Gas Stoves

Buying guide

A gas stove is the easy way to a stove-shaped fire: no wood to season, no ash, and heat within moments. What you can fit depends on whether you have a flue, and that decides between our two models.

What is a gas stove?

A gas stove, or gas log burner, is a freestanding gas fire built in the shape of a wood burning stove, with a ceramic log or coal fuel bed behind a glass door. It runs on a gas supply and is controlled by a dial, slide or remote rather than by loading fuel. Most stand on a hearth in a fireplace or recess, just like a log burner.

Flued or flueless?

A conventional flue gas stove sends its fumes up a chimney or flue, like a log burner. It gives more heat and suits a room with a working chimney.

A flueless gas stove passes its combustion products through a catalytic converter, which turns carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide, and the cleaned gases and water vapour stay in the room instead of going up a chimney. In return the room must be large enough and must have a permanent vent, and outputs are lower. Read gas fire types explained for more.

How much heat?

Using the rule of thumb of about 1kW per 14 cubic metres, the Opus Trio Scala's 6.9kW top output suits a large living room of up to about 95 cubic metres as its main heat. The Ekofires 6010's 3.1kW suits a room of about 40 cubic metres as main heat, but flueless fires are usually best treated as warmth alongside central heating. Its minimum room size of 35 cubic metres also rules out small rooms.

Installation and safety

• Gas Safe. By law, a gas stove must be installed by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Check their ID card covers gas fires.
• Carbon monoxide alarm. In England, a new or replacement gas appliance (other than a cooker) needs a CO alarm in the same room. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules, and an alarm is a sensible precaution with any gas stove.
• Flue or vent. The Trio Scala needs a flue its manual approves. The 6010 needs the 100cm² vent and minimum room size its maker sets.
• Hearth. Where a gas appliance needs a hearth, Approved Document J asks for a non-combustible top layer at least 12mm thick, with a marked edge such as a change in level. The manual says whether one is needed and its size.
• Annual service. Have the stove serviced and safety checked every year.

Which gas stove should you choose?

Choose the Opus Trio Scala if you have a working chimney or flue and want a stove that will heat a good sized living room, with a tall, contemporary shape, a ceramic log effect and remote control. It is 1150mm high, so it suits a large fireplace or standing in the room.

Choose the Ekofires 6010 if there is no chimney, or the chimney cannot be used, and the room is at least 35 cubic metres. It has a traditional arched door and a solid cast body in matt black or white, and gives gentle warmth alongside your central heating.

If you have a chimney but prefer a fire set into the wall rather than a stove, see our inset gas fires; with no chimney at all, our flueless fires include wall mounted and inset models.

Living with a gas stove

There is no fuel to store, no ash to clear and no sweeping beyond what your engineer recommends for the flue. Both our gas stoves run on natural gas, so check you have a mains supply near the fireplace. A flueless stove releases water vapour into the room, so expect a little condensation in cold weather and keep the vent clear. If you would rather have no gas at all, see electric stoves.