Peter You’ll have seen many stove brands showcasing log burners that are ‘Ecodesign Ready’ for 2022 and beyond. but what does it mean? Well, The Ecodesign ready scheme is a significant development in the wood-burning stove’s environmental advantages. Ecodesign is Europe’s program to reduce emissions and will take effect in the United Kingdom in 2022. But don’t we want to get away from burning wood, and aren’t there electric stoves available?
Yes, there are electric stoves, and some people think they’re the future. Electric stoves have many benefits over wood-burning stoves. For one, electric stoves don’t produce any emissions. That means no carbon dioxide, no particulates, and no smoke. They can be powered on renewable energy such as solar panels, which deliver electricity to run them. Another big benefit of electric stoves is that they’re much easier to maintain than wood-burning stoves. There’s no need to clean out the ashes, and you don’t have to worry about storing wood. Electric stoves also don’t produce any heat, so there’s no danger of fire.
So, are electric stoves the future? It’s hard to say. They certainly have a lot of advantages over wood-burning stoves, but it remains to be seen whether they’ll be able to replace them completely. Only time will tell.
Some say that electric stoves look great, but they lack character. People have grown accustomed to the real feeling of logs burning slowly in a stove, the smell of woodsmoke in the air, and the sound of the crackling fire. Electric stoves can’t provide these things. And for some people, that’s a deal-breaker. Some people choose to turn their TV into an electric fire. If you think about it, an electric stove is just a modern version of a TV. It’s a digital fire that you can control with your remote.
There has also been a new craze going on: electric media wall fires. This is essentially a setup in a home (typically the living room) whereby an electric fire is a centrepiece, and a TV and other digital devices are mounted around it. This gives the home a real focal point and creates a cosy atmosphere. It’s not hard to see why this is becoming popular. You can find lots of different examples online, but it’s clear this is not just a passing fad, and neither are electric stoves. They are available now because people are interested. There’s an audience there. There’s also a market for traditional log burners, so it’s up to manufacturers to provide both.
In the end, it’s up to you to decide whether an electric stove or a wood-burning stove is the right choice for your home. Consider your needs and make the decision that’s right for you.