Advice - Stove or open fire

[compact]

I know this may come down to taste etc.

I have a standardish sized terrace.
We are doing up the front room. I have wanted a Stove but she said open gas fire.
Now she is moved to open fire.

I think a Stove would be easier and cleaner to use.
More efficient burning so less to clean out?
Easier to remote ash in the tray?
Can just shut the door when in a rush and no time to clean after use
Less ash/smoke in the room?

Looking for some advice from people who have used both
Cheer

p.s. the real taste one, is she is now saying it won't fit the house look too large and ugly....

 

[gday2uk]

IMO open solid fuel fires have more character then an enclosed burner. I have one and it does not deposit ash or smoke in the room
You don't have to clean it after you use it - it's up to you but they can smell sooty if left uncleaned. It takes about 60 seconds to clean.

Think about it, do you really want to be reminded by her every time you sit in your front room that she would have preferred an open fire?
If she wants one so bad then she can also clean it out

 

[JohnD]

wait until she changes her mind again

Is she also going to carry hodfulls of coal into the room several times a day? Or clear up the spiders, beetles, woodworm and earwigs that live in firewood?

All open fires are very inefficient as a lot of the heat goes up the chimney

They also DO create more dust, so she will have to take up dusting (which housewives used to do daily in the old days) and tend to leave marks on the ceiling from convected dirt particles.

Have you considered getting a new wife?

 

[Burnerman]

ANYTHING.....but an open fire Best thing I ever did was to fit a propane gas fire into the existing hearth. Took a while for Mrs. B to admit it was better, but no more getting an eyeful of ash when cleaning it out on a windy morning Only my opinion though! John

 

[Goldspoon]

Modern, Carbon-Neutral Wood-Burning stoves can manage over 80 per cent efficiency compared to about 20% Efficiency for an equivalent open fire.

So open fire: 80% heat goes up chimney and 20% to room - but wood burning stove closer to 20% up chimney and 80% to room.

No contest.