Blog

You’ve been quoted somewhere past $3,000 to put a wood heater in, and now you’re running the sum in your head. That’s real money for something a split system could do for under a thousand. So is a wood heater worth it, or are you paying for the look of a fire?

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 load the firebox, hold a match to the kindling, and wait. The fire catches, then sputters. The wood hisses, steam creeps from the cut ends, and the glass fogs with smoke. An hour later the room is still cold. Nine times out of ten, the problem is the wood rather than the heater.  

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.

Not all firewood is equal. The species you burn affects how much heat you get, how much smoke you produce, and how often you need to reload. Here’s a guide to choosing the best firewood for your wood heater in Australia.