Which is better, a steel or cast iron stove?

If you're talking about a good quality steel-bodied stove versus a good quality cast iron stove then, providing the stove is used according to the manufacturer's instructions, it really doesn't matter. Poor quality cast iron stoves have a reputation for cracking and poor quality steel bodied stoves have a reputation for warping.

The practical difference between the two types is that steel stoves heat up quicker and deliver heat to the room much faster, whereas cast iron, which is the traditional material for stove building, because it is much heavier tends to take longer to build up heat and distribute it to the room. However this mass of metal also has the advantage of being a significant heat sink for the slow release of gentle heat after the stove's fire has gone out – but only providing the stove has been at operating temperature for a good hour or so. A steel bodied stove will still do this but it won't retain its heat for quite as long. So, essentially it's a lifestyle choice – if you need fast heat then choose steel and if you want longer lasting heat, say into the small hours, then choose cast iron.

It's worth pointing out here that cast iron constructed stoves which meet the forthcoming 2022 Ecodesign emissions regulations are quite rare. Many existing non-compliant cast iron models will simply disappear from the market severely limiting your choice. One exception to this is the recently launched Salfire Peanut range of heavy duty all-cast iron constructed Ecodesign wood burners – their 5.0kW Peanut 5 weighs in at a staggering 110kg making it one of the heaviest cast iron stoves that we know of and one that's certainly worthy of your consideration for many other reasons too. There are also many new steel-bodied stoves arriving on the market in preparation for the Ecodesign emissions regulation change including notable models from Hi-Flame with their R-Series, Charnwood's Aire range and Clock's superb Blithfield. 

Our view is that if you like the look of a well made stove and it's affordable as well as has the correct heat output for your room then there's really no reason why that shouldn't be the stove for you – after all you're going to be looking at it for many years to come. Happy hunting!