A question we are often asked is: what are our recommended smokeless fuels for multi-fuel stoves?
We try to steer clear of pointing people towards a particular brand. There are too many options, regional variations and competitors of varying sizes to start picking one or two out and saying, ‘these are the ones for you’. And some fuels seem to work better in particular appliances.
So, what we can offer instead is a set of ground rules that if you follow them should lead you to a smokeless fuel that would be worthy of our recommendation.
1. Check your stove manual.
Your stove manual will usually give you some information about what is suitable to burn on your stove. The information there takes precedent over our advice and will steer you towards what you should be using.
2. Make sure the smokeless fuel you’re buying is suitable for use in multi-fuel stoves.
Most fuels that are suitable for use in multi-fuel stoves will be marked as such on their packaging. You can double-check with the retailer if it isn’t clear but you would normally expect the bag to make this clear.
3. Trial the various options
There are lots of options available to you. Some of the bigger names on the market, like Phurnacite, Ancit, Taybrite, Homefire and ECoal50, are available throughout the country. You might also find other anthracite options and some smaller or local smokeless fuel manufacturers.
As long as you’re following steps 1 and 2, try them all. See what works best with your appliance and how you operate it. Some fuels might seem to create more heat, some will burn longer, some will slumber more effectively, some are cheaper than others – it just depends what you’re looking for in your fuel. When you find one that seems to work for you and your stove, you’ll no doubt want to stick with it.
