Clearview Stoves has been producing high quality wood burning stoves since 1987 for the UK and European markets.
Clearview Stoves has grown to be known as one of the leading manufacturers of wood stoves thanks to using high quality materials and robust design to produce efficient and durable stoves that generate great amounts of heat.
They boast being the first manufacturer to have a stove approved by DEFRA for use in Smoke Control Areas, as well as being the first to bring to the market a stove with an airwash system (that helps to keep the glass on the door clear).
Here at Fireplace Universe we’re massive fans of the products produced by Clearview Stoves.
We have two Clearview stoves in the family, both of which have exceeded our expectations in producing heat for our homes. The two Clearview stoves that we’ve had installed are the Vision 500.
We’ve therfore put together this complete buyer’s guide for Clearview Stoves to explain more about what stoves are currently manufactured by Clearview, what you need to consider when buying a Clearview stove and which model of Clearview stove may be the best one for your home.
The Clearview Stoves Range
There are currently 9 stoves within the Clearview range. These are the:
- Pioneer 400
- Pioneer 400P
- Solution 400
- Vision Inset
- Pioneer Oven
- Vision 500
- Solution 500
- Clearview 650
- Clearview 750
We’ve discussed each Clearview stove in more detail below, but the each of the stoves in the range have:
- A 3 years manufacturer’s guarantee.
- 7 different colours to choose from.
- Optional smoke control kit (apart from the Vision Inset).
- Optional top or rear flue outlet (apart from Vision inset).
- Optional satin chrome fittings and door handles (rather than brass).
Clearview Pioneer 400
The Pioneer is the smallest Clearview stove in the range but is still the highest spec small stove to ever have been built.
The Pioneer provides up to 5kW of heat output and radiates heat out into the room thanks to a steel construction body, and can maintain air tightness throughout it’s life thanks to adjustable catches on the door.
This stove has an efficiency rating of 70%, can be swept through the stove and has a multi fuel grate allowing you to burn forms of solid fuel other than wood.
Specs
- Up to 5kW heat output
- 100kg weight
- Max log length 10”
Options
- 7 colours, Satin chrome handles and Smoke Control Kit
- Heat shield
- External air box for direct connection with outside air
- 3 different leg heights
- Plinth
- 8,000 Btu stainless steel boiler
See the latest price for the Clearview Pioneer 400 here.
Clearview Pioneer 400P
The Pioneer 400P is essentially the same stove as the Pioneer 400 but has a plinth integrated directed into the body of the stove.
This plinth adds an extra 40kg to the weight of the Pioneer 400 bringing the total weight of the stove to 140kg. The Pioneer 400P also has a 7000 Btu boiler option rather than the 8,000 Btu boiler available with the Pioneer 400.
This stove has an efficiency of 70% and is also multi fuel compatible.
See the latest price for the Clearview Pioneer 400P here.
Clearview Solution 400
The Clearview Solution 400 is the smaller version of the Solution 500 and has an integrated plinth to give you more space to store your logs and kindling.
The stove is multi fuel ready and has an efficiency rating of 77%.
Specs
- Up to 5kW heat output
- 135kg weight
- Max log length 10”
Options
- 7 colours, Satin chrome handles and Smoke Control Kit
- Flue pipe heat shield
- External air box for direct connection with outside air
- Double Rear Heat Shield which allows you to further reduce the distance to nearby combustive objects
- No option for a boiler with the Solution 400
- Available stainless steel sides rather than plain
See the latest price for the Clearview Solution 400 here.
Clearview Solution 500
The Solution 500 is the larger version of the Solution 400 and therefore has a greater heat output of up to 8kW. It also has an integrated plinth much like the Solution 400.
This multi fuel stove has an efficiency rating of 71.6%.
Specs
- Up to 8kW heat output
- 165kg weight
- Max log length 15”
Options
- 7 colours, Satin chrome handles and Smoke Control Kit
- External air box for direct connection with outside air
- Double Rear Heat Shield which allows you to further reduce the distance to nearby combustive objects
- Available stainless steel sides rather than plain
There is no boiler option available with the Solution 500, but you can also buy the Clearview Solution 500SB which has an integrated 10,000 Btu boiler, at the cost of a lower maximum heat output of 6kW.
See the latest price for the Clearview Solution 500 here.
Clearview Vision Inset
The Vision Inset is the only Clearview stove that can be installed within an existing fireplace where the unit becomes flush with the fireplace opening.
The Vision Inset has a number of frame options to help you fill out your fireplace opening. It’s also useable as a multi fuel stove with an efficiency of 70% but isn’t DEFRA approved and so can’t be used in a Smoke Control Area.
Specs
- Up to 5kW heat output
- 120kg weight
- Max log length 10”
Options
- 7 colours, Satin chrome handles
- No Smoke Control Kit Option
- 8,000 Btu boiler
- Optional convection box
- 2 standard frame options
- Optional fettle
See the latest price for the Clearview Vision Inset here.
Clearview Pioneer Oven
With an official efficiency rating of 84.5%, the Pioneer Oven is a highly efficient stove that has an integrated warming oven as well as a hotplate surface for a kettle.
The Pioneer is multi fuel ready and is DEFRA approved for use in Smoke Control Areas.
Specs
- Up to 6kW heat output
- 170kg weight
- Max log length 10”
Options
- 7 colours, Satin chrome handles and Smoke Control Kit
- External air box for direct connection with outside air
- Optional base plate for floor protection
- Double Rear Heat Shield which allows you to further reduce the distance to nearby combustive objects
- Available stainless steel sides rather than plain
- No option to have a boiler
See the latest price for the Clearview Pioneer Oven here.
Clearview Vision 500
The Vision 500 was the first DEFRA approved multi fuel stove and is the Clearview stove that we own and use.
Like all the other stoves in the Clearview range the Vision 500 also has a multi fuel grate. This stove has an efficiency rating of 71.6%.
Specs
- Up to 8kW heat output
- 125kg weight
- Max log length 15”
Options
- 7 colours, Satin chrome handles and Smoke Control Kit
- External air box for direct connection with outside air
- Heat Shield to reduce distance to combustibles
- 10,000 Btu optional boiler
- 5 leg size options
- 2 canopy options
The Vision 500 is the Clearview stove that we own and so we’ve got into much more detail about the Vision 500 in our review of it here.
See the latest price for the Clearview Vision 500 here.
Clearview Vision 650
The 650 is the second largest stove in the Clearview range and boasts a maximum heat output of 12kW with two large double glazed doors.
Specs
- Up to 12kW heat output
- 154-165kg weight
- Max log length 18”
Options
- 7 colours, Satin chrome handles and Smoke Control Kit
- External air box for direct connection with outside air
- 10,000, 27,000 and 40,000 Btu boiler options
- 2 plinth options
- 2 canopy options
You can find out more about the Clearview Vision 650 here.
Clearview 750
The 750 is the largest Clearview stove in the range with up to 14kW heat output. It’s the larger version of the Clearview 650 and also has a double glass door to enjoy the flames through.
Specs
- Up to 14kW heat output
- 182-193kg weight
- Max log length 18”
Options
- 7 colours, Satin chrome handles and Smoke Control Kit
- External air box for direct connection with outside air
- 10,000, 27,000 and 45,000 Btu boiler options
- 2 plinth options
- 2 canopy options
You can find out more about the Clearview Vision 750 here.
Which Is The Best Clearview Stove?
Any model in the Clearview Stove range will be an excellent choice when it comes to providing heat to your home. Their robust design and great heat output will help you to have hot and successful fires for many years.
Each Clearview stove is designed to suit a different need and so you’ll firstly find to find out which stove is the right size for the area you’re trying to heat.
You can use the free stove size calculator here to find out what size Clearview stove (in kW heat output) that you should be looking for.
You’ll simply need the measurements of your room in meters (height, width and length) as well as give an indication of how well your home is insulated from a scale of poor to good.
It’s important to get the size of stove right because you don’t want to be under utilising your stove if it’s too big or overfiring it if it has been sized too small.
Once you have your required size stove you can look at which Clearview stove best suits your situation. As there are different models of Clearview stoves that have similar heat outputs you can look at which one would fit in your chosen location, whether it’s inside your existing open fireplace or another place in your home.
We chose the Vision 500 to be installed in our open fireplace because it provides the right heat output for the room and fits well inside the fireplace.
How Much Are Clearview Stoves?
For the best price Clearview stoves you can view the whole range here.
Where To Buy Clearview Stoves
We ordered our Clearview stoves from here and will be the best place to get your Clearview stove from.
We’d recommend getting two-man delivery for an additional small fee to have the stove carried and placed into your room of choice (we went for this and was well worth it because these stoves are very heavy!)
You can also visit a Clearview showroom, and more details can be found over on the Clearview website.
Are Clearview Stoves The Best?
An independent survey of more than 1000 wood burning stove owners found that the ‘Best Stove Brand’ for 2019 was Clearview Stoves, coming ahead of eleven other stove brands.
Within the five different categories for Quality and Finish, Durability, Ease of Using and Controlling, Ease of Cleaning and Value for Money, Clearview received a maximum of 5 out of 4 stars for four of the five categories.
You can find out more about this survey over on Clearview Stoves’ website here.
Are Clearview Stoves Worth The Money?
From owning and using two Clearview Stoves over a number of years we can honestly say that these stoves are definitely worth the money.
From our experience we’ve found our Clearview stoves to do an extremely good job of producing heat for our homes. You can really feel the heat being generated by these stoves even when you’re sitting on the other side of the room.
Our own Clearview stoves also look great, and feel robust and well-made. We also find the airwash system (which helps to keep the glass clear from staining during fires) works very well, and much better than other types of stove we have used.
In terms of whether Clearview Stoves are worth the money, the independent consumer survey of wood burning stove owners showed that Clearview received 5 out of 5 stars for value for money, with Clearview being only one of two brands to get the highest rating.
Are Clearview Stoves DEFRA Approved?
DEFRA approved stoves can be used in Smoke Control Areas in the UK.
We have a complete article explaining what DEFRA approved stoves are here, but essentially if a stove is to be used in a Smoke Control Area (typically a built up area such as London) it must be approved for use in these areas by DEFRA. In order to be approved the stoves must provide a sufficiently clean burn in order to reduce emissions and smoke.
To find out if you’re in a Smoke Control Area you’ll need to contact your local council here.
You can view the entire list of DEFRA approved stoves over on the official UK government website here.
The majority of the Clearview Stoves range are approved for use in Smoke Control Areas. We’ve put together a table below showing which stoves manufactured by Clearview are DEFRA approved, including a link to see what each stove looks like, and also a link to their approval page on the DEFRA website if you want to find out more.
| Clearview Stove | DEFRA Approved | Link to DEFRA |
| Pioneer 400 | Yes | Click Here |
| Pioneer 400P | Yes | Click Here |
| Vision 500 | Yes | Click Here |
| Vision Inset | No | |
| Solution 400 | Yes | Click Here |
| Solution 500 | Yes | |
| Pioneer Oven | Yes | Click Here |
| Clearview 650 | Yes | Click Here |
| Clearview 750 | Yes | Click Here |
Important Note
In order for these stoves to be used in a Smoke Control Area they must be fitted with a Smoke Control Kit, which can be added as an optional extra when ordering.
SMOKE CONTROL KITS CANNOT BE RETROFITTED TO CLEARVIEW STOVES AND SO YOU MUST ORDER IT ALONG WITH ORDERING THE STOVE.
As an example, we have the Vision 500 without the Smoke Control Kit, meaning that if we were to move to a house that was located in a Smoke Control Area we couldn’t use our stove in our new home.
Are Clearview Stoves Clean Burning?
All Clearview stoves provide a very clean burn.
All but one of the stoves from the Clearview range are DEFRA approved, and Clearview were the first manufacturer to have a multi fuel stove approved by DEFRA.
Clearview stoves were also the first company to design the hot air wash system into their stoves which helps to promote an even cleaner burn of the fuel, by allowing air to warm up before reaching the firebox as it makes its way around the hot body of the stove.
The efficiency ratings of Clearview stoves are as follows:
| Clearview Stove | Official Efficiency Rating |
| Pioneer 400 | 70% |
| Pioneer 400P | 70% |
| Vision 500 | 71.6% |
| Vision Inset | 70% |
| Solution 400 | 77% |
| Solution 500 | 71.6% |
| Pioneer Oven | 84.5% |
| Clearview 650 | N/A |
| Clearview 750 | N/A |
Are Clearview Stoves Multi Fuel?
Yes, all Clearview stoves have multi fuel capability, meaning that they can burn other forms of approved solid fuels.
Although our Vision 500 Clearview stove is multi fuel, we only burn wood. It’s so good at producing heat from wood that we’d rather have this multi fuel stove than any other wood burning only stove.
However, Clearview Stoves recommend that the fuel of choice should be wood if you want to have a clean burning fire in your stove that’s a joy to watch.
Where Are Clearview Stoves Made?
Clearview stoves are made in Shropshire, UK.
You can find out more about how Clearview Stoves design and manufacture their stoves over on the Clearview Stoves website.
What Are Clearview Stoves Made Of?
Clearview Stoves are made from British steel, to aid in keeping the stoves airtight through welding and to provide the passageways for air that help to promote a clean burn of the fuel.
The body of our Vision 500 Clearview Stove is made of steel, while the door is cast iron, and the ash tray is stainless steel.
Clearview Stoves Accessories & Options
Clearview Stoves Thermometer
We’d highly recommend getting a thermometer for your stove, which will help you to understand how well your Clearview stove is operating.
We use a magnetic thermometer that gives us an indication of how efficiently the fuel is being burnt.
If the stove is operating at a temperature too low then more creosote can be produced as a result of incomplete combustion of the fuel, which can line the insides of your flue or stain the glass on your stove over time.
If the stove is running at too high temperatures then the fire may be burning through the wood too quick for it to be efficient.
A stove thermometer can therefore be used to ensure that you’re getting the most amount of heat from every log burnt, while also ensuring a clean burn. If not, the thermometer will let you know and you can adjust the amount of fuel or airflow accordingly.
For our recommended stove thermometer click here.
Clearview Stoves Smoke Control Kit
A Smoke Control Kit will allow you to use your stove in a Smoke Control Area.
If you do live in a Smoke Control Area then you MUST add the option when ordering your Clearview stove here, as the kit cannot be added to the stove at a later date.
Simply select the DEFRA Smoke Control option when going through the options list. Thankfully you can’t order a Clearview stove without first selecting whether you need a Smoke Control Kit or not.
Furthermore, Clearview Stoves state that you can’t have a boiler in a smoke control stove.
Clearview Stove Installation
If you’re installing a wood burning stove in your home for the first time you’ll need to consider how the waste gases and smoke will be vented from your home.
You’ll be able to have your Clearview Stove delivered to your exact chosen location if you opt for 2-man delivery when purchasing the stove here.
You’ll then need contact a HETAS Registered Installer here to install the stove into your home.
If you’re looking to install a Clearview stove inside your existing fireplace then you’ll need to consider getting the following if your chimney doesn’t already have one:
- Flue liner
- Register plate (more information about register plates here)
- Chimney cowl
The HETAS installer will need to connect up your new Clearview Stove to the top of your chimney
Contact a HETAS Registered Installer to discuss what you’ll need in order to have your Clearview stove correctly installed.
You can choose an optional stove fitting kit (that includes a register plate) as well as flue liner pack when ordering your Clearview Stove here.
As an example, when we ordered our Vision 500 Clearview stove it was placed in our existing fireplace thanks to also buying 2-man delivery.
We also ordered a flue liner and register plate when we bought the stove. We simply measured the height of our chimney and ordered a flue liner along with the stove that was bit longer than we needed to ensure that it would work.
We then had a HETAS installer come round and connect up our new Clearview Stove to the top of the chimney using the register plate and the flue liner provided.
