel.
This of course differs from a solid fuel fire where you can keep topping up the logs or fuel, without the fire ever fully extinguishing. As you have to pour the fuel into the trough and light it for the flames to come, topping it up mid-burn is not an option.
That said, once topped up and re-lit, the flames and heat are pretty instant, but if you were planning on using it as a single heating source in a room and forgot to top it back up, it could get chilly pretty quickly.
None of the above have ever caused me a problem or been such an issue that I would stop using my bioethanol stove.
Truth be told, lighting it up is one of the few things I enjoy about winter. If alternative fuels appeal to you, you could also think bigger and consider a biomass boiler. I've had one of those as well in the past, so find out the 6 things I wish I'd known before installing one.
