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Cool things for your woodstove...
I am a diligent researcher on Amazon and have found some things for my woodstove over the years that I absolutely love...things most people don't know about. I always read the reviews and find the highest quality products at the best prices. I make a small commission on my sales--which Amazon pays for, not you!
Have you ever used one of those Scripto BBQ lighters to try to start your fire and it peters out on you at the worst possible time...usually when it is really cold...AND USUALLY WHEN THERE IS STILL BUTANE IN IT??? Well I had enough. So I found these micro-torches (2 for about $10) that are just awesome! Amazon cannot ship refillable lighters with fuel in them, so you will have to buy this small butane bottle (~$7) to fill them up, which takes less than 5 seconds following the simple instructions that come with them. This should be enough fuel for you to start fires for years and years to come.
As I have mentioned in my fire starting video, a stove pipe thermometer is worth its weight in gold. It will tell you when you stove is running too cold (and therefore putting out too much smoke, clogging up your chimney with creosote, wasting money, and polluting the environment); it will tell you when your stove is running at its optimum temperature; and most importantly, it will tell you when you are about to burn your house down: When your stove gets too hot, you can damage it. And you can start a chimney fire if there is too much creosote in it, which can make it get so hot that it could actually burn your house down. If you don't have a stove pipe thermometer, PLEASE GET ONE! (Only about $7.)
This fan runs entirely on the heat of your woodstove! It will help to move the hot air away from your stove and to circulate it around in your room. And it is so quiet! You can also get more than one if you want even more air circulation. Oh, and this one comes with a free stove pipe thermometer! (Both for only about $27.)
I have talked about how important a stove pipe thermometer is. But the truth is, most--if not all of them--have a lag time effect to them. So when your stove is getting hot really fast, the thermometer will actually read lower than what it actually is. And conversely, when your stove is cooling down, it will read hotter than it actually is. Having said that, it is usually within 50-75 degrees Fahrenheit, and when the stove temperature is not changing dramatically, it is within 10 degrees. So it is still worth its weight in gold, as it will give you reasonably accurate readings no matter what your stove is doing. However, for those of you who want real-time accuracy, this infrared thermometer is awesome! Just point and shoot. Don't point it at the fire itself, though, as you might overload it. Point it next to your stove pipe thermometer on the chimney itself. (Only about $12.)
If you are having a hard time starting your fire, more likely than not, it is from one of two causes: either you don't have enough draw in your chimney, or your wood is too wet. Firewood should season for about a year before burning it. Properly seasoned wood will have a moisture content below 20%. This simple device will let you know exactly where your wood is at. Ideally, you would want to split several pieces of wood to test the inside of the logs, but if you only can test the outside of the log, it should still give you an idea. (Only about $14 with coupon.)
This fire poker set costs significantly less than most sets on Amazon (about $36), yet has very good reviews. If you are interested in only getting a fire poker, this looks like a good one for around only 10 bucks.
Or, if you have the room, you can get a fire poker set combination wood rack. Wood racks like this one with two levels are great as you can alternate between top and bottom levels using one level while the wood in the other level dries out more. (~$50)
Remember what I said are the two most likely causes for not starting a fire? Wet wood and poor draw. Well, if you don't clean your chimney at least once a year, it can get clogged up with creosote, not only creating poor draw, but also possibly a chimney fire that can get so hot that it can burn your house down (really!). So if you don't have a chimney sweep, you need one! Simply attach this to your drill and away it goes! No having to stress and strain with super-tight metal bristles that barely fit, scratching the inside of your chimney pipe like fingernails on a chalkboard. Is that cool, or what? Read the reviews, people love this thing!
Have you ever used one of those Scripto BBQ lighters to try to start your fire and it peters out on you at the worst possible time...usually when it is really cold...AND USUALLY WHEN THERE IS STILL BUTANE IN IT??? Well I had enough. So I found these micro-torches (2 for about $10) that are just awesome! Amazon cannot ship refillable lighters with fuel in them, so you will have to buy this small butane bottle (~$7) to fill them up, which takes less than 5 seconds following the simple instructions that come with them. This should be enough fuel for you to start fires for years and years to come.
