With natural gas and electricity costs rising month by month, more and more people are looking to antique kitchen stoves or picking up an antique wood stove to save on utility costs and become more energy self-reliant. The center of any Victorian or early American home was its antique kitchen stove. The kitchen stove provided warmth for the home and a place to cook dinner or boil a pot of water for tea or coffee. Antique kitchen stoves come in many forms and may burn wood, coal, oil, biomass or natural gas. They can be original and in need of restoration, restored and up for resale or they can be replicas of antique stoves constructed of modern materials and made to modern specifications.
How do you go about choosing antique kitchen stoves that are right for your specific applications? First, think about why you want an antique cooking stove. Is style your main consideration? Many companies sell top of the line replicas of antique stoves that are extremely expensive but also incredibly durable. If your budget will allow for one of these custom designer antique replicas, you can expect to have the stove for the rest of your life. High end homes and gourmet kitchens use these stoves as a selling feature, so if style and resale value are your main goals, a replica stove may be your best bet.
If on the other hand you are looking to an antique kitchen stove to save you money and warm up the center of your home, you might want to consider a new or used antique wood stove. Keep in mind that you will have to install a special chimney for such a stove and that stringent building codes exist for such chimneys. You will also want to seriously think through where you will find your wood supply. Many people make the mistake of assuming that wood will be easy to come by and free, when in fact wood must be located, chopped, stacked safely and then cured for at least a year before you can burn it. Otherwise, you will have to pay for your wood just like you pay for your gas and electricity.
Another option is an antique gas burning antique kitchen stove. When looking for an antique gas stove, make sure you have a ready source for replacement parts and a reliable contractor to install the stove. The last thing you want is a charming little stove that doesn’t work is missing critical parts or is installed incorrectly and has created a fire hazard in the very place where you want to feel safe and warm. Antique kitchen stoves are durable sturdy alternatives to modern gas or electric stoves. They are gaining popularity due their stylish looks and money-saving potential. Do your homework, line up a reliable and knowledgeable contractor for installation, think in the long term instead of what’s cheapest right this minute and you’re sure to find a stove that will give you generations of warmth and pleasure.
