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Gas patio heater or wood burner: what to choose?

There’s nothing quite like getting out in the garden, watching the night draw in and relaxing by a cosy fire. Outdoor wood burners can be a great way to keep the party going and entertain guests even on the chilliest of evenings. How do you decide on the best outdoor heating option for you? Between chimneys, gas heaters, patio heaters and outdoor stoves, it can be difficult to pick. To make the decision a little easier, we’ve put together this guide highlighting the different points to consider — from design and efficiency to environmental sustainability.

Keep design in mind

If you take as much pride in the aesthetics of your outdoor spaces as you do your interior, one aspect that should not be overlooked when it comes to your outdoor heating is design. If it’s an authentic outdoor living experience that you’re after, there’s nothing quite like the aesthetic of an outdoor wood burner. Sitting by an open flame exchanging stories over a glass of wine is a fine way to make your evenings last longer, and keep your guests feeling comfortable. While you can achieve great levels of heat with infrared or gas patio heaters, nothing compares to the real thing. The relaxing crackle of logs and flickering of amber flames is enough to create an atmosphere worthy of a Swiss chalet.

Selecting a high-quality appliance like one of our outdoor BBQs and wood burners can be a great way to achieve impeccable style, alongside safety for your guests. Unlike other wood-burners like chimneys or fire-pits, our outdoor BBQs and stoves enclose the open flame within a safe chamber, while the large glass window means that the ambient flames remain visible.

Bring design indoors with our traditional living space design considerations.

Consider the environment

Things such as air quality and temperature can have an effect on both your garden and the planet. As such, there are a few environmental concerns to consider when selecting a heating appliance for your outdoor space. Gas patio heaters may not be the best option when it comes to sustainability, as some can emit harmful CO2 gas at up to the same rate as a hob.

Traditional wood burners such as chimneys and fire-pits release a vast amount of smoke and particulates into the air — which can be damaging to both your guests and also the environment — newer wood burning stoves can be relatively carbon neutral. Chesneys outdoor appliances use expert clean burn and air wash technology to reduce the harmful particulates and Co2 emissions released into the air.

Keep costs down

Efficiency should be an important consideration for anyone who likes to get the most from their garden — and their money. Keeping running costs to a minimum is great both for the environment and also the bank balance. Some methods such as gas patio heaters, while they may be inexpensive to purchase, can prove expensive to run. As such, it’s important to consider other methods if it’s efficiency you’re after. Investing in a more expensive model initially could make all the difference, saving you money in the long-run. For example, our outdoor BBQ and wood burners can deliver up to 700 degrees of radiant heat, achieving superior efficiency to other wood burning methods such as fire-pits, which allow heat to escape in all directions into the open air.

What to choose between gas heaters and wood burner

Picking the right outdoor heater for you can be complex, particularly with so many models to pick between, but deciding between gas and wood burning is a relatively easy decision to make. Wood burning offers a significant number of benefits to your outdoor living experience that gas simply cannot match. Wood burning is visually better, providing not only a bewitching flame pattern but also creating a real atmosphere; people love the look of real fires. From a sustainability point of view, gas fires can not only produce significant amounts of CO2 but also utilise a finite resource which is not being replenished, while wood supplies are being maintained through sustainable forestry schemes. Gas is, of course, also increasingly expensive with supply issues and shortages driving up prices in all formats. Finally, with the introduction of Chesneys unique Outdoor BBQs, wood burning comes with a new level of versatility, enabling you to both enjoy great heating and a high quality cooking experience on one unit while producing very low level emissions and next to no smoke.

Opt for versatility

When considering your outdoor heating options, it’s important to note the dual functionality of models such as the Heat & Grill and Garden Gourmet. Being an efficient and atmospheric wood burner and BBQ in one, these appliances are the perfect solution for outdoor living throughout the year.

While there are a range of factors to consider when selecting the perfect outdoor heating method for your garden, this guide should help you to decide. Read more on Gas Fires vs Electric Fires on our guide. For an appliance that does it all, why not heat things up with an appliance from Chesneys Outdoor Collection?

 

 

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