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Is a heater on a marketplace that looks barely used, at a fraction of the price of a new one a good deal? One thing you don't know is that the one photo you have on the listing tells you almost nothing. Five checks decide whether it is a bargain or a trap, starting with the one that stops an installer signing it off.

For the right home, yes. A wood heater earns its price when you have a large or open-plan space to heat, reasonable access to firewood, and a genuine cold-climate winter. It’s the wrong buy for a small apartment, a smoke-restricted block, or anyone who wants warmth at the push of a button with nothing to load, light or clean. Everything below is the detail behind that answer, including the honest pros and cons.

You can picture it already. The fire sits flush in the wall, framed by the plaster, throwing warmth across the lounge on a grey Melbourne afternoon. No box standing out on the floor, no legs, just flame set into the room like it was always meant to be there. That look has a name. It is an inbuilt wood heater, and the reason it looks so settled is that the choice to have one is made early, before the plaster goes up and sometimes before the frame does.

The cabinetmaker has gone. The slab is poured. The installer's marked where the flue boots will sit. You're standing in the lounge with a tape measure, working out where everything goes. The sofa you bought before the renovation started is in the wrong place.

Have an older wood heater? If you have, have you ever opened the firebox door to see a wisp of smoke come back into the room? If you're trying to work out why, you may...

There are several reasons to keep an eye on your wood burning consumption during the Australian winter.Stocking up on firewood before the start of winter is a great idea, but churning through your supply quicker...

If you are an expert at how to start and maintain a wood fire and are a wizard at choosing the right sized log for your freestanding or inbuilt wood heater, then the next step...