Thousands of households all over the UK are considering abandoning gas and electric heating in favour of heating using cheap wood briquettes. This recent interest was prompted by the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets recently approving a record-high 54% energy price cap rise. As well as reports of a further price increase, which is rumoured to be coming in October.
Seeing that gas and electric heat is getting incredibly expensive, many think that the costs of buying a wood stove can be covered in just a single heating season. So, taken at face value, switching to wood briquettes is incredibly tempting.
But does this thinking check out if we look at the facts? Let’s explore and find out if buying a wood burner makes financial sense in 2022.
How Much Does a Kilowatt Hour of Wood Briquette Heat Cost?
The cost of wood briquette heat varies between 10p per kilowatt and 20p per kilowatt, depending on your order size. In general, you will get a better price when ordering in bulk (full crates and pallets). As can be suspected, ordering briquettes one box at a time is the least cost-effective option.
What Is Cheaper: Firewood or Wood Briquettes?
For most of us, heating with firewood is more understandable and familiar than heating with wood briquettes. The reason we don’t talk about firewood is that using it isn’t as affordable as using wood briquettes.
This is counterintuitive for many people as a ton of firewood usually costs less than a tonne of wood briquettes. However, firewood is also a lot less energy-dense. You will usually end up paying around 20p/kWh if you go the firewood route. This being said, you’ll still end up saving money if you make the switch.
How Much Does It Cost to Buy a Wood Burner?
If you live in a small apartment, then you can get a decent wood burner for around £600-£800. A good low-end option is the Saltfire ST1 wood stove, which will set you back £599.00. It is Defra-approved and Ecodesign-ready. It can output between 2 kW and 5 kW of heat, which puts it on par with most gas and electric stoves.
If you live in a large apartment, you might want to purchase a model with a larger heat output, such as the 9 kW Yeoman Devon.
How Much Does It Cost to Have Log Burner Installed?
Most people won’t be able to install their wood stoves themselves. You’ll need the help of a professional. The professional installation of a log burner will set you back around a thousand pounds. However, some wood stove sellers can offer large discounts on installation if you purchase your burner through them.
