Rika stoves ? Anyone had any experience ?

[mark uk]

Hi,

Over here in England gas prices (thats gas for heating - I won't start about petrol prices) are going up all the time, just anounced another 25% increase. so I'm looking at wood/multifuel stoves for heating.

I have seen (at what seems a good price) a Rika stove, but there only seems to be one supplier in the UK and nobody knows much about them. Hence I would like to ask if anyone has any experience of this brand. They are Austrian and the dealer claims that they have excellent efficiency & v.low emissions.

thanks

Mark

 

[tutu_sue]

Hi Mark,

We're complaining about gas prices too, both for heating and cars. Heating gas is up 30% this season, but we managed to save 50% gas by burning wood during the day until retiring.

I did a search and it looks like Rika doesn't import to the US, yet. Don't know anything about them, sorry. We own a Jotul F3 CB stove. Very satisfied with it and puts out a lot of heat for it's size. I know this unit is available multifuel in the UK by purchasing a riddling grate kit. Another European brand that is getting good reviews here is Morso.

Good luck with your search and let us know how you end up. We'd love to see pics!!

(What's bullocks mean?)

 

[mark uk]

Thanks Sue,

I think I'm going to go with the Rika.
Its this one -
(broken link removed)

Rika seem big on pellet stoves which I take as a good sign.


I want something which in style falls between not being too contemporary and not too 'olde worlde'. Its going into a 200 year old arched chimney opening which is quite tall and I think the smaller, squarer shaped stoves might look odd.

The Jotuls are very well regarded, but the style isnt what I'm after. Morso was on my list along with Douvre, Esse and clearview (again I dont think they supply in the US). It seems that many US suppliers don't ship to the UK either. Those scandinavians have sewn up the markets!

I can get an ex-display model of the Rika at a very good price which is swinging the balance a bit, well quite a lot actually!

bullocks as in young male cattle ? Or as also written bollocks? Thats the little bag that your husband has between his legs... :red:

 

[elkimmeg]

Vermont Casting Villigant sell in UK coal and wood I believe unique shaker grate system

I also had an EFFEL in the past Belgium made stove

 

[tutu_sue]

That's a gorgeous stove. I agree that more height would be more attractive in a tall fireplace. I really like the tiled heating nook - tea anyone? Very nice. Looks to be solidly built and easy access to door lever, air control and ash pan. How much output does it have?

Jotul does have more contemporary designs, but don't offer them in the US. They just purchased DAK, I think it is? They are yet another Scandanavian company with more modern looks.

Price is always a consideration. I always say, if you have a good feeling about something, you know like how good you feel when lifting your pint - I say GO FOR IT DUDE!!

I see I meant bollocks. Is the bag full or empty though? :roll: If I'm going to use this word, I want to use it properly.

Check out this little American beauty I would like to get for our living room: (broken link removed to http://www.hearthstonestoves.com/wood_stoves/tribute/)

 

[wg_bent]

That sure looks an awful lot like this stove:

(broken link removed)

Maybe this stove is an option also.

 

[mark uk]

Hi

The Vermot Casting stuff I have heard mixed reports on, so didnt follow up on that brand.

The scan that Warren points out is similar, looks quite a lot like another model in the rika range, but I have never heard of them in the UK - seem to be quite a few models that only get sold through a single outlet.

Anyway I have now ordered the Rika - I am going to drive down to the distributor tomorrow and collect it.
It is rated at between 4 and 8 KW, depending on fuel used.

Its amazing how many brands feed back to the same company isnt it ? - I suppose industry consolidation and marketing, like GM I suppose.

Jotul come quite expensive in the UK (just like everything else) it is a well known premium brand. I admit I am massivly swayed by the fact that I am getting the Rika (its ex-display) for about half the price that I can find anything comparable.

That tribute is just a little ornate for my taste, how about the shelburne ? Or the larger Morsoes.

For personal preference I prefer my little bag to be full, but hey, it takes all sorts. Usage of bollocks ranges from general expletive, through specific use meaning disbelief. (person a:'GWB is well respected for his abilitiy as a president', chorus:'Bollocks!') to actual descriptive, '....so I kicked him in the bollocks'. Not really polite useage, but I guess you knew that ?

What do they say - two nations divided by a common language ? Don't know who said that first.

M

 

[Mo Heat]

Hi Mark UK.

I'm curious. What fuel(s) are you planning to burn? Pellets? Coal? Wood? Combo? (I assumed y'all ran out of wood in England, back in the second half of the 19th century industrial revolution.

 

[tutu_sue]

Hey Mark,

You must be very excited to get your new stove hooked up and burning. Just take your time and do it right. If you have any questions, be sure to make a new post on this forum. There are a lot of knowledgable dealers and industry professionals reading along. What ARE you going to burn in there?

You're definitely right about increase in consolidation. We have a lot here. They may think it best for the bottom line, but I feel companies like GM get so big and stale, stifling creativity and innovation. I owned one GM car and I hated it. Since then only VW and Audi. Okay, one MB, but I like Audis much better.

Jotul is reasonably priced here. I paid about $1,000 for the F3 stove with the matte paint. I know that you probably have the pay VAT on that and it's over 20%, right?. I know this because my sister lived in Finland for 4 years and I used to mail her computer parts because they were so expensive there. Where I live in New Jersey, we pay sales tax of 6% and nontaxable items are unprepared food, clothing, shoes and paper products. Income tax is 3%. If I told you what we pay for real estate taxes, you would drop a nut (bullock by you or is it always plural?).

I hate to admit I have to join the chorus on GWB - Bollocks!! I totally understand how to use it now, thank you!

I believe it was George Bernard Shaw who said 'two nations divided by a common tongue'. We watch the BBC America - I love Absolutely Fabulous and sometimes takes a moment to get what they are saying.

 

[mark uk]

Hi,

OK - Done the collection and it is currently sitting in the back of the volvo waiting for a couple of people to come and help me lift it out - not exactly light. The dealer salesman told me it would be no problem getting it in the car, but when I turned up at the warehouse they showed me the packing case - huge! So we unpacked it and slid it in on its back with lots of padding. One think I learned is that the Austrians use metric sizing for flue pipe, so I had to get an adapter to fit between the stove and the 5" pipe, and another adapter to go between the 5" pipe and the 6" flue.

Looks good - seems well machined and built. The instructions are only in German and Italian though :O

I am planing to burn wood but the stove will take coal as well so at least I have the option. We still have a few twigs growing, in fact they are trying to encourage tree planting in our area. There is a new wood chip power plant being built nearby. I'm already

VW have done a good job on their brands, do you get Skoda and Seat in the US ? We have Audi as the prestige version, VW as the mainline range, Seat as a fun/youth brand and skoda as an economy version. All much the same cars but slightly different bodywork and different trims. I know I have bought parts for our Audi from the skoda dealer at a fraction of the audi price. MB are really loosing image with the quality issues - The rust problems have cost them a fortune and I'm told there are issues with their current diesel engines.

I should have known it would be GBS. It's post Shakespeare, and not witty enough to be Mark Twain. Glad to assist in spreading english cursing across the ex-colonies!

Anyway - off for a glass of wine, I need to contemplate on feeding the new flue liner down the chimney. I am not good at heights and its snowing.


M

 

[tutu_sue]

I know they really pack those things up with the straps and wood crating, cardboard - eesh. How much do you think it weighs? At least 250 lbs I would imagine.

No we don't have Skoda or Seat, but I have heard they are very small cars. I've owned two Audis and loved them both. First was an 85 Audi Coupe GT that I bought for $200US, drove for 7 years put 250K miles on and sold it for $700US. Now I have a 97 A6 wagon, I paid half value because of a perceived trans problem. Turned out it was a small part that broke and my husband replaced with a washer he bent to the proper fit using a vise and a sledge hammer. Can you tell he's an engineer? Hubby drives a 93 V8. Not many of those in the USA for sure. I'm glad you can get good prices on parts. I see you know a good bargain when you see one and do your research. We get good prices on parts where hubby worked for a company that distributes parts for imported brands. Thank God because the mark up on the parts is ridiculous - many 1,000% over net! You're right about MB rust problems - had to weld new rocker panels on mine before we sold it.

Yeah, we had 3 inches of snow last night. 18 inches about two weeks ago. Snow makes a roof very slippery man. Hubby once fell off the roof after clearing the snow off the satellite dish. Fortunately, we live on a hill and the back of the house where he fell is only 9 ft., whereas the front is more than twice that. Just a little bump on the elbow - whew!

Be careful up there, please tie yourself off to the chimney while you work and take your time.

Twain is the bomb (best). I have a complete set of Twain volumes autographed fore and aft by contempory American authors like Arthur Miller for example. I picked up on sale from the Oxford University Press. You should be familiar with Oxford.

 

[Choppedliver]

I think Rika=Austroflam, they Look exactly the sameand are built in the same place.