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Energy-efficient cooking and inexpensive heating at the same time

To start the day, you treat yourself to a long breakfast in your kitchen-diner. You can quickly banish the morning chill by burning a few logs in your kitchen stove. Cozy warmth spreads out while the water in the espresso maker is simmering on the stove: you won’t want to be without your heating-cooking combo. In this guide, you’ll find out what distinguishes kitchen stoves, what to look for when buying one and how to find a suitable model for your home.

What are kitchen ovens and what are their advantages?

With a kitchen stove, you can heat and cook at the same time, regardless of electricity or gas. Wood is used as fuel, which is why kitchen stoves are also known as solid fuel stoves. The heat is regulated by the air supply and the addition of wood. The renewable raw material is sustainable, low in CO2 and inexpensive. This way, you make your contribution to sustainability when it comes to heating and climate and also save money. In addition, the stoves with a stove top create a cozy living atmosphere with the flickering of the fire behind the viewing window.

What is important when buying kitchen stoves?

There are many technical details to consider when buying a wood stove. Below you will find out which points are particularly important:

height and weight

There are narrow and wide kitchen stoves, so you can find a suitable model depending on the space available. The dimensions range from a compact 85 x 40 x 60 cm to around 86 x 95 x 60 cm (H x W x D). Note that safety distances must be taken into account when setting up and that the smoke pipe socket needs space. In addition to the overall size, the product descriptions also state the dimensions of the firebox so that you know which fuel formats you can burn. The range here is from around 20 x 25 x 40 cm to 30 x 30 x 45 cm (H x W x D). The weight of solid fuel stoves is between 89 and 275 kg.

material

The body of a stove is made of steel, cast iron or a combination of the two materials. Heavy cast iron stores heat well and is very dimensionally stable, while light steel heats up quickly. Steel, soapstone or tiles are used for the cladding. The fireboxes are made of cast iron or, to improve the efficiency of the stove, are lined with heat-storing firebrick or vermiculite plates – clay mineral in pressed granulate form.

fuel

Kitchen stoves are approved for use with wood, wood briquettes or brown coal briquettes , and some are approved for use with several types of fuel. The terms continuous burning and timed burning are also important in this context. Continuous burning stoves work best with coal, timed burning stoves with wood. The latter heat up more quickly and do not retain the heat for as long, while continuous burning stoves take longer to heat up but stay warm for hours.

Hotplate

The cooking plate on solid fuel stoves consists of a flat surface made of steel or cast iron. There are no cooking zones as such, but the area directly above the firebox is the hottest place and is intended for frying and cooking. You can keep food warm on the edges. Some stovetops have removable cast iron cooking rings so that you can heat cookware of various sizes directly over the open fire.

oven

Many combi ovens have a baking compartment as well as a hotplate; in some models, a viewing window allows you to see inside. The dimensions of the baking compartment vary considerably and are between approximately 30 x 25 x 39 cm and 80 x 95 x 55 cm (H x W x D). Most models have a thermometer on the baking compartment for temperature control.

Performance and room heating capacity

The values for nominal heat and room heating capacity show how powerful the cooking and heating performance of a kitchen stove is. They are between 5 and 9 kW and 88 and 206 m³ respectively. The efficiency indicates the relationship between the energy produced and the energy consumed and is shown as a percentage. The efficiency varies between 70 and 85%. The higher the efficiency, the less fuel the device uses for the same heat output. 80% efficiency is therefore a very good result.

Heat regulation

The temperature in kitchen stoves is regulated by adding fuel and the air supply, which can be changed using slide controls – unlike electric stoves, where you can make continuous or precise adjustments. Models with an adjustable grate can be heated up more quickly and with less fuel, so that less heat is released into the room – an advantage in summer.

Energy efficiency and CO2 emissions

Kitchen ovens are available with energy efficiency class A or A+, the emission values are between 0.09 and 8.6 g/m³ CO2 . Those who value clean air also pay attention to the dust emission values, which range from 6.4 to 112 mg/m³.

Pipe connection

Depending on the model, the exhaust pipe can be attached to the side, back or top , which you should take into account depending on the structural conditions at the installation location in your kitchen. The smoke pipe is usually not included in the scope of delivery, pay attention to the information in the product description.

design

The design of the kitchen stoves ranges from the nostalgic enamel look with long legs to the modern steel stove with anthracite-colored full paneling. If you want to admire the flames, you should make sure that the firebox has a viewing window.

Accesories

A fireproof surface is required where the kitchen stove is to be installed. If you need a base plate made of steel or glass, you can order it as a chimney accessory, as well as a smoke pipe with a diameter that matches the stove.

Which kitchen oven is right for me?

The choice of a suitable kitchen oven depends on the primary purpose and your equipment requirements. Follow these recommendations:

Kitchen stove as a heat source with cooking option

If you are primarily looking for a source of heat, for example for your holiday home, and only want to use the cooking function occasionally, a fully enclosed auxiliary stove made of steel is recommended. At first glance, you cannot tell that these models are ovens – they look more like a refrigerator. This means you can also set them up in the living room or dining room.

Kitchen oven as a second stove and heater

Solid fuel stoves with a hotplate are ideal for heating in an open kitchen and as a second stove . In terms of appearance, you can choose between closed models and those with a viewing window, which create a pleasant atmosphere. Since they do not have a baking compartment, these kitchen stoves are compact and can be accommodated even in small spaces.

Kitchen stove as stove and oven

If you want to use the stove regularly for cooking and baking, you should choose a model with extensive features and a large baking compartment. Cooking rings, for example, allow for more flexible use of the stove top, and a tile or soapstone cladding increases the heat output and comes close to the look of a fireplace stove.

Conclusion: Natural wood stove for a modern kitchen

With a kitchen oven, you can cook, bake and heat with low emissions using the renewable raw material wood. The heat sources make the traditional way of preparing food comfortable and efficient thanks to modern technical equipment. The following recommendations can be made for choosing a model:

• Is the heating function important to you? To quickly heat up rooms and occasionally cook, for example in a holiday home, steel stoves with panels are a good option. They are available from €615 and a subtle look is typical for these models.
• Are you looking for a second stove that also heats? Compact kitchen stoves without a baking compartment can be easily placed in a free corner. A large viewing window on the firebox also creates a cozy atmosphere.
• Do you need a full-fledged stove? If you want to use the oven as your main stove for cooking and baking, we recommend a model with removable cooking rings, a spacious baking compartment and an attractive soapstone or tile cladding.