Wood Experts Answer: What Is the UK’s Best Briquette?

With the UK public becoming more and more concerned with heating fuel efficiency and its environmental impact, wood briquettes are becoming more popular than ever. And for a good reason.

When compared to regular kiln-dried logs, wood briquettes are:

• A lot more energy-dense, so they require less storage space.
• Significantly drier, so they burn a lot more efficiently.
• Produce far less smoke, so they release fewer pollutants into the atmosphere
• Can release a lot more heat, with such briquette fuels as Hardwood Heat Logs rivalling coal in terms of heat output.
• Can burn up to 4 times longer, with Night Briquettes having a record-setting burn time of up to 8 hours.

But which briquette fuel is right for you? Which one is the most beginner-friendly? And which one will give you the most heat for your pound?

In this article, we’ll give you all the information you need to make the right choice. We’ll compare all briquette types in 4 main categories: heat output, burn time, price, and ease of use. The top pick in each category will receive 3 points, the second pick will get 2 points, and the third pick will get 1 point.

At the end of the article, we’ll tally up the points and crown the UK’s #1 briquette fuel.

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Round 1: Heat Output

The reason we burn wood in the first place is to extract heat from it, so heat output is the first thing we look at when choosing a briquette fuel. A high heat output briquette can easily keep your home warm even in the coldest weather. And you’ll need to use fewer briquettes to reach your desired temperature.

The Hottest-Burning Wood Briquettes in the UK:

1. Hardwood Heat Logs. Being packed with more energy than the batteries of most plug-in hybrid vehicles, Hardwood Heat Logs are by far the UK’s hottest-burning wood fuel. Perfect for chilly nights and occasions when your main wood fuel needs a little heat boost. They’re so powerful that we advise newcomers to break each log into 3-4 chunks and then use them one chunk at a time.
2. Nestro Softwood Logs. Having the same shape as Hardwood Heat Logs being manufactured from less expensive softwood sawdust, Nestro Logs offer a similar heat output to our #1 option but at a lower price. Customers also like them for the characteristic softwood aroma they emanate when burned.
3. Pini Kay Eco Logs. Another hot-burning option. Pini Kay Eco Logs pack a serious punch but not one so powerful that you need to worry about accidentally overheating your stove. One additional benefit of this fuel is its ease of use and luxurious burn. With Pini Kay Eco Logs, you don’t need to worry about overheating your rooms as their heat output is limited.

Current standings:

1. Hardwood Heat Logs (3 points) 
2. Nestro Softwood Logs (2 points)
3. Pini Kay Eco Logs (1 point)

Round 2: Burn Time

With more and more people turning to wood fuel briquettes to save money on winter heating, burn time is becoming an increasingly important criterion for many people. A longer burn time means lower overall fuel consumption and less time spent tending to the stove.

The Longest-Burning Wood Briquettes in the UK:

1. Night Briquettes. Made from a proprietary blend of softwood bark, Lekto Night Briquettes are by far the UK’s longest-burning wood fuel. They can burn for up to 8 hours, which is 4 times longer than conventional briquettes. This makes them perfect for heating your home overnight or on occasions when you cannot tend to the stove but still need reliable heat.
2. Fire Logs. Coming in second, Fire Logs can boast up to 4 hours of burn time. They also provide much more heat than Night Briquettes, so they’re a great universal option for people looking for a mix of burn time and heat output.
3. Pini Kay Eco Logs. With a typical burn time of a little over 2 hours, Pini Kay Eco Logs are a luxurious, beautifully-burning option for people who enjoy the finer things in life.

Current standings:

1. Hardwood Heat Logs (3 points) 
2. Night Briquettes (3 points)
3. Pini Kay Eco Logs (2 points)
4. Nestro Softwood Logs (2 points)
5. Fire Logs (2 points)

Round 3: Price

The cost of living crisis has made everything in the UK more expensive. Because of this, affordability has become the most important factor in choosing a briquette fuel for many people. 

The Most Affordable Wood Briquettes in the UK:

1. Night Briquettes. Thanks to economies of scale, Lekto can offer the UK’s longest-burning briquette at a price lower than any other briquette. This makes Night Briquettes the UK’s most cost-efficient and economical briquette fuel.
2. Sawdust Briquettes. The UK’s popular briquette fuel for over a century. The technology behind manufacturing Sawdust Briquettes is simple and well-understood, which translates to low prices.
3. Fire Logs. The most surprising entry on this list. Despite being an innovative fuel that offers a great balance of long burn time and high heat output, Fire Logs are available at an incredibly low price.

Current standings:

1. Night Briquettes (6 points)
2. Hardwood Heat Logs (3 points) 
3. Fire Logs (3 points)
4. Pini Kay Eco Logs (2 points)
5. Nestro Softwood Logs (2 points)
6. Sawdust Briquettes (2 points)

Round 4: Ease of Use

With more people than even switching over from firewood logs to briquettes, ease of use is more important than ever. Some briquettes are best suited to seasoned briquette users as they can only be used in a pre-heated stove and must be placed on glowing embers.

The Most Beginner-Friendly Wood Briquettes in the UK:

1. Sawdust Briquettes. The most popular briquette for over a century, Sawdust Briquettes are incredibly easy to use. Simply use them like you would use kiln-dried logs. No briquette use experience is required.
2. Pini Kay Eco Logs. Designed for ultimate luxury and ease of use, Pini Kay Eco Logs are very easy to light and their no-roll, no-expand shape makes them easy to use.
3. Hardwood Heat Logs. Incredibly easy to light with a single Natural Firelighter. The only reason this product isn’t higher on our list is that, if you’re not careful, its high heat output can lead to stove overheating. To avoid this problem, break up your log into 3-4 smaller chunks and use them one at a time.

Conclusion: What Is the UK’s Best Briquette Fuel?

After 4 rounds of testing, these are our final standings:

1. Night Briquettes (6 points)
2. Sawdust Briquettes (5 points)
3. Hardwood Heat Logs (4 points) 
4. Pini Kay Eco Logs (4 points)
5. Fire Logs (3 points)
6. Nestro Softwood Logs (2 points)

As can be seen from the final standings, the race was a lot closer than many might’ve expected.

Night Briquettes came out on top of our expert rankings by taking the crown in terms of affordability and burn time. They’re perfect for anyone trying to save money on heating by lowering their overall wood fuel consumption. They’re also great for people who want to keep their home warm during the night or when working or studying from home.

Sawdust Briquettes took silver thanks to their ease of use and affordable price. They’re perfect for first-time briquette users as they can be used in the same manner as conventional briquettes. No adjustment is required. They’re also far easier to use than any other briquette on the market.

And Hardwood Heat Logs finished in third thanks to their high heat output and ease of use. They’re perfect for anyone who is searching for a fast-heating, high-heat output fuel. A true must-have for cold winter days.