gas,wood and coal ranges

[laundromat]

Ii know back in the 70's that there were numerous brands of these multiple fuel ranges like the Monarchs and Chambers that were made to use different fuels like coal,kerosine,oil and wood along with natural or lp gas or even electric.Ii am now looking for a customer who saw our Wedgewood and asked if it used wood too. Of course,this one doesn't but in searching the web for a brand of that nature, I am having difficulty finding any except the real expensive ones that are way overpriced.Any info anyone here may have, I would greatly appreciate.

 

[volvoguy87]

Coal and gas.

So far as I know, Chambers made only gas ranges. I could be wrong though.

My roommate has an Alcazar combination range (circa WWI?) that burns either gas or coal. It has 4 gas burners and 4 plates over the coal fire. It has a large coal oven below the cooktop and a tiny gas oven and broiler above. The coal firebox is on the left side. Thankfully, it's not hooked up right now.

I'll stick with the 1953 Magic Chef we have hooked up right now.

Dave

 

[58limited]

There is a Chambers wood/gas range on ebay right now. I've also seen O'Keefe & Merritts that used wood in addition to gas. Also, the vintage Estate brand stoves had multi-fuel models available.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Chambers-STOVE-...653?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35a9a15e65

 

[laundromat]

Chambers

I,myself, would love this range but,here in Honoka'a, the only few people who would even think of paying that much for a used gas/wood range are either Roseanne Barr or Dr.Linda Beech.They're the only folks here that could afford it.The customer interested would pay maybe $1000 for a new,unused one but that would be their limit.And,Rose already bought her cooking equipment from us about 8 months ago.Thanks for the info. I'll keep looking.

 

[polkanut]

Caloric also made dual fuel stoves. Our next door neighbors when I was growing up were an older couple that had brought their wood/gas stove with them when they sold their farm, and moved to town in the late 1950's.

 

[norgeway]

Monarch!

Or local furniture store sold Monarch until they went out of business in the 70s, he has a combination range, wood on the left, four Chromalox units on the right, the oven is in the middle, and works on both fuels, if the wood fire dies down, and the thermostat is set at say 350...when the temp drops the electric takes over, pretty neat set up !

 

[bajaespuma]

Good thread!

When I was in Italy a couple of years ago, I noticed that many of the middle class families we visited had two stoves. One was usually a small 24" (what we would call apartment-sized) gas or gas/electic range with 4 burners and a small oven. The other one was invariably a larger wood burning stove, slightly smaller than the Chambers Model B unit that had a solid-top with 4 round cut-outs, an oven (sort of like the oven on those large AGA units in the UK) and a burner box on the side. My travelling companion's cousins, in a small village called Barazzetto, near Udine, cooked us a wonderful meal including polenta and sausages on the thing. Our host, Carmela, said she only used the modern stove when she was feeling lazy, or to bake cakes and quick things.

They were all vented to the outside via a large 10" duct just like a heating stove would be in this country. I kept thinking that one day, if I ever have any money again, I would buy one and have it shipped over here. I don't see why it couldn't, or wouldn't work here. I may have a picture of it somewhere. If I find it I'll scan and post.

 

[launderess]

Considering How Dear Energy Rates Are

In most parts of Europe, a range using wood could be a blessing, that is if one had access to an steady and inexpensive supply of timber.

IIRC,one can find ranges in the UK/EU and Eastern Europe that are fueled by petrol, gases, disel, wood,coal and even peat.

Would think since the size of the market in the United States is so small for such units, their cost would be very high. That and the amount of safety designs would also add considerably to cost. Then of course there is the environmental factors.

Not sure how it breaks down by states, but in the UK for instance one can really only legally burn "smoke-less" coal in ranges, heaters and boilers. Being as that may, have heard in states where coal is abundant and cheap many homeowners have gone back to using coal for their boilers. This is probably true in areas such as PA where it gets darn cold in winter and the cost of heating a home with petrol or electric can be dear.

http://www.cast-iron-range-cookers.co.uk/esse/esse-woodburning-cookers.html