Inset vs Free Standing Stoves – Which do I need?

One of the most important things you need to consider when purchasing a wood burning or multi-fuel stove is the style. Wood burning and multi-fuel stoves come in a wide variety of shapes, styles and colours, but the main question people often forget to ask themselves is one of the most obvious – do I need an inset or a free standing stove?

Are you wanting your stove to sit within an existing fireplace? Is your stove going in a large room in your home? Do you want your stove to slot into an existing fireplace, or are you without a chimney breast?

Here at Stove Supermarket, we want to make your decision easier, and that’s why we’ve pulled together some of the reasons why you may be swayed one way or another. Whatever your needs, we are sure we have a wood burning or multi fuel stove to suit them!

Why pick an Inset Stove?

Inset wood burning and multi-fuel stoves are designed to slide into an existing open fireplace or to be installed directly into a chimney breast or wall – leaving only the front of the stove visible.

If you already have a chimney breast or open fireplace, then purchasing an inset wood burning stove will reduce the installation costs as you already have a dedicated space to put the body of the stove. This means you can get all the benefits of a wood burning or multi-fuel stove in a fireplace setting.

Inset wood burning and multi-fuel stove almost always have a large viewing window, to ensure you get the best view of your dancing flames. If you are looking for a product that best matches an open fireplace but has a higher level of control then an inset stove is the closest thing that you can get.

When it comes to aesthetics, inset wood burning or multi-fuel stoves come in a range of different styles. The key difference between inset stoves and freestanding stoves, however, is that the only part of an inset stove you will see is the very front of the stove body. Typically this means that inset wood burning stove lends themselves well to contemporary designs, like the Mendip Loxton 10 inset wood burning stove which is available to buy for £995.

Traditional wood burning inset stoves are available, but these are typically limited. Here at Stove Supermarket, we do have a good range of designs from top brands such as ACR, Esse and Aarrow.

Why pick a Free-Standing Stove?

Free standing wood burning and multi fuel stoves boast a whole range of benefits, many of which may be a deciding factor in your purchase.

If you have a large living space or a generously sized fireplace, then a free-standing wood burning stove would be perfect for your home.

Although free-standing wood burning and multi-fuel stoves do require slightly more space than an inset wood burning stove, they are available in a number of shapes and styles so it is still possible to accommodate for your needs.

Some of our favourite small free-standing wood burning stoves include the Flavel Arundel MK2 multi-fuel/wood burning stove (£475), The Hobbit SE burning stove (£525), and the Morso Squirrel 1430 Cleanheat multi-fuel/wood burning stove.

Because they are not limited to being installed in a set area in your home, freestanding wood burning stoves are also flexible and can be moved even after they have been installed. Although this will require a callout to an engineer, should you want to move your living room around after a few years it is possible to move your wood burning stove to accommodate your new room layout.

Another key benefit of purchasing a free standing wood burning stove is that they do come in a wide variety of styles, from contemporary to traditional. As the whole of your stove is visible, the design and colour is very important to many shoppers and this is one area that free-standing stoves have a significant advantage over their inset counterparts.  There are a significant number of styles available to match any living space, and many brands like Carron have even begun to add splashes of colour into their range.

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