StoveAreUs Blog

Disposable BBQs have long been the grab-and-go choice for summer. Heading to the campsite, spending a day at the beach or planning a picnic? Pick one up, light it, cook your burgers and you're sorted.

But convenient doesn't always mean best.

A fireplace has always been a natural gathering point in the home. It's the kind of feature that shapes how a room feels as much as how it looks. In a small living room, the challenge isn't whether you can have one, it's choosing the right type and making it work with the space you have. Get the combination of fireplace, layout, and styling right, and a compact room can feel warmer, more characterful, and more liveable than many larger ones.

A well-designed outdoor space is an extension of your home, offering the perfect place to relax, entertain and enjoy the warmer months. But even the most beautifully furnished gardens can quickly become cluttered with cushions, blankets, BBQ accessories, gardening tools and children's toys. That's where a garden storage box comes into its own.

A media wall isn't just a spot to mount the TV. It’s a chance to turn an ordinary living room wall into a striking, practical focal point that brings entertainment, warmth, and design together in one place. With the right combination of materials, lighting, and a well-chosen electric fire, a media wall can completely transform the feel of a room.

Use our free stove heat output calculator below to discover the recommended kW output for your room. Once calculated, we’ll show you suitable stoves that match your space and heating needs.
Our stove sizing recommendations are based on standard room volume calculations commonly used across the heating industry, combined with insulation adjustments for more accurate results.

Knowing how to light a BBQ properly is the first step in creating a great outdoor cooking experience. Whether you’re using a charcoal, gas, or a more specialist grill type, getting the setup right will help your food cook evenly, improve flavour, and, most importantly, keep you safe.

There’s something undeniably appealing about cooking outdoors. The smell of food on the grill, the ease of entertaining, and the simple pleasure of being in your garden all come together to create a completely different experience from cooking indoors.

Outdoor kitchens take that idea a step further. Instead of relying on a single BBQ tucked into the corner, you can create a dedicated space that brings together cooking, dining, and relaxing in one seamless setup. And with the growing range of modular systems and outdoor cooking appliances now available in the UK, it’s never been easier to build a space that suits your garden and your lifestyle.

Whether you’re planning a full garden transformation or just exploring ideas, this guide will walk you through how to create an outdoor kitchen you’ll actually use.

Think about how many people you’ll typically cook for, how often you’ll use the BBQ, and
what type of food you’ll cook when weighing up features. Traditional gas BBQs range from
small two-burner models to large six-burner setups (or more), while planchas, built-in grills,
portable stoves, and hybrid dual-fuel options offer different cooking styles.
Location is also important. If you need portability, LPG models using propane or butane
bottles are ideal, whereas natural gas BBQs connect to the mains and require professional
installation.

Whether you’re cooking in the kitchen or going al fresco, a pizza oven can take your mealtimes to the next level. There are plenty of benefits to cooking with a pizza oven, but the main one is being able to enjoy restaurant-quality pizza in a matter of minutes.

Not sure where to start? Pizza oven cooking is probably easier than you think. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about cooking with a pizza oven, with simple steps for how to use a wood-fired, gas, and electric pizza oven. Already confident with the basics? We’ve also got handy pizza oven tips to help you make the most of your appliance.

Choosing a new range cooker is about more than just size or style, the type of hob you select will shape how you cook every day. In this guide, we’ll explore exactly how each hob type works, how they compare in real-world cooking, and which option delivers the best long-term value.

When comparing induction, ceramic and dual fuel range cookers, the differences go far beyond appearance. Heat control, responsiveness, safety, energy efficiency and installation requirements all vary, understanding those differences will help you choose the right cooker for your kitchen.