Stovax Studio 3 Freestanding

Garbage – Most expensive and worst fireplace I have ever had. Smoke fills the room when you try to add wood and even comes through the glass when you turn down the baffle. Not enough room in the bottom to catch ash makes you have to empty it weekly. Fire bricks have already cracked. Do not waste your money Show details

Absolute Rubbish – This is the worst log burner we've had. It's been riddled with faults from the start, including paint framing on glass coming off, glass migrating sideways and breaking, and firebricks not lasting a couple of seasons even under careful and correct usage. I will never buy a Stovax product again.  Show details

Stovax Studio 3 – Where to start, well they say you should always start with a positive it looks fantastic, but sorry to say it is all down hill from there like other reviews I have read we also are having trouble with the bricks falling and breaking, it burns way too hot even when it is turned down, now the glass has migrated side ways and have been told it was… Read more

because we did not do a 12 month maintenance check um we have not had it twelve months ha go figure. It smokes on lighting and also when you put more wood on, running gag in house get wood in before smoke detector goes off.

STOVAX Studio 3 - Builders point of view – I installed a STOVAX Riva Studio 3 (built-in with fans) in my own house in 2014. If I knew how bad the product was and the amount of problems and costs in fixing it, I would have stayed far, far away from STOVAX. The outer heater box wasn't even painted so you looked at a tin zinc box with a heater sitting in it. The extra work involved in… Read more

setting up the correct materials around the fireplace is over the top compared to other bands/models of a comparative built-in heater (the STOVAX doesn't put out the heat to warrant this work). These costs I could control given that I'm a builder and in the industry, and that's where it stops with controlling the costs. The air flow is a joke, the dampeners don't work, I am on my 4th set of hinges ($300 each set) - and they last only 6 months, if you are lucky. There is NO warranty on the heater bricks and I'm on my 3rd set of full heater bricks - this is the biggest joke as all of mine have cracked within 2 weeks. The cost is $350 - $400 for the bottom bricks, $350 for the back bricks and $380 for the top bricks (approx $1,100.00 - $1,250.00 for a full set which you will only get one winter season from). I'm on my 3rd door seal and 2nd set of top metal baffle plates. I complained to both the retailer I bought the heater from and Stovax all within the 1st season (6 months) - nothing has happened. The biggest problem is I'm 100% positive the unit doesn't comply with the Australian Standards because it has filled our house with smoke twice now and how it is constructed with poor dampeners, heater bricks, door hinges and roof baffle plates makes wet tissue paper look stronger. So from a builders/trade point of view I would suggest you light a fire in the middle of your floor because it will be cheaper to fix and cause less smoke damage. The cost to remove the heater and replacing it with a different heater and removing/reinstating the surrounding tiles/materials is going to cost twice what I paid for the heater so in the interim we are leaving it and will be installing a full reverse cycle air conditioning system as this will be a cheaper option and I will be thinking about turning the STOVAX into a large fish tank or boat anchor. Testing for this unit was done in New Zealand not in Australia as it can't handle the heat from the Australian hardwood timbers. It's a JOKE - don't buy a STOVAX unless you want something to look at and not use - if that's the case buy a gold fish tank because it will be cheaper and gold fish generally work.

RIVA STUDIO 2 – I have had the Riva 2 inbuilt for 3 years now and very happy with it. Bought it from Subiaco Restoration very helpful people. We had a fire box but wanted a more modern look. We looked around for a built-in unit as we wanted a cladded wall look but they were chunky and did not have a clean look about them until we found the Stovax Webb site and… Read more

did some research and bought one. I did the framing myself and used a product called Supa Board from Choice Building Products which is fire resistant cladded to a steel frame. I bought the zero clearance box as I knew they put off a lot of heat in the void. Starting the fire is as our old fire box door slightly ajar vent all the way open let the kindling burn well alight then I put in well dried quality fire wood, hard wood for best results in W.A I use Jarrah bought from a wood merchant. If you are having trouble with smoke not dispersing it could be that the pipe supplied is not long enough to create a sufficient draw as many factors come into play as to the surroundings of the chimney. I had this part of installation done by a recommended installer. You really need the fan and would suggest getting it in the smaller models as built in units are covered on three sides and you only are getting heat from the glass front which causes the heat to rise and heat up the front cladding as I found out. My cladding was very hot, but when I put the fan to auto feature when it reaches a certain temperature it will automatically comes on there is no problem touching the cladding. They are different from your usual fire box but once you work it out they great. You cannot beat a natural fire for heat and the added viewing glass makes it special.

Stovax New Ownership – I just wanted to inform everyone that Castworks will no longer be supplying Stovax Fireplaces from 2018. Please do not be concerned if you have purchased a unit your warranty is still applicable and parts will still be available. Simply contact the manufacture if you have any questions on your Stovax unit. In light of these circumstances we… Read more

will no longer be able to reply or help on any of the reviews listed below, but please do not hesitate to contact Stovax with any concerns.

Booooooo! thumbs down – Had the studio 2 professionally installed, burns terrible and does not throw out good heat. Constantly looking like when it is burning there is a blockage in the flue somewhere yet it is brand new and flue is clear. Have lived in the hills my whole life and know how to light and keep a fire running. When opening door smoke pours out and fills the room with smoke setting off fire alarm. Terribly disappointed.  Show details

Good, but certainly not perfect – We've had this Studio 2 for many years now, and mostly loved it. It looks great and suits our house. Had a small issue with the door mechanism that I had to repair and had to replace the fire bricks, couldn't come at the price for Stovax parts so replaced with the same material sourced elsewhere and custom fitted. The clincher maybe, we have to… Read more

replace the Baffle parts as they've rusted out, and supply in Australia by our local dealer was originally quoted as around twice that than the currency exchange from England. Castworks did better, but still 1.5 times the exchange cost of these expensive parts..

Stovax has to supply a better deal on parts for the distributor to be in line with what the English pay.. or customers will source their own parts.

Have had no issue with smoke as others have mentioned, and it doesn't run until the morning, but that's not a problem for us.

Stovax Riva Studio 2 – This fireplace is beautiful to look at and was the most modern looking fireplace on the market at the time of purchase. We have had it in for 2 seasons now. Ours is with the zero frame and we tiled to this edge on advice from the installer that fire cement sheet is prone to cracking around the fire. The fire is lovely and warm even without any… Read more

fan and we run it most days over winter. Once the fire is running and the door is closed the fire burns well and there is little smoke expelling from the chimney which is in keeping with being a good neighbour.

On the down side, we have the similar issues of unable to damp down the fire and smoke in the house as soon as you open the door. These are annoying issues since it is a very expensive firebox and the manufacturer requires a complicated instal.

I did set about trying to resolve my issues with Castworks but they offered no real solutions other than be careful opening the door too quickly, check installer sealed collar to flu with fire cement correctly, flu length correct, light fire at the back of the box. None of which was a cause for issues. The problem, I think, lies far deeper than Castworks perceived incorrect instal or operation. There could be major floors in the design.

I have studied the way the smoke curls around when the door is slightly ajar. It is interesting that until the fire gets really going (20 minutes), much of the smoke and gasses circulate up, straight past the baffle flu trench, skips over the internal hood and then down the inside of the door before heading backward and up again. Opening the door more than 1cm during this 20 minute phase is an absolute no no as all smoke just billows into the room. Once the fire gets going and the baffle is really warm there is less smoke escaping when you open the door but still an uncomfortable amount. All my previous fires did not have this feature!

To my eye, the design problems are:

- internal smoke/gas hood is at the same level as the baffle. Unless your flu is really vacuuming, some gas/smoke will skip over the flu trench, over the hood and out when you open the door.

- the bar which holds the baffle bricks does not facilitate smooth exit of gasses and its lip creates swirls which increases the chance that some gases skip over the flu trench and internal hood.

- the exit of gases up into the flu follows a tortuous path within the top baffle which creates swirls left and right of the middle. This would facilitate a clean smoke free burn but not good when the door is opened for loading purposes. Most fireplace designs seem to go up, back then up the flu. The Riva Studio 3 goes up, left or right of the middle, up, back to the middle and then finally up into the collar and up the flu. Additionally, many flanges exist within the upper metal baffle which interrupts the smooth flow.

- the combination of baffle bricks, bars and steel plates do not seal well within the top which could amplify the negative pressure problem in the intended initial escape route of gases.

- The flu cross section is smaller than the initial flu exit channel/trench in the top which further compounds the negative pressure problem

- the internal smoke hood has four gaping holes where the lugs which hold them in place go. Again interfering with the negative pressure of the flu

- there are three unexplainable rectangle holes bottom front under the bricks and two more air injection holes under the fireplace which seem to bypass the damper controlled inlet to air bleed. There is no control over any of these holes at all and thus this is the reason the damper makes no or very little difference at all. A trial of partially blocking these holes resulted in the fire being better controlled with the damper lever. Suddenly our fire could be controlled and burned until the next morning but did not fix escaping gas/smoke issues. I wonder why all these holes?

- the air injection at the top of the fire consists of several thin slits. I can't tell but it could be that currents from these slits may be forcing gases into the house with door open. This is different in design from other fireplaces (usually larger holes) and may be a contributor.

The fire and firebox are indeed immensely beautiful when burning and we do enjoy the fire but the smoke issues in the house when you load in another log is really frustrating. Perhaps Stovax could redesign the hood/ baffle system and issue the fix to all of their unhappy customers. Personally, I think changing the torturous baffle path and increasing the internal hood drop would fix the problem but I am no expert.

I note some recent good reviews and I wonder if this redesign has already taken place. Issue this fix to me and I will be happy to re review.

Expensive but worth it – We replaced our open fireplace with the Studio 2 wood heater. Really happy with the look and warmth that the unit puts out in 110sqm open plan space with heaps of glass and a 4 1/2 meter cathedral ceiling. . As per distributor comments get it installed by a reputable installer who understands the different installation scenarios and how this is… Read more

reflected in the installation manual.. Make sure you burn good wood and you shouldn't have a problem unless you are unlucky enough to get a faulty unit.

We have found that burning the kindling with the door slightly open (1-2cm), allowing it to really get going before adding logs really helps. Burn the fuel as per manual no need to overfill and flu should be set so that the logs are always bright. Really love the auto-fan setting on the switch for when you leave the unit on overnight and it will automatically turn the fan off.

Really glad I spent the coin and got the unit I really wanted.

Stovax 3 – We are thrilled with our purchase of the Stovax 3. The heat that is generated without a fan is incredible, it is heating a 100 sqm area with ease. Visually the unit looks incredible, it is a real feature in the room. Very easy to clean and makes the cold winter days/evenings cosy. Absolutely no regrets !!!!! LOVE IT, would recommend to anyone !!!!!  Show details

Hinges, Bricks, Door seal, Airflow Control Lever, Fuel consumption, Cracked Frame $$$$ – Expensive, problematic, frustrating and disappointed results from day 1 Installation. 2 x 12mm Villaboard walls to spec and still cracking of the vliilaboard makes this material unsuitable for final satisfaction. Stonewall would be best. Sadly, the product itself is problematic from airflow to door hinge and main box cracking. Without a fan installed I doubt we'd ever feel the heat throughout our house. Read reviews and consider carefully.  Show details

Disappointed 8k down the drain – Same as all the other reviews! Crapola. It does warm the house but we are having terrible trouble with smoke even when the door is closed it comes out around the glass door. It worked well the first year we had it now it's almost impossible to even light a fire in it as the draw is so bad! The chimney is clear so the problem is obviously with the unit. Not many people locally have a clue about them so not easy to get advice.  Show details

Crap – Wish I had seen reviews before I invested in a dead weight its been that bad . First we were delivered the non damping model and the fire box was built to the damping plane , then told 4 months until the damping one would be in the country . So we had to rebuild the fire box at our expense around $2000 as both the agent Wellington Fireplace and… Read more

Stovax would not come to the party .

OK your plans are [Word Removed] and I can tell you that I showed them to a number of engineers builders and fire installers including a stovax agent and he could not interpret them .

Fire is in, passed by fire installer and we have our first fire in our new home last night smoke everywhere me nutting off as wall ceilings all white .

Seems very common ! we did not burn it hard first time you know . Next morning hello the wall above the fire has 3 big cracks running up the wall !

From memory we had to buy the fire proof sheeting in and no one in Palmerston North had it and it cost a fortune . Apparently this problem has happened before as all the problems have and yet no one from stovax has remedied them ,no one has redrawn the plans that are full of misleading information .

My remedy refund my money , remove your product from the market ! All up now this thing has cost $14000. and is an embarrassment to us and should be to you . Please If you are looking to buy one don't ! More than Pissed off Dion

Stovax Riva Studio 2 ....lots of smoke in the house – Took time looking around for a good unit...with a less clunky/chunky look. Fell for the Stovax. Riva Studio 2 , looks great, perfect size for the room..read lots about it..pity we didn't see these reviews. Bought it half way through winter last year...even used their recommended installer ....lots of smoke in the house...again this winter same… Read more

problem, to the point my husband doesn't want me to use it. He has had open fires most of his life and says none have smoked like this. A lot of money for a unit that has this drama.

Good look, not so good performance – Purchased a Riva Stovax 2 two years ago, within the first couple of months the foil back insulation between the flu and the top of the fire box collapsed. Here we are at the start of season three and two out of three of the top fire bricks have cracked so badly that they look like they are about to collapse into the fire. I also concur with other… Read more

reviews that this model is ridiculously uneconomical, it's just not possible to restrict the air flow sufficiently. Seemingly it makes little difference whether the damper is fully open or closed. The best I can get out of it is about 5 to 6 hours if I fully load it up to the brim with wood.

Continual Problems – I have wished I had taken notice of others reviews! I am having the same problems as others which include broken fire bricks in first winter, smoke filling the home, thermostat failing & wood burning out quickly. The Stovax looks great but the issues I have had and the lack of service from Mount Barker Landscape Centre is astonishing. Castorks the… Read more

supplier is even worse with every excuse under the sun. Also don't expect any support from the distributor. By the time all the bits are purchased my Stovax cost me close to $10K

Don't buy one

Designer Fire – My interior designer showed me this heater for our holiday house, it was love at first sight. All the other heaters we saw had such a big and clunky frame around them. We've had it installed for a year now, i love sitting around it on those cold winter nights, absolutely brilliant!

Don't buy a Stovax Riva Studio 2 – I loved the look of this fire, and bought one through Pivot Stoves in Dandenong, but it has been nothing but a disappointment. Firstly, when returning for the flue kit, the people at Pivot said, they hoped I had put tiles around it when installing it, because when lit, the heat cracked the walls. This information is not in the installation… Read more

instructions, either on the internet, or the set inside the box. I didn't want tiles, so it had to be reinstalled to put fire proof material behind the plaster (it's meant to be a zero clearance fire!), (more expense!). Secondly the instructions on installation on the internet where wrong (the correct ones were inside the fire, which was inside a box, which was inside a wooden crate.) Consequently the space prepared for the fire had to be redone as well (also at my expense!). So ... it was in and looks great, if extremely expensive. However, although it does heat well, it only does so for about 4 hours. There is no difference when the baffle is open or closed and wood burns extremely quickly. It can't be shut down. Breezes come through, and make the room cold when it is out, the chimney rattles and as the other chap said, smoke billows out. I got no satisfaction from Pivot, because after they had a few cracking wall issues, they stopped selling them, and Castworks were of no help whatsoever. To sum up ... an expensive disaster. Don't go near them.

Brilliant fire – Had a Riva Studio installed last year (not from Woodpecker) and the fire is brilliant, I do very little to it and it heats the room. Wish I had of installed one years ago

European Quality ... Low Maintenance Heating – I installed my Stovax Riva Studio 3 prior to winter 2014 and quickly established a routine that keeps our house warm, day and night, with little effort. The long burn time allows us to load up the fire prior to bed time and still have hot coals (and a warm house) in the morning. [name removed] from Castworks was knowledgable and obliging, both before and after our purchase.

Ghastly, awful, poor warranty, bad product and no customer service – Purchased a stovax studio 3 in june this year. Within 12 burns the fire bricks broke, the new walls cracked, the fire goes out after 5 hours or so. Neither woodpecker or castworks have been any help at all, if i could give any advice it would be don't buy from either! Fire goes out after about 5 hours, poor warranty, fire bricks broken, impossible to deal with retailer or distributor