Sauna stoves: cast iron or stainless steel? Photos of beautiful cast iron stoves

The best stainless steel sauna stoves

Termofor Tunguska

A magnificent specimen, which is also not very expensive. This stove very quickly heats a steam room with a volume of up to 18 m3. The heater available here is heated from all sides - this is the key to efficiency.

Advantages:

• Suitable for Russian baths of any configuration;
• Produces fine steam;
• Very fast heating;
• The volume of the firebox and heater will suit everyone;
• Adequate cost;
• Very easy installation.

Flaws:

• Design is not for everyone;
• Cools down very quickly.

The main advantage of this model is its very fast heating. The trouble is that it cools down very quickly. Reviews of the Termofor Tunguska indicate that you need to remember to add firewood to the firebox, otherwise it can quickly cool down.

However, its 60-liter volume allows you to do this not too often. The room with this stove is heated by a convector casing, which creates a powerful flow of hot air.

Termofor Geyser 2014

Another worthy stove designed for a Russian bath. For its production, heat-resistant alloy steel was used. Steam generation here is two-stage. This means that the oven creates heavy steam, which is dried in the second compartment, after which it goes out into the steam room.

Advantages:

• Light and pleasant steam;
• Not bad appearance;
• The heater holds 70 kg of stones;
• Combined fuel;
• Optimal price tag;
• Very fast heating;
• The case turned out to be very reliable.

Flaws:

When wood burns intensely, a hum is heard in the chimney.

Much more important is the fact that the stove can boast a long service life - it is possible that it will outlive the bathhouse itself. It is capable of heating a room with a volume of up to 18 m3 - this is quite enough for most owners.

Harvia Legend 240 Duo

The Finnish manufacturer has been working in this field for 60 years and now shows very good results. Harvia Legend 240 Duo is distinguished not only by its attractive appearance, but also by its high-quality device. The large stone compartment holds up to 200 kilograms. This stove is suitable not only for a Russian bath, but also for use in a sauna, because it can produce high temperatures while leaving humidity at a low level.

Very often the premises allocated for the steam room are small in area. However, the innovations that were used in the design of the stove allow you not to worry about fire safety when installing it. Items located in the steam room can be located depending on the wishes of the developer. The large volume of the heater compared to analogues is also an advantage. Firstly, it allows you to produce a large amount of high-quality steam. Secondly, you can lower the temperature without losing the amount of steam. This can help people who are contraindicated in a bath due to high temperature.

pros

• Large compartment for stones.
• Fast heating of the room.
• Large amount of steam.
• High quality material.

Minuses

It is possible to add a tank, but it must be purchased separately.

Vladislav, 56 years old.

I bought the stove half a year ago. Very pleased with the purchase. When I first installed it, I was surprised that there was a lot of free space left in the steam room. Of course, I saw that the oven was compact, but I didn’t think it was that much. However, steam quality and heating time are not affected. About 30-40 minutes is enough for the steam room to warm up to 80 degrees. The steam is light and pleasant. And the design is nice too.

Main types of metal furnaces for energy conversion

• Chamber furnaces. The standard option, which is the most affordable and popular. This is a classic potbelly stove that almost every person has seen. Today there are many models with modern upgrades to improve performance. A chamber furnace is a thermal energy generator, inside which flue gases from the firebox enter the gas chamber due to natural circulation. This is where their final combustion occurs. Through natural circulation, the air necessary to maintain fuel combustion enters the firebox;
• A duct furnace is a device with improved characteristics. Due to the installation of a channel smoke removal system, the burned flue gases from the furnace travel a longer path through internal channels, giving off heat to the walls of the furnace. The flue labyrinth in a metal channel furnace often consists of only one elbow due to the high thermal conductivity of the metal;
• Bell-type metal furnaces. The furnace diagram indicates the concentration of flue gases under the arch of a special hood until complete combustion. When the temperature of the gas decreases, it drops and transfers remaining heat to the walls of the furnace. These are long-burning stoves that operate in smoldering fuel mode, since the hood is not designed for constant exposure to open fire!

Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantage of stoves made of cast iron is that the walls of such units have a thickness of more than 10 mm, which means that such a sauna device will accumulate heat much better, retain it and release it longer than its steel counterparts. A cast-iron sauna stove will provide gradual, smooth heating of the steam room and will allow you to economically use firewood - an expensive fuel.

High heat resistance and thick walls of the heating device also have a positive effect on its durability. Cast iron walls are not subject to deformation under the influence of high temperatures, which means that the unit will serve you for many years, its service life is much longer than that of steel.

The corrosion resistance of cast iron is simply brilliant; unlike steel, it does not rust even in a room with sharp temperature fluctuations and high humidity levels.

Modern cast-iron sauna appliances are made by casting, using the tongue-and-groove principle, or using sealants. The absence of welds also has a positive effect on quality, since very often, due to non-compliance with technology, it is the joints that become the most vulnerable areas of the heating device.

Another important point: cast iron is a chemically neutral alloy, which means that during the operation of the furnace, the oxygen in the room will not burn out.

Cast iron stove for bath Vesuvius SKIF

To be fair, it should be noted that products made of cast iron still have disadvantages. First of all, this is the high cost of such units and their high specific gravity, which means that in order to install a furnace, an indispensable condition is the need to arrange a foundation for it.

Many modern manufacturers, in an effort to reduce the cost of their products and make them more competitive, offer consumers combined options.

In this case, the combustion part of the unit is made of heat-resistant cast iron, and the outer casing is made of stainless steel. Such specimens have proven themselves well, but those who are accustomed to “broom” steam still remain adherents of brick or cast iron stoves.

Design selection

To choose the right stove, it is important to understand how it will be used in accordance with the technical parameters of the room. According to the method of placing stones, furnaces are divided into open and closed.

According to the method of placing stones, furnaces are divided into open and closed.

• A stove with an open method of placing stones is intended for steam rooms, which are designed for the simultaneous stay of several visitors. The stones are placed in a firebox that does not have special heat-resistant protection. The open method of placement helps to quickly warm up the air in the room, with the temperature of the stones reaching 180 degrees. Most often used in electric heaters.
• A closed firebox is designed for traditional Russian steam rooms. The maximum number of stones is used here, and the structure is protected by a special door. During the combustion process, the door remains closed, which does not interfere with the penetration of steam into the room.

Based on the heating temperature of the outer walls, stoves can be cold or hot.

• In hot heaters, the air temperature reaches 100 degrees, for this reason it is recommended to install such equipment in any steam rooms, as well as rooms in which there are no other heating options.
• The heating temperature of the walls in cold fireboxes does not exceed 50 degrees, and the air in the room is heated through special channels through which cold air enters the heater and returns hot. The channels allow you to correctly adjust the temperature.

According to their design features, fireboxes come in constant and direct heating.

• Direct heating units (periodic) are designed in such a way that heated stones can accumulate heat over a long period of time. The heating process takes up to 10 hours, and bathing procedures begin after its completion.
• Constant heating devices (continuous) require fewer fire stones and heat the air to medium temperatures.

There are also combined options - brick fireboxes using liquid fuel. It is good to heat such a stove before and during basic health procedures.

The best companies of electric sauna stoves

Electric sauna stoves undoubtedly have several major advantages: they are environmentally friendly, easy to operate, fireproof and, most importantly, do not require the use of additional constructive measures to remove combustion products. Therefore, despite the fact that a wood-burning stove is considered the traditional option for a Russian bath, electrical devices in the steam room are becoming more and more popular. Their compact size, the possibility of wall mounting and other pleasant options attract not only owners of small saunas, but also owners of full-size steam rooms in a country house.

Although most large manufacturers of sauna units usually have several electric heaters in their range, the most popular electric sauna stoves on the market are manufactured by specialized companies. This is explained by the fact that the design principles of heating devices using the principle of fuel combustion are radically different from the approaches to the design of electrical devices.

What materials are used?

In the production of sauna stoves, steel and cast iron are used - these are iron-carbon alloys. Accordingly, there are 2 main types of equipment on sale - cast iron and steel stoves.

They all differ in different carbon content: in steel it is less than 2%, and in cast iron it is more than 2%. The result is that steel is stronger, but cast iron is more heat-resistant.

Each option has its own positive and negative sides, the combination of which will allow you to understand which one is best to choose for a bath.

The best companies of steel sauna stoves

If cast iron is the material from which wood-burning stoves are almost exclusively made, then stainless and structural steel is a universal option for all types of sauna units - electric, gas and solid fuel. Although steel fireboxes are less durable than cast iron, modern metal processing technologies make it possible to produce high-quality stoves with excellent characteristics, at a budget price and relatively low weight. Most well-known Russian manufacturers of steel sauna stoves offer consumers a large range of models and the opportunity to choose the type of fuel: wood, coal or gas.

TMF Geyser 2014

Quality products. The stove is ideal for a Russian bath. The walls are not as thin as in the previous model, due to which the period of high-quality work increases. To obtain light, high-quality steam, a two-level system is used. A similar tool is used in the Hangar. Heavy steam first passes into the first compartment, then moves to the next, where it receives the necessary lightness. The unique design will also not leave anyone indifferent.

High quality steel ensures long service life. There is a funnel for water supply. A limiter is installed on it, with the help of which it will be possible to prevent excessive water from getting onto the stones. However, for a large room you will need a different oven. This model is designed to heat 8-18 cubic meters. Based on customer reviews, we can conclude that the stove requires attention.

pros

• Fast heating.
• Light steam.
• High quality steel.
• Perfect design.
• Large compartment for stones.

Minuses

• Not suitable for large rooms.
• Noise appears in the chimney when burning a large amount of wood.

Dmitry, 40 years old.

I am satisfied with the purchase. First of all, I would like to evaluate the quality of the steam. When I bought it, the seller said that the steam would be light, but I couldn’t even imagine how light it would be. In general, the steam is excellent. The heater is also comfortable. I used a different model before. When I bought stones, I bought them out of habit, but there weren’t enough, so I had to buy more. However, such a number of stones is only a plus. The steam room heats up quickly, literally 30-40 minutes, although the volume is not very large. Looks nice too. I haven't noticed any cons yet.

Hephaestus PB-03

Our rating of the best stoves is completed by Hephaestus PB-03. This stove is radically different from the previous one in its heating capabilities. It can bring a room with a volume of up to 45 cubic meters to the desired temperature. Thick cast iron walls give the stove massiveness and volume. Due to this thickness, the service life automatically increases, since it is very difficult to damage or burn them.

Fans of high temperatures will love it. Great oven. The efficiency is 90%. This is much higher than other models. The room warms up quickly. The steam quality is also excellent. It turns out very light and not dry. Retains heat for a long time. So you can steam to your heart's content, without worrying about adding firewood for a long time. The only thing that can affect the choice of this stove is its weight. With basic contents, the weight is 350 kilograms, so the floor in the bathhouse must be strong and preferably reinforced. The oven will show the best results if it is lined with refractory bricks, which will also affect its heating time.

pros

• Reliable design.
• High efficiency.
• The heat is retained for a long time.
• Suitable for heating large rooms.

Minuses

• Impressive weight.
• High price.

Vladimir, 56 years old.

The best sauna stove I've ever seen. When purchasing, I tried it on for a long time, the price scared me off. However, he did not regret the costs. The steam room warms up very quickly and it’s pleasant to steam. True, I had to strengthen the floor in the bathhouse, since I did not count on such a giant.

Stone

To install a stone stove yourself, you will have to try hard, but the result can exceed all expectations:

1. First you need to choose a location to install the equipment. This can be the center of the house, then the heating will be distributed as conveniently as possible throughout the living space. The fireplace stove is located in the side of the common room, where it simultaneously heats the space and gathers household members around it.
   

   When the stove is located in the center of the house, it is allowed to intersect with partitions dividing the space into rooms.

2. After determining the installation location, it is necessary to install the foundation.

3. While the concrete gains maximum strength, and this process takes 4 weeks, you can worry about purchasing the necessary materials:

• Firebricks are excellent for lining the firebox and the inner surface of the pipe. This material is able to withstand extremely high temperatures and at the same time retain all its properties.
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• Ceramic materials are used to construct the rest of the furnace. They accumulate thermal energy well and, as befits a stove, release it into space.

• Sand-lime bricks are not suitable for stoves; it is better to leave it for decorating the facade of the house.

Hollow bricks cannot be used to build stoves. The clay should completely fill their volume.

1. After selecting the basic materials, you need to buy fittings, including grilles, doors, handles and a poker.
2. Before starting work, stove makers are advised to pre-assemble the entire structure without mortar, make sure that there are enough materials and the stove turns out as intended, and only after that can you start laying.
3. First, lay the base - the base layer. During these works, you can use mortar, sometimes instead of bricks it is filled with crushed stone.
4. When laying the first row, it is especially important to monitor the position of the bricks in space. The line of the outer wall must be strictly parallel to the ground and walls. You can check this using a level. The more often the master applies the level, the better the quality of the oven.
5. The furnace wall that will be closest to the wall should be equipped with a second layer of brick to create additional protection against fire and excessive heating of combustible materials.
6. The removal door is installed using mortar in the second or third row.
7. There is a grill over the small door.
8. After this, a large door leading into the firebox is installed; it serves to store firewood and should allow fuel to be placed inside without any problems.
9. Dampers must be installed in the chimney.

After completing the work and installing the pipe, the work can be considered completed. Now all that remains is to remove the construction debris, let the mortar set and begin trial kindling.

The best cast iron stoves for a Russian bath

Cast iron stoves still have many adherents. Although they take longer to heat up, they retain heat better. Here are the best representatives of this category.

Hephaestus PB-04 M

True connoisseurs of Russian baths prefer cast iron stoves. The Hephaestus PB-04 M model is made from a special type of cast iron containing chromium. Thanks to the remote portal, the firebox can be located in one room, and the heat-resistant door in another. Since the stove is delivered disassembled, there will be no problems with transportation and unloading.

Experts pay attention to the innovative design of the firebox. It has a gas afterburning system, a flame arrester and turbulent fins

As a result, even when the combustion chamber is heated to 750°C, the exhaust gases enter the chimney after being cooled to 300°C. The efficiency of the furnace reaches 87%.

The model wins our rating for its record wall thickness (6 cm), so heat is retained in the oven for a long time. The picture is complemented by an artistic frame around the door.

• long service life;
• high efficiency;
• unique firebox design;
• artistic door frame.

Flaws

not detected.

Vesuvius LEGEND FORGING 28 Fireplace (205)

The cast iron stove Vesuvius LEGEND FORGING 28 Fireplace (205) creates worthy competition for the leader of the rating. It can work in a steam bath with a volume of up to 30 cubic meters. m. Externally, the model looks elegant; there are no problems with transportation and installation. The cast iron firebox is divided into 3 parts; the manufacturer used a ceramic cord for sealing. The safety and reliability of the design is ensured by bolted connections of units and parts. A special type of cast iron can withstand strong temperature changes; it does not burst when exposed to a large volume of water.

The stove takes second place in the ranking due to its higher price and smaller firebox wall thickness (1.2 cm). In addition, the design has greater weight (178 kg) and dimensions.

Flaws

• heavy weight;
• high price.

Attention! This rating is subjective in nature, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before purchasing, consultation with a specialist is required

Vesuvius SKIF STANDARD

This oven also does not have sharp corners. This appearance allows the heat generated to be distributed more evenly. There are 2 models from the manufacturer: with an open and closed heater. If you need a Russian bath with high air humidity, it is better to limit yourself to a closed type. However, if you want to look at the stones in person and splash water on them, you will have to install additional tools to increase the air humidity and make the steam lighter.

All stoves from this manufacturer have specific shapes that will definitely be remembered by visitors to the bathhouse. There are a large number of types of “Scythians”, so it will not be difficult to choose the necessary stove for the volume of the room

Also, special attention is drawn to the door for firewood, which can be made in both classic and glass styles. It is possible to connect a tank for heating water

However, it is worth considering that the standard package does not include this addition, so it will have to be purchased separately. Fortunately, you can find several types from the same manufacturer.

pros

• High quality material.
• Original design.
• It is possible to add a tank for heating water.

Valery is 32 years old.

I purchased this stove 2 years ago. At first I was happy with everything, but after about six months I began to notice disadvantages. Firstly, the chimney quickly becomes dirty, which is why you have to clean it very often. I can't identify the reason. He carefully took care of the cleanliness of the chimney and cleaned it regularly. Secondly, after prolonged use it becomes increasingly difficult to clean the glass on the firebox door. Again, I used special cleaning products, but they no longer help. In general, it’s a pleasure to use for the first six months or a year, but then problems arise.

Safety

The bathhouse is a source of increased danger. Baths are traditionally heated with wood; the stoves have an open firebox, into which additional fuel is constantly added. To ensure safe operation, a platform made of non-combustible material for falling coals must be constructed in front of any fireboxes.

If we talk about the safety of people in the bathhouse, then the stone or brick version of the stove wins here. If you touch such equipment, a person will receive a slight burn, and if you touch a red-hot metal stove, then the marks from such contact will heal for a very long time.

This feature of brick stoves is determined by the ability of the material to evenly distribute heat throughout its entire volume, due to which the heating of the air and an accidentally outstretched hand does not occur so sharply.

All stoves in places of contact with wooden walls are lined with non-flammable materials: basalt or Kevlar. Thanks to this, the wood does not heat up, fire does not reach it and the risk of fire is reduced.

Which sauna stove is better, steel or cast iron?

Key characteristics when choosing

Having chosen cast iron, you need to compare the parameters of the product with the bathhouse in which it will be installed.

Working properties:

Productivity, characterized by the area of ​​the room heated by the unit. Fuel type. Most often, buyers prefer wood stoves. Type of firebox (standard or extended). The extended one is mounted in the wall. You can heat the sauna directly from the steam room or from the dressing room, which is very convenient. Material. There are several variations of cast iron. The service life of the unit and the thickness of the furnace walls depend on the correct choice. Wall thickness. Best option: gray cast iron. Availability of a water tank and its type. There are two types: built-in and suspended. In use, preference is given to hanging tanks: it is easier to fill in water and control the level of the remaining

The mounting location of the tank is also important: at the back or on the side. Depends on where you will install the unit.

Nuances of choice

How to choose a convenient stove model and not make a mistake. Classic cast iron sauna stoves have a heater above the firebox; in the upper part of the body there may be a tank for heating water of 20-30 liters

To choose the right design correctly, you should pay attention to the following points:

• Fuel type. In addition to traditional models that run on wood or gas, there are also electric ones, the operation of which is easy and convenient.
• Performance. It is selected based on the volume of the steam room in the bathhouse. The accompanying documents contain information about the capacity of the cast iron stove.
• Firebox location. Modern cast iron models have two versions: regular or extended firebox. In the latter case, the stove is installed in a wall opening, allowing firewood to be loaded from the dressing room, which is considered the most optimal solution for a bathhouse.
• Material. For the production of stoves, cast iron of various qualities and thicknesses is used. These parameters directly affect the service life of the heating structure for the bath. Consumer reviews give preference to the Sudarushka M cast iron stove model.
• Water container. There are various design options for cast iron stoves with a tank. It can be mounted or built-in, the mount is located on the side, behind or directly on the chimney. You can choose a suitable model for a bathhouse based on the parameters of the steam room.
• Glass door. If you want to become the owner of a cast iron stove with a beautiful design, it is better to choose a model with a glazed door. After all, you can watch the flames endlessly. It is worth noting that such beauty will increase the cost of a cast iron stove.

Installation Requirements

To install the stove correctly, you need to take into account a number of requirements:

1. The minimum distance between the firebox and the walls of the room is 50 cm. Wooden surfaces are covered with heat-resistant material with a layer of aluminum foil on the front side.
2. The base for the oven must be made of heat-resistant material. The dimensions of the foundation must exceed the dimensions of the stove by 10 cm on each side.

It is impossible to imagine a classic Russian bath without a stove. The choice of stove equipment is an important stage in the construction of bathhouses. To obtain the required level of performance, optimal temperature, humidity, a number of factors and requirements must be taken into account.

Why do glasses crack?

The different sensations in the steam room depend on the type of heater. “In a closed heater, water is poured back, enters the distributor and falls to the lowest stones, splits, and when the steam leaves the stove, it is almost invisible. In the steam room, the temperature remains the same, the humidity rises - this is convenient for sitting with a broom. An open heater produces regular dry steam, like in a Finnish sauna,” Dorovsky describes the differences between the heaters.

Fireplace-type stoves with glass doors decorate the rest room. But if aesthetics are not important or the bathhouse is heated from a special room, it is better to choose a simple door. The expert clarifies that glass with any design will still have heat loss, and cast iron or metal will leave all the heat inside.

“It happens that glass doors from some manufacturers need to be washed constantly because soot settles on them. Our designers came up with a special air curtain, thanks to which soot does not reach the glass and it does not smoke,” says a representative of the NMK plant.

If the glass cracks after the first fire, then this is a manufacturer’s problem - it means that the glass is pressed by a point metal fastener, which expands when heated. Typically installers loosen the mounting bolts before the first burn and then tighten them again.

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Distinctive features

Cast iron heats up more slowly than steel, but its properties are superior to all materials . During the operation of the furnace, burnout occurs more slowly. The case retains heat for up to seven hours. Cast iron is an alloy of iron and carbon, making it resistant to corrosion and resistant to high temperatures.

Silicon and manganese in the composition make cast iron more durable and ductile.

The structural elements of the furnace are combined into a single structure by welding . All joints are treated with sealant. The operating principle of cast iron stoves is the same. It comes down to heat transfer indicators and heat retention time. This is what distinguishes cast iron from other materials.

The stones are placed on top, and the water tank goes around the pipe and the stones. This ensures minimal heat loss.

Firewood is thrown into the firebox. When they burn, a hall is formed. It pours into a special compartment. Next, the hot air rises, and the stones are heated by the stove and pipe. The temperature in the pipe reaches 250 degrees Celsius . The stones give off heat to the room, thereby creating a comfortable environment.

Is the quality of cast iron the same among different manufacturers?

Even outwardly identical stoves can show themselves from different sides during use.
It's all about the composition and quality of materials.

The cast iron alloy does not have a clearly defined “recipe”; components in different proportions and additional additives can be added to it.

Quality is also affected by compliance with production technology (hardening, tempering).

Most sauna stoves are made from gray cast iron (GC). It differs in brands SCh-10, Sch-15, Sch-20, etc. These differences relate to tensile strength and tensile strength, but have nothing to do with heat resistance. Thermal conductivity depends more on the structure than on the constituent components.

True alloyed heat-resistant cast iron contains graphite and responds better to temperatures. Nickel (up to 19%) and chromium (up to 3%) are two more important components of a good alloy.

Installation on a wooden floor

If the total mass of the metal stove does not reach 700 kg, and the logs and floor boards are of sufficient strength, installation of a foundation in the bathhouse can be avoided. But it is necessary to take care of a heat-resistant base. There are several solutions:

• a metal sheet is laid on top of a sheet of basalt cardboard and asbestos;
• a full replacement for a sheet of metal on the floor of a bathhouse will be brick, stone of natural or artificial origin;
• Ceramic or porcelain tiles are suitable.

The area in front of the fuel door is covered with a metal sheet to prevent sparks or coals from falling onto the floor of the bathhouse. The minimum size of the protective covering is 40 cm.