Stovax Stockton 5 Review (UK 2026)
£1,223 RRP / £995 street.The UK's most-installed mid-market wood-burner and the most-recommended "first stove" on r/DIYUK. 5kW, multifuel, triple air control.
Headline specs
- Heat output: 5kW nominal (2.5–7kW range)
- Certification: DEFRA-approved, Ecodesign Plus
- Fuel: Multifuel (wood + authorised smokeless)
- Dimensions: 481×544×335mm
- Weight: ~88kg
- Flue: 5" (125mm)
- Air control: Triple (primary, secondary, tertiary)
- Warranty: 2-year standard, extending to 10 years on Stovax Expert Retailer registration
- UK manufacture: Exeter, Devon
- RRP: £1,223 / Street ~£995
Why it's the UK volume leader
The Stockton 5 has been continuously refined since the early 2000s. Combined with Stovax's nationwide UK dealer footprint (the largest of any UK stove brand), it's the single most-recommended "first stove" on r/DIYUK and stove forums. Pros consistently:
- Strong dealer network: parts, service, and installer-familiarity are easy in any UK region
- Cleanburn + airwash work well with kiln-dried logs: glass stays clear, secondary burn engages reliably
- Cast-iron door durability: holds up to years of heat cycling
- Triple air control: separate primary, secondary, and tertiary inputs for fine combustion tuning
- Strong street price discount: £995 typical vs £1,223 RRP — almost 20% off
Calculate your Stockton 5 install cost
The Stockton 5 sits in the mid-tier in the calculator. Total installed cost typically £2,800-£3,800 with an existing chimney.
Open the calculator →Stockton 5 vs Stockton 5 Wide
Stovax sells the Stockton 5 in two variants:
- Stockton 5 (£1,223 RRP): standard door-width viewing
- Stockton 5 Wide (£1,653 RRP): wider landscape-orientation viewing window
Same 5kW output, same internals. The Wide version costs ~£430 more for the wider glass. Worth it if visual matters to you; otherwise the standard Stockton 5 is the volume choice.
Pricing vs UK alternatives
- Stockton 5 £1,223 RRP vs Hunter Herald 5 Eco £1,099 — Hunter is cheaper at this kW; Stovax has the broader dealer network. Hunter guide →
- Stockton 5 £1,223 vs Aarrow Ecoburn 5 £1,379 — Stovax is cheaper; Aarrow has clearSkies Level 4 certification and lifetime body warranty. Aarrow guide →
- Stockton 5£1,223 vs Charnwood C-Four £1,195 — effectively the same price. Charnwood has the longer warranty (10 yr body + 3 yr consumables vs Stovax's 10 yr base, year 1 consumables only). Charnwood guide →
Where to buy
Stovax Expert Retailers for the 10-year extended warranty. Major UK retailers:
- Direct Stoves (Cheadle, online + showroom)
- Stoves Are Us (online, large stockist)
- Rangemoors (Devon — local to Stovax HQ in Exeter)
- Stovesonline, Fireplace Megastore, The Fireplace Warehouse
Street prices typically run 15–20% below RRP at Expert Retailers — expect ~£995 for the standard Stockton 5.
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Find an installer →Frequently asked questions
Is the Stovax Stockton 5 the best UK mid-market stove?
It's the most-installed UK 5kW wood-burner and the most-recommended "first stove" on r/DIYUK and stove forums. Strong dealer network, well-regarded build, reliable spare parts pipeline from Exeter. At £1,223 RRP (£995 street), excellent value for the build quality.
Stockton 5 vs Stockton 5 Wide — which?
Same stove, different glass. Standard Stockton 5 (£1,223) has a regular-width door. Stockton 5 Wide (£1,653) has a wider viewing window. Same 5kW output, same internals. Worth £430 more if the visual matters to you — many UK owners prefer the wider view.
What's the warranty on a Stockton 5?
From 1 February 2025: 2-year standard warranty extending to 10 years on Stovax Expert Retailer registration. Consumables (glass, firebricks, rope seals, baffles) covered only in year 1. Annual service by a HETAS engineer is a condition of the extended warranty.
Stockton 5 vs Hunter Herald 5 vs Aarrow Ecoburn 5?
All three are UK-made 5kW DEFRA mid-market wood-burners. Hunter Herald 5 (£1,099) is cheapest and has better back-boiler options. Stovax Stockton 5 (£1,223) has the strongest dealer network. Aarrow Ecoburn 5 (£1,379) has clearSkies Level 4 certification and a lifetime body warranty. All three are excellent — choose on which dealer is nearest.
Where can I buy a Stockton 5?
Stovax Expert Retailers for the 10-year warranty extension. Major UK retailers: Direct Stoves (Cheadle), Stoves Are Us (online), Rangemoors (Devon — local to the Stovax Exeter factory), Stovesonline. Street prices typically 15–20% below RRP at Expert Retailers.