Just had this stove installed after watching lots of your reviews - it's fantastic! Really love your enthusiasm and energy for reviewing stoves and definitely helped me make an informative choice on which one was right for me... Even the chap who installed it was impressed!
Thanks for another great review. After watching this video I purchased the Allure 4 and have now finally had it fitted. I'm pleased to report that I'm delighted with it and even happier that the fan and thermometer I ordered from you work a treat and compliment the stove. Thanks very much.
Hi.. loving your videos and really appreciate all the clear and concise information, however this gives us a dilemma re our very first wood burner. We have managed at last to narrow it down to 3 possibles: this Allure 4, the Woodford Pankhurst 5kw and the Hampton Vista Wide. We are moving to a new home which is an older bungalow so relatively small rooms. It doesn't have a fireplace so we will be installing freestanding and going out of the wall with an external flue. Anyway, we are retiring so probably will be everyday users, especially when it is colder so of the 3 which would you recommend or is there something else you think might fit us better?
to add.. the living room I have calculated at 51.8 volume divided by 14 so 3.7kw (hope I've done that correctly). The room has double glazed french doors and large window plus is open plan into the kitchen so we think a nominal 5kw with potential to 7kw should be sufficient.
Hi thank you for taking the time to respond. We are retiring so probably we will be serious users although we do have gas central heating as a back up. Its a little difficult to say at this point; I'm someone who feels the cold quite keenly but my partner doesn't so I suspect it will be more than just a few hours in the evening. @@TheTortoise
Well they all suit and are cut from the same cloth, so in other words they’re all designed to do that same job. I would pick the one I preferred the look of, but I may consider things like the DG Ivar or Charnwood C5 if I wanted a higher spec equivalent. These will be significantly more costly, but will have a some advantages if the use could potentially be more like 8 hours a day or more (in the colder months).
Thank you again for your reply. We were also interested in the Woodford Charlton but as it is the top of our budget we were concerned about finding and the cost of replacement glass. Will take a look at the DG and Charnwood in more detail. Really appreciate your time and have liked and subscribed to your channel. Best wishes@@TheTortoise
Hi Gabriel, Love the review, fantastic,. I am in the process of buying a wood burner and not sure if I should go for a Allure 4 or a 5. The gap that i have in my fireplace is 780mm. Also i've read in the PDF for the Allure that is states having hearth that extends 500mm from the stove, which seems quite a lot. The regultaions give guidance of a minimum of 225 but ideally 300mm, so not sure why they state 500mm.
500 has become a reg almost through the back door, brought in at the same time as Eco-Design. Some manufacturers advertise it (like Hunter in this case) and others have tried to gloss over it a bit. It’s a tricky one, but obviously the key thing is that a job is done safely, so it may be worth speaking to your fitter and seeing what they suggest as solutions.
Just bought mine this afternoon,over the phone with Direct Stoves,£799 inv vat.,elsewhere it was £999,one showroom in sw london wanted £1250.Will keep you all updated
Hi we went for the allure 4 and really like it but now its had some use when its been on for a long time you cant unlatch the door as it gets so tight when its hot. The only way to open it is bang the door just above the latch with one hand while pulling the handle with the other hand being careful not to bend the handle any more as it now doesnt latch in flush with having to pull it so hard. Very annoying iv not tried to adjust it yet but it doesnt look adjustable at all on the latch.
The catch itself is adjustable from inside the stove. It sounds like yours is a bit tighter than it should be, but it’s pretty simple to adjust. From memory it is held in place by a 10mm bolt, or 2.
Hi Gabriel, really great videos, keep them coming! Wondering which you would go for between this and the Allure 5 in quite a tight fireplace. Would like the extra heat rating the 5 gives as it's got to heat a fairly large and drafty room but wondered if this will be offset by a lack of airflow around the stove given its tight fit in the opening compared to the 4? Any advice greatly appreciated! Thanks
Going for the larger size could endanger the render etc around the stove (if you have any) of cracking off. But the larger size will definitely have the greater output, as even when some heat goes into the fireplace it will essentially create a huge thermal mass heat sync in the room, so it’s not that you’ll lose the heat. The biggest downside tends to be that the stove looks a bit squashed.
Hi Gabriel, weve just had an Allure 4 and a 5 fitted. The 4 is great, closes down and manages on a couple of logs overnight. The handle is stiff, but not too stiff, to open. But the 5 handle isnt stiff at all, really easy to open and even when the control is all the way to tge left, there are dancing flames and we cant damp it down any further. Any ideas? Love the videos, really useful to decide what to buy!
There is a small amount of adjustment on the handle, but it seems that your 5 isn’t sealing perfectly. If you take the bottom brick out then you can see where the door catch bolts are, so it may be worth adjusting it slightly. Also watch my “how to run a stove overnight” video as you should be able to get it to run overnight even with reduced control, but it will need a bit more technique. I’d hope that some adjustment would work for you though.
Hello We bought hunter allure 4 weeks ago started using it since 2 weeks and last night the hinge pin door on the top side dislodged and fell off , we can’t close the the door properly so frustrating and disappointed. we bought it because it was advertised as THE STOVE OF THE YEAR We are not sure what to do with the wood stove the air is getting in and it consumes logs like a vortex .
What a nightmare! This sounds very odd, but also like a simple fix. Definitely worth a call to the supplier, but it sounds like the hinge needs putting back in place and a screw tightening. Don’t panic after 4 weeks it’s very much in warranty, and as I say this doesn’t sound like something is broken, just come loose. Let us know how you get on, feedback is always useful.
Thanks for your replay We got in touch with the supplier and they answered back quickly (quite happy) They send us the part that is missing on the hing pin that keeps it tight I hope it will work
No it doesn’t, however it doesn’t have a block in the air vent either. This is one of those stoves that I really can’t work out how it has DEFRA approval. It does burn very clean though, maybe it gets through just on efficiencies? But there are others with higher efficiency that still need a block in the air vent. It’s a mystery to me, but they are definitely fully approved, so that’s good enough for me.
Really appreciate the reviews mate. Great enthusiasm and energy in your videos. Been sifting through them. What in your opinion is the best stove on the market for around the 800 pound mark?
Well it all starts with the following questions: What power output do you need? What will you be burning mostly? How will you be using the stove (all day and night, occasionally, evenings)? And what do you like the look of? I would have said this is a really good one, but prices seem to be steadily rising on almost everything, so it’s now a bit above budget. I believe I’ve seen the Saltfire STx5 for £800 which is a great little stove. I’ve also got a Herald 5 Eco which I used in my review which I’m happy to sell for £820 if you’re able to collect it (just an idea).
@@TheTortoise 5kw, wood and occasional use. I liked the look of the arada solution 5 widescreen because it went with the arch of the fire opening that I've spent the day getting ready. I went off it after seeing it's more suited for coal. But I'm really not fussed. I really liked the allure after watching it on slow burn in your review but it is a bit pricey. Ideally I'd like to save where I can as I will be more of a weekend burner than relying on it as a primary heat source. Thanks for the reply. Sorry should've stated all this when asking originally.
@@tomar3 well you could look at the Woodford Turing and Lowry 5x or 5xl widescreen, they will suit your use and budget. You could also look at the Saltfire ST1 vision and Bohemia stoves. The more expensive Herald, does have that slightly more trick shut down, but sadly a higher price with it.
@@TheTortoise I've just found an allure for 772. I think I'll go with that. Thank you very much for your time and advice. Keep up with the videos. I've subscribed as a thank you
The Heta stoves are particularly good at this, the Allure also wasn’t bad. Ordinarily if a stove doesn’t have a grate and an ash pan then they tend to be capable of running overnight, but things that have excellent control make it easier eg, Ivar 5, Aduro 16.
Gabriel, I’ve ordered the allure 5 based on your review / stove of the year 2021. My question is, does it radiate heat outwards very well or is it more sides and upwards too? Reason being, just read a comment that the arada heats up quick and gets the whole house warm, but that means it’s not efficient. I bought the allure 5 based on 15 hour run time, but does this compromise its heat output intensity ? Sorry if it’s a weird specific question, I want a stove that gets hot basically
@@barryhay8935 it definitely gets hot!!! The Arada tends to want to run a full pelt all the time, which means you get all the heat quite quickly. The Allure can also operate like this, but it’s advantage is that you get better control, so you can close it down and keep it in for longer periods. When you close stoves down they will give off less heat, but will stay in for longer (just like taking your foot off the accelerator, less speed but more miles). My problem with stoves that lack control is it’s like having a car with the accelerator glued to the floor.
@@thetortoiseandthehare legend Gabriel bleedin legend. Appreciate your replies and consideration. Another brainworm that’s been keeping me up all night tossing and turning, the handle at the bottom left of the allure 5, does it only clamp at that corner? Reason I ask is, seeing your saltfire unboxing, it’s got a clever screw handle that you can tighten as the rope wears out. If the handle is at the bottom left and not centre will this means closing won’t be as secure right? Or am I reading into it. A little too much?
@@barryhay8935 I think you’re right. Potentially over time the seal will be less reliable due to the bottom corner latch. Particularly if the stove was over fired, potentially we would find that ropes needed replacing more often. Obviously cast iron doesn’t really flex, so whilst the stove retains its shape it actually seals beautifully and there is some adjustment to increase the clamping pressure if needed. Generally I wouldn’t expect it to be an issue, but over time it wouldn’t be shocking to hear that larger ropes might be used by some users, particularly those who use the stoves a lot or worked them harder than most.
Just had this stove installed after watching lots of your reviews - it's fantastic! Really love your enthusiasm and energy for reviewing stoves and definitely helped me make an informative choice on which one was right for me... Even the chap who installed it was impressed!
Glad to hear it, thanks for the message!
Thanks for another great review. After watching this video I purchased the Allure 4 and have now finally had it fitted. I'm pleased to report that I'm delighted with it and even happier that the fan and thermometer I ordered from you work a treat and compliment the stove. Thanks very much.
Very glad to hear it, you’re very welcome!
Hi.. loving your videos and really appreciate all the clear and concise information, however this gives us a dilemma re our very first wood burner. We have managed at last to narrow it down to 3 possibles: this Allure 4, the Woodford Pankhurst 5kw and the Hampton Vista Wide. We are moving to a new home which is an older bungalow so relatively small rooms. It doesn't have a fireplace so we will be installing freestanding and going out of the wall with an external flue. Anyway, we are retiring so probably will be everyday users, especially when it is colder so of the 3 which would you recommend or is there something else you think might fit us better?
to add.. the living room I have calculated at 51.8 volume divided by 14 so 3.7kw (hope I've done that correctly). The room has double glazed french doors and large window plus is open plan into the kitchen so we think a nominal 5kw with potential to 7kw should be sufficient.
Do you think you would want to use the stove more seriously or will this be just for a few hours in the evening?
Hi thank you for taking the time to respond. We are retiring so probably we will be serious users although we do have gas central heating as a back up. Its a little difficult to say at this point; I'm someone who feels the cold quite keenly but my partner doesn't so I suspect it will be more than just a few hours in the evening. @@TheTortoise
Well they all suit and are cut from the same cloth, so in other words they’re all designed to do that same job.
I would pick the one I preferred the look of, but I may consider things like the DG Ivar or Charnwood C5 if I wanted a higher spec equivalent. These will be significantly more costly, but will have a some advantages if the use could potentially be more like 8 hours a day or more (in the colder months).
Thank you again for your reply. We were also interested in the Woodford Charlton but as it is the top of our budget we were concerned about finding and the cost of replacement glass. Will take a look at the DG and Charnwood in more detail. Really appreciate your time and have liked and subscribed to your channel. Best wishes@@TheTortoise
Hi Gabriel, Love the review, fantastic,. I am in the process of buying a wood burner and not sure if I should go for a Allure 4 or a 5. The gap that i have in my fireplace is 780mm. Also i've read in the PDF for the Allure that is states having hearth that extends 500mm from the stove, which seems quite a lot. The regultaions give guidance of a minimum of 225 but ideally 300mm, so not sure why they state 500mm.
500 has become a reg almost through the back door, brought in at the same time as Eco-Design. Some manufacturers advertise it (like Hunter in this case) and others have tried to gloss over it a bit. It’s a tricky one, but obviously the key thing is that a job is done safely, so it may be worth speaking to your fitter and seeing what they suggest as solutions.
Just bought mine this afternoon,over the phone with Direct Stoves,£799 inv vat.,elsewhere it was £999,one showroom in sw london wanted £1250.Will keep you all updated
Hi we went for the allure 4 and really like it but now its had some use when its been on for a long time you cant unlatch the door as it gets so tight when its hot. The only way to open it is bang the door just above the latch with one hand while pulling the handle with the other hand being careful not to bend the handle any more as it now doesnt latch in flush with having to pull it so hard. Very annoying iv not tried to adjust it yet but it doesnt look adjustable at all on the latch.
The catch itself is adjustable from inside the stove. It sounds like yours is a bit tighter than it should be, but it’s pretty simple to adjust. From memory it is held in place by a 10mm bolt, or 2.
@@TheTortoise Thank you very much iv adjusted it and its much better now and thanks for the great videos.
@@corker95 well done, glad to hear it.
Hi Gabriel, really great videos, keep them coming! Wondering which you would go for between this and the Allure 5 in quite a tight fireplace. Would like the extra heat rating the 5 gives as it's got to heat a fairly large and drafty room but wondered if this will be offset by a lack of airflow around the stove given its tight fit in the opening compared to the 4? Any advice greatly appreciated! Thanks
Going for the larger size could endanger the render etc around the stove (if you have any) of cracking off. But the larger size will definitely have the greater output, as even when some heat goes into the fireplace it will essentially create a huge thermal mass heat sync in the room, so it’s not that you’ll lose the heat. The biggest downside tends to be that the stove looks a bit squashed.
@@TheTortoise good to know, thanks! It’s a fairly similar physical size to the one it will be replacing so all good on that front
Hi Gabriel, weve just had an Allure 4 and a 5 fitted. The 4 is great, closes down and manages on a couple of logs overnight. The handle is stiff, but not too stiff, to open. But the 5 handle isnt stiff at all, really easy to open and even when the control is all the way to tge left, there are dancing flames and we cant damp it down any further. Any ideas? Love the videos, really useful to decide what to buy!
There is a small amount of adjustment on the handle, but it seems that your 5 isn’t sealing perfectly. If you take the bottom brick out then you can see where the door catch bolts are, so it may be worth adjusting it slightly.
Also watch my “how to run a stove overnight” video as you should be able to get it to run overnight even with reduced control, but it will need a bit more technique.
I’d hope that some adjustment would work for you though.
@TheTortoise thanks so much for your reply. We'll try that tomorrow and report back! Really grateful to you.
Salivating over here sir ,do we happen to the if the door is cast iron?
It is cast iron yes.
@@TheTortoise Thank you for the reply👊
Hello
We bought hunter allure 4 weeks ago started using it since 2 weeks and last night the hinge pin door on the top side dislodged and fell off , we can’t close the the door properly so frustrating and disappointed.
we bought it because it was advertised as THE STOVE OF THE YEAR
We are not sure what to do with the wood stove the air is getting in and it consumes logs like a vortex .
What a nightmare!
This sounds very odd, but also like a simple fix. Definitely worth a call to the supplier, but it sounds like the hinge needs putting back in place and a screw tightening.
Don’t panic after 4 weeks it’s very much in warranty, and as I say this doesn’t sound like something is broken, just come loose.
Let us know how you get on, feedback is always useful.
Thanks for your replay
We got in touch with the supplier and they answered back quickly (quite happy)
They send us the part that is missing on the hing pin that keeps it tight
I hope it will work
It’ll be fine!
So does the allure have a removable defra kit?
No it doesn’t, however it doesn’t have a block in the air vent either. This is one of those stoves that I really can’t work out how it has DEFRA approval.
It does burn very clean though, maybe it gets through just on efficiencies? But there are others with higher efficiency that still need a block in the air vent.
It’s a mystery to me, but they are definitely fully approved, so that’s good enough for me.
Really appreciate the reviews mate. Great enthusiasm and energy in your videos. Been sifting through them. What in your opinion is the best stove on the market for around the 800 pound mark?
Well it all starts with the following questions:
What power output do you need?
What will you be burning mostly?
How will you be using the stove (all day and night, occasionally, evenings)?
And what do you like the look of?
I would have said this is a really good one, but prices seem to be steadily rising on almost everything, so it’s now a bit above budget. I believe I’ve seen the Saltfire STx5 for £800 which is a great little stove. I’ve also got a Herald 5 Eco which I used in my review which I’m happy to sell for £820 if you’re able to collect it (just an idea).
@@TheTortoise 5kw, wood and occasional use. I liked the look of the arada solution 5 widescreen because it went with the arch of the fire opening that I've spent the day getting ready. I went off it after seeing it's more suited for coal. But I'm really not fussed. I really liked the allure after watching it on slow burn in your review but it is a bit pricey. Ideally I'd like to save where I can as I will be more of a weekend burner than relying on it as a primary heat source. Thanks for the reply. Sorry should've stated all this when asking originally.
@@tomar3 well you could look at the Woodford Turing and Lowry 5x or 5xl widescreen, they will suit your use and budget. You could also look at the Saltfire ST1 vision and Bohemia stoves. The more expensive Herald, does have that slightly more trick shut down, but sadly a higher price with it.
@@TheTortoise I've just found an allure for 772. I think I'll go with that. Thank you very much for your time and advice. Keep up with the videos. I've subscribed as a thank you
@@tomar3 that sounds like a fantastic price, good find!
Let me know if you have any questions and thanks for the sub.
whats the best wood burners for longest burn around 5kw? other than the one with the filter in
The Heta stoves are particularly good at this, the Allure also wasn’t bad. Ordinarily if a stove doesn’t have a grate and an ash pan then they tend to be capable of running overnight, but things that have excellent control make it easier eg, Ivar 5, Aduro 16.
Let us know if you've got any questions, very happy to help.
The fcfdfdfrdfddfdfdddcr cc.1409…..7 yr ago
Gabriel, I’ve ordered the allure 5 based on your review / stove of the year 2021. My question is, does it radiate heat outwards very well or is it more sides and upwards too? Reason being, just read a comment that the arada heats up quick and gets the whole house warm, but that means it’s not efficient. I bought the allure 5 based on 15 hour run time, but does this compromise its heat output intensity ? Sorry if it’s a weird specific question, I want a stove that gets hot basically
@@barryhay8935 it definitely gets hot!!!
The Arada tends to want to run a full pelt all the time, which means you get all the heat quite quickly. The Allure can also operate like this, but it’s advantage is that you get better control, so you can close it down and keep it in for longer periods.
When you close stoves down they will give off less heat, but will stay in for longer (just like taking your foot off the accelerator, less speed but more miles). My problem with stoves that lack control is it’s like having a car with the accelerator glued to the floor.
@@thetortoiseandthehare legend Gabriel bleedin legend. Appreciate your replies and consideration.
Another brainworm that’s been keeping me up all night tossing and turning, the handle at the bottom left of the allure 5, does it only clamp at that corner? Reason I ask is, seeing your saltfire unboxing, it’s got a clever screw handle that you can tighten as the rope wears out. If the handle is at the bottom left and not centre will this means closing won’t be as secure right? Or am I reading into it. A little too much?
@@barryhay8935 I think you’re right. Potentially over time the seal will be less reliable due to the bottom corner latch. Particularly if the stove was over fired, potentially we would find that ropes needed replacing more often.
Obviously cast iron doesn’t really flex, so whilst the stove retains its shape it actually seals beautifully and there is some adjustment to increase the clamping pressure if needed. Generally I wouldn’t expect it to be an issue, but over time it wouldn’t be shocking to hear that larger ropes might be used by some users, particularly those who use the stoves a lot or worked them harder than most.