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Alternative fuels for logburners anybody?

(35 Posts)
gardenoma Sun 28-Jan-18 09:35:19

Somebody told me about new and rather innovative alternatives to logs, Coffee logs made from spent coffee grounds and Brackettes, made from wood bracken. Both sound really intriguing but not found many reviews yet.
Has anybody on here used them?

ladyjane10 Thu 15-Mar-18 21:46:27

We use cobs, They give good heat and last well. We have also bought a fan for the wood burner that gives even moor heat. We get our kindle from the same place as the cobs.

M0nica Thu 08-Mar-18 08:16:29

Cow pats are a common source of fuel in Africa and India.

Craicon Wed 07-Mar-18 13:15:05

A load of POO.
Seriously!

We collect our dog and chicken droppings and burn them in the wood burner. Ideally, let them dry out but if you have a very hot fire burning, you can chuck in fresh turds. As the log burner has a door, you don’t smell anything.

My DH spent time in areas where the ground is frozen for most of the year, there are no trees and the local people use animal dung for fuel.

M0nica Wed 07-Mar-18 13:01:51

Why use alternatives? Log suppliers get their wood not just from a renewable source, by definition but also firewood suppliers usually get their wood from estates and farms with active woodland management schemes, so no clear felling is involved.

grandtanteJE65 Tue 06-Mar-18 14:53:39

Hadn't heard of coffee logs; we can get compressed sawdust briquettes.

However remember to check your local bye-laws before using alternative fuels. Here we may not used briquettes made of compressed newspaper, but only use newspaper when lighting a fire,

SueDonim Mon 26-Feb-18 13:21:24

I hope you like them, Gardenoma!

They are small, yes, but they seem to last well on the fire. I don't burn logs of any kind on their own, I mix them with coal so size doesn't really matter for me.

Luckygirl Mon 26-Feb-18 08:37:48

I was disappointed with mine - I ordered 16, but when they came the logs were tiny - about 5" max.

gardenoma Mon 26-Feb-18 08:20:09

SueDonim I love peaty and coffee smells and can sort of imagine those two combined, fascinating.

gardenoma Mon 26-Feb-18 08:15:48

Thank you lovely ladies for your responses and ideas. I hadn't looked at this thread for a while but will get cracking with a coffee log trial...yeah pretty pricey really.

SueDonim Sun 18-Feb-18 22:01:04

I bought some coffee logs from Dobbies last week. I love the smell! It's a bit peaty but not coffee-ish. The logs were £5.99, I think.

farview Thu 08-Feb-18 14:24:56

Morrison's have been selling the coffee logs!! Prefer Kiln dried though with a little smokeless fuel added also

Luckygirl Wed 07-Feb-18 16:02:52

Just put the first two coffee logs in the woodburner. Not a lot of heat output yet, but the temp outside has just plummeted.

Fennel Wed 07-Feb-18 15:56:56

Wood pellets is another alternative. www.forestfuels.co.uk/wood-fuel-price-comparison/
We use logs, 60€ per cubic metre. Wood is comparatively cheap here.

BBbevan Tue 06-Feb-18 16:41:32

Yes you can merlotgran. Not like roasting coffee, but a very subtle smell that is not wood

merlotgran Tue 06-Feb-18 16:35:16

Can you smell them, BBevan?

Luckygirl Tue 06-Feb-18 16:11:20

Just ordered a buy one bag, get the other half price from amazon - at least I can give them a go.

BBbevan Tue 06-Feb-18 15:18:29

Coffee logs delivered today. I have put one seasoned log and one coffee log on the Fire. Half an hour later the seasoned log is very nearly ash. The coffee log is still holding its shape and burning well. Seems promising but we shall see

BBbevan Sun 04-Feb-18 15:09:22

We have been very lucky, as when we moved into this house we were left a good deal of logs. We have also had to cut down two large trees. We think we have probably got enough wood for three more winters.

merlotgran Sun 04-Feb-18 13:28:24

Winter Fuel Allowance grin

Luckygirl Sun 04-Feb-18 13:21:34

WFA - Wheelchair Football Association ??????!!!!

Our seasoned logs cost about £130 for 1.2 cubic metres - but they give out so much heat you can burn much less. And they are reliable - I have found the seasoned ones are variable, and some give out very little heat.

merlotgran Sun 04-Feb-18 13:09:43

I've just looked at coffee logs on Amazon.

I'm still reeling with shock at the price shock

I'll stick to seasoned logs. We pay £110 for a delivered load which lasts us around two months so we need two loads per year. We use the WFA to pay for them.

BBbevan Sun 04-Feb-18 12:32:04

*Luckygirl I ordered them from Amazon

Daisy131 Sun 04-Feb-18 11:31:02

I burn coffee logs regularly in my woodburner, mixing them with regular logs. They burn really well, seeming to be hotter than ordinary wood and you do get a pleasant (though not very strong) aroma of coffee. The only downside is that they are expensive, which is why I mix them with my regular logs.

Luckygirl Sun 04-Feb-18 11:23:41

BBbevan - where did you order them from please? I tried in one place and was told they were out of stock.

BBbevan Sun 04-Feb-18 06:51:33

Just ordered some coffee logs. We like to try new things, so looking forward to delivery