Rating of the best solid fuel boilers based on user reviews

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The ever-increasing cost of gas heating equipment leads to the fact that solid fuel boilers are gaining more and more popularity. And the lack of gas in small settlements leaves consumers with no alternative at all. Of course, the easiest way is to build a classic brick stove in your house and heat it daily. But if you don’t want to work as a fireman all winter, our article is for you. For those who have decided to make their life significantly easier, and even save on heating their home, we have compiled a rating of the best solid fuel boilers of 2021.

However, before moving on to discussing specific models, let's talk a little about how to choose a solid fuel boiler and what indicators you should pay attention to.

Technical parameters of solid fuel boilers

So, what should you pay attention to if you decide to choose the best solid fuel boiler:

Type of fuel. Different models may consume one or more types of fuel. Suitable materials for use include firewood, coal, peat briquettes, sawdust, pellets, straw or recycled waste.
Power. It must be calculated in such a way that it is enough to heat the entire area of the house and auxiliary premises.
Combustion chamber volume. This is one of the main indicators that affects the performance of the unit and the frequency of fuel loading.
Automation. The presence of such a mechanism allows the owners to free themselves from constant monitoring of the boiler.
Safety. The main elements required in any boiler are an alarm and an auto-shutdown function in case of malfunction.
Need for access to electricity. Some models of heating devices are simply not able to work without access to electricity. But most boilers can still provide heating completely autonomously.
Useful coefficient. this indicator is calculated as the ratio between the actual power of the device and the heat capacity of the fuel used. The higher the efficiency, the less fuel is required to generate one unit of heat.
Operating time on one load. The inability to control the process makes the fuel combustion period very short. You are unlikely to like a boiler that needs to be fueled every 4-5 hours. Modern models can work on one load for several days.
Easy to maintain. Even the most wonderful boiler needs to be cleaned of soot and ash, purged and loaded with a new portion of fuel. The simpler all these processes are, the more satisfied the owner will be.
Price. Boilers for heating a home are not the equipment you should save on. In this case, you should not choose a heating device based only on the low price. The technical characteristics of cheap boilers are most often far from ideal.

Only by taking a comprehensive approach to studying all the main parameters can we choose the best long-burning solid fuel boiler for ourselves in 2021.

See also -

Which heating radiators are best to choose for a house or apartment?

What is the difference between the Finnish and Russian systems

The first and main thing that distinguishes the heating system used in Finland is the absence of a coolant: a liquid or gaseous substance used to transfer thermal energy. The stove itself accumulates heat and is enough to heat a spacious room.

The only type of boiler in Russia that can compete with such a stove is the solid fuel type. But you need to throw firewood into it every day, which is very inconvenient for a summer house.

For Russians who are accustomed to heating their premises using electricity or gas, the Finnish option can be a real godsend. Such a stove will allow you to efficiently heat a house on several floors, rarely add firewood and, as a result, pay less.

TOP 5 solid fuel boilers wood/coal

If you don’t want to be bothered by the issue of fuel procurement and plan to heat with whatever you have, you should pay attention to the “omnivorous” models. Such heating devices can operate on both wood and coal. Moreover, many of them are able to work on solid household waste. It's wonderful and useful to burn anything in them. In this case, in addition to heating the room, the problem of recycling household waste is well solved.

Bosch Solid 2000 BK 16-1

Quite easy to maintain and “omnivorous” model. The high-quality steel body and cast iron grates ensure reliability and durability. If the area of your home is no more than 150–160 square meters. meters, Bosch Solid 2000 BK 16-1 is what you need. In the middle price category, such a boiler can be considered one of the best offers of 2021–2021.

Advantages:

large selection of fuel types;
the ability to clean the boiler through the top;
reliability;
automatic power control;
interesting design;
the ability to use in tandem with a gas boiler as a reserve;
affordable price, no more than 750 US dollars.

Flaws:

no special ones were found.

See also -

How to choose a solid fuel boiler for heating a private house

Protherm Beaver 20 DLO

Here is another fairly high-quality model that can perfectly heat a room of no more than 170 square meters. “Proterm Bober” is capable of working both on medium-sized coal and on firewood.

Pros:

high work efficiency;
efficiency;
high efficiency (up to 90%);
cast iron firebox and heat exchanger;
the ability to use the boiler as auxiliary equipment;
ability to work on one load for up to 12 hours;
cost about $800.

Minuses:

the moisture content of the firewood should not exceed 20%;
unusual traction adjustment;
not very convenient to clean, you need to adapt;
weight is greater than that of similar models.

Buderus Logano G221-25

A very interesting model, the power of which is enough to heat 200 square meters. meters of area. The cast iron body provides exceptional reliability and high fire safety.

Advantages:

increased resistance to corrosion;
increased dimensions of the firebox;
ease of operation;
Efficiency is about 75–77%;
minimum time to warm up the room;
spacious receiving hopper.

Flaws:

quite high cost, approximately 1300 USD;
considerable weight.

Burzhuy-K Modern-24

This modern and stylish heating device can operate without refueling for several hours (depending on the type of fuel). Moreover, you can use anything to generate heat. The fuel in this case can be coal, firewood, wood waste and fuel briquettes. Moreover, depending on the type of fuel used, an efficiency of more than 90% can be achieved.

Pros:

heated area up to 250 m2;
compact dimensions;
the ability to use firewood with humidity up to 50%;
Efficiency up to 92%;
economical use of fuel;
complete independence from electricity;
consumption is less than 40 kg of firewood per day.

Minuses:

the need to install a pipe of sufficient height (at least 8 m) for high-quality removal of combustion products;
grate bars quickly burn out and require replacement;
in some models the gate clogs quickly;
price approximately 1,300 US dollars.

Alpine Air Solidplus 4

If you want to enter the boiler room as rarely as possible, but the room itself where the fuel equipment is installed is not very well insulated, this boiler is exactly what you need. Despite its not very sophisticated design, this unit is capable of operating on almost any type of solid fuel and quite effectively heating a room of up to 200 m2.

Advantages:

affordable price, about $800;
reliable and unpretentious;
high efficiency;
excellent thermal insulation.

Flaws:

very original design.

Conclusion

It is possible to say unequivocally what is better - a stove or a boiler (solid fuel, gas or electric) only in relation to specific operating conditions. Here we can only summarize general points. It is preferable to install stoves in small buildings with irregular occupancy. They quickly warm up the room and do not require supervision after stopping. They can also be used as an additional or backup heating source.

Boilers are more often used in large houses with permanent residence. The water heating system effectively heats two-story buildings and provides good heat distribution over height. And with correctly configured circulation, the temperature in the room does not depend on its distance from the boiler room.

We recorded a video in which we clearly examined a number of important points, in our opinion, in choosing between a stove and a heating boiler. And if you still have questions, you can ask us on the official website or by phone.

TOP 5 pyrolysis boilers

Those who are accustomed to getting the best possible results in any business should pay attention to such heating devices. Our review contains the best solid fuel boilers of 2021–2021. In our choice, we were guided both by the technical characteristics of the devices and by reviews of consumers who had already tried these models.

The fundamental difference between such boilers and all other heating devices is that they have not one combustion chamber, but two. In the first, wood is burned directly, and in the second, wood gases obtained during the pyrolysis process are burned. Roughly speaking, you heat with wood, and warm up due to the heat obtained as a result of burning gas. Almost the only disadvantage of such boilers is the high requirements for the quality of burned wood. It should be as dry as possible.

Dakon KP Pyro

Pyrolysis boilers of the DakonPiro brand have a fairly wide range of models, with a power from 18 to 38 kW. Depending on this parameter, the area of the heated room can vary from 200 to 360 square meters. meters respectively.

Pros:

firebox lined with heat-resistant ceramics;
Efficiency of at least 85%;
enlarged firebox;
the presence of a ceramic pyrolysis nozzle;
intuitive and very simple adjustment process;
interesting design solution;
the need to clean the boiler every 4–7 days;
system for retaining flue gases when opening the firebox door.

Minuses:

the humidity of the fuel used is no more than 18–20%;
not a very attractive price, from $1,500 depending on power.

Bourgeois K TA-20

While appreciating the irony of the creators of this brand, one can still disagree with them. This wonderful model has gone so far from the notorious “potbelly stove” that it’s not worth mentioning. The savings of this boiler compared to others can be quite significant. The consumer will also be pleased with the price, one and a half to two times less compared to Western analogues of the same power.

Advantages:

very high energy efficiency;
energy independence;
possibility of using a variety of fuels;
reliability;
attractive price, about 900 USD. e.;
automatic thermoregulation system.

Flaws:

heavy.

Atmos DC

Boilers in this series also operate exclusively on wood. Almost all pyrolysis boilers in this series are equipped with a special heat exchanger protected from overheating. There is an exhaust fan that circulates air in the combustion chambers. A wide range of models allows you to most accurately select the required boiler power.

Pros:

economy;
impressive loading chamber;
environmental friendliness;
Efficiency up to 87%;
presence of a cooling circuit (overheating protection);
equipped with an exhaust fan;
spacious ash pan (clean once a week);
automatic protective shutdown after fuel burnout;
compact dimensions;
light weight;
reliability;
ease of operation;
adequate price (the lowest-power model costs approximately 800 USD).

Minuses:

not detected.

Viessmann Vitiligno 100s

Another worthy place in our rating is occupied by the solid fuel boiler Vitiligno 100s - famous German quality. Like other pyrolysis boilers, it operates exclusively on wood, and as dry as possible.

Advantages:

quite high efficiency, up to 90%;
a spacious loading chamber that can accommodate firewood up to 50 cm long;
significant period of autonomous combustion;
environmental friendliness.

Flaws:

dependence on a source of electricity for the operation of the smoke exhauster;
high requirements for fuel quality;
unreasonably high price, about 3,200 US dollars.

Geyser PK-30

The price of this model is much more attractive and is just over $1,000. In addition, it is capable of efficiently heating a house of up to 300 square meters. meters.

Pros:

economical;
simple and intuitive controls;
ease of maintenance;
the ability to work without electricity in the house;

Minuses:

requires foundation equipment during installation;
high requirements for fuel dryness;
quite heavy.

Placement principle

A Finnish stove is installed in the very center of the house, thereby eliminating the need for additional heating of the room.

Toilets and bathrooms are built next to the heat source. This allows the water pipes to be heated using the heat of the furnace. Also, such a device at home protects it from freezing at extremely low temperatures.

For a two-story house or a taller building, you can order a Finnish stove consisting of the required number of arrays. This will allow heating of all floors.

The only disadvantage of such a stove is that you cannot turn it on for a long time and leave the house. But such a drawback almost does not spoil the situation, since even without adding firewood, the structure will retain heat for two days.

TOP 5 pellet boilers

If you still don’t know which solid fuel boiler is best to purchase for heating your home, we strongly advise you to take a closer look at pellet heating devices. Installing such a unit will allow you not to look into the boiler room at all for several days. There can be only two difficulties here:

you need to have enough places to store pellets;
Such fuel material is not available in every region.

If you don’t foresee any difficulties with purchasing and storing pellets, such a boiler will definitely allow you to appear in the furnace room as little as possible.

Zota Pellet 25

One of the most popular and expensive devices is the ZotaPellet boiler. This cutting-edge unit is equipped with a liquid crystal display and is capable of controlling as many as five pumps simultaneously. Literally everything can be connected here - from underfloor heating to a centralized heating system. A power of 25 kW is quite enough for high-quality heating of a house with an area of at least 250 m2.

Pros:

Efficiency more than 90%;
electric ignition;
high energy efficiency;
reliable automation;
high-quality thermal insulation;
multifunctionality.

Minuses:

considerable cost, about 3300 USD. e.

Biomaster BM-15

Here is another high-quality boiler that runs on pellets. This model is good for heating a large house. Depending on the configuration, it may have a loading hopper of 200 or 400 liters. Equipped with an automatic ash removal system.

Advantages:

absolutely not demanding on the quality of the pellets used;
good efficiency;
efficiency;
ease of installation and comfort of use.

Flaws:

cost from $2,800;
has a lot of weight;
requires a foundation.

Teplodar Kupper OK 30

And this unit is generally “omnivorous”. Teplodar Cooper, although it has much fewer bells and whistles, is absolutely not demanding on the quality and type of fuel. Compact dimensions allow you to comfortably place fuel equipment on an area of about 5 square meters. meters.

Pros:

Efficiency over 89%;
high-quality thermal insulation;
compact dimensions;
variety of fuels;
automatic fuel supply;
automatic adjustment of t˚C mode;
ease of operation;
low price, from $600.

Minuses:

difficult to install on your own, requires the involvement of a specialist.

Pelletron

There are only 2 modifications of boilers from this company: 40 and 20 kW, which allows you to perfectly heat rooms up to 700 or 400 m2, respectively. The cost of Pelletron pellet boilers can reach 1,500 conventional units, depending on the power.

Advantages:

Efficiency up to 92%;
compact dimensions;
light weight;
equipped with a smoke exhaust system, which allows you to do without chimney equipment;
has automatic protection against fire or overheating.

Flaws:

has inflated requirements for the quality and size of pellets;
If installed and used incorrectly, fire may spread into the bunker.

Kiturami KRP 20-A

An interesting model of a pellet boiler - it can provide not only heating of the room, but also additional provision of hot water to the home.

Pros:

auto-dosing of fuel;
presence of a thermostat;
possibility of heating water;
ease and accessibility of cleaning the ash pan;
ease of installation;
spacious fuel bunker;
Automatic protection against freezing or overheating.

Minuses:

price, about 3,500 US dollars.

Features of equipment installation

It is believed that a boiler is a compact installation compared to a furnace, and it will be much easier to put it into operation. If we are talking about a classic brick oven, then this opinion is absolutely fair. Due to the massiveness of the firebox and chimney, installation begins with the zero-cycle work, that is, with the arrangement of the foundation. It will not be easy to find a competent stove-maker: specialists have a schedule of orders scheduled months in advance, and a mason who has only been involved in general construction work is unlikely to cope with this task.

A modern metal stove is much easier to install. In most cases, it can be installed on the ceiling (in compliance with fire safety standards).

With a boiler, everything will be much more complicated, and the newer it is, the more equipment needs to be installed and connected. The list of components for a typical solid fuel system will include:

circulation pump;
hydraulic separator;
buffer capacity (not mandatory, but highly desirable element);
security group; expansion tank.

A prerequisite for installing a boiler is the presence of a separate boiler room. The stove is usually placed in the largest room by area. And here it is important that it fits into its design. Fortunately, stove manufacturers pay a lot of attention to this issue, and most modern models look aesthetically pleasing and attractive.

One of the varieties of such equipment is a fireplace stove. The closed firebox is equipped with a large viewing glass. Many models have a long burning function.

TOP 5 long-burning boilers

And of course, we cannot ignore long-burning solid fuel boilers. User reviews suggest that such equipment can burn on one refill for up to 130 hours. If we consider all such equipment as a whole, we can note only one significant drawback: long-burning boilers cannot be refueled. That is, adding firewood/coal during the combustion process will not work. You need to wait until the fuel burns out completely and only then load the boiler again. Here are some of the best models for 2021-2021.

Stropuva S 40

The leaders among long-burning solid fuel boilers are, of course, models of the Lithuanian brand Stropuva. This brand is capable of providing excellent heating of a room up to 400 m2 for 60–70 hours. And all this at one gas station. In this case, anything can serve as fuel. Only the duration of combustion depends on this.

Pros:

amazingly high efficiency;
market leader;
power and stable operation for several days;
stylish design.

Minuses:

It is quite difficult to perform the correct binding;
labor-intensive cleaning and loading;
inability to “throw in” fuel.
high price, from $2,000.

Candle S-18kW

This solid fuel boiler is capable of operating on one load of firewood for at least 7–8 hours. And with proper installation, the operating time can reach 33–34 hours. The principle here is simple: the denser the fuel is packed, the longer the boiler will burn.

Advantages:

efficiency and energy independence;
compactness;
quite high efficiency;
power.

Flaws:

the need to equip a boiler room (separate room) for installation;
fast caking of ash;
high requirements for fuel dryness;
considerable cost, approximately $1,500.

Buderus Logano G221-40

A wonderful model with a heat exchanger made of cast iron. Capable of heating a room of about 400 square meters. meters. It is quite “omnivorous”; coal, various types of wood, peat, coke, and fuel briquettes can be used as fuel.

Pros:

the ability to use both autonomously and in tandem with boilers of other modifications (diesel, gas);
interesting design;
power and energy independence.

Minuses:

you need coal of a certain fraction, larger ones may get stuck;
price about 1,800 US dollars.

Idmar UKS

A universal boiler that can operate on absolutely any type of solid fuel, including any flammable waste. A wide range of models allows you to select heating equipment that ideally matches the required power. Ideal for heating a cottage or small country house. For example, the Idmar UKS-17 model does an excellent job of heating an area of up to 170 square meters. meters.

Advantages:

heat exchanger alloyed with molybdenum, increased protection against deformation and corrosion;
water-cooled grate;
the presence of a three-channel gas duct;
simplicity and ease of maintenance;
insulating the outer casing with a thick layer of basalt wool significantly reduces heat loss;
heat exchanger “water shelves”;
affordable price, from $400.

Flaws:

continuous burning period is no more than 24 hours (on coal).

WICHLACZ GK-1

A high-quality analogue of the previous brand, which was appreciated by many consumers. It can work for at least two days at one gas station, and you can literally heat it with anything.

Pros:

“wet” grate bars;
Efficiency up to 89%;
The presence of a rotating chimney greatly simplifies installation.

Minuses:

duration of work (continuous) no more than a day.

This is how our rating of the best solid fuel boilers of 2021 turned out. As you may have noticed, we did not try to place the models on a “podium” and did not award any places. You can do this yourself. You can also add other models to consideration. You decide.

How to keep warm in the northern country

The time when it is cold outside in Finland lasts longer than the period of sunny and warm weather.

For this reason, the Finns are very well versed in the issue of heating: climatic conditions force it. Understanding this fact, Russians are often interested in how exactly houses in Finland are heated.

And one of the most popular options is a large Finnish stove, which is usually located in the center of the house. It is ideal for summer cottages. By installing such a stove, you can relax comfortably in a house outside the city, even in the most severe frosts.

There is no need to try to build such a structure yourself, since they are produced in several factories in Finland. But if you wish, you can make it out of bricks by paying installation specialists.

What are the benefits of brick ovens?

The good old stoves are still popular in the private sector and are not losing ground. What’s interesting: many home owners are abandoning modern heating devices in favor of these very voluminous structures, and for good reason. Brick stoves have a lot of advantages:

They are completely autonomous and energy independent; the house will not be left without heat in any case, even if the electricity is turned off;
The stoves have high efficiency, heat up well and retain heat for a long time;
They are easy to use and can be beautifully decorated with tiles;
If the stove design has a hob, then you can cook food on it: boil, stew and bake;
The presence of stove heat creates a more comfortable environment in the house;
The heat from the stove will not dry out or overheat the air in the room;
If desired, you can install a water container in the stove masonry, hot water from which can also be used for heating and for various household needs;
The stove structure can be easily repaired by replacing worn-out bricks with new ones.

But stove heating also has many disadvantages:

The stove takes a long time to heat up and also takes a long time to gain heat;
All maintenance will be done entirely manually;
Only a specialist, of whom there are few, can build a furnace structure and re-arrange it if repairs are required, and their work is expensive;
The manufacture of such a structure is made only from high-quality expensive bricks;
Even the smallest stove structure will take up quite a large volume in the house;
Any brick oven is heavy and requires the construction of a foundation for it;
The presence of stove heating creates a risk of fire in the house;
Sudden heating of the firebox can lead to cracks in the bricks and costly repairs.