What is a Multi-Fuel Stove exactly?

So,what is a Multi-Fuel Stove exactly?

A Multi - Fuel Stove is, put simply a solid fuel stove that has a riddling grate in the bottom of the stove, and it can be used to burn traditional solid fuels like anthracite and traditional wood logs as well. Multi-Fuel stoves will also burn other so called "Solid fuels" such as bio-mass wood briquettes or Heat logs as they are known, Peat and man made smokeless fuels such as Homefire Ovals are an option as well.

A riddling grate is a cast iron or steel grating in the bottom of the stove. This is the part you light the fire on. It has a mechanism which allows the grate to be moved backwards and forwards (Riddled) to shake the ash down into an ash pan below the fire.The tool used to articulate the riddling grate is called a riddler.

Most of the time when we talk about wood burners or wood burning stoves, generically we mean the same thing as a multi - fuel stove. However there are some companies that do make versions of their stoves that do just burn wood. These wood burners have a flat floor and no grate.This is because wood burns best on a flat bed of ash with the air coming over the fire. Coal on the other hand like to burn with the air supply ( Primary) coming through the grate and up through the fire.

Most modern multi - fuel stoves have adjustable air settings for burning wood or coal.It is not considered best practice to burn the two together as it creates an acid rain effect, this is obviously harmful to the environment, and also to your stove, shortening the stove and the chimney flue liners natural life.

In a nutshell, you can burn coal and wood in a multi-fuel stove, but you can only burn firewood in a wood burner and nutshells of course.