What Is A Decorative Fire?

A question that i've frequently come across in the industry from consumers is:
What Does It Mean By A Decorative Fire? Aren't All Fires Decorative?

What Does It Mean By A Decorative Fire?

The term decorative fire is used to describe larger open fires such as baskets or the Verine Atina. These fires all have 1 thing in common, a large opening and a large area around the flames in the centre, although this finish does create stunning finish that really showcases the living flame effect inside, this large empty space is unfortunately the reason that these fires are decorative only.

Everyone knows that hot air rises, and as the hot air from the large open flames rises, it rises up the chimney, this natural convection draws air from the room into the fire to be heated and rise up the chimney, this natural air current draws all the warm air up and out the chimney, a normal chimney will draw all the air out of the room every 2 hours.

This natural draw means that all the hot air will rise up the chimney with only radiant heat warming the room, meaning that these fires are incredibly inefficient and shouldn't be relied upon as a source of heat, as it all goes up the chimney!

Aren't All Fires Decorative?

Strictly speaking...Yes! All fires are decorative, they are all part of the decor of the living space so are decorative. But when lit they aren't just decorative, they provide heat as well, which is the main difference between a decorative fire and other gas fires, when lit a decorative fire is just that...decorative! Where as another fire would give out heat as well as showcasing the living flame effect.

Manufacturer Focus: Drugasar

In May 1754, a sales contract was signed for the building of a new blast furnace between Johan Baptist van den Dergh and a few local entrepreneurs in Ulft, the Netherlands. The project was the beginning of the company that is the modern day Drugasar, some 250 years later!
The company is called De Koninklijke Diepenbrock en Reugers if Ulft, or in short Drugasar or DRU.
Drugasar started out as a blast furnace, producing a large range of products from cast iron, DRU pots and pans are still particularly well known. At the beginning of the 1960's when natural gas was discovered in the Netherlands DRU switched to producing gas fireplaces. DRU is now one of the oldest industrial companies in the Netherlands.

Now, Drugasar is a modern company that continues to specialise in producing high-quality and unique fireplaces. It is the largest producer of closed combustion fireplaces in Europe, and has operations in three countries and a dealership that spans most of Europe. This independent company with a well-established foundation is proud of its industrial heritage and has even been awarded the prestigious designation of Supplier to the Royal Dutch Court.


Drugasar Gas and Electric Fires have been designed to bring out the best in your living room – contemporary or traditional.
You will have no shortage of choice, with a large variety of gas and electric fires available, each with its own selection of trim, colour and fuel effect. So you are sure to find a combination that will harmonise with your lifestyle.


"DRU gas fires are not simply pleasing to the eye, they are among the most advanced heating appliances on the planet."

Combining contemporary styling with modern gas technology, DRU gas fires provide all-round warmth and comfort as well as aesthetic appeal.

From simple but stunning frameless fires such as the Metro range, to more traditional designs such as the Passeo (shown right), DRU gas fires provide a wealth of choice.

And with the incredible efficiency of gas fires, especially using the DRU balanced flue system, with up to 85% efficiency, heating your home need not cost a fortune.

Unfortunately even the most beautiful Drugasar gas fire would be worthless if the house did not have a gas connection, or if your preference is for an electric fire, DRU do also do a stunning range of electric fires.

DRU electric fires combine the beauty of contemporary fireplace design with a unique operating system that creates the best realistic fire available anywhere.

The flame pattern is the closest to a gas fire you will ever see. And yet, because of its unique LED technology, it combines a generous 2 kw heat output with remarkably low energy consumption.

Celsi Electric Fires Are Hot For 2011

Celsi fires are British designed fire range that launched in the states in January 2010 and believed by many in the industry to have brought the most advance in technology for decades. With stunning design, state of the art technology and the highest level of manufacturing quality whilst still maintaining a safe, effective, high efficiency, environmentally respectful fire.

The first noticeable feature of the Celsi fire range is the design, whether as a more traditional hearth based (three sided) fire, or as a more contemporary wall mounted fire (Celsi curved or panoramic) the Celsi range deliver a crisp, clean, elegant style. The complete range of Celsi electric fires display a stunning visual fire effect and Celsi have used video in many of their marketing campaigns to show the realism of the fuel bed and flame effect (believing still pictures just don’t portray the overall quality of the LED fire).

Celsi fires realistic fuel bed and flame effect are digitally displayed with superb definition and offer the option to alternate the view between a blazing log, smouldering log or even a coal fuel effect. The speed of the flame flicker is adjustable too, and Celsi have incorporated appropriate sound effects to accompany the chosen fuel effect (which can be muted if and when required). Certain models boast mood lighting to highlight the fire and create the perfect ambiance.

Other innovative and practical features of the Celsi fires range include a sleep timer; this turns off the fire when set, and the digitally controlled thermostat; this allows an individuals preferred temperature to be regulated throughout the room, providing a constant temperature. This function when selected will alter the fires intensity of heat and air flow to achieve the required overall room temperature. The visual display uses LED technology and has adjustable picture brightness, so whatever the room lighting, optimum fire display is visible.

All features of the Celsi fire range are easily recognisable via the display icons, and the intuitive controls are operated by the stylish ergonomically designed remote control.

Build quality and safety are primary features of the Celsi fire range and they do not fail to deliver. Celsi have such confidence in their ranges manufacturing build quality that they offer a five year manufacturers warranty on their products. Safety is undertaken with vigorous product testing; features include stay cool glass, and no hot or incandescent parts. The Celsi electric fires are environmentally safe, with 100% heat efficiency and with a maximum heat output of 1.5kW (impressive for fires of this type).

There are other general benefits to using electric fires; they are usually extremely efficient, and better for the environment. Electric fires, including the Celsi range, are suitable to be used in most homes, they don’t need additional ventilation or flue requirements and most electric fires will simply plug into an existing electricity supply.

If you are considering purchasing an electric fire and want efficiency, technology, effectiveness and style then consider one of the innovative Celsi fires from the electric fire range which is available only at reputable retailers.

New Range Of Apex Stoves

Apex have recently released a new range of stoves to supply the increasing demand for that traditional stove look and feel. With energy prices shooting up and up (again!) and modern gas fires or stoves simply not offering the feel and look of a traditional wood burner.

This new range of Apex stoves all feature a full heavy guage cast iron body, incorporating a dual wall. This eliminates the need fpr traditional firebricks to line the interior of the stove, offering larger internal space so producing more heat for less space!

As with most stoves on the market they also feature an airwash system the keep the window clean and allow the glow from the fire to radiate out into the room, further adding to the experience of a wood burning stove!
These brand new Apex stoves also come with supremely high quality heat resistant glass to ensure that your view of the burning logs inside is never compromised.

The smallest of the new range is the Apex Newbury wood burning stove, this smaller sized stove offers a maximum heat output of 5kW making it ideal for smaller living spaces! This traditionally styled stove combines traditional styling with modern technology to offer a high heat output, highlighted with brass handles and hinges that help break up the traditional matt black cast iron finish as well as traditional detailing on both the air control spinners and around the top of the stove and door, creating a stove that rivals the Aga Little Wenlock is size, but offers a higher heat output and at a lower price, meaning The Apex Newbury is great value for money!

A stove offering slightly more heat output over the Newbury is the Apex Keighley, this stove offers up to 9kW of heat output and offers the same high-quality finish that all the other Apex stoves boast. Unlike the Newbury the Keighley features chrome controls to contrast the matt black finish. The Keighley offers a larger viewing window with a traditional and stylish arch detailing that offers style without compromising views on the fire inside. The Keighley also boasts traditional engraved detailing around the door and relief detailing down each side of the stove. As with all the Apex Stoves the Keighley also comes with adjustable air controls, these mean the fire can be "adjusted" to burn slower and provide background heat or give out the maximum 9kW of heat for those cold wintry nights.

The largest in terms of size of the new Apex fires range is the Henley, this stove offers a maximum heat output of 9.5kW, more than enough to heat even some of the more spacious living spaces.
The Henley again features the same traditional styling with textured areas on the stove and the traditional column-esque detailing supporting the top of the stove.

All of the above Apex stoves are now available from Fireplace Supermarket and come complete with removable ashpan, log grate and heat resistant glove.

Verine Carmelo HE Gas Fire

The Verine Carmelo HE is a brand new balanced flue gas fire that has a beautiful contemporary design. The Carmelo HE is the latest product from the British manufacturers Verine so you know it is going to be a good quality fire, which is verified by the 7 year guarantee!!

This extravagant fire will provide your room with a high maximum heat output of 6.5kW with an efficiency of 75%!! That is more than enough to keep your room very warm whilst also saving on running costs.

Verine have supplied this fire with a fully thermostatic remote control which can be used to light the fire as well as adjust the fame height and heat output. The remote control also allows you to regulate the temperature of the room on a timer so your room can warm whenever you wish, all from the comfort of your chair!!

Don't have a chimney or flue? then the Verine Carmelo is the perfect option for you with the added bonus of having a balanced flue option which allows you to vent gases straight out of the building but it must be mounted on an external wall. This Balanced Flue option draws air in from the outside whilst expelling combustion gases from the inner pipe.

The Verine Carmelo HE is sure to be a major talking point for any home with its unique contemporary design as well as being highly efficient. This High Efficiency fire is only available from quality showrooms and will definitely be in high demand!!

How To Burn Wood Efficiently

Understanding the way in which wood is burnt will allow you to burn wood in a more environmentally friendly way, reduce the costly maintenance required for your chimney and get more heat out of the wood. There are 3 stages in the wood-burning process:

Evaporation - When you light a stove a lot of energy will be needed at first to boil away any moisture trapped inside the wood. This takes a lot of energy to drive the water out of the wood and convert it into steam, producing an inefficient fire that is not burning cleanly. Also, much of the energy wasted in evaporating water is energy that could have heated the stove and started heating the room. This is a waste of all three elements; wood, money and effort. This water trapped in the wood has a nasty habit of putting out the fire, the best way to avoid this is to use seasoned wood, Properly stored and seasoned wood will help to minimise these problems.

So what is seasoning?
Essentially it is making wood fit for burning – by reducing its water content – usually by leaving it for a period of time in the right conditions. All wood contains water. Freshly-cut "green" wood can be up to 45% water, while well-seasoned firewood generally has a 20–25% moisture content. Well seasoned firewood is easier to light, produces more heat, and burns cleaner.
Emissions - As the heat of the fire intensifies, waste-gases (smoke) are released from the wood. Unburned smoke is emitted into the air either as pollution, or condensed in the chimney causing creosote build-up. It takes time for the air in your chimney to heat up. When it is still cold you get an effect similar to the condensation of hot breath on a colder window or mirror. So when the by-products of combustion (smoke in the form of gases) exit the stove, and flow up into the relatively cooler chimney, condensation occurs.


The resulting residue that sticks to the inner walls of the chimney is called creosote. Creosote is formed by unburned, flammable particulates present in the smoke. It is black or brown in appearance. It can be crusty and flaky, tar-like, drippy and sticky or shiny and hardened. Quite often, all forms will occur in one chimney system.

If the wood you are using is water logged, or green, the fire will tend to smoulder and not warm the chimney sufficiently. Wet wood causes the whole system to be cool, and inefficient. In contrast: dry wood means a hot fire, which results in a hot flue, and a hot flue means much less creosote clogging up your chimney.


Charcoal - When most of the tar and gasses have burned the remaining substance is charcoal (ash in it’s finer form). A hot bed of charcoals and ash can enhance the combustion process when burning larger pieces of wood. Start with a small fire to develop a bed of glowing embers. As the charcoal bed develops and the cooker heats up, slowly add larger and larger pieces of wood. It takes time to build a good charcoal bed, but it is well worth the effort. Only empty excess ash periodically and always leave a bed of ash on which to light the next fire.


Every type of wood is different, some such as ash burn well and produce plenty of heat, in contrast Poplar, the same wood that is used to make matchsticks! burns very slowly and produces very little heat. Below is an interesting poem to help you remember which wood to use and which to avoid!

LOGS TO BURN

Logs to burn, logs to burn,
Logs to save the coal a turn
Here's a word to make you wise,
When you hear the woodman's cries.
Never heed his usual tale,
That he has good logs for sale,
But read these lines and really learn,
the proper kind of logs to burn.

OAK logs will warm you well,
If they're old and dry.
LARCH logs of pine wood smell,
But the sparks will fly.
BEECH logs for Christmas time,
YEW logs heat well.
SCOTCH logs it is a crime,
For anyone to sell.

BIRCH logs will burn too fast,
CHESTNUT scarce at all
HAWTHORN logs are good to last,
If you cut them in the fall
HOLLY logs will burn like wax
You should burn them green
ELM logs like smouldering flax
No flame to be seen

PEAR logs and APPLE logs,
they will scent your room.
CHERRY logs across the dogs,
Smell like flowers in bloom
But ASH logs, all smooth and grey,
burn them green or old;
Buy up all that come your way,
They're worth their weight in gold.

Dangers Of Carbon Monxide Poisoning

Now for a lightly more scary topic, Carbon Monoxide Poisoning. One of the main causes of carbon monoxide poisoning is poorly maintained or installed gas appliances.

You can’t see it, taste it or smell it but it can kill quickly and with no warning. Unsafe gas appliances produce a highly poisonous gas called carbon monoxide (CO). It can cause death as well as serious long term health problems such as brain damage.

There are 6 main symptoms to look out for:

1. headaches
2. dizziness
3. nausea
4. breathlessness
5. collapse
6. loss of consciousness
   

Being aware of the symptoms could save your life.

Carbon monoxide symptoms are similar to flu, food poisoning, viral infections and simply tiredness. That’s why it’s quite common for people to mistake this very dangerous poisoning for something else.

Other signs that could point to carbon monoxide poisoning:

• Your symptoms only occur when you are at home
• Your symptoms disappear or get better when you leave home and come back when you return
• Others in your household are experiencing symptoms (including your pets) and they appear at a similar time

What should I do if I experience any symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning?

• Get fresh air immediately. Open doors and windows, turn off gas appliances and leave the house
• See your doctor immediately or go to hospital - let them know that you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning. They can do a blood or breath test to check
• If you think there is immediate danger, call the Gas Emergency Helpline
• Get a Gas Safe registered engineer to inspect your gas appliances and flues to see if there is a dangerous problem

Don’t assume your gas appliances are safe: get a Gas Safe registered gas engineer to do a check. This is the only safe way to prevent yourself and those around you from incurring serious illness or death due to carbon monoxide exposure.

What is carbon monoxide?

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a highly poisonous substance produced by the incomplete burning of gas and Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG).

This happens when a gas appliance has been incorrectly fitted, badly repaired or poorly maintained. It can also occur if flues, chimneys or vents are blocked.

Oil and solid fuels such as coal, wood, petrol and oil can also produce carbon monoxide.

What is carbon monoxide poisoning?

Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs when you breathe in even small amounts of the gas.
When you breathe in carbon monoxide, it gets into your blood stream and prevents your red blood cells from carrying oxygen. Without oxygen, your body tissue and cells die.
Levels that do not kill can cause serious harm to health when breathed in over a long period of time. Long term effects of carbon monoxide poisoning include Paralysis and brain damage. Such long term effects occur because many people are unaware of unsafe gas appliances and subsequent gas leaks.

How do I avoid a carbon monoxide leak in my home?

Your home may show signs of carbon monoxide. Any one of the following could be a sign that there is carbon monoxide in your home. Get your gas appliances checked to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.

• The flame on your cooker should be crisp and blue. Lazy yellow or orange flames mean you need to get your cooker checked
• Soot or yellow/brown staining around or on appliances
• Pilot lights that frequently blow out
• Increased condensation inside windows

If you have a faulty appliance in your home, it could lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. Get it checked as soon as possible by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year from all of us at Fires | Fireplaces | Stoves, hope the festive period was warm and full of joy.
We thought we'd start off the new year by giving a brief summary of a number of products that have caught our eye recently and are looking like must-haves for 2011.

The first fire our this list comes courtesy of The Fireplace Megastore, The Verine Carmelo HE balanced flue gas fire takes the already very popular Verine Carmelo and makes it available to households and properties that do not have a chimney. The balanced flue vastly increases the efficiency of the Carmelo HE over the normal Carmelo, taking the efficiency up from around 40-50% up to 75%, this also means the heat output has upped from minimal heat output decorative fire to one that has a high output of 6.5kW.
The contemporary frameless finish and plain black lining create a very simple yet effective finish, this can be combined either white stones for a very minimalist finish or with the realistic log fuel effect for a slightly more traditional feel, both of these fuel effects are supplied with the fire for extra flexibility. The stunning finish and quality feel of this fire coupled with the success of the open-fronted Carmelo mean this fire is likely to become hot property when it is released in February-March.

Our next product that has just been released is the Ceraglass back panel for the Drugasar Metro range of balanced flue gas fires. This reflexive black glass back panel adds a more contemporary finish to the fire, with the warm glow of the flames reflected back into the room for even more ambience. Drugasar haven't even released a photo of this new back panel yet but we're sure that it is going to make these high-quality and supremely luxurious fires even more desirable.




Another range to look out for this year is the Celsi range of inset electric fires, with people looking for a more realistic flame effect to the traditional ribbon flame effect and some alternate flame effects either lacking in realism or requiring a large amount of maintenance the Celsi range of inset electric fires with their unique 3D flame effect offering the choice of Smouldering or blazing logs or glowing coal as well as real sounds to further add to the illusion that this fire is real. Other features include adjustable flame speed and brightness for ambience as well as a sleep timer and adjustable temperature controls, all possible via a handheld remote control. Available in a range of styles both contemporary and traditional this ultra-realistic range of electric fires is sure to be very popular in 2011.

Celsi Hang On The Wall Electric Fires

The New Celsi hang on the wall electric fires are becoming even more popular as more and more people discover the state-of-the-art flame effects and features that make these items

the must have fire for the future.

Combining the very best contemporary styling with innovation, the Celsi hang on the wall electric fires are the ultimate electric fires with the most realistic and convincing flame effect on the market today!

The curved and panoramic utilise sleek black glass to create a stunningly modern and contemporary finish and combine features that almost all other fires can only dream of having. These features include a changable flame picture, you can choose from Blazing Log, Smouldering Log or Flaming Coal flame pictures to create the perfect ambience and atmosphere, to add to this ambience, choose from either blue, orange or white backlighting to really draw attention to this fire and help set the mood. Celsi fires also feature a sleep timer which is a great feature meaning you dont have to worry about forgetting to turn the fire off. The volume can also be adjusted on this fire allowing the volume of the cracking log fire or burning coal fire to be turned up for ambience or down just for the flame image only.

The Celsi fires are some of the most versatile on the market, creating a focal point in any room, a lounge, kitchen or even bedroom! The Celsi fires are also unique, they dont only give a stunning flame effect, they also give you the sounds of a real fire, adding to the experience, further adding to the illusion of a real log fire hanging on your wall. The Celsi fires also come with a remote control as standard so with the press of a button you can control heat, flame effect, volume, brightness and the flame speed.

How To Recreate The Look And Feel Of A Period Fireplace

With the period look and feel becoming ever more desirable as people move away from cold contemporary or traditional furnishings and more towards something that gives a feel of history and period architecture.

Carron due an amazing range of period cast iron combinations and baskets which would be a perfect solution for anyone looking to recreate that 19th century period look and feel, but we are going to suggest a surround and cast iron insert for your reading pleasure.

Traditional fireplaces are very much the focal point of the room, both in size and in appearance, their presence on the hearth demands attention, and when the fire is lit then the room is filled with the warmth and glow from the fire.

The Carron Thakat fits the bill exactly for a period fireplace, made from solid Acacia wood, that during the 19th century would have been brought back from the colonies of Africa and Australia, this dark wooden surround stands proud on the hearth at 54inches wide and 41inches high. The dark wood finish of the surround, combined with the rustic detailing and corner pieces really gives the impression of an antique fire surround.

The perfect companion to the Thakat surround is the Ce Lux cast iron insert, as shown in the image above.

The Ce Lux surround is made of traditional cast iron and is available in the very traditional cast black or in the slightly more modern highlighted finish which accentuates the victorian detailing around the arch, this adds to the real period feel.

The Ce Lux cast iron arch is available with a natural gas, lpg or solid fuel option allowing you to choose the fuel option most appropriate for you. With gas prices forever on the rise (seem to be constantly mentioning that at the moment!) the solid fuel option is becoming ever more popular and I must say that this surround and cast iron insert combination really works with the solid fuel option, it gives a more lively flame picture and fills the room with more of that wonderful glow that warms everything in the room.

Time Is Running Out

With little over a week until Christmas and just 18 days to go until the rate of VAT is increased to a whopping 20%, a 2.5% increase over the current 17.5% rate means that the time to pick up a deal on a stunning fire or stove to keep you warm through the darkest parts of winter.

You could save hundreds of pound buying before the VAT rise, its easy to imagine how far that saved money could go towards installation or the cost of running the fire or stove, especially now that NPower have joined a number of major utility suppliers in raising thier prices!

Another Cold Front Approaching

Another arctic blast will bring more snow and bitterly cold temperatures to the UK this week, forecasters have warned. Temperatures will also fall as low as minus 10C (14F), with bitter winds sweeping across Britain from the north.

The worst-hit areas are forecast to be north-east Scotland and eastern England, which were among the snowiest areas over the past two weeks.

With many areas only just getting over the chaos left by snowstorms earlier this month, another band of snow is set to sweep down across the country on Thursday. Only the far south-west looks likely to escape the latest wintry blast.

Andy Ratcliffe, a forecaster at MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: "On Thursday a cold front will move south across the UK. This will give rain initially, but it will turn to snow on its back edge."

Scotland woke up to widespread icy roads yesterday after a freezing night, with the rest of the UK seeing temperatures in the low single figures.

Raises In Utility Prices!

Ofgem has launched an official investigation into recent price hikes.Are We Paying Too Much For Our Energy?

Half of the main gas and electricity suppliers in the UK :- British Gas, Scottish & Southern and ScottishPower – have increased their prices in recent weeks. It has also come to light that this price rise increases the profit margins of each of these companies quite considerably! An increase of of around £25 per household, raising profit margins by over 35%!

Last week, ScottishPower said its customers' electricity bills would rise by an average of 8.9% while prices for gas customers would increase by 2%, a considerable amount for even the most energy conscious household! Meanwhile, Scottish & Southern Energy (SSE) has put up gas prices by 9.4% since the start of December. British Gas customers also face a 7% rise in utility bills this winter.

Jeremy Cryer from Gocompare.com welcomed the Ofgem investigation. “The £90 profit margin Ofgem refers to could be the difference between a comfortable winter and a miserable one for a lot of households as we move into the most expensive period for energy bills,” he said.

"This review shouldn't just be restricted to investigating recent price rises, however. The energy market is a classic example of one which has been allowed to remain deliberately complex.

“As a result many consumers do not have the confidence to take control of their own energy provision – more than 80% of households have not switched energy supplier in the past 12 months.”

At times like this efficiency becomes even more important, the difference between an open-fronted gas fire that is lucky to achieve 50% efficiency and a glass-fronted HE glas fire such as the Apex Capacious at up to 89% efficiency makes quite a considerable cost difference to run the fire, especially during the winter seasons when these appliances are most depended on.

BREAKING NEWS! New Interior for Drugasar Metro Range

Drugasar have just launched a brand new interior finish to thier Metro range of balanced flue gas fires. Breaking away from the black metal or natural interiors that have previously been available with the Metro range.
They are now available with the Ceraglass interior finish, this new reflective black glass interior lining adds a deeper and more contemporary finish to these already stunning fires, with the flames reflecting back off the glass back panel, projecting more of that wonderful warm glow back into the room.

This innovative new Ceraglass interior finish is so new we don't even have a picture of it yet!

This finish is available now from The Fireplace Megastore.

Top 5 Gas Stoves

This is a list of the top 5 gas stoves currently available from www.fireplacesupermarket.com, this list has been determined by 4 main factors: efficiency, cost, heat output, styling. From the wide variety of stoves on offer it is almost impossible to decide between the vast range of quality options available. I hope this litte article makes thing easier for you.

At number 5 it is the Tiger Classic Gas Stove, this solid cast iron gas stove is great value for money at just under £500 and with a 5kW heat output and 73% efficiency means it is great value for money, the one downside with this fire which places it at number 5 on this list is the relatively plain styling to the stove, but even this plain and simple styling features a large viewing window that offers an impressive view of the coal fuel effect inside. A worthy inclusion into this top 5.

Coming in at number 4 is the Firebelly FB1G, this ultra
contemporary stove is well worth a look, at 6kW of heat output the stove packs a hot punch and with 78% efficiency is cost effective heating. Available in 18 different colours and with optional stainless steel legs, the FB1G will fit in with almost any style of decor. And with a price of just under £900 is slightly more expensive than the Tiger but comes with a remote control as standard and offers a more contemporary finish that could fit in with most styles of decor.

Half way through now and coming in at number 3 is the Gallery Firefox 5 gas stove. This is one of the most affordable gas stoves on the market today with a price just over £450. This relatively small sized stove does give out a fair amount of heat, and is no slouch at 73% efficiency. It also is unique as the whole main body of the stove is made in a single piece and incorporates a 'clear view' window that keeps the window clean to allow that gorgeous orange glow to escape. The only drawback is to this fire is the smaller size of it, perfect for a smaller living space, but doesnt quite offer the same visual impact of the larger stoves.

Coming in as the runner-up on this list is the Broseley Canterbury, this stove is available in a gas, electric and multi-fuel option with the gas version our focus in this article. Developing a maximum heat output of 4.6kW and running at 80% efficient so does not require any additional ventilation into the room. The Canterbury is an effective, efficient and affordable gas stove that has a traditional styling and with a variety of door trim to add that individual element to the stove. This stove, along with the others in the Broseley range are definately the first place to look for a traditional looking stove so deservedly come high up the list, All are available with an exclusive cashback offer when purchased from FireplaceSupermarket.

And Coming in a Number 1 is the Drugasar Solo Balanced Flue Gas Fire, this stunningly contemporary gas stove from Drugasar is amoung the best on the market at the moment, developing 4kW of heat with an 82% efficiency rating. The Solo features a large viewing window that offers the best view possible of the flames inside, finished in high-quality anthracite and also coming as standard with a remote control this fire is certainly one of the first places to look for a contemporary gas stove and... for that reason it is top of this list.