There's a particular kind of satisfaction in making a purchase you've thought about for far too long. I find that's how most of my customers feel.
But now, I'm joining them.
I've been circling the ESSE Garden Stove for the better part of two years. And with summer here, I finally stopped dithering and ordered one!
So, I want to tell you a bit about why this stove appealed to me, what it's actually like to use, and why I think it might be worth your attention too – whether you're a seasoned outdoor cook or simply someone who wants a better reason to be outside.
If I were to describe it to you, I'd say it's like the combination of a log burner and a barbecue.
You light a proper wood fire inside it, so on cooler evenings, you get that background warmth while you're sitting outside. Then once the fire settles down to embers, there's a grill on top so you can cook on it as well.
A few sausages and burgers, nothing too massive.
But I can already picture countless summer evenings in the garden beside it.
One thing I hear from customers this time of year is that they're always trying to spend more time outside when the weather's decent…
Not necessarily hosting huge garden parties or building outdoor kitchens worth a fortune. Just slowing down a bit, staying outside longer in the evening, and having something warm crackling away while they enjoy the outdoors.
I think that's why this little stove appealed to me so much.
It gives you a reason to stay outdoors once the sun starts going down.
Being ESSE, it's properly constructed as well – solid, simple, and built to last.
ESSE has been hand-building stoves since 1854, and that name's been synonymous with cast iron craftsmanship for over 170 years. For decades now, that's happened at the company's home in Barnoldswick, Lancashire, and the Garden Stove carries that heritage…
It's a substantial object: 88kg, built from British steel and cast iron, treated with flax oil, designed to weather gracefully rather than deteriorate. And when it arrived, that quality was immediately apparent.
This isn't garden furniture that will look tired by autumn. It's an appliance with the kind of heft and finish that signals genuine quality.
It's an easy one for me to recommend to anyone.
Anyway, with the excellent weather we've been having lately, I can't wait to get home each day and fire it up again.