Is cast iron or steel the best material for a stove?

Customers regularly presume that cast iron is better quality than steel. However, the quality of a product is due to the manufacturer rather than the material used. For example, casting is still a cheap process in the Far East and therefore the cheapest, but poorest quality, stoves are cast iron from these countries.

Poor quality cast will crack and poor quality steel will warp – good quality of either won’t give you problems.

The main benefit of cast iron is heat retention – cast iron stoves will take longer to warm up but they will keep their heat for longer. If you plan to keep a room heated for long periods then a cast iron stove may suit you better, however if you want a few hours heating in an evening a faster reacting steel stove may suit you better.