A chiminea makes a great addition to a garden, housing a wonderful amount of heat in a gorgeous clay or cast iron appliance.

To get the most out of your chiminea, you’ll need to find the right fuel to use in the appliance. We want to talk you through the options that you should consider to keep your garden guests warm and create the perfect outdoor environment.

Best Wood Fuel for your Chiminea

For beginners and those who want the most authentic chiminea experience, a strong suggestion would be for you to opt for kiln dried firewood to get your fire going. Kiln dried wood is a great fuel that emits a low amount of smoke for the safety of those around it and the efficiency of the fire.

You want to generate as much heat from as little energy as possible to maintain the high temperature without worrying that the fire will dwindle; this is exactly what you can expect from wood that has been dried to a moisture level of less than 20%.

Some people prefer to use heat logs over kiln dried wood, which is also a great fuel choice. Made entirely from compressed wood for sustainability, heat logs are a great choice for your chiminea which will let off stunning, smokeless flames to brighten up any garden gathering.

If you live in a Smoke Control Area, you need to remain aware of the amount of smoke you produce and stay within a permitted level. Kiln-dried wood and heat logs are excellent choices to abide by these restrictions.

Best Fuel for a Cast Iron Chiminea vs Best Fuel for a Clay Chiminea

Kiln-dried wood is the best fuel for a chiminea and especially the perfect option for clay chimineas; the fragrant scent from the wood is a favourite among many fire lovers and seems to complement the clay housing perfectly. Wood is the preferable option for clay and the flames created will dance beautifully. 

Cast iron chimineas are extremely robust and durable and can produce high levels of heat for many years. If you have a cast iron chiminea, you can burn a variety of fuels because cast iron tends to tolerate a higher temperature than clay. This material tends to give the user more versatility but won’t have the aesthetic appeal that many believe makes a clay chiminea superior. 

If you are using a chimenea, you’ll require smaller lengths of wood or heat logs to fit inside your chiminea’s chamber. Homefire Shimada heat logs are approximately 195mm in length so they are a perfect length for use in chimineas.

A lot of this comes down to the type of chiminea you have already purchased and neither kiln-dried wood nor heat logs will be a bad option to keep everybody in the garden warm as the sun sets.

In conclusion, no matter what type of chiminea you have; a clay or a cast iron chiminea, kiln dried firewood and heat logs are great fuel choices. We would not advise for smokeless coal to be used as high temperatures could provide too much heat, especially in a clay chiminea. 

Whichever wood fuel you end up deciding on, purchase the very best quality around at Homefire’s website.