The Best Small clearSkies Approved Stoves

From the pop and crackle of the wood to the flickering, dancing flames, wood burning stoves add real character to a room. But, as we are increasingly being urged to ‘think green’ by the government, are they too polluting? Not if you invest in a clearSkies approved stove. Read on to find out more about the best small clearSkies approved stoves.

What is the clearSkies certification scheme?

clearSkies is a new scheme for certifying wood burning and multi fuel stoves. Stoves that meet the criteria for clearSkies certification adhere to a new set of regulations called the Ecodesign Regulations.

The Ecodesign Regulations come into effect on 1st January 2022. After that date, all wood burning and multi fuel stoves must be designed and manufactured in line with these regulations. If a stove does not meet the Ecodesign Regulations then it cannot receive a clearSkies certificate.

Arada Farringdon Large 10kW Ecodesign Ready Multi Fuel Stove

What are the different levels of clearSkies certification?

When you see a clearSkies label on a wood burning appliance, you will know that it meets all of the efficiency and emissions requirements of the Ecodesign Regulations.

However, there are different ‘levels’ of clearSkies certification. These levels are designed to show you how far beyond the Ecodesign Regulations a particular appliance goes.

Here are the different levels of clearSkies certification:

clearSkies Level 2 - the stove is Ecodesign compliant, but not listed as Defra exempt.
clearSkies Level 3 - the stove is Ecodesign compliant and Defra exempt.
clearSkies Level 4 - 15% improvement on Ecodesign and Defra exempt.
clearSkies Level 5 - 15% improvement in emissions & efficiency performance on Level 4 and Defra exempt.

To find out more about Defra exempt stoves, read our guide here.

How will the Ecodesign Regulations change stove design?

The Ecodesign Regulations have been introduced to improve the efficiency of wood burning and multi fuel stoves and to reduce emissions from these stoves.

As a result, manufacturers will have to design their stoves to meet these standards, making them more efficient and reducing the level of emissions they expel.

What efficiency requirements will stoves have to meet?

After 1st January 2022 wood burning and multi fuel stoves will have to achieve a minimum net efficiency level of 75%. This represents around a 4% increase in efficiency for your average stove.

Wood burning and multi fuel stoves will also have to be manufactured with an energy label (also referred to as an Ecolabel). This label will need to be included within the stove packaging and will show where the stoves sits on the A to G energy efficiency classification hierarchy.

Most Ecodesign Regulation compliant stoves will be in band A or band A+. For comparison, an open fire would usually be in band G.

Charnwood Aire 7 Ecodesign Ready Wood Burning Stove

What emissions requirements will stoves have to meet?

At present, the only emission performance limits for stoves are those detailed in the Construction Products Regulations. These regulations state that stoves must have a maximum emission limit for CO at 12,500mg/m³. The current regulations do not stipulate maximum emission limits for Particulate Matter (PM), Organic Gaseous Compounds (OGCs) or Nitrogen Oxides (NOx).

From 1st January 2022 however, these current regulations will be superseded by the Ecodesign Regulations, which radically reduce the permitted emission of CO and introduce emission limits for PM, OGCs and NOx for the first time.

Will existing stoves be affected?

No. If you already have a stove installed in your home, then these new regulations will not affect you. The regulations only cover new stoves that are made available for sale on the UK market after 1st January 2022.

After this date, if you intend to buy a new wood burning or multi fuel stove you should make sure it is clearSkies certified. There will also be new stipulations regarding the installation and commissioning of stoves. Installers will have to check that stoves installed after the implementation of the regulations have been independently tested and verified as meeting the new Ecodesign Regulations.

The best small clearSkies approved stoves

So, if you’re in the market for a wood burning or multi fuel new stove start your search with clearSkies approved appliances. To help you, we’ve listed the best small clearSkies approved stoves below.

The best small clearSkies stoves by height

If you have a compact fireplace or will be installing your stove somewhere where height restrictions are an important consideration (such as a log cabin or a shed), then one of the following stoves may work for you.

Saltfire Peanut 3 Ecodesign Ready Wood Burning Stove

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The design and manufacture of truly environmentally friendly stoves sits at the heart of Saltfire’s ethos. Saltfire stoves have been developed without compromise, ensuring the best burning results, with each stove lovingly hand built from individually cast components by skilled foundry craftsmen. So, what of the Saltfire Peanut 3?

The Saltfire Peanut 3 is a very versatile wood burning stove, equally capable of providing room-filling heat as it is being used to cook on. It’s also Defra approved so you’ll be able to burn wood in smoke control areas.

Saltfire stoves are manufactured in Dorset, England and precision engineered to achieve efficiency ratings of up to 83.9%. As you’d expect, this stove will be fully compliant with the new Ecodesign Regulations.

As an added bonus, Saltfire Peanut stoves come with a 5 year guarantee.

Ekol Apple Pie Apple Core Ecodesign Wood Burning Stove

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If you’re looking for a stove with a very modern, contemporary feel, then the Ekol Apple Pie stove is a great option.

Given the name, you may think that Ekol stoves are of a Nordic origin, but they’re actually designed and developed in Dorset, England. Ekol stoves are the result of many thousands of hours of state of the art research and development. And, it shows...

The Ekol Apple Pie’s compact size makes it the perfect stove for small spaces. Whether you want to put it in a boat, a yurt, a shepherd’s hut or a just compact fireplace, the Ekol Apple Pie will do a brilliant job.

The Ekol Apple Pie has a food-based name for a reason. Described as the ‘Swiss Army knife’ of wood burning stoves, it is designed with multiple cooking options. It’s also highly customisable. You can pick from nine different colour choices, a top mount cooking/warming plate, a guard rail, shelves for either side, and a direct air box and ducting.

Made from cast iron, it’s also an incredibly robust stove meaning it’ll give you many years of reliable service.

Go Eco Adventurer 5 Wood Burning Glamping Stove with Oven

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Exceptionally versatile, the Go Eco Adventurer 5 is packed with features in an attractive package.

It will not only provide your living space with warmth, but it also has the option of being fitted with a modular oven to take care of your culinary requirements.

The Go Eco Adventurer 5 has the ability to burn both wood and smokeless fuel, with a heat output of 4.5kW, efficiency of 86% and an A+ energy rating, making it one of the most environmentally friendly wood burning stoves you can buy.

There are also a wide range of accessories available for the Go Eco Adventurer 5, including:

An attachable fitted heat shield package - a slim, subtle surround and hearth - which is great for tents, camping pods, cabins and huts. This package reduces the clearances to combustibles down to 70mm at the sides and 75mm, so you can use this stove safely in confined spaces.
Warming shelves, so you can keep your freshly cooked items warm.
Log storage.
A ‘fiddle rail’ for your kettle.
A compliant marine hearth so you can fit the stove on a boat.

The best small clearSkies stoves by width

Do you have a particularly narrow fireplace? Or are you looking to fit a stove in an environment where space is at a premium? Then explore our best small clearSkies stoves by width below.

Newbourne 35FS Ecodesign Multi Fuel Defra Stove

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Designed in Britain, the Newbourne 35FS Ecodesign Multi Fuel stove offers high performance, with 82.6% efficiency and a heat output range of 2-5kW. It also comes complete with a full sized curved door with a large viewing window so you can enjoy the full wood burning experience.

Whilst it’s one of the smallest stoves we stock in terms of width (376mm overall width), it’s also available with a choice of leg lengths so you can easily alter the height of this stove too.

You can also choose to include the optional rear heat shield which will reduce the required distance to combustibles to only 150mm - so, this is an ideal stove for situations in which space is at a premium.

Being Defra approved, you can use the Newbourne 35FS in smoke control zones.

Ekol Baked Apple Pie Ecodesign Wood Burning Stove

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It’s almost inevitable that another Ekol stove makes it in this list. They have a reputation for manufacturing stunning quality compact stoves that are not only packed with innovative features, but reject traditional stove styling for a more modern aesthetic.

Thanks to its low distance to combustibles measurements the Ekol Baked Apple Pie is another stove that’s perfectly suited for environments where you need to save as much space as possible. Plus, how cool would this stove look in a glamping pod, boat, yurt or hut?

The Ekol Baked Apple Pie features comprehensive controls for a wood burning stove. A single air slider intuitively controls Primary, Secondary and Tertiary air flows, so you can control the heat output from this stove with precision. An extra-large window means that you can also monitor your fire visually with ease.

As with other Ekol stoves, the Ekol Baked Apple Pie is highly customisable with a huge range of colours and optional features available.

ACR Woodpecker WP4 Ecodesign Ready Wood Burning Stove

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For over 30 years ACR has manufactured some of the finest wood burning and multi fuel stoves. This pedigree certainly shows through in the ACR Woodpecker WP4.

Constructed from cast iron, the WP4 packs a punch (considering its small size) of 4.3kW. It features a large glass window for firewatching.

It’s also one of the cleanest stoves on the market. It’s not only Ecodesign ready, but is Defra exempt, so you can use it to burn wood in smoke control areas. You can also purchase an additional log store stand which sits directly underneath the stove, raising the overall height of the stove to 674mm.

You can also add Direct Air to the ACR Woodpecker WP4 which makes it ideal for new build installations.

So there you have our selection of the best small clearSkies approved stoves. Although, we have many more Ecodesign Regulation compliant stoves in stock. Explore them now…