The heart of a Russian bath is its oven, since it is it that provides the necessary conditions for a comfortable stay in the steam room - the optimal ratio of temperature and humidity level. Its correct choice also determines such characteristics as fuel consumption (economy), heating rate, heat transfer and heat capacity, and the service life without maintenance and repair. To answer the question of which bathhouse stove is better, below we will consider the existing types of equipment, their features, and also make a rating of brands and the most popular models.
Varieties of bath stoves
The best stove for a Russian bath is one that allows you to get real steam and the heat of a classic steam room, but is easy to install and operate. Resourceful domestic and foreign manufacturers offer a way out - finished stoves for a bath, which can be classified by the following signs or characteristics:
- According to the material of the manufacture of the furnace and the entire structure - cast-iron, metal, combined and stone-lined models are distinguished, as well as a mesh furnace with an open heater.
- By the type of fuel used - firewood, gas, electricity, coal.
- By appointment - for dry heat at high temperatures (Finnish sauna), for moderate temperatures at high humidity (traditional Russian bath) or combined models.
- By thermal power (productivity) - it is measured in kW, but for simplification the manufacturer indicates the internal volume of the steam room under which the product is designed, in cubic meters.
- By the method of heat transfer - thermal radiation, convection.
- According to the method of installation and the type of firebox door - self-cooling blank or panoramic with heat-resistant glass, heated from a steam room or from an adjacent room.
Based on these criteria, below we will make a short rating of stoves for the Russian bath 2017 of the leading brands.
What stoves are better to use for a Russian bath?
The main feature of the Russian bath is moderate temperatures (on average from +50 to +80 degrees) and high humidity, which is provided by the soft steam that occurs when the heater is sprinkled with water. Therefore, the use of equipment for the Finnish sauna in the steam room is unacceptable - it is designed for a completely different mode of operation. The best sauna stoves are wood burning with built-in steam generators and water dispensers. They allow you to get the optimum temperature and finely dispersed, light and very soft steam with minimal fuel consumption, which makes staying in the steam room as comfortable as possible.
The most suitable will be models with cast iron furnaces for stone cladding. Cast iron tolerates high temperatures, has an optimal thermal capacity and good heat dissipation. For facing, talc chloride or a stone coil is used. They are also characterized by high heat capacity, inertness, safely tolerate multiple heating and cooling cycles, are not afraid of humidity, and their appearance, reminiscent of marble in structure, complements the steam room interior.
A more affordable alternative would be a grid oven with an open heater or a closed steel model with an integrated steam generator. It will also allow you to create the required microclimate, but the service life will be somewhat shorter.
Leading manufacturers of bath stoves
When compiling a rating of stoves for a Russian bath, you need to get acquainted with the most famous manufacturers, whose products are presented and in demand on the Russian market:
- Teplodar is a Russian manufacturer, more than 20 years in the market. Offers a wide range of solutions for solid fuels, gas.Products are of high quality and affordable prices, exported to the CIS countries and the Customs Union.
- Harvia is a Finnish brand. The manufacturer mainly specializes in the manufacture of equipment for saunas, especially having excelled in electric models.
- Termofor is another Russian company from Siberia with a long history, whose products occupy their significant niche in the market.
The rating of wood-burning stoves for 2017 will be made up of models of the listed brands that are in high demand. To obtain an objective result, we will compare products designed to service approximately the same premises in terms of volume (steam rooms).
Rating of wood-burning stoves for a bath 2017
Our rating of 2017 includes the best wood-burning stoves for a bath, designed for a steam room volume of up to 20-25 cubic meters. These are medium-sized rooms - up to 10 square meters, in which 5-8 people can steam.
1st place - “Teplodar”, model “Siberian rock” 20 LP PROFI
The first place is deservedly given to this model of an oven for a Russian bath with a steam room up to 20 cubic meters, as it combines all the advantages of the above analogues:
- A stainless steel furnace with a thickness of 4 mm with a chromium content of 17% or more withstands high temperatures, is not susceptible to corrosion and provides good thermal power due to efficient heat transfer.
- The vaporization system allows you to get fine steam.
- The maximum length of firewood is 450 mm, which is at least 50 mm longer in comparison with peers in the rating.
- Infrared radiation from the outer walls of the furnace is completely absorbed by the stones, and a special perforated convector ensures record-breaking heating of the steam room in just 50 minutes.
- Robust and comfortable mesh design provides a high level of security.
- The possibility of using firewood and switching to gas with the simple installation of a special burner.
- A large mass of stones, one of the main indicators of stoves, this model has 180 kg.
- Affordable price - about 34,000 rubles.
- Warranty from the manufacturer - 5 years.
Of the few drawbacks of the model, only a relatively large mass can be distinguished - 101 kg, everything else is insignificant.
2nd place - “Thermofor” (TMF) Sayan XXL Inox “Vitra” ZK TO
It is designed to service rooms with an internal volume of up to 24 cubic meters. This model has the following advantages:
- The presence of a panoramic door in a stylish design.
- The possibility of using as fuel not only firewood, but also peat briquettes, pellets.
- The presence of a heat exchanger for connecting the tank.
- The original design of the stove in the form of a trellised metal barrel.
- Effective steam generator.
- Affordable price within 35,000 rubles.
Of the minuses, the following points can be distinguished:
- Case steel thickness 3 mm.
- Only the central location of the chimney.
3rd place - Harvia Legend 240 Duo
This is a floor oven designed for heating steam rooms with an internal volume of up to 24 cubic meters. From the pros, you can distinguish:
- Panoramic door with heat-resistant glass.
- Affordable price in the range of 36000-37000 rubles.
- The efficient design of the furnace, which contributes to the economical consumption of firewood during prolonged burning.
This model has a number of minuses, including:
- The unpretentious appearance of the heater and the lack of a vaporization system - you must constantly "sprinkle" the heater on its own with water.
- Sufficiently large mass - 95 kg.
For a manufacturer specializing in sauna stoves, this is a good result.
When choosing a furnace for a bath, be sure to pay attention to its technical characteristics and ease of use. Remember that most often it is popular models from leading manufacturers that are the best solution in terms of price-quality ratio.
